Heather Langenkamp Of A Nightmare on Elm Street On Freddy Krueger’s Enduring Appeal, and The Five Things She Wishes She Knew When She First Started Acting
…Wes Craven’s message is that if we’re going to survive any kind of scary reality, the best way is to face it head-on. He really believed that was the only way to get through life — by confronting all the scary things in front of you. Freddy Krueger represents that. It could be anything in your life. When I see people who are big Freddy fans, I know they have their own “Freddy” they face. I often ask them, “What’s your Freddy?” They’ll say it was being bullied, a cruel stepmother, or some other hard-to-handle problem. Using Nightmare on Elm Street as a metaphor in their lives gives them strength. I love that part of playing Nancy…Invariably, at the end, you’re laughing at your own fear. As an audience member, when Freddy jumps out at Nancy in the closet, we scream so loud. But then what comes after that is a peal of laughter. We all recognize when we’ve been gotten — “That was a good one, you got me there, Wes Craven.” Then we can all laugh at it. In life, we rarely laugh after experiencing something terrifying. Having that release inside the movie theater is very healthy, in this weird way…
I had the pleasure to talk with Heather Langenkamp. Heather is one of the most iconic “Scream Queens” in horror cinema, and is best known for her role as Nancy Thompson in the 1984 classic A Nightmare on Elm Street. As 2024 marks the 40th anniversary of this genre-defining film, Langenkamp reflects on her storied career, which has left an indelible mark on the horror genre and beyond.
Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1964, Heather Langenkamp’s early years were marked by a move to Washington, D.C., where her father took a position in the Carter administration. This transition sparked her initial interest in government and foreign affairs, a path she considered seriously during her time at the National Cathedral School for Girls.
However, her destiny took a dramatic turn when she returned to Tulsa after high school. There, she landed a speaking role in Francis Ford Coppola’s Rumble Fish (1983), securing her Screen Actors Guild membership — a significant milestone for any aspiring actor. Following this, Langenkamp enrolled at Stanford University but frequently traveled to Los Angeles to audition for roles, a move that soon paid off.
In 1984, Wes Craven cast Langenkamp as Nancy Thompson in A Nightmare on Elm Street. The film’s success cemented her status as a horror icon. She reprised her role in A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) and later played a fictionalized version of herself in Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994). These performances not only showcased her acting prowess but also endeared her to fans of the genre.
Beyond Elm Street, Langenkamp found success on television, notably as Marie Lubbock in the ABC sitcom Just the Ten of Us (1988–1990), a spin-off of Growing Pains. Her diverse career includes roles in films such as The Demolitionist (1995), and she has lent her voice to various projects, demonstrating her versatility as an actress.
In addition to her acting career, Langenkamp co-owns AFX Studio, a special effects company she founded with her husband, David LeRoy Anderson, a two-time Academy Award-winning makeup artist. AFX Studio has contributed to major films such as Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013), Cinderella Man (2005), and Cabin in the Woods (2012), and 5 seasons of American Horror Story (2015–2019) showcasing the couple’s formidable talents in the industry.
Despite her professional success, Langenkamp has faced personal challenges, including the loss of her son, Atticus, to brain cancer in 2018. This tragedy has fueled her involvement in charities and organizations dedicated to cancer research, particularly focusing on brain cancer and tumors. Her dedication to these causes underscores her resilience and commitment to making a difference beyond the screen.
Langenkamp remains a beloved figure at horror and film conventions, where she enjoys meeting fans who have supported her throughout her career. Their unwavering support has been a source of inspiration and strength, helping her navigate the unpredictable nature of the entertainment industry.
Looking forward, Langenkamp is involved in several exciting projects. She stars in the upcoming film The Life of Chuck, alongside Tom Hiddleston, Karen Gillan, Mark Hamill, and Matthew Lillard. She also recently worked on Mike Flanagan’s Netflix series The Midnight Club, a role that marked her return to television and allowed her to explore new dimensions as an actress.
