For Jackie Earle Haley, ‘Nightmare’ is a dream come true

SAN FRANCISCO — Jackie Earle Haley knew he had to find the line between the familiar and the new to properly take over the iconic horror figure Freddy Krueger in the relaunch of the “Nightmare on Elm Street” series.

“We had to dish up something the hardcore fans could
kinda recognize but yet something I could make my own,” Haley said
during an interview at WonderCon, the comic book and pop culture
convention.

Legions of fans have been scared by the “Elm Street” franchise since its launch in 1984 by Robert Englund’s work as the killer who haunts dreams. Haley’s preparation was to watch
several films in the series, not to copy what Englund had done but to
get a sense of the character.

Englund’s Freddy often delivered his killing blows
with a comic quip. That’s different in the new “Nightmare,” which has
fewer jokes and concentrates more on the horror aspects.

“It’s a darker film,” Haley said.

It’s so dark, Haley’s research also included reading
a book about real serial killers. As he read, Haley began to realize
Freddy is more like the “character from a campfire story” than any real
murderer.

He sees Freddy as representing unstoppable fear.

“I’ve always felt one of the most vulnerable places
you are is when you are lying in your bed asleep. I’ve been awakened at
times by horrific nightmares and this represents those fears,” Haley
said.

Being cast as Freddy is the latest step in a
remarkable acting comeback for Haley. The 38-year-old was 11 when he
started working as a professional actor. He hit his peak with two “Bad
News Bears” films and the 1979 release “Breaking Away.”

In the mid-80s, Haley’s acting career dried up so he
turned to directing television commercials. He returned to acting with
a vengeance in 2006 with his Oscar-nominated work in “Little Children.”

“I’m of two minds. There’s a part of me that knows
it’s very real,” Haley said. “But there is this other side of me that
can’t believe this is really happening. I’m really a working actor
again.”

Along with “Nightmare,” Haley plays the mysterious Guerrero in the Fox TV series “Human Target.”

“I just thought it was a real interesting kind of
fascinating character, especially in this action-hero world. He’s
definitely an unhinged character, and that always kind of fascinates
me,” Haley said.

He’s not saying if playing Freddy Krueger fascinates him enough to want to do as many sequels as Englund did.
It’ll depend on how Haley’s new vision of the classic character is
accepted.

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