Inside the dark, winding halls of a haunted house, screams echo, monsters lurk and nightmares come to life. As people flood local frights like “Reign of Terror” and Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights, these haunted house venues are unique compared to typical performances.
Unlike performing on a stage or in front of a screen, scare actors have a special way of immersing audiences in their individual stories. Maxwell Hellard, Newbury Park High School alumni, is debuting his first year as a Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights actor, portraying Vecna from the popular show “Stranger Things.”
“I have a background in theater, film, and choral performance. Scare acting is incredibly different. The closest thing I’ve done to scare acting before is absurdist movement exercises in theater classes,” Hellard said. “Scare acting is all about pacing yourself and reacting to the energy that the guests are giving you.”
With all the energy that is put into the foreground of a roaming character performance, just as much is put into the behind-the-scenes work. Bruce Stanton, creator of local haunted house “Reign of Terror,” manages every aspect of the actor and technical work.
“A good scare actor lives for the illusion of peering out of nowhere. Scary isn’t just coming at you from the front or from the side. It’s all different directions,” Stanton said.
A seasoned scare performer, Gregor Balkian has been working at “17th Door,” an interactive haunted house experience, for the past three years. Actors often have to put themselves in uncomfortable positions when creating a full sensory experience for the guest.
“Creating a believable haunt creature/character comes from having a motivation for their deeds, and getting physical and grotesque,” Balkian said. “You have to challenge yourself to contort your body or move in a way that is unsettling, should you be in a role that requires you to do so, and be able to keep it up for multiple nights in a row.”
While guests may only see the terrifying characters lurking behind a curtain or corner, scare acting involves much more than jumping out at people. From carefully timed movements to elaborate behind-the-scenes preparation, scare actors work to create an experience that feels authentic. As Halloween approaches, their performances remind audiences that behind every frightening encounter is an actor dedicated to bringing the horror to life. Despite the frightening nature of their performances, the reactions they receive make the work rewarding.
“It’s all worth it when you really scare someone and they topple over and then pop back up, smile, and give you a thumbs up,” Hellard said.
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