Reflecting on her career, Langenkamp acknowledges the evolution of Hollywood, particularly the increasing opportunities for women. “Hollywood has taken such a turn for the better in many ways,” she says. “As an empty nester, I really would like to see my career expand again. I’m hoping that happens.”
With a career spanning four decades, Heather Langenkamp has not only defined herself as a horror legend but also as a versatile and resilient actress. As she continues to take on new roles and challenges, her legacy in the entertainment industry remains strong, inspiring future generations of actors and filmmakers.
Heather, it’s an honor to meet you. Before we dive in deep, our readers would love to learn about your personal origin story.
I was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1964, and I grew up there. I went to elementary school and junior high there, and then my father obtained a job in the Carter administration in Washington, D.C. So, my whole life kind of turned upside down as our family moved to Washington, D.C. I went to a girls’ school there called National Cathedral School for Girls, where I really thought I was going to end up trying to get into the State Department or work in foreign affairs. I became completely obsessed with government and all those things that you appreciate when you’re in Washington, D.C.
But then, right after graduation from high school, my family moved back to Tulsa, Oklahoma. That’s where I got my SAG card because Francis Ford Coppola was making two movies there, The Outsiders and Rumblefish. I actually got a speaking role in Rumblefish, which got me into the Screen Actors Guild Union. As anybody knows, that’s so difficult. So many people move to Los Angeles to try to get their SAG card, but because of this really happy serendipity, I got my SAG card when I was 17 years old, which was so lucky.
So, I went to college that fall. I went to Stanford in California. Because of the people I had met in Tulsa, I was interested in acting more than ever. The casting director, Janet Hershenson, said, “Look, if you ever want to fly down to Los Angeles, I would love to help you find some auditions.” So, I took her up on it, and whenever I had a free weekend from school, I would fly to Los Angeles and go out on auditions. It was December, my freshman year, when I got this part in Nickel Mountain, a little independent movie based on the novel by John Gardner. I thought, wow, maybe I could really become an actor.
So, I did this little film in Paso Robles, California, and I remember being on the set with my co-stars Grace Zabriskie, Patrick Cassidy, Brian Kerwin, and Michael Cole. He played the main part in the film. I got to hang out with all these really talented, iconic actors, and I really got the bug to try to make it in Hollywood. So, I asked my dad if I could have a small loan. I said, “Can I have a loan for $5,000 so I can try to be an actor in Los Angeles?” He was very generous and said, “Okay, but once that money runs out, you’re done.” And I’m like, “Okay, Dad, okay.”
Luckily, Stanford had a really liberal policy; they called it “stopping out” where you could take a leave of absence for a quarter. I moved down to Los Angeles, and lo and behold, I got several commercials, After School Specials and Movies of the Week. And then on one of these journeys, I got A Nightmare on Elm Street. I thought, oh, I can pay my rent, and I can stay down here for a few more months. It was very fortuitous, and I continued doing that back and forth travel from Stanford to Los Angeles, for many years. I finally graduated in 1989. It took me seven years to graduate from college, but all that time, I was traveling to Los Angeles to work as much as possible. I was very fortunate that way, and that’s kind of my origin story as an actor.
Amazing story. You told it so well. You’re probably most well-known for your iconic role in Nightmare on Elm Street. Can you share with the readers any stories from the set or the audition process from that period?
There are so many stories. Literally, every day was a story. The shooting schedule was pretty brief. It was a low-budget, independent film produced by Bob Shaye, who at the time hadn’t really produced any other films. So many of us, like me and Johnny Depp were beginners, but Wes Craven, had made some movies before, and of course, Robert Englund, Ronnie Blakely, Amanda Wyss and John Saxon — they were all veterans.
I would drive my car to the set every day. The soundstage was located on Cahuenga Boulevard. It was the old Desilu Studios where Lucille Ball had made so many iconic shows. She’s a true hero of mine. So, when I would get to work and go to my dressing room, I always imagined that Lucille Ball had been sitting in this exact place, at this exact table, getting her makeup done. That was very inspiring to me at the time because I was young and didn’t know much about anything.
