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There have been 12 Friday the 13th films over the decades, and ten actors have shared the role of the slasher icon Jason Voorhees (including Ari Lehman as a child Jason). For my money, Ted White in Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter is the scariest portrayal of the hockey mask-wearing slasher, but by far the most famous actor behind the mask is Kane Hodder. Hodder played Jason a whopping four times in a row, from Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood to Jason X. Hodder is an iconic figure in the horror community, making it hard to believe that his career almost never happened. Very early in his acting days, he was nearly killed in a fire stunt gone wrong.
Kane Hodder Suffered Third Degree Burns During a Fire Stunt
Kane Hodder has spoken about the accident which nearly claimed his life in interviews, and even in a documentary, the cleverly titled 2017 film To Hell and Back: The Kane Hodder Story. Hodder also writes about the incident in a 2011 autobiography, Unmasked: The True Story of The World’s Most Prolific, Cinematic Killer. If you’ve ever seen Hodder in interviews, then you have noticed the scars he has on his face and arms. Rather than being ashamed of the incident that caused them, the actor has never been shy about discussing the worst moment of his life.
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In a 2021 chat with Celebrity Parents Magazine, Hodder explained what happened. At just the age of 22, he was doing an interview with a local news show in 1977 when he offered to show them a fire stunt on camera. Tragically, the stunt went wrong, leaving him with second and third-degree burns all over his body. Hodder ended up not going to a burn unit and the burns only got worse as the months went by. Hodder said:
“By four months I was almost dead, and then they said to get me to a burn unit. Why had I not been there from the beginning? The doctor taking care of me had such an ego, and it almost cost my life. I got a staph infection throughout the whole burn area, and lost 60 pounds. I went down to 140 lbs and I weigh 230 now. I received such terrible care and it made the entire recovery so much worse, including the scars than they should be.”
Kane Hodder Played Jason Voorhees in Four Friday the 13th Movies
That could have been the end of Hodder’s career, but instead of running away from what nearly killed him, he healed and returned to the dangerous world he loved. His hard work paid off because, one decade later, his life was changed for the better. In 1987, he was cast as Jason Voorhees in Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood. That should have been his only outing like it was for every other Jason actor, but instead, he was asked back for Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan, Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday, and Jason X. Sadly, when it finally came time to make the dream movie of Freddy vs. Jason, Hodder wasn’t asked to return to the role.
That disappointment doesn’t mean Hodder’s career was over. He has done stunts for many other films, and even did motion capture work a few years ago as Jason Voorhees in the Friday the 13th video game. Hodder also found time to become another slasher icon as the man behind the disgusting makeup of Victor Crowley in the Hatchet series.
Kane Hodder Is a Fan Favorite for Many Reasons
Hodder is one of the best actors to play Jason Voorhees, a part that might sound easy because your face is hidden, and you don’t speak. However, Hodder found a way to emote in such a challenging role. If you’ve ever seen one of his Jason movies, you’ll see how heavily Jason breathes whenever he’s frustrated because the final girl is getting away. While other Jasons just stand there, Hodder’s portrayal feels more angry. At 6’2″, there have been taller actors, but Kane was a formidable presence in how he held his arms out to his side with his chest puffed out. We knew this Jason was pissed without ever needing to see his face.
Fans also love Hodder’s bravery. His first time playing Jason in The New Blood required him to do a full-body fire stunt. That bravery goes beyond himself, as he also regularly visits the burn units of hospitals to share his story with others. Hodder admitted that the pain of his burns was so bad that he considered ending it all. He told Celebrity Parents Magazine, “That’s the thing I tell people. I know how it is to feel suicidal; I talk to people in that situation.”
Kane Hodder is an intimidating presence, but in part because of his tragic past, he’s actually one of the kindest souls. Imagine being in a hospital when Jason Voorhees walks in to tell you that it’s going to be okay.
Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood is available to watch on Paramount+.
Friday The 13th Part VII: The New Blood
- Release Date
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May 13, 1988
- Director
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John Carl Buechler
- Cast
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Lar Park Lincoln
, Kevin Blair
, Susan Blu
, Terry Kiser
, Kane Hodder
, Susan Jennifer Sullivan
, Elizabeth Kaitan - Writers
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Manuel Fidello
, Daryl Haney
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