Modern horror wouldn’t be what it is today without Wes Craven. He has made some of the best slasher horror movies of all time, and that helped push the boundaries of the genre. Little did I know, the director from Cleveland, Ohio, created quite a network of stars across these iconic films. For example, Freddy Krueger actor Robert Englund used to babysit Drew Barrymore, who would go on to play Scream’s doomed Casey Becker, and the story the A Nightmare on Elm Street actor told us about this is incredible.
Two of the stars of the 1984 classic, Heather Langenkamp and Robert Englund, appeared on CinemaBlend’s podcast, ReelBlend, to talk about everything Craven-related -- from how he was as a director, theories, sequels, and even other Craven hits, like Scream. During the conversation, Englund recounted witnessing a meeting between Craven and Barrymore while out to dinner.
The Urban Legend alum didn’t know it then, but he seemingly was part of the Scream franchises' beginnings as he went up to say high to the director and the actress he used to babysit:
I was having dinner on Melrose in a trendy new restaurant, and I looked over and there was (Scream producer) Marianne Maddalena, Wes Craven, and Drew Barrymore and her little short bob. I used to babysit Drew Barrymore when she was a child, a little bit, and I knew her mother. I had an actress friend who was best friends with her mother. And so I knew that. And I hadn't seen Drew since a screening of one of her movies. Poison Ivy or something. And so I just went by the table on the way out to give a hug to Marianne. I hugged her, Wes and Drew. And I made a joke. I just said, ‘You know, you gotta use her!’ I didn't know about Scream. I just meant they were obviously taking a meeting. ‘Use her! She's great.’ And Drew got up and gave me a little hug, and that was it.
So, do we have Englund to thank for one of the best first kills in a horror movie? It's not confirmed, but it seems like he might have played a small role in getting Barrymore cast in Scream.
Craven’s Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, which brought a lot of excitement, dread and pretty gruesome murders to our screens, has remained a staple in the genre for decades. Then Scream did the same thing, as it added a new meta and funny level to the world of horror. So, the fact that two of the franchises' stars are so connected through something like babysitting is pretty mind-blowing.
Plus, this story is made even better by the fact that this year marks the 40th anniversary of the first movie in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. Over the years, there have been a lot of sequels, off-kilter Nightmare on Elm Street remakes, and even some Freddy Kruger wardrobe secrets revealed that could have changed everything, as shared by the Freddy vs Jason star himself. So it's fun to throw it back to the days when these movies were made and learn more about how Craven's iconic projects are connected.
People have continually celebrated Wes Craven’s work and shared favorite scenes, trivia, and a whole lot more about his movies over the years. Even Barrymore has shared some behind-the-scenes footage from Scream. Now that I've learned about her connection to Nightmare on Elm Street's star, we might need to thank Robert Englund for her involvement.
