35 Horror Movie Actors Who Had Chilling Experiences On Set
It might be just make-believe, but shooting a horror film can still take its toll on those involved. Indeed, a whole host of actors and actresses – including big names such as Janet Leigh and Shelley Duvall – have suffered some form of trauma after signing up to appear in a scary movie. Here's a look at some particularly chilling cases featuring some of the most iconic terror flicks ever made.
1. Shelley Duvall, The Shining
Legendary movie auteur Stanley Kubrick made poor Shelley Duvall enact The Shining’s exhausting bat-swinging scene no fewer than 127 times. This pursuit for perfectionism won it a place in The Guinness Book of Records for the highest number of takes filmed for a spoken-word scene. Duvall’s hands were left tender and sore as a result.
Her experience was "almost unbearable"
Duvall was also often required to spend half of her entire day simply yelling at the top of her voice. The actress admits that these tactics helped to coax an unforgettable performance from her, but she also labelled the experience of playing Wendy Torrance “almost unbearable.”
2. Marilyn Burns, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
It’s widely considered to be one of the most terrifying horror movies of all time, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre also put its leading lady through the wringer, too. In the famous dinner scene, Marilyn Burns had to endure constant blows to the skull with a fake yet weighty sledgehammer. She was also required to shriek for hours and hours on end.
"So grateful it was over"
Burns also had to endure the smell of both Leatherface’s costume and food which had long since passed its sell-by date. She later revealed to website Terror Trap, “Afterwards, I was just so grateful it was over. I probably was the happiest girl alive.” And yet she still returned to the franchise on two separate occasions.
