In 1997, I Know What You Did Last Summer was released, the film went on to take $125,586,134 at the box office and unleashed a new horror icon, The Fisherman.
The film starred Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Freddie Prinze, Jr and Muse Watson as Ben Willis, AKA The Fisherman.
I caught up with Muse Watson, the man behind the legendary killer hook.
Firstly, thank you Mr Watson for taking time to speak to me, I really appreciate it.
Q: I know you are well respected actor that has appeared in top shows like NCIS and Prison Break, amongst many others, but it is 15 years this fall, since box office blockbuster, I Know What You Did Last Summer was released. What are your memories of getting the part and the filming?
A: I remember being asked to audition in Santa Monica, Ca. on tape for a film whose director was already on location in North Carolina. After I read for the part, I was told the tape would be air freighted to the director that night. That seemed good to me. I figured if they were sending it that quick I must have done pretty good. I found out later that one of the producers had worked with me on the Julia Roberts picture "Something To Talk About" and when he heard they were looking for a "bad" guy who was easy to work with and might be willing to be on set to "scare" the young cast..he told them I was not only really scary but really easy to work with. At any rate, it was only days before I was on my way to Wilmington, North Carolina to start work.
The filming was very pleasant with the Wilmington crew being familiar to me from my working in that area as a movie truck driver and vehicular stunt driver and the cast was made up of people I wanted to be friends with. The stunts were familiar territory and the stunt doubles were really talented. We collaborated well. I really enjoyed the shoot.
I worked really hard on Ben's movement. I practiced throwing the hook till I was able to flip it three times in the air and grab it in a back-hand. I was thinking that his relentless style of movement could become his trademark...and it did.
Q: Fans I speak to class 'The Fisherman' as one of the top horror icons, how does that feel being compared to the legends like Michael Myers & Jason Voorhees.
A: I just did a film with Tyler Mane (Michael, Halloween), Derek Mears (Jason, Friday the 13th) and they got their butts kicked. Seriously, there is no comparison. Ben was intelligent.
Q: Trevor Absolom from Reading wanted to know, if it was true, that you did most of your own stunts during the film?.
A: We collaborated. I'll give you an example. For the swinging across the bow and flip out into the ocean. I was swinging by one leg from the mast. The stunt double did the fall into the water. I rode the accelerator to the top of the mast and the double did the fall to the deck. All of the obviously dangerous moves were done by stunt professionals like Bobby Brown. I broke a big toe and busted all the blood vessels in my eyeballs in the filming. We actually kept the pain to a minimum.
Q: How did the filming of Last Summer compare, to say shooting Austin Powers?
A: We had a blast. I remember us breaking out in laughter thinking about how a certain take was going to scare the audience. I loved it. Austin Powers was strange...
Q: What projects are you currently working on, that you are allowed to tell us about.
A: Just finished playing a well intentioned character in a sequel to "The Last Exorcism" II directed by Ed Gass-Donnelly. Before that I filmed with Jason and Michael in a film called "Compound Fracture". That one will be spooky. Tyler Mane (Michael, Halloween), Derek Mears (Jason, Friday the 13th), written by Renae Geerlings and Tyler Mane, directed by A.J. Rickert-Epstein. I will continue to appear on NCIS I think and there are two films in the works that I am not allowed to talk about as yet. I can't wait to announce them.
Q: Before I let you go, Last Summer fans wouldn't forgive me if I didn't ask this..would you reprise the role of the Fisherman, if the script and cast were right?
A: Yes. I've always said that if the script was right and Love (Jennifer Love Hewitt) wanted to do it, I would be willing to make the third one.
For more information on Muse Watson, including his credits, photos, and bio, visit his official web site: http://www.musewatson.com