Many people see Friday the 13th as one of the greatest and most important horror films of all time, but Kevin Bacon sees it as just another gig that helped him survive as a struggling actor.
The now-esteemed actor had appeared in only a handful of projects before he was cast as a camp counselor in Friday the 13th. His work was solid if a little short; he’s one of the first people killed by Mrs. Voorhees. We can understand if Bacon, at the time, thought little about acting for a pittance in a summer camp-set slasher, but even now, after Friday the 13th‘s success and sequels, he doesn’t hold it in high regard:
“It’s interesting because Friday the 13th is such a seminal movie for horror fans, but for me, it’s not something that I necessarily keep at the top of my list for best performances or meaningful life experiences. I was a young actor, barely squeaking by in a crappy New York apartment, and got a gig. Thankfully, it turned into something big, but at the time I didn’t see any importance in it. Whereas this movie [They/Them], I found a level of importance right away because it was timely and had something to say.”
They/Them is a slasher film with cutting social commentary. Rather than a counselor, Bacon plays the proprietor of a camp, but one whose purpose is to convert LGBTQ+ attendees. “My death in Friday the 13th was the classic horror trope,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “I had premarital sex and did drugs right before I died, so you knew my character was going to get it. I think it’s really powerful that in recent years, we’ve started flipping that and are now seeing horror used as a tool for change.”
Chew on raw Bacon in Friday the 13th before feasting on crisp Bacon in They/Them, which premiered today on Peacock.
