Terrifier’s Art the Clown star was ‘too scared’ to watch horror until Scream

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You might think David Howard Thornton, the actor who plays Art the Clown, has always been a fan of horror. Surprisingly, he used to be scared of horror movies himself, until the Scream films got him interested in the genre.

Halloween 2025 is almost here, and what better way to get into the spirit than with some scary movies? This year has been great for horror fans, with new films like “Sinners,” “Weapons,” and “28 Years Later” offering exciting twists on classic themes.

You might have missed Screamboat, a horror-themed reimagining of Disney’s classic Steamboat Willie, which became available for public use recently. Jordan Thornton plays the main character, blending his signature scary and funny style into the role.

Sidney Thornton is reprising his role as Art the Clown in the upcoming film, Terrifier 4, which is currently being made. Recently, TopMob had the chance to interview Thornton, and his pick for his favorite horror movie might be unexpected.

Terrifier star reveals favorite horror movie helped him overcome his fear

Thornton shared that he can’t decide between A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors and the original Scream as his favorite horror film. He also admitted he used to be scared of horror movies, but watching Scream 2 gave him the courage to finally watch the first Scream movie.

He mentioned either A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors or the first Scream as his favorites, praising both as excellent movies.

I consider Scream to be a truly perfect movie – it’s completely flawless. It’s just a fantastic film, and it was actually my first real experience with the slasher genre. That’s how I first got into those kinds of movies.

I used to be afraid of scary movies, but that changed when I saw ‘Scream 2.’ It made me realize they could actually be enjoyable, so I went back and watched the first ‘Scream’ afterward, too.

Before all that, my buddy kept telling me, ‘Dude, you HAVE to watch Scream! It’ll get you hooked on slasher flicks.’ And he was totally right! Wes Craven was a seriously brilliant director.

Thornton explained that his childhood fear of horror movies stemmed from his mother’s own anxieties. She believed The Fall of the House of Usher was the most frightening film she’d ever watched.

He explained that fear kept them from watching those movies at home. While he acknowledges Scream sparked his interest in horror, Thornton also admitted he initially wanted to watch them to make a good impression on a girl.

I had a crush on a girl in my show, and when the cast went to see Scream 2, she asked if I was coming. I didn’t want to look like I was scared in front of her, so I went with them.

I enjoy these movies a lot and I don’t understand why my mom gets so worried when I watch them. Especially slasher films – I don’t find them scary at all, just really fun and entertaining.

Looking for more scary entertainment? Find out how to watch the Terrifier films in order, get the latest news on Scream 7, and discover the top horror movies currently available on Netflix for Halloween.

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2025-10-31 15:21