The Face Behind Freddy Fazbear In The Five Night's At Freddy's Movie Is One We've Seen Before
Modern horror may not have one actor cornering the market on playing monsters Boris Karloff-style, but there are certainly still plenty of familiar faces to be spotted in long-running horror franchises. Nick Castle first embodied Michael Myers, Kane Hodder performed stunts as Jason Voorhees, and Doug Jones has appeared in everything from "Pan's Labyrinth" to "What We Do in the Shadows." This October, "Five Nights at Freddy's" is about to usher in a new killer in a costume: Freddy Fazbear, the animatronic killer bear that's haunted the video game franchise of the same name for years.
While the Freddy we see on screen probably won't be unmasked — he's described in the trailer by Josh Hutcherson's Mike as one of several "ghost children possessing giant robots" — there's still a real actor behind the twisted teddy bear grin. Freddy Fazbear also has the legendary Artie Esposito working as his puppeteer but the in-suit actor is reportedly stunt performer and actor Kevin Foster, who you might recognize from a few key parts in movies and shows over the last 20 years.
Foster made his credited acting debut in 2000 with an episode of "Undressed," the wild MTV anthology series about teen sex and relationships that also featured guest appearances by everyone from Pedro Pascal to Christina Hendricks to Chad Michael Murray. Foster has appeared as a background actor or minor character in shows like "Veronica Mars," "WandaVision," and "Castle" (his character got crushed by a gargoyle in the latter), but some of his most memorable appearances have been in the horror sphere.
A familiar stuntman and actor
In "American Horror Story: Apocalypse," Foster played an actor whose character — a deranged Santa Claus — is tasked with killing someone played by legendary actress Joan Collins' character Bubbles. That's not nearly as wild as his turn in Sam Raimi's "Drag Me To Hell," though, in which Foster played a medium's assistant who, after miscalculating a goat sacrifice, ends up possessed by the demon Lamia. In a scene that's still seared into my eyeballs years later, Milos dances around in a possessed state before barfing up the central character's cat.
It makes sense that Foster ended up in the "Drag Me To Hell" role given that it looks like it might have involved wire work, and the performer also has a career as a stuntman. Foster has done stunt work in movies like "X-Men: First Class" and "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," along with shows like "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" and "13 Reasons Why." Another of his more recognizable acting roles came via an action-heavy sequence in "Iron Man," in which Foster plays Jimmy — the U.S. troop who strikes poses with Tony Stark right before his convoy is attacked. He's also popped up in "Jurassic World," "Days of Our Lives," "S.W.A.T." and more.
Fans may not actually see Foster in the Freddy suit, but stunt work and monster performances are a major piece of what makes any horror movie great, and Hollywood is finally being pushed to take note. Calls for a best stunt work Oscar only continue to grow, and one familiar monster performer, "The Nun" star Bonnie Aarons, recently sued Warner Bros. for allegedly profiting off of her likeness without paying her fairly. What would "Five Nights at Freddy's" be without Freddy? Basically just an off-brand Chuck E. Cheese.
"Five Nights at Freddy's" hits theaters and arrives on Peacock on October 27, 2023.