Debbie Sue Voorhees
An In Depth Interview With Deborah Sue Voorhees
AKA Tina Friday the 13th Part 5 A New Beginning
I read somewhere that you won “Best Body of Texas” when you were nineteen years old..
Right, I did-- Best Body Of Texas contest! I don’t know how many women total because there were smaller contests around Texas, by the time we got together there was like two-hundred of us.
Did you audition for any other role in this movie, or was Tina always the role you were going for?
Just that one.
A weird fact about you. Even though you were in Friday The 13th Part V, you do not like horror movies.?
No, I am too easily scared. Oh yeah, I am a big chicken.
Now of course, I have to address the fact that your last name being “Voorhees”. How did that feel-- that you were the only person in any of the Friday The 13th or Jason movies to have his last name?
It is kinda funny, isn’t it? Everybody always thinks that somehow or another, either one-- That I took the name because of the show. Or I even have people, even though it was the fifth installment ask, if that’s where they got the name… the “Voorhees” name from me. But no, it was complete coincidence. Voorhees is very unusual.. You probably know being in New Jersey area, that there‘s a Voorhees, New Jersey. But most of the country, it’s not a common name. I always thought it was stunning that it was even spelled the same.
As most fans know, that your love scene in that movie in the woods actually took thirteen-- which is funny, thirteen-- hours to film. Can you tell us about that, and how that happened?
Oh several things. One, when you’re doing a film, they do several different angles. So they are constantly moving the camera around. One shot is for “film, for the R rated version. Then they shoot again for television, plus you have all kinds of problems that come in… you’ll come in to shoot and a plane will go overhead, or some noise will happen , or there will be a problem with the lighting, or a problem with the (inaudible) so they have to do a reshoot of it. Also the amount of makeup that went into making my face look like my eyes were gouged out. It took them a long time to apply that , so it’s all of those things that come together, it just took a very long time. It was a grueling day.
A lot of people in horror movies mention that the makeup they wear, either in their death scene or any other type of scene-- I’ll use Corey Feldman as an example-- He mentioned the bald cap he had to wear actually made him very sick, it gave him headaches, and things like that. Did you experience any nausea, headaches, or any problems while you were wearing the eye piece for your death scene?
Yeah, well, one of the worst things was when they put blood in my eyes, because it just burned, it seeped through it when I closed my eye, and it would seep through and I mean it burned for a very long time. You just have to grit your teeth. So, yeah, really, it was a tough-tough day.
Okay, and of course, we have to address the fact that the major part of your role in Friday The 13th, it was a nude scene. So, I guess the questions would be.. Did you come from a strict Catholic family?, What did your parents think of this? Were you afraid that your Aunts and Uncles would see this? Because, you know, you were twenty-four years old. Your friends, peers.. What were your thoughts on filming this movie knowing about the nude scene? Were your parents against it because of their knowledge, or did they support you?
My mom in particular was very supportive of whatever decision I made. What I later found out that it did upset her. But, she was just the type of person… that she wanted me to have her support unconditionally. And so, she was really great about it. You know, I had a lot of mixed feelings wand was uncertain about it myself. But, you know, I went ahead and did it. I don’t really regret it, but my mom cried, it was more about the death scene that bothered her. She basically told me that she cried for three days because it was just so traumatic to see the daughter she loved, you know, killed. I didn’t know... she didn’t tell me right then, she told me years later. So, she didn’t want to upset me.
Okay, so, you weren’t interested in the whole saga and the franchise of the series. Did it bother you at all that the real Jason wasn’t in this movie? Or you didn’t care either way?
Oh no, It didn’t bother me at all. Did it bother you?
No, a lot of people actually shun this movie. I actually have a friend who I was collecting the movies with years ago, and he would not add Part V to his collection. He thought “impostor Jason”, “Jason’s not even in it”, “blah, blah, blah”. I actually thought it added a cool little element to the movie that was interesting. It brought new life, and breathed fresh air into the franchise and I believe that the franchise as a whole would not be as successful without Part V separating Parts IV and VI. So, I was actually for the storyline of the impostor Jason, and I thought it was a great idea. Something new to give the fans, and I thought it was really good.
When you think of Friday The 13th , Part V, was it a happy time for you? Or do you think of the misery of the makeup, the burning of your eyes, and the 13 hour shoot? What was your overall opinion and thoughts about that time?
Even that was fun in a strange way. The people on the set were very supportive and very nice. They had a great time with everybody, so, no it was good memories.
