Amidst online controversy, “Terrifier” star Catherine Corcoran responds to the recent fan criticism regarding nudity within the Terrifier franchise following an interview with Kevin Smith.
In an exclusive op ed for The Daily Beast Corcoran speaks openly about the infamous Terrifer “hacksaw scene” for the first time. “It was, and continues to be, the most dangerous undertaking that I have ever participated in as an actor, and frankly not one that I would ever encourage anyone to attempt. And yet, the scene’s impact is undeniable,” she writes.
Corcoran initially gained notoriety as “the first lesbian-wedding in France” after her 2013 performance in Troma Entertainment/ STARZ-Anchor Bay’s film Return to Nuke ’Em High which generated acclaim at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. Only 19 years old at the time, she details her experience, and the nudity required in portraying a lesbian couple on screen at a time when same-sex marriage was not federally legal in the United States.
The article continues to chronicle the history of nudity and gender representation in genre cinema, offering parallels to Catherine’s performance as Dawn in ‘Terrifier’ to PJ Sole’s Lynda in Halloween (1978).
“The reason Dawn’s death in Terrifier holds such gravitas is because it is heavily rooted in reality.” Corcoran writes.
” […] She is assertive and outspoken, and as a result, the brutality by which she is “punished” for said traits forces her to be horrifically vulnerable, highlighting the very physical essence of what makes her female. The visceral, gut-wrenching, bone-chilling emotions evoked when watching her death scene do not lie in the fact that she is nude; they lie in the mercilessness of stripping someone of their autonomy and personal power and forcing those who care about them to watch.”
Corcoran ends the piece urging readers not to fall victim to “nudity- seeking Twitter trolls” and box-office numbers. instead to seek out cinema which “challenges our psychological depths and understanding of what it is to be human.”
Beyond her roles in ‘Terrifier’ and ‘Return to Nuke Em High’ Catherine Corcoran also appeared in the boxing drama Chuck with Liev Schreiber, Amazon Studios feature Long Lost, Hallmark Channel’s Last Vermont Christmas, along with television shows such as The Good Wife and Gossip Girl. Among the actor’s other upcoming projects is the thriller ‘Do Not Watch’ – the latest feature film from the creative team behind BAFTA Nominated MASS, and 3 Days Rising with Mickey Rourke, Ice-T and Peter Greene.
Catherine approaches her work with passion for inclusivity and frequently speaks as an advocate for gender equality, representation and equity in cinema.
