Johnathan Tison knows a thing or two about surviving a horror movie.
Photography by Brooke Lunsford
Having stepped into the shoes of one of the genre’s most notorious killers for Crystal Lake, the actor has found himself on the other side of the scares that once kept him up at night. But beneath the prosthetics and bloodshed is someone who still believes in the power of a good ghost story, the encouragement of his grandparents, and the occasional Sound of Music sing-along with his brothers.
For American Studies, Tison talks childhood nightmares, life behind Jason’s mask, the makings of a great final girl, and why you should never, ever let your phone battery drop below 40 percent.
American Studies: What was your first introduction to horror? Do you remember the first movie that genuinely scared you?
Jonathan Tison: My first horror movie was Oren Peli’s Paranormal Activity. Back when Blockbuster stores were starting to close, my dad would grab movies without really looking, and he found some crazy gems. I’ve always liked ghost stories and hearing about ghost encounters, so when I saw the DVD cover, I just had to watch it. This was the first horror movie for my two brothers and me, and it’s probably the most on the edge of our seats we’ve ever been. I watched most of it through my fingers. We probably shared the same nightmares for the next few weeks after that!
American Studies: What’s a compliment you’ve received that you still think about?
Jonathan Tison: The compliment that shaped my driven attitude came from my grandparents. They told me one night at dinner when I was about 12 years old. They said, “You can do anything. We truly believe you can do anything.”
I’m sure it was meant to push me toward a more profitable career than performing, but I took it for what it was. And I still repeat that phrase to myself a lot.
When you’re in a career where believing in your unlimited potential can be tough sometimes, you need a strong foundation. I believe I can do anything. I know I can! Because my grandparents told me so.
American Studies: What’s the last thing you changed your mind about?
That last question. Haha! But really, whether to eat dinner or pack for my first convention. I head out in the morning for Baltimore to meet Friday the 13th fans in person for the first time! They’ve been messaging me on all the apps, and I’m beyond excited to meet them. So, I’ve decided to pack a bit more before I have my lasagna.
Jonathan Tison: What’s your most irrational fear?
Bees. I’m allergic, but I’ve been stung enough times that I think they follow me. I’ve tried waving them away gently, pretending they aren’t there, and simply walking away… and they still follow me! Honeybees are great for the planet, but I’ll be staying far away from anything classified as a flying thing with a sword.
American Studies: What’s something you’re surprisingly good at?
Jonathan Tison: I’m great at making a meal out of nothing. If I’m traveling and end up in a kitchen with “nothing to make,” I can always throw something together to get me through the night.
American Studies: What’s a song you know every word to?
Jonathan Tison: I was raised on Julie Andrews’ The Sound of Music, so I know every word to “Do-Re-Mi.” Anytime I’m with my brothers and we’re riding bikes down a trail, we break out into a never-ending sing-along of “Do-Re-Mi.” We go from the Tisons to the von Trapps very quickly!
American Studies: What’s a horror movie you think everyone should see at least once?
Jonathan Tison: I think everyone should watch The Haunting of Hill House. It has a powerful story that stays with you, along with some incredibly creative jump scares that I would put at the top of any horror tier list.
American Studies: What makes a really good final girl?
Jonathan Tison: I think Ginny from Friday the 13th Part 2 is almost the perfect final girl. She quickly puts together what’s really happening and tries to warn the others. When she finally meets Jason, she puts what she’s learned into action.
So yes, everyone should pretend to be a murderer’s mother if they want to survive.
American Studies: If you could step into any other horror franchise, which would it be?
Jonathan Tison: I’m actually really interested in two modern horror TV shows. Katie Dippold’s Widow’s Bay is a show I could watch forever because it’s so well written. I’m a huge fan of comedy, and I think horror and comedy complement each other really well. The other is IT: Welcome to Derry. The reason is that IT (2017) was the first horror movie I snuck into with my older brother, which is practically a rite of passage for horror fans. So, to have a full-circle moment and be part of a show that continues creating fresh horrors people will rewatch forever would be so awesome.
American Studies: Has playing Jason made you harder to scare, or easier?
Jonathan Tison: I’ve stayed the same. I’m easy to jump-scare but hard to actually scare. But people around me like to pretend I’m the real Jason now. They’ll jump out of the way or say, “Watch out!” when I pick up a butter knife. So, as you can see, I’ve really got everyone on their toes.
American Studies: Was there anything about the physical transformation into Jason that surprised you?
Jonathan Tison: Everything about the prosthetics was new and unexpected because this was my first time experiencing anything like it. Looking at Jason, you wouldn’t think it, but I couldn’t hear out of my right ear or see out of my right eye. So, I was a little wobbly when I first got on set.
Thankfully, everyone was looking out for me. Linda Cardellini even walked my path and told the crew which tripping hazards needed to be removed.
American Studies: What’s the strangest direction you received while filming Crystal Lake?
Jonathan Tison: Some of the things being shouted while we were filming the scene where I killed my father’s puppet were pretty funny. I had Dave Presto over my left shoulder giving commands to the puppeteers as I performed my choreographed crushing movements. He was shouting things like, “Go eye!” “Go gush!” “More blood!” and “Brains now!” Meanwhile, I had Q to my right directing my movements for the camera, saying things like, “Toward the camera more!” “Pull down the head!” and “Slower going into the eye socket!” Sentences like these were said all the time on the Crystal Lake set.
American Studies: If you were a counselor at Camp Crystal Lake, how long do you think you’d survive?
Jonathan Tison: If I knew it was Camp Crystal Lake, I’d survive because I’d leave right away! But if I had no idea what was going on, I think I’d make it to the end. I’d follow the group that goes to the casino or bar to get food. And when I got back, if I saw blood, I’d head somewhere safe and call the cops.
American Studies: Be honest: Would you survive a Friday the 13th movie?
Jonathan Tison: Guys have a pretty low chance of surviving this franchise unless your name is Tommy. So, if I base it on that… Jason’s coming to get me, and I’m a dead man.
American Studies: What’s the first mistake people make in horror movies that drives you absolutely crazy?
Jonathan Tison: Not fixing an easy problem! They point out that their car isn’t running right or that their gas tank is almost empty. Or they’ll say, “Ugh, my phones at 10%,” or “Someone should fix that step. I’m going to kill myself on that.” Those foreshadowing comments drive me crazy because I’m sitting there thinking, “You have a problem! Fix it before it kills you!” I feel this way in real life, too. You’ll never find my phone below 40%. I always have battery packs on me.
American Studies: What’s scarier: Being chased through the woods or hearing something moving around your house at 3 a.m.?
Jonathan Tison: This is a tough one!
I think hearing something moving around my house at 3 a.m. would be scarier than being chased through the woods. In the woods, I’d have more room to run and places to hide, so I might have a better chance of surviving. The downside is that I probably wouldn’t have cell service to call for help, so I’d be on my own.
But if it’s 3 a.m. and someone is inside my house, they probably know I’m in bed. Getting out wouldn’t be easy, and I might have to face the intruder to escape.
So, for me, hearing something in my house at 3 a.m. is definitely scarier.
