Highlights
- Skeet Ulrich, who played Billy Loomis in the original Scream film, didn't realize the film had humor until shooting started.
- After a few films that didn't do well, Ulrich's career slowed down, but he continued to work on TV shows and movies.
- Ulrich has returned to the Scream franchise and feels the original director, Wes Craven, would be proud of the new films.
What happened to Scream's original killer, Skeet Ulrich? Ulrich played Billy Loomis in the first film of the franchise. He was also one of the original ghostface killers, along with his friend, Stu Macher (Matthew Lilliard). Both Matthew Lilliard and Skeet Ulrich have discussed the film, and Ulrich has also spoken about how he didn't realize the film was also a comedy until shooting started.
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In 1996, an amazing addition came to the world of horror, as Scream was released.In the late nineties, Skeet Ulrich seemed to be on the verge of becoming a huge star. However, after he'd worked in a few films that didn't do well, Ulrich wasn't as in-demand as he had been. However, Skeet Ulrich has managed to stay busy, and has been on several films and TV shows over the years.
Skeet Ulrich Was One Of The Original Killers In 'Scream'
Fans of the Scream franchise have learned to expect that in the end, there are multiple killers hidden behind the creepy "ghostface" mask. In the first film of the franchise, Scream, the killers were revealed to be Sidney Prescott's (Neve Campbell) boyfriend, Billy Loomis, and their mutual friend, Stu Macher (Matthew Lilliard).
Ulrich recalled that before shooting, he didn't realize there was supposed to be humor in the story, which led him to think some of his-co-stars were ruining the film. "I think part of it was the mindset of Billy and me getting into that mindset."
During another interview the Jericho actor remembered, "I saw it as this very serious documentary about two killers in high school and I was researching serial killers and the psychology of them, so I didn't really key into the humor of the story until take one of day one."
He added that the cast had fun together. "That movie was so close to not even happening, and we were in Napa Valley feeling like some independent film. We shot, I think, five weeks of nights to start. It was so much fun and yet so dark at the same time, both literally and figuratively."
What Happened To Skeet Ulrich?
When Skeet Ulrich appeared in Scream, it looked like he was on his way to the top. Ulrich had also appeared with his Scream co-star, Neve Campbell, in The Craft, and can also be seen in the Oscar-winning film, As Good As It Gets, but several of his scenes were cut from the film.
However, his next few films were flops, and soon, he wasn't as in-demand as he had been. Although Ulrich seemed to nearly disappear from the industry after the late nineties, he was still working.
He had roles on Law and Order: LA and Jericho, and also worked on several TV movies, including Gimme Shelter and I am Elizabeth Smart. Ulrich discussed what he's been up to since 1996's Scream with the A.V. Club.
Discussing his career when he took on 2003's Miracles, Ulrich said, "I was sort of falling by the wayside a little bit in film. My kids had been born - my twins - and I'd taken a year off, and I'd done a couple of movies I probably shouldn't have done, in a career sense."
"Miracles was my first stint in TV. But when I read that pilot script, I was just blown away and had to be a part of it."
Ulrich also spoke about how the cast members of Jericho developed real friendships on the set. "That became a real family, that group of people, and I think it was felt from an audience perspective." About 2017's Austin Found, he said "I just fell in love with the story. I think it has such an interesting take on today's culture, our obsession with fame, and how it can overshadow parenting."
The actor stayed busy, and was eventually cast on Netflix's hit show, Riverdale. "I love that group," Ulrich said.
Recently, the actor has returned to the Scream franchise, and appeared in Scream 5 and Scream 6.
RelatedDid The New Scream Movies Nearly Leave Out The Franchise's Most Important Person?
Everyone knows that Neve Campbell won't return for Scream 6, but another franchise legend may have been briefly overlooked for Scream 5.Ulrich said he feels the original film's director, Wes Craven would be proud. "It's amazing, you know, I couldn't help but think of Wes [Craven] riding in and how happy he would be of the group that's telling these stories now and that the fervor for this franchise still exists."
Ulrich added he stood behind Neve Campbell's decision to leave the franchise, and revealed the two had hung out. "We were together over the weekend at a convention. She loves it; she loves what we've done. There were just business things as a businesswoman that are important to her and we all stand behind her."
What Has Ulrich Said About Working On The Film, Scream?
Some fans have described Scream as a perfect horror movie. What has Skeet Ulrich, one of the original Ghostface killers, said about making the film?
During one interview, Ulrich revealed his favorite line from his Scream partner-in-crime, was one Matthew Lilliard had ad-libbed after having a phone thrown at him (also un-scripted). Ulrich accidentally hit his co-star with a phone, and Lilliard, (as Stu) says, "You hit me with the phone, you d***!"
Discussing the moment, the actor recalled, "It wasn't scripted that he gets hit by a phone, it wasn't scripted that he has a reaction to it."
He continued, "I was venting at having lost Sidney at that moment or knowing where she was, and the fake blood was so sticky that when I went to throw the phone just in frustration, it didn't go in the direction I intended and what you see - it hit him and his reaction was in the moment."
Ulrich even created two rooms for himself during shooting: one for himself, and one for his character. During an interview with The A.V. Club, Ulrich revealed, "the hotel suite they gave me had two rooms, so I used one just to sleep, and the other one... I turned the other room into Billy's room."
The Original 'Scream' Cast, Ranked From Richest To Poorest
It's been over 15 years since the original 'Scream' film, and many of the main cast, including David Arquette, have earned a huge net worth."And I'd sit in there and just read about John Wayne Gacy and play the most satanic music I could find and just try and find him (Billy) rather quickly in that environment. It was interesting."
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