PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Recently I got the opportunity to have one of my dreams come true. That opportunity was to actually get to meet the legendary Kane Hodder. Not only did I get to meet him, he granted me the chance to interview him in person! Kane is one of the sweetest men I’ve ever met. Although I will admit his size could be intimidating, he really just is a big teddy bear. Check out the exclusive interview which I am so excited to share with all of you as my 100th article for PopHorror!
PopHorror: Kane, thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview! This is such an honor!
Kane Hodder: Who could tell you no? (laughs) This will be fun!
PopHorror: (laughs) You are known as playing Jason in the Friday the 13th franchise more then anyone else. What was your favorite movie that you played Jason in?
Kane Hodder: That’s easy. Part 7 New Blood. For several reasons. I believe it has the best make-up of any other Jason. I’ve been a stunt man for over 40 years. I’ve done so many stunts, but in this film, I feel like I got to make all the stunts the way I wanted to do them and make them even more dramatic.
PopHorror: What is some advice you have for other people doing stunts?
Kane Hodder: Don’t mess with fire. Very dangerous. Also, getting hit by a car is not an easy stunt to do. Jumping out of a helicopter and onto a train is crazy but up there with one of my favorites.
PopHorror: Have you ever had a stunt double?
Kane Hodder: No one has ever stunt doubled me. I have done 100% of my own stunts.
PopHorror: You’ve used several weapons throughout your career but most notably the machete. Are the weapons real?
Kane Hodder: The machete, I can tell, you is absolutely real. I mean, unless I am hitting someone with it.
PopHorror: (laughs) I hope not! What are some of your favorite kill scenes from your films?
Kane Hodder: Sleeping bag death scene for sure. Or from the first movie Hatchet, ripping the woman’s head apart. I also really like in Jason X the frozen head kill. I know Jason X, people either love it or hate it, but I really dug the Uber Jason look. Whenever I played Jason, I tried to make him as consistent as possible regardless of his setting… such as in space. (laughs).
PopHorror: Do you have any fun behind the scene stories of any of the Friday movies to tell?
Kane Hodder: In New Blood, I was in full make-up and was walking in the woods. I noticed someone walking towards me. It was around 1 or 2 AM. I just stopped and stared at him. The guy was like, “Um… are you with the movie?” I really freaked the guy out. The next day, I found out it was a young local cop watching the set, but after that he never came back. (laughs).
PopHorror: (laughs) I would be scared to come back, too!
Kane Hodder: Another I guess I’m known for is on the set of every Friday movie I was apart of, I would pick one random victim and take a piss in their dressing room. They would call me stinky Voorhees.
Hey what is your favorite Friday movie?
PopHorror: Well, my favorite scene of any of them is the boxing scene in Jason Takes Manhattan.
Kane Hodder: (laughs) That movie has my favorite line and lamest line of any of the movies. The best being, “Take your best shot, motherfucker!” I mean, I let him literally hit me all of those times, so it was a gratifying kill. (laughs). The lamest line… oh man, it’s so bad. It’s when Jason first gets to Manhattan and he runs into those punks with the boombox and it just sounds so edited and it is so lame but the kid goes, “You’re dead meat, slimebag!” (laughs) So lame.
PopHorror: I am never going to be able to watch that scene without cracking up ever again! Let’s talk a little about Freddy Vs. Jason. How would you feel about doing a remake of that if you were to play Jason?
Kane Hodder: I mean, I would totally do it. Especially if someone was thinking it was worth while. I think it’s the fight that fans have always wanted. I know it’s something I have always wanted. I was given the script for the film originally and was told I would be doing it and then told they wanted to go a different way. It did break my heart.
Okay, I want to see if you are as trivia savvy as you say you are. I played Freddy one time. Can you name it?
PopHorror: (laughs) Oh, come on Kane! You think I wouldn’t know that? At the end of Jason Goes to Hell and it teases Freddy’s glove… That was totally you.
Kane Hodder: Damn, you are good! I was on the 3rd season of Adam Green’s Holliston. I played myself and he had me making fun of me being replaced in Freddy Vs. Jason, So I can laugh about it!
PopHorror: I will check that out! Okay, so if you weren’t Jason in the films, who side would you be on: Jason or one of the final girls?
Kane Hodder: I’d be on Jason’s side. People did some terrible shit to him.
PopHorror: I know you get asked about Freddy a lot, so I want to know: do you have a favorite person that has played Michael Myers in the Halloween films?
Kane Hodder: Nick Castle because he was the first. Or even Tyler Mane or George Wilbur because they both played him twice.
PopHorror: What do you think of the new Friday the 13th video game?
Kane Hodder: I did all the dialogue for Jason. It was an amazing experience. I thought it was so cool that the video game was released my son Jace’s 13th birthday.
PopHorror: I just have to point out that Jason necklace you are wearing looks really familiar…
Kane Hodder: I’m actually really good friends with the people behind the show Hardcore Pawn and they actually did an episode and you can see them making this for me. I wear it all the time!
PopHorror: I knew that I had seen that somewhere. I’ve seen that episode! Have you made a lot of friends from being in the film industry?
Kane Hodder: I have the best fans. I’ve made some of the coolest friends from playing Jason. One fun fan story is a fan from Dallas, Texas, hired me to be his best man. Sid Haag was actually hired to officiate the wedding and he did so as Captain Spaulding. It was cool shit.
PopHorror: Aside from conventions, do you connect with your fans on social media a lot?
Kane Hodder: Ya know, I’ve been on Twitter and I have a Facebook page but I’ve never been on my personal Facebook page ever.
PopHorror: Aside from being a stuntman and actor, what do you do for fun?
Kane Hodder: I’m actually apart of Hollywood Ghosthunters. It’s a group that consists of some really cool people like Danielle Harris, Adam Green, RA Mihailoff, and Rick McCallum.
PopHorror: That is really cool! You seem to know a lot of celebrities! You mentioned earlier that you are just like everyone else. Was there ever a time you were nervous to meet a celebrity?
Kane Hodder: I was a little nervous meeting Brad Pitt while working on the movie Seven.
PopHorror: You are a huge icon yourself. Who do you consider an icon?
Kane Hodder: Stan Lee is a legend man.
PopHorror: Do you have any fun stories with you and other horror celebrity icons?
Kane Hodder: I really get a kick out of when I played in the World Series of Poker and I actually got knocked out by the Bride of Chucky (Jennifer Tilly).
PopHorror: That is awesome! Other then the horror genre, are there other types of films you wanted to do?
Kane Hodder: You know, because of my emotional scene as Victor Crowley, it has landed me more dramatic roles. I actually cried real tears. People don’t believe me when I say I can cry on cue.
Kane Hodder: Next time you don’t believe me, I’ll put you in a choke hold! (laughs).
PopHorror: Color me impressed! (laughs) What upcoming projects do you have?
Kane Hodder: I just finished filming a horror comedy and I’m fucking hilarious in it! It’s called An Accidental Zombie Named Ted.
PopHorror: I look forward to it! DeathHouse is one I highly anticipate. Can you tell me anything about it?
Kane Hodder: What I can tell you is that I’m not really a friendly guy in that at all.
PopHorror: You also have a book called Unmasked and a documentary To Hell and Back coming out. What do you want your fans to know about it?
Kane Hodder: I really want people to know I’ve had a similar life to them. I’ve been through some shit and how hard it can be sometimes to continue, but you do.
PopHorror: Okay, I have to know: what is your favorite horror movie of all time?
Kane Hodder: The Exorcist. Unless you are my age, you have no idea the impact that movie had on society. People passing out or fainting in the theater. Before you even seen it, you were scared. It was such a powerful subject matter. In 1974, it was such an impact.
PopHorror: Do you have a favorite director?
Kane Hodder: From a stunt point, of view I would say Tony Scott. He knew action and knew how to shoot it. He made the most of every moment.
PopHorror: How did you get your start in the industry?
Kane Hodder: I used to do stunts for The Incredible Hulk TV show as a stuntman and on Dukes of Hazard.
PopHorror: What advice do you have for others wanting to break into the industry?
Kane Hodder: Don’t expect it to be easy. It took me eight years to make a living. If you are passionate, don’t give up.
I want to send out a big special thanks to Kane Hodder for spending the day with me at Wizard World! Be sure to check back to PopHorror for all of Kane’s upcoming projects.
