The Only Actor Who's Played Both Jason And Freddy Krueger
With a combined 21 movies and an array of TV adaptations, novels, comic books, and video games, the "Friday the 13th" and "A Nightmare on Elm Street" franchises have had multiple actors portraying their respective villains over the years. Jason Voorhees, the silent, hockey-mask-wearing mama's boy, has been played by over a dozen different actors, while the dream-invading Freddy Krueger has been played by just five performers over the years (including the remake).
Each villain has a sprawling franchise seeing their brutal adventures taking place everywhere from their usual suburban haunts to outer space. While an epic showdown between the two slashers was teased in 1993's "Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday," it wasn't until 2003 that "Freddy vs. Jason" saw the supernatural killers' universes collide.
Given how many iterations of the characters exist, it's easy to lose track of who is behind their terrifying masks and burns. Of the several actors to portray the two icons, only one has had the unique honor of playing both characters.
So, which horror actor has played both Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger?
Take a closer look at Jason Goes to Hell
Stuntman Kane Hodder portrayed the machete-wielding Jason Voorhees four times in the "Friday the 13th" franchise, but fans may not know that he also briefly portrayed Freddy Krueger in "Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday." Donning the villain's signature razor-sharp gloves and a striped sweater, Hodder's arm is the one that shoots up from the ground to pull Jason's mask into the dirt at the close of the film.
This bit of film history was discussed in a 2017 interview with Pop Horror, during which Hodder took a cue from Ghostface from "Scream," quizzing the interviewer on her knowledge of "Friday the 13th" trivia. Hodder went on to say that he would be down for a "Freddy vs. Jason" remake, since he was replaced by Ken Kirzinger for the role in that mash-up film. "I think it's the fight that fans have always wanted," he said. "I know it's something I have always wanted."
In addition to playing both Jason and Freddy, Hodder has portrayed other iconic horror villains like Leatherface and Victor Crowley and appeared in various horror movies, including Rob Zombie's "The Devil's Rejects."