Now I understand there was some behind the scenes controversy between you and the girlfriend of the co-star (John-Michael Dixon) in your love scene. Can you tell us a little bit about what happened at that time?
It was kind of funny really, I’m sure she’s a really nice person . I just didn’t know much about her, but, supposedly she-- this is what I was told-- and her version of it is very different. I was told that she was already signed for the part and the producers seen her and decided that they wanted her to play the role, but producer didn’t see (myself) yet. Danny Steinmann, the director, seen me and liked me the best. He said that I was the only one who understood the role.. You know the part by the clothesline and he tells her that he wants her to go in the woods and fool around with him? The other women, they all thought that she would be angry. When she said “f*ck you”, and instead, I knew she was being playful. I was the only one that understood that she was playful. I knew she wasn’t going to be getting mad at her boyfriend, that would be silly.
Right, you understood the character completely.
Right, and that’s why he wanted me to play the role. He went to the producer, and at first he was like “no, I’ve already made my decision. I think we will just see this one first“. Well, they decided to go with me and I was fine. She says that she backed out because too much nudity. You know, it doesn’t matter which way it really was, she was apparently (inaudible), because I seen her at a couple auditions. It just seemed like every time I saw her at auditions that she had to bring that up. I don’t think that she was very comfortable having another women in the scene with her boyfriend like that. Maybe it was a combination of both, maybe they decided against her and she got nervous about the nudity. I don’t know.
Do you actually own Friday The 13th Part V on VHS or DVD?
I have it on tape. It was given to me by a friend.
So, after doing the film, were you all revved up and ready to go and get into Hollywood and take on a whole career of acting? Or as you went on did it seem like something you wanted to do less and less?
I think my interest in Los Angeles came early on, and the longer I was there, the more I felt like it wouldn’t work for me. There are a couple things that kind of came… I really enjoyed the acting part of it. There are a few things, I remember being at auditions, where I would see women who were twenty years older than I was at that time. I always felt so bad for them because they would have to work so hard to compete for the same role that I was going up for. Rather than going up for a role that might be more suitable. But they would have the boob job, facelift, the, uh, you know all different kinds of stuff done. The tan, and they would put glitter and baby oil on them. So, I guess I just felt really bad for them. Yeah, and I just thought “you know… I don’t want to feel that desperate and that afraid“. So that was one thing where I thought it probably was not for me. The second thing was that… well, actually there were two other things. Another thing was that after I got a little taste of Hollywood that my personality might not do well if I was recognized where I went. To disruptive for me, because I am more private. The last thing was that I really wanted to get an education. I loved writing and so I went on and did, and wanted to write. I felt that writing was more in my area, and after I graduated from school I went on and worked in journalism for fifteen years, four and a half years with the Fort Worth Star Telegram and eleven years with the Dallas Morning News. Now I freelance for a couple magazines, and still with the newspaper and stuff. I do marketing and media consulting and things… I’d also like to get into concert promoting.
I was wondering if you had any final words to sign off with, or to give to your fans of Friday The 13th Part V?
You know, I always enjoyed hearing from them. They have always been so sweet. It’s always nice to hear from them. I’m ever amazed that they keep writing… I understood how they found me when I was at the newspaper, but I am getting people who email me.
Well, I would like to add that you were one of the better looking girls in the Friday The 13th series, and I was very happy that you were a part of it.
Well, thank you. That’s very sweet.
Well, I’m just being honest. Well, okay, thank you very much for your time and we greatly appreciate it.
You’re welcome. Feel free to e-mail me and say hello
Added in an e-mail was this follow up Question about her love scene that took 13 hours to shoot.
Were you relieved that it was cut into a 25 second clip, or was it more of a let down at least for the fact that it took so much time and effort to film?
From early on I knew approximately how long the scene would be. I also understood how long scenes such as this took. So it was expected.
Debbie in Friday the 13th Part 5: A New Beginning
Debbie when she was a Playboy bunny
Debbie today. (As you can see she hasn't lost her looks)
Debbie today. (As you can see she hasn't lost her looks)
This interview was conducted
by Demon on October 18th 2005
Edited by Demon
Questions by Demon, sCabbOy and count6string
Thank you Debbie Sue Voorhees for your time, it was greatly appreciated!
Discuss this interview here.
by Demon on October 18th 2005
Edited by Demon
Questions by Demon, sCabbOy and count6string
Thank you Debbie Sue Voorhees for your time, it was greatly appreciated!
Discuss this interview here.