Jonathan Breck turned his back on a career in medical sales to pursue his dream of becoming an actor. He landed roles in TV series Star Trek: Voyager and JAG, before scoring the role of The Creeper in "Jeepers Creepers" and its inevitable sequel, imaginatively titled, "Jeepers Creepers 2".
You've said that you're not a big horror fan, so does that help you bring an original perspective to the role of The Creeper?
Somebody asked me that question, whether I was tipping my hat to any of the other horror icons out there. I feel that's why people think this horror character is so fresh, because I really didn't come to it with any subconscious ideas of how to play him. I didn't come to it with any of those characters in my brain, I just approached the role as I would any other role and consequently we were able to do some new things with him.
Did you have a great deal of input into how The Creeper developed in this film, and what he got up to?
I think I did have a lot more weight and freedom to expand the character. But I must say Victor [Salva] is a real collaborative director, and I feel like I had quite a lot of input on the way the character is played in the first "Jeepers Creepers" too. This time I was also in on pre-production meetings so I really felt more a part of the development of it, which was great. You feel like you're more a part of a team then.
Given the make-up job, do people out in the wider world ever connect you with these films?
I was on a train in New York and this guy came up to me and said "You're Jonathan Breck! You were The Creeper!" He started this whole conversation with me about the end of the film, that he thought he read this one thing in my eyes. He asked me what I was thinking, and the crazy thing was, he nailed it exactly. That was one of those moments where you go 'wow'. All this preparation and all this work that I do, to communicate - and all I have is my eyes to communicate with in these films - that totally makes it through to the audience. I love the excitement that the fans have about The Creeper, I really do.
Were you ever shocked at seeing yourself in the mirror, in full make-up?
I've long since gotten past all that. The first few times I would walk past the mirror and scare myself, but truthfully now it feels like a second skin with the way they craft my face, the bodysuit, everything. It's made from very elaborate moulds out of very thin latex, and once everything is on it's kind of like a suit of armour. It really felt like another piece of me.
How did you go to the toilet when you were trapped inside the costume?
Most days I'd sweat so much that I didn't need the toilet. I've learned to manage my food well. Every now and then they would need to get me out, but very rarely. By the end of the day they'd take one of the legs, and they could pour the sweat out of it. So that's how I'd get rid of most of what I'd need to get rid of.
