Interview: David Arquette (Scream)
By: Rob Smittix
RRX: We have WCW wrestling champion, a man you cannot kill, acclaimed actor David Arquette on the line. How’s everything, man?
DA: Thank you, thank you for that. Everything’s great. I’m having a good time touring the country for the Behind The Scream Tour, which is pretty interesting. It’s been great meeting the fans.
RRX: This is the 30th anniversary of “Scream.” What I think is really cool about the tour … you know how some actors say they avoid watching their own films for whatever reason? But this is you actually watching the film and enjoying it with people. How does that make you feel when you watch it back, and you get people’s responses?
DA: I don’t know, I feel like it’s a different person I’m watching. So many life experiences since then. It’s a really wild thing. I mean … really, what touches me the most is that people have such a love for this film and that it’s lasted this long. It’s not often that you get to play a character for over 25 years.
RRX: Well, that’s the thing. Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but from what I’ve learned, you were originally called to audition for the Billy Loomis character?
DA: Well, one of the high school characters—I think it was probably Stu or Randy. But yeah, they wanted me as one of the high school students. When I met with Wes Craven, I said, “I’d really love the role of Dewey. I think I could bring something different to it.” And he’s like, “Wow, that’s really interesting; let me consider that.” And thankfully he did because I had an opportunity to sort of take it in a different direction. It was written more as this sort of meathead kind of big ex-jock kind of character.
RRX: Right.
DA: But I just thought a person of authority that gets no respect, who’s constantly trying to prove himself, and gets talked down by his sister, is just such a funny character. I just knew there would be a lot of humor and heart to it.
RRX: Well, you made the right recommendation to Wes Craven, and because you weren’t one of the high schoolers … it seemed that you were able to be in more movies because of that.
DA: Yeah, it did work out in my favor. I mean … my character was supposed to die in the first one, and Wes Craven kept me alive, which was really nice of him.
RRX: You got killed in “Scream 5,” but then some kind of … I guess soap opera magic happened, and you are in “Scream 7,” that just came out this year.
DA: Yeah, there’s a little thing I did for the fans. I kinda didn’t want to because I was still upset about “Scream 5,” but I did want to return for the fans, so I did it for them.
RRX: Yeah, that’s what it’s all about and what you’re doing on this tour, you know? It’s definitely for the fans, but I’m sure you get a lot out of it as well.
DA: Yeah, for sure. I mean, just seeing people and their connection to it. You know? Somebody says, like, “I went to my first date with my wife to ‘Scream,’ and now this is our daughter; she loves the series too.” Things like that. It doesn’t happen a lot in this business, and for it to last so many generations is really a wonderful thing about horror films in general. They have such a love when they connect that it stands the test of time.
RRX: Now this isn’t just your ordinary horror franchise, as you mentioned. Wes Craven. I mean … that’s the master right there. How was it to work with him for the first four films?
DA: Man, he was such a gracious director and human. He taught me so much about life. He was a mentor, as far as filmmaking, as far as acting, as far as just living life. He sat me down during “Scream 2,” and we had this wonderful conversation where he inspired me to love myself, believe in myself, and make the right choices in my life that will lead me in a direction that would be positive to fulfilling my dreams. To work with someone like that and to have a relationship and be able to spend so much time on set with him was really an honor.
RRX: Absolutely. Obviously, sadly missed. How do you go forward in the films afterwards, carrying his legacy on?
DA: It was really hard doing “Scream 5” without him directing. That was a really difficult experience. I missed him a lot. I regretted not being in the moment and remembering more of our interactions together. But I did think back about a lot of the experiences I shared with him, and I was really grateful for those times.
RRX: Understandable. Is there anything else that you’d like to say to fans, just in general, or to get them to come on out to Proctors October 30th for the Scream 30th Anniversary Screening with you there?
DA: Yeah, it’s a really wonderful night. We have a community of people who love this film. So if they love this film, they should come on out. You’ll hear behind-the-scenes stories that you’ve never heard before. It’s just fun; there’s a lot of laughter involved. I tell a lot of jokes. I’m very self-deprecating, so you can laugh at me. I enjoy that. You can ask questions, if you’ve ever thought about something, questions about specific scenes. And we can just share this time together. It really is about bonding over a film that we all love.
RRX: I couldn’t have said it better. Just a real quick note: one of my dreams was to get body slammed by a professional wrestler, and then I actually did. I didn’t think it was gonna hurt, but it did. And then he did it twice, and the crowd was calling for a third time, and I’m like, no. It hurts, doesn’t it?
DA: Yeah, it does. You have to really be prepared. The thing about wrestling is you can get your body ready for it. Like, that’s the thing, and if you’re not ready for it … I got my back thrown out a few times, and that sticks with you for a month or so.
RRX: Yeah, that’s quite some time. We’re not spring chickens anymore.
DA: Yeah, exactly.
RRX: Hey David, I appreciate your time. I’m gonna see you on the 30th in Schenectady at Proctors, and thank you so much.
DA: I look forward to it, Rob. Thank you.
Behind the Scream with David ArquetteÂ
Proctors October 30thÂ