Robert Englund always provided so much confidence and technique, suggesting I do this or that, face this way or that when we were fighting, so I would look scared to the camera. Between Robert Englund and Wes Craven, I got really great lessons in how to act in a horror movie. Robert and I only worked together for maybe five or six days, all told. Our scenes together were always really charged and usually involved fight scenes.
Robert had so much training in classical stagecraft, fencing, and onstage fighting that he knew how to move me around. With that claw being so deadly, I often made sure to ask him, “Are these the rubber claws or the real claws?” When Wes Craven wanted the claw to glint in the light or make the sound of metal on metal, Robert had to wear the really sharp ones. But when we were doing our stunt scenes, we usually had a rubber glove. Sometimes, though, the real glove got very close to my face.
Actually, the first nightmare I ever had — my true nightmare — was of the claw wrecking and clawing into my real face. I think I was subliminally extremely afraid of that very deadly weapon that everyone loves now and wears all the time like it’s nothing.
Personally, I’m too scared to watch your movie. (Laughs)
Welcome to the club. I’m also a card-carrying member of that club. Though, I love to watch Nightmare on Elm Street movies.
I remember I must have been maybe five years old, and I had a babysitter who showed me the cover of A Nightmare on Elm Street and Freddy Krueger. I had nightmares just from that cover.
Oh, well, I always tell people the United States is divided. It’s very polarized. You either love horror or you hate horror. There’s no coming together, no middle ground. I find that people are firmly in one camp or the other. Once in a while, you’ll find someone who will watch a horror movie against their wishes, but in general, they usually don’t enjoy it. I’ve made my living off being around lovely people who adore being scared, and I feel very lucky to be in this position. I just don’t understand why they like it so much.
As someone who doesn’t personally enjoy horror, what was the process like? Was it a scary process, or because it was so staged and affected, maybe it wasn’t as scary for you?
I have to tell you that it is not scary to make a horror movie. In fact, it’s so enjoyable because what you’re doing is so fantastical and filled with imagination. Wes Craven was just a genius at creating this mood. Learning how to create the mood is really everything. He and I would discuss how to move, how to use my eyes, how to create suspense, and that’s an art form in and of itself that Wes Craven was the master of. I really appreciated it from that level. Making the movie is very intellectual. You have to keep the storyline going in your mind and figure out how to best make Nancy — the character I played — someone everyone loves, empathizes with, and understands. It was a very interesting project, and we were very successful. Now, 40 years later, even people like you are concerned with this anniversary and all the good things that have come about because of this film.
That’s great. That leads to my next question. There have been countless thousands, tens of thousands of other horror movies and hundreds of great franchises, but there are very few, you can count them on one hand, that have the same iconic status as Freddy Krueger and Nightmare on Elm Street. What do you think made it so unique and able to stand the test of time? I imagine I could still watch it today.
I wish I had the formula that could tell you why they’re so special, but what I know is the story is really authentic. The story is about four normal kids who are tortured in their dreams by Freddy Krueger because of something their parents did. Some vigilante justice they sought has created this diabolical reality for their children. That story about generational trauma — how the sins of the parents affect the children — is so resonant. Throughout history, people have loved that story. It was unique at the time, and I think Wes Craven came into our culture at just the right moment.
There was so much going on in America — the Women’s Liberation Movement had victories that some felt destabilized the family. Then there was the Vietnam War and all the violence people were trying to process in the 70s. There was also a lot of divorce, leaving kids to fend for themselves. Wes was able to synthesize these undercurrents in our society. It seems innocent in the film, like my dad and mom are divorced, and Nancy’s having a hard time. A lot of the parents don’t understand their kids. The generation gap was getting wider, and Wes knew these things were happening and put it into a believable story without artifice, except for Freddy Krueger.
We’ve all had nightmares. We all know boogeymen can come into our nightmares and really torture us, preventing us from having normal lives. It was just such a good story. I find that the best horror movies start with a really simple premise. They’re not that complicated.
How would you compare and contrast your personal character, Heather, with Nancy’s character?
