Robert Englund Quotes

Powerful Robert Englund for Daily Growth

About Robert Englund

Robert Barton Englund, born on June 6, 1947, in Glendale, California, is an iconic American actor, film director, and music video director, best known for his portrayal of the iconic horror character Freddy Krueger in the "A Nightmare on Elm Street" series. Englund's fascination with horror began early; as a child, he was captivated by Universal Studios' monster movies and Boris Karloff's performances. This passion led him to pursue a career in acting, initially studying theater at Antelope Valley College before transferring to Los Angeles City College. His breakthrough role came in 1984 with Wes Craven's "A Nightmare on Elm Street," where he introduced the world to the terrifying character of Freddy Krueger. The film was a significant success, spawning seven sequels and solidifying Englund's status as a horror legend. Throughout his career, Englund has explored various roles outside of Freddy Krueger, including appearances in TV series like "The X-Files" and "Fantasy Island," and films such as "The Mangler" and "976-Evil." He also ventured into directing with movies like "Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare" and "Wishmaster 3: Beyond the Gates of Hell." In recent years, Englund has continued to work in both acting and directing, maintaining his active presence in the horror genre. His impact on the industry is undeniable, and he remains a beloved figure among horror fans worldwide. Despite his numerous achievements, Englund's humility and gratitude for his fans remain evident, making him a truly endearing figure in Hollywood.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"I don't believe in the concept of 'scary.' Scaring is a trick, like jumping out from behind a bush and going 'boo!' I think real horror is something that unsettles you for days."

Robert Englund suggests that true horror transcends momentary scares such as sudden surprises or jump-scares. Instead, he posits that genuine horror lingers in the mind long after initial exposure, disturbing one's thoughts for an extended period. In this view, enduring discomfort and unease is more potent than temporary fright.


"Freddy Krueger's not really a monster. He's just a guy in a dirty old sweater with knives on his gloves."

This quote by Robert Englund, who played Freddy Krueger in the Nightmare on Elm Street series, suggests that the horror and fear associated with the character are more about perception than inherent monstrosity. He's not a traditional monster in terms of physical appearance, but rather a menacing figure in an old sweater with deadly tools attached to his gloves, making him terrifying due to his actions and the fear he instills. It highlights how our fears are often amplified by stories, costumes, or seemingly ordinary things that take on sinister connotations.


"I think people are more horrified by the fact that Freddy is so real, and they can almost relate to him."

This quote suggests that the character of Freddy Krueger, as portrayed by Robert Englund in the "Nightmare on Elm Street" series, struck a chord with audiences because he embodied fears and anxieties that are rooted in reality for many people. While Freddy is a supernatural figure, his origins and motivations – based on real-world issues like child abuse and the fear of being trapped in one's dreams – make him relatable and thus more horrifying. This connection to common fears and anxieties adds a layer of realism to an otherwise fantastical character, enhancing the overall horror experience for viewers.


"I always say that Freddy Krueger is like a nightmare from your childhood who's come back to haunt you."

This quote by Robert Englund, who played Freddy Krueger in the Nightmare on Elm Street series, suggests that the character Freddy Krueger represents an unsettling memory or fear from one's childhood that resurfaces to torment them as adults. The horror icon embodies the manifestation of deep-seated fears and anxieties from our past, serving as a symbol for the persistent nature of nightmares and the psychological impact they can have on us even long after the initial event has passed.


"The reason why we love horror films is because we go there to have our fears confronted in a safe environment, and we leave the theater feeling better about ourselves than when we went in."

This quote suggests that people enjoy horror movies as they provide an outlet for facing fears in a controlled, secure setting. By voluntarily subjecting themselves to these scary experiences, viewers can confront their deepest anxieties and apprehensions. This process of acknowledging and managing fear helps individuals grow and gain confidence, leaving the theater feeling more self-assured than before they entered. Essentially, horror films offer a cathartic experience that allows us to conquer our fears in a safe way, ultimately boosting our sense of personal strength.


When you see Robert Englund in a movie, you think he is the bad guy, but if I'm not the bad guy, and I'm supposed to just kind of fool the audience, it makes it a lot easier for whichever actor is the bad guy. So I find myself doing a lot of those, I think they're called red herring characters, faking out the audience.

- Robert Englund

Doing, Movie, I Think, Robert

I'm a big fan of Brian De Palma's 'Sisters,' and I also love 'Let The Right One In.'

- Robert Englund

Love, Big, Also, Big Fan

I think there's a time and place to watch an independent film, or catch up on a French action film on your laptop, or Netflix it, or download it, or watch it on-demand. But I think we also have to maintain the sacredness of the movie theatre as church - especially with event screenings.

- Robert Englund

Independent, Movie, I Think, Action Film

Halloween starts earlier and earlier, just like Christmas.

- Robert Englund

Like, Earlier, Starts, Halloween

As a jobbing actor, you can't afford to be choosy; if you're typed, you're generally working. I still feel that way, and the thing is, even within the horror genre, I now get to play all kinds of different roles.

- Robert Englund

Play, Feel, Roles, Typed

Death by plane crash scares me. I travel a lot, and when you hit turbulence, and post 9/11, that's in the back of my mind a bit.

