Jamie Kennedy is well known to horror fans from his appearances in Wes Craven’s Scream movies. He returns to the genre with Trick, about a slasher killer who returns on Halloween night every year to take out more innocent victims. It sounds like something you’ve seen before, but there are unexpected twists and turns to this story that you won’t see coming.

We spoke to Kennedy about working with director Patrick Lussier, going on the convention circuit with his fellow Scream cast members and most importantly, his favorite Halloween candy.

Trick is available now on streaming platforms!

LRM Online: So, I just watched the movie this morning. I unfortunately missed the Screamfest screening, but was wondering if you were there for that? I was going to ask how that screening went.

Kennedy: Yeah. First of all, what a way to start your morning. My God. Yeah, the Screamfest screening was great. It was packed, and it was a great turnout, and I loved it. Screamfest was really, really kind to us, and so we’re excited about it.

LRM Online: Was that your first time attending that festival?

Kennedy: Yeah. I mean, I don’t know how long it’s been going on. Only a couple of years, right?

LRM Online: No, I think it’s the 19th year in LA. So yeah, next year is the 20th anniversary. But unless you’re a horror fan, it’s a little under the radar, you know?

Kennedy: I go to LA Film Festival, which I think is getting bigger, and the Hollywood Film Festival, but Screamfest I think I had heard of, and I was just excited to be there. It was pretty big.

LRM Online: Yeah. Well, hopefully you’ll get a chance to return with another movie you’re starring in or, who knows, even directing, right?

Kennedy: Yeah, man. That’s the next evolution, I think.

LRM Online: Let’s get to Trick. I was curious how you got attached to the project. Did you know Patrick Lussier before the film? Or was this your first time working with him?

Kennedy: Yeah, Patrick was the editor on all of the Screams, including Scream 4, and he’s been instrumental in my career. I mean he’s talked to me when I was doing stuff, and he would tell me what takes were good, and he always kept me in the loop. I mean, he didn’t have to do that. Then I followed his career as a director, and so when he asked me to do it, I was like, yeah, I’ll jump at the chance.

LRM Online: I had forgotten that he started as an editor, because he’s been directing horror movies for at least the last decade-plus. You know, My Bloody Valentine, or even going back to Dracula 2000, back in the old Dimension days.

Kennedy: Yeah, he did Dracula, but I also think he edited Scream 4 too. He did that for Wes, and I think as he was directing with My Bloody Valentine. Yeah, he does it all, man. He does it all.

LRM Online: So I don’t want to spoil for people who read this what happens to your character, but I will say that you had a really good payoff, and I was curious if you’ve ever felt like a character you played kind of went out or had such a good payoff and looked so badass? You have this whole hero shot and everything.

Kennedy: I know. You don’t want to give away too much, but that was one of the reasons I did it, and Patrick was really collaborative. I think that, for me and for everybody watching, I believe there’s franchise potential here. And I think that to play a character like that, that type of person is exciting for me, I don’t get to play that. So that’s one of the reasons I wanted to do it, and I was excited about it.

LRM Online: Before I had even seen it that’s how I felt just reading the description about it. Like, oh, this could be a new Halloween, a new slasher villain. And then the way the story works out, which like I said, I won’t spoil it, it definitely has that potential.

Kennedy: Yeah, but it’s also very cool. Like the girl, we’ve got our ingenue who’s the hero, follows the certain rules.

LRM Online: There were, yeah. And then kind of interesting updated things to me, because it seemed like every cop was a woman or almost, say besides Omar Epps. Many female cops. like you’re trying to put women into these positions of power and not just have it be traditional guys or what you were used to seeing in movies.

Kennedy: Yeah, that was great too. That was really great. And that was nice to see. And it’s also real, you know? You see a lot of female cops, so it was nice. There was a lot of good representation, I believe.

LRM Online: I was curious, since this movie’s set on, not just Halloween, but many Halloweens, if you have any particular favorite movies that are set on Halloween? Are there any movies either set on Halloween or that you make an effort to watch every year around this time?

Kennedy: Well, Halloween is always great. I mean, you can’t really go wrong there. What other movies are Halloween? I mean, I love a lot of horror movies, but I don’t know how many are particularly Halloween.

LRM Online: Well, a big one recently that has had an expanding cult