Movies

Unrecognizable Horror Legend Spotted at 77: Can You Guess Who He Is?

BBG News

77-year-old veteran of the horror genre, well known for his longstanding contributions, was recently seen in public, appearing noticeably different from his previous appearances.

At the start of his professional journey, he attempted – but didn’t secure – a role in the primary cast of what was then the freshly launched Star Wars series.

In the 1980s, which was the following decade, he gained an iconic status of his own by featuring in one of the most terrifying films ever remembered.

In a chilling manner, he, as the menacing adversary, sent shivers up the spines of cinema-goers worldwide, and to this day, his villainous character remains synonymous with terrifying horror icons.

However, when spotted in Los Angeles this week, he appeared as a friendly, elderly man taking a leisurely walk under the bright daylight.

Can you guess who he is? 

The individual under discussion is Robert Englund, famously known for creating the character of Freddy Krueger in the chilling 1984 horror film titled “A Nightmare on Elm Street”.

After completing his classical acting education at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, he returned to Hollywood to start his acting career.

In the 1970s, Harrison Ford wasn’t initially cast as Han Solo in Star Wars; instead, Englund tried out but didn’t get the part.

Since then, he has asserted that it was him who convinced Mark Hamill to try out for the iconic Luke Skywalker role in the original 1977 Star Wars film.

Later on, I returned home, woke up a young boy who was crashing on my couch, and shared stories about Star Wars with him after having a few beers. The boy’s name happened to be Mark Hamill, as Mr. Englund stated.

He mentioned, “Hey, Lucas has a space film project going on. You might be a good fit for it since the main character is like a teen… So Mark contacted his agent, and I believe he visited the next day. He aced it, and that’s how things unfolded.” This is what he shared with Yahoo! Movies.

According to Hamill himself, he has challenged Englund’s account of events on Twitter, stating: “Robert was one of several actors who informed me about #StarWars. When I shared this with my agent, she had already arranged an audition. It still irks him that he gets the credit.

He stated emphatically: “Spending the night on that couch is absurd! As a seasoned actor with 6 years of experience, I have my own apartment.” (Setting The Record Straight)

Back in the ’80s, I starred in the TV series known as V, playing the role of Willie – a gritty and resilient figure who stood firm in the fight for humanity’s survival against an extraterrestrial onslaught.

It wasn’t until he secured the role of Freddy Krueger in the hugely successful horror movie A Nightmare on Elm Street that his ship really came in.

Under the guidance of horror maestro Wes Craven, this film featured Robert in the chilling role of a murderer with a terrifyingly sharp glove adorned by razors. He stalks and slays teenagers not in reality, but in their very dreams.

His method involves invading his victims’ worst fears, where he mercilessly slays them in their dreams. This act results in the unfortunate souls expiring violently in reality as well.

Freddy Krueger is a spirit that once lived as a notorious serial murderer from the past. He found a loophole in the legal system and was able to escape prison, but eventually, the furious parents of his deceased victims burned him alive.

During the movie’s timeline, Freddy is depicted as a supernatural being, with his visage still bearing the scars of the fiery retribution he experienced in his lifetime.

Besides catapulting Robert Englund to stardom, A Nightmare on Elm Street was also where the relatively unknown 21-year-old Johnny Depp made his first appearance in a full-length movie.

In the following two decades, Robert Englund continued playing the character of Freddy Krueger in a total of seven additional films that became massive hits at the box office.

2003 saw him play his last major role as this character in the movie clash titled “Freddy vs. Jason,” where he faced off with the antagonist, Jason Voorhees, known from the “Friday The 13th” series.

In a jovial twist, Englund donned the role of Freddy Krueger one final time in an episode of The Goldbergs titled “Mister Knifey-Hands,” which aired in 2018.

Beyond his work within a particular franchise, he has also made appearances on various television shows such as MadTV, Knight Rider, Walker Texas Ranger, and Stranger Things.

In a recent documentary titled “Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story,” Englund humbly refused to accept the title of an icon.

He stated, “I understand what an icon represents, but I’m not one myself. Perhaps Freddy Krueger fits that description, but I don’t. I’m simply a versatile actor who’s had good fortune.

Additionally, he mentioned he wouldn’t reprise the role due to feeling too aged and unfit for the character’s demanding physical aspects.

In the documentary, he mentioned that due to his health issues like a problematic neck, back, and arthritis in his right wrist, he can no longer perform multiple takes of fight scenes. He expressed that he might need to retire from such roles, but he’d be delighted for a cameo appearance instead.

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2025-02-15 16:08

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