- Robert Englund

Death, Mind, Plane, Turbulence

We were having a sleepover when I was eight or nine, and we all got to stay up late and watch the original 'Frankenstein.' It was uncensored, so as a child, I saw the scene where he throws the little girl into the lake, and that freaked me out. Though not as much as when he hangs the hunchback.

- Robert Englund

Nine, Got, Little Girl, Frankenstein

I actually am grateful for Freddy Krueger, because the big surprise to me - with that sort of double punch of science fiction TV series and then the 'Nightmare on Elm Street' phenomenon - was that I got an international celebrity out of it.

- Robert Englund

Celebrity, Big, TV, Big Surprise

Johnny Depp was the most polite young actor I've ever worked with.

- Robert Englund

Actor, Most, Polite, None

I'm basically a movie actor now, and my big roles are mostly horror movies - unless I'm doing a guest star or something - and occasionally I try to get back into television.

- Robert Englund

Doing, Big, Mostly, Guest Star

Sometimes jobs are jobs, and when you guest star on television, you're also working with a guest director. You're the new kid on the block, because everyone else is already in the ensemble.

- Robert Englund

New, Star, Everyone Else, Guest Star

The modern horror audience is wise to our tricks this lets it in on the gag.

- Robert Englund

Wise, Audience, Horror, Gag

I have very liberal parents. People forget that Fidel Castro was on the cover of 'Time' magazine, and the one that I remember the most - it's not necessarily my favorite - was when they dressed me as Castro when I was eight years old. I was in fatigues, camouflage hat, beard and cigar. I don't think I did that well with candy that year.

- Robert Englund

I Remember, Very, Castro, None

Some actors get by with behaving, not acting. You've got to sell the effect. I act more in the 'Nightmare' movies because it's not like me. I'm acting, not reacting.

- Robert Englund

Some, Like, Behaving, Reacting

Had I not done Shakespeare, Pinter, Moliere and things such as 'Godspell' - I played Judas in a hugely successful production before I did 'Elm Street' - I'd probably be on a psychiatrist's couch saying: 'Freddy ruined me.' But I'd already done 13 movies and years of non-stop theatre.

- Robert Englund

Production, Before, Freddy, Ruined

When I was a boy, I read a terrible article in a big weekly American magazine called the 'Saturday Evening Post.' In the middle of this family magazine on my parent's coffee table was an article about this family that was camping, and they were all mauled by a grizzly bear in their sleeping bags.

- Robert Englund

Parent, Big, Saturday, Coffee Table

I'm scared by the enormous amount of bottled water being consumed today, instead of people drinking filtered tap water. Did you know that nearly 90 percent of those plastic bottles are not recycled and wind up in landfills where it takes thousands of years for the plastic to decompose?

- Robert Englund

Consumed, Nearly, Bottles, Thousands Of Years

I wouldn't want the pressure of a Six Feet Under or the pressure of improvising like Curb Your Enthusiasm.

- Robert Englund

Feet, Enthusiasm, Six, Improvising

But it's mostly about pacing yourself when you do these movies.

- Robert Englund

Movies, About, Mostly, Pacing

I think superheroes today are like whistle blowers.

- Robert Englund

Think, Like, I Think, Superheroes

I used to drive up from theatre in Michigan to Stratford, Ontario to watch every show. I idolized the actors from Stratford. I was very influenced by them because they would come down and work at my theatre and get time on their American Equity union cards.

- Robert Englund

Cards, Influenced, Very, Ontario

The technologies of convenience are making our sphere of exploration and experience smaller.

- Robert Englund

Making, Technologies, Sphere

You're going to have to surrender a little bit to the contrivance of how Freddy and Jason get together.

- Robert Englund

Get Together, Going, Freddy, Surrender

The truth of it is when you get an audience to laugh and camp along with you, it's much easier to scare 'em again because they're using two sides of their emotions. It's much easier to set them up for a good cheap thrill scare again.

- Robert Englund

Scare, Two, Thrill, Camp

We all have to change with the times... it keeps you younger; it's a new challenge.

- Robert Englund

New, Younger, Times, New Challenge

If they do something like that, maybe a Freddy Krueger fan, a girl, a really sick goth girl starts killing kids herself and Freddy has to put a stop to it, or they have to fight it out.

- Robert Englund

Like, Maybe, Freddy, Goth

The roughest make-up I ever wore was for 'Phantom of the Opera' because the phantom's face was all disfigured, and he's trying to pass in public so he can attend his beloved opera. That was make-up over make-up.

- Robert Englund

Opera, Over, Attend, Beloved

Horror does better when it's bubbling under. It's a niche. It doesn't like the limelight.

- Robert Englund

Better, Horror, Like, Limelight

Jeff Bridges taught me a lot about how to keep a scene fresh.

- Robert Englund

How, Taught, Lot, Fresh

I actually sing horribly, but I used to dance pretty good. I was a gymnast, and you can usually use those gymnastic tricks with dance. Plus, they're so much fun to do. That wasn't really a big part of my career. It was just a phase.

- Robert Englund

Big, Gymnast, Big Part, So Much Fun

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