I think we’re the same in some ways, but Nancy’s much tougher than I am. At her core, she’s just a great kid who wants to help her friends and prevent them from dying. She approaches the problem head-on and figures it out. She’s very resourceful and not afraid of finding out the truth. Wes Craven’s message is that if we’re going to survive any kind of scary reality, the best way is to face it head-on. He really believed that was the only way to get through life — by confronting all the scary things in front of you. Freddy Krueger represents that. It could be anything in your life. When I see people who are big Freddy fans, I know they have their own “Freddy” they face. I often ask them, “What’s your Freddy?” They’ll say it was being bullied, a cruel stepmother, or some other hard-to-handle problem. Using Nightmare on Elm Street as a metaphor in their lives gives them strength. I love that part of playing Nancy.
That’s an amazing answer. I think it also answers the question you raised earlier about why people enjoy horror, like these nice, sweet people. Maybe it’s a proxy for their own fears, and they’re able to face them in a safe way with friends in a safe theater.
And invariably, at the end, you’re laughing at your own fear. As an audience member, when Freddy jumps out at Nancy in the closet, we scream so loud. But then what comes after that is a peal of laughter. We all recognize when we’ve been gotten — “That was a good one, you got me there, Wes Craven.” Then we can all laugh at it. In life, we rarely laugh after experiencing something terrifying. Having that release inside the movie theater is very healthy, in this weird way. But personally, I don’t enjoy it that much. I enjoy the experience in the theater, being with friends, and laughing about something that really got us. But later on, a couple of days later, I’ll still be thinking about the violence or the screaming. Those residual things impact me. So, I’ve decided to be very careful about which horror movies I see because of that.
So are you working on any exciting projects now or in the near future?
Well, a year and a half ago, I was so privileged to work on a Mike Flanagan TV series on Netflix called The Midnight Club. Mike Flanagan is a horror master of our day and age. He’s who everyone looks to for their steady dose of horrifying TV shows. In The Midnight Club, he hired me to play a doctor who runs a hospice for kids with cancer. It’s a great part. I get to play a lot of other roles on top of that particular character. The whole series is based on the Christopher Pike novels from the 1990s called The Midnight Club. Getting to play Dr. Georgina Stanton was a dream come true because I had taken many years off to raise my family, and getting my foot back in the door of Hollywood has been an uphill struggle. But he made it easier by casting me in this TV series, and I’m really proud of my work in it.
From that, I was also cast in his movie titled The Life of Chuck, which will be coming out later this year. Another really interesting role, like nothing I’ve ever done before. As I’m now approaching this new stage of my life, I see around me really wonderful older women that I would love to have a chance to play. Grandmothers, mothers, corporate executives, psychiatrists — my career has mainly involved playing either Nancy or younger women. So, I’m looking forward to playing women who have reached this new time in their lives. They have a lot of wisdom, gray hair, and really great opportunities.
Last year, I got to play a witch in a movie called STALKED. She is very demented and I was so happy to play a witch. I also have a small role in a movie by Spider One called Little Bites. It is produced by Cher and her son, Chaz Bono. That will be premiering at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas, this September. I’m excited about that role. These little roles coming to me are very interesting, and I don’t usually get to read such interesting parts. So, I’m hoping that continues. My goal for the next 10 years, if I can stay alive that long, is to play the kinds of roles I’ve been looking forward to for many years.
You’ve been blessed to see Hollywood through different major arcs in its history…
It has taken such a turn for the better in many ways. I often talk to my female colleagues who lived through the 80s, and we’ve all heard the horror stories of trying to be a young actor in Hollywood during those times. It was very tough. Many of my colleagues just threw in the towel. They felt it was too hard. Then there weren’t many great acting opportunities for women in their 40s and 50s. I didn’t have many offers and was happy to be a family person and take care of my kids. But now, as an empty nester, I really would like to see my career expand again. I’m hoping that happens.
What in particular do you think is better about Hollywood today than it was forty years ago?
Well, there’s a lot more women in executive positions. There are more women directing, and there are many more parts written for women. The same goes for all people — there’s just more diversity in the roles being written. That’s very heartening. Roles that would have been automatically played by a man 30 years ago now don’t even have a gender assigned. I love that aspect of Hollywood now. Many parts come your way with no gender assigned; it could be either one. Everyone realizes the head of a multinational corporation can be whoever you want it to be.
That kind of creativity in the way Hollywood is presenting its stories is such a fortunate thing for people like me and for those who are different from the average white man we’ve come to know so well over the last 100 years in Hollywood. It’s exciting to be in Hollywood now. Many different stories are being told by different people with different voices. I’m completely surprised by how original some of the stories I get to read are.
It’s been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Do you have a story about a humorous mistake you made when you were first starting and the lesson you learned from it?
Oh gosh, so many mistakes. I mean, we only learn by making mistakes. There are so many that it’s hard to pick one. In the very earliest days of my career, I remember I was very insecure about my small resume. I had only one project that I’d done, right? So, I fudged that I had been in a college production that I hadn’t been in. The casting director was very familiar with the productions at our college and nailed me on the spot. I was, of course, so embarrassed.
What I always tell people is never be insecure about what you’ve done, but just be confident that it will be enough because there’s no place for not being truthful in this business. Luckily, I learned that when I was 17 years old. We just never feel confident that what we’ve done is going to be good enough. I taught my children that lesson as much as I could.
The second lesson I learned is that you have to give everybody you’re working with your full confidence. I’ve worked with directors before where I didn’t give them my full confidence, and that was a big mistake. When you don’t have confidence in them, it gets mirrored right back at you — they don’t have confidence in you. Making every effort to trust the people you’re working with is a big lesson I learned very early on.
This is our signature question. You’ve been blessed with a lot of success. And I know you have much more experience and wisdom than when you first started. Based on your experience, can you share five things that you know now that you wish you knew when you first started?
1. As an actor, you have to know your lines way better than you think you know them. If you think you’ve got them down, you’ve got to learn them even more because once you’re nervous, it all goes out the window. I’ve learned that now I work on my lines, literally 20 times longer than I would have worked on them when I was 18 because I just know you cannot be at all nervous and deliver lines.
2. Give everybody your best attitude every day. Don’t let a bad attitude affect others. Try to be the best person that you can possibly be when you’re at work.
3. Always realize that everybody experiences pain in their lives. We all carry huge burdens of suffering and pain that bring us together. Be compassionate and understanding toward others.
4. Be really kind to animals. Respect this planet and the creatures on it as much as possible.
5. Turn off all your screens and electronics whenever you can and just try to enjoy the planet and the people around you totally undistracted.
This is our aspirational question and then we’re almost done. So because of your great work and the platform that you’ve built, you’re a person of great influence and people take your words very seriously. If you could spread an idea or inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?
You must get this from almost everybody, but just appreciate and love everybody as much as you can.
This is what we call our matchmaker question. We’re very blessed that prominent leaders in entertainment and business read this column. Is there a person in the U.S., in the industry, in the world with whom you would like to have a coffee with or collaborate with or to work with? Because we could tag them and maybe we could connect you.
Well, today I really want to meet Sterling Harjo, who is the producer of Reservation Dogs — one of my favorite shows — because I really want to work for him. And he’s from my home state of Oklahoma. And who else? I mean, of course I would love to meet Kamala Harris. I just admire her. And then that last person I would probably love to meet is a Dodger, like maybe Mookie Betts? I love Chris Taylor. So I’m wearing my Dodger shirt today. Go Dodgers! So I think that would be a blast.
How can the readers continue to follow your work?
Well, I mean, if they want to know what I’m doing, I post all of my movements on my webpage, which is iamnancy.info. And there they can see some of the projects I’ve been involved in and they can get an autographed picture and like all those kinds of things are there. And then, you know, my husband and I, we have a studio here in Los Angeles called AFX Studio. We do special effects makeup for films. And so you can go to our website there, which is afxstudio.net. You can read about our studio there.
It’s such a pleasure to meet you. I wish you continued success and blessings.
To you as well.
Heather Langenkamp Of A Nightmare on Elm Street On Freddy Krueger’s Enduring Appeal, and The Five… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.