David Arquette was attracted to SCREAM because he "liked the suspense"
and "liked the satire." It also didn't hurt that his character,
Dewey Riley, was just as much a kid as those being knocked off by the mystery
killer.
"Dewey's a sad little boy," says the actor. "He desperately
wants to be accepted, and he desperately wants to be respected. In a way,
he's kind of a failure because he's just too nice. He cares too much, and
he gets too involved, so he really doesn't have what it takes to make a
good law enforcement officer."
But Arquette offers that Riley's shortcomings are overshadowed by the laughs
they induce. "He's the comic relief, sort of the Barney Fife of the
movie. He takes the edge off a lot of the grim stuff. At least, that's the
way I've been playing him."
Arquette, born in Chicago, trained with the famous Second City Theater Group.
The son of actor Lews Arquette and grandson of comedian Clifford Arquette,
it was inevitable that Arquette would make the jump to both big and small
screen roles.
The actor's credits include prominent roles in "Wild Bill," "Beautiful
Girls" and the upcoming "Johns."
DREW BARRYMORE
Casey Becker, as played by actress Drew Barrymore, is defiant, frightened
and ultimately terrorized in the heart-pounding opening sequence of SCREAM.
Barrymore, who made her feature film debut in "Altered States,"
has established herself as a multi-dimensional actress with riveting performances
in "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial," "Mad Love," "Batman
Forever," "Boys on the Side," "Gun Crazy," "Poison
Ivy," "See You in the Morning" and "Steven King's Cat's
Eye."
Barrymore, who heads up her own production company, Flower Films, will also
soon be seen in Woody Allen's "Everyone Says I Love You," "Home
Fries" and "All She Wanted."
NEVE CAMPBELL
Neve Campbell knows how lucky she is. After following up her role in the
supernatural thriller "The Craft" with an equally hair-raising
stint as teen Sidney Prescott in "Scream," Campbell admits, "Female
roles in scary movies are very unique. The character I play in SCREAM starts
out very weak and, by the end of the film, becomes very strong and can overcome
just about anything. Sidney learns that all she needs is to find the ultimate
trust in herself in order to succeed. Finding this character and discovering
that transformation was a challenge."
Campbell, born in Toronto, Ontario, studied acting, classical singing and
dance at the prestigious National Ballet School of Canada. She danced in
that school's productions of "Sleeping Beauty" and "The Nutcracker"
before making her acting debut, at age 15, in a Canadian production of "The
Phantom of the Opera."
Her credits include roles in the TV movies "The Canterville Ghost,"
"I Know My Son Is Alive" and "Janeah" and the short-lived
series "Catwalk" before rocketing to stardom with the role of
Julia Salinger in the criticallyacclaimed TV series "Party of Five."
On the movie front, Campbell played a teen witch with serious attitude in
"The Craft."
COURTENEY COX
Gale Weathers can't understand why anyone would be mad at her. After all,
says Courtney Cox of her SCREAM alter ego, "She's just doing her job."
"Gale Weathers is a very strong-willed, manipulative woman," continues
Cox. "She wants to get the story, and will do anything to get it. She
wants to
be a star, and she doesn't think the facts are as important as long as she's
on the scene. Gale wants the world to stop when she shows up."
Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, Cox moved to New York following
graduation from high school, and immediately earned regular modeling and
commercial assignments. Her career moved into high gear when Cox was cast
as the young fan Bruce Springsteen brings out of the audience in the music
video "Dancing in the Dark."
This led to a role in the short-lived TV series "Misfits of Science,"
a recurring role in "Family Ties" and guest shots on the series
"Seinfeld," "The Larry Sanders Show," "Murder,
She Wrote," "Dream On" and roles in the TV movies "Till
We Meet Again," "Prize Pulitzer" and "Sketch Artist
II: Hands That See."
Cox, currently starring in the hit TV series "Friends," has made
the jump to motion pictures with roles in "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective,"
"The Opposite Sex," "Down Twisted," "Masters of
the Universe," "Cocoon: The Return," "Shaking the Tree,"
"Mr. Destiny," "Blue Desert" and, upcoming, the romantic
comedy "Commandments."
JAMIE KENNEDY
He's not Quentin Tarantino but, according to Jamie Kennedy, the character
of video clerk Randy is awfully close. "Randy's a geeky clerk who is
real passionate about his thing, which is scary movies," says Kennedy.
"He's a passionate, hyper young kid who is into Sidney, and just about
everything normal teenagers are into."
Kennedy has been a busy actor since graduating from the British/American
Drama Academy. The actor has had recurring roles on the hit series' "Ellen"
and "Unhappily Ever After." His comedic bent has also landed him
appearances on such TV comedy series as "Friday Night Videos,"
"The Best of Comedy Live 1995" and "Comedy Central Standup."
MATTHEW LILLARD
"Stuart is this kind of skinny white boy who rocks out to gangsta rap,"
says Matthew Lillard of his character, party-hearty Stuart. "He throws
the phattest parties and has a lot of friends. Unfortunately, in the movie,
most of those friends end up dead."
Lillard, an Orange Country, California native, turned an early passion for
acting into the prestigious job of artistic director for the Los Angeles
Theater Company. He moved to New York, where he furthered his education
at the famed Circle on the Square and, subsequently, founded The Summoner's
Ensemble acting group.
He eventually turned to film and appeared in "Hackers," "Mad
Love,"
"Serial Mom," "Tarantella" and the upcoming "Animal
Room." His television credits include "Under Fire," the TV
movie "Vanishing Son" and the HBO film "If These Walls Could
Talk." Lillard will soon be seen in the TV movie "The L Word."
ROSE McGOWAN
"Tatum is the classic best friend," says actress Rose McGowan
of Sidney's SCREAM confidant. "She and Sidney have known each other
since birth, and they are so close that they literally finish each other's
sentences."
McGowan appeared in the cult film "The Doom Generation," for which
she was nominated for best actress honors at the 1996 Spirit Awards. She
has gone on to roles in the feature films "Bio-Dome," "Encino
Man," "Ectopia" and "Nowhere."
SKEET ULRICH
Billy Loomis wants a relationship. He wants the go all the way. And he's
the prime suspect in a series of gruesome murders. "I'm sure a lot
of people can relate to that," laughs Skeet Ulrich of his character's
predicament. "Anybody in prison will certainly be sympathetic."
Ulrich likes the idea that Billy's road to love and lust is blocked at every
turn. "He wants the relationship, but Sidney's problems are getting
in the way. Then, the next thing he knows, he's being blamed for murder.
It's fun to play somebody who is totally frustrated, and totally mislabeled."
Ulrich, a North Carolina native, began his acting career at the feet of
famed theater personage David Mamet at the acclaimed Atlantic Theatre Company,
where he performed in productions of "Reckless" and "Hedda
Gabler." His eclectic film credits include roles in "Boys,"
"Last Dance," "The Craft" and the upcoming "Albino
Alligator" and "Touch."
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