The Unexpected Danger Of Filming Horror Movies According To A Scream Queen

There's no more dangerous place to be than in a horror movie. Whether a character is being chased down and slaughtered by a serial killer in a slasher, or hunted down and haunted by a specter in a supernatural horror, there's no shortage of ways for these unlucky souls to kick the bucket. It's worth remembering, though, that these characters aren't the only ones in danger — the actors playing them can be, too. Even with all of the fake props and special effects, there is still plenty of risk involved.

Something as innocuous as a chase scene has the potential for danger. A simple slip and fall can mean the difference between spending the day in front of a camera or in the hospital. Despite the crew's best efforts to make a situation safe, it only takes one mistake for something to go bad. With that, here are a few specific situations which are more dangerous than others, according to one scream queen.

Last February, horror fans were treated with a special opportunity when prolific horror star Caroline Williams hosted an AMA on Reddit. Williams has a stacked resume in the horror genre, appearing in classic films like Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and the Halloween series. She's been fake murdered in many different ways over the years, but amidst all the mock gore, there are still times when she genuinely feels in danger.

"Falls are dangerous. Especially if you or your adversary have weapons," Williams told one Redditor. "Fire can be controlled, but it still makes me nervous. And animals can be unpredictable. You have to have an expert wrangler and you need to spend plenty of time with the animal so that they feel confident and comfortable."

In addition to falls, fire, and furry friends, Williams singled out heights as one of the occupational hazards that makes her especially nervous. Luckily, it's not something she has to deal with very often. The fact that she hasn't been seriously injured on set is equally fortunate, though that can likely be attributed to the safety measures put in place by the filmmakers. It still goes to show however, that there's still a real element of danger to horror, even when everything else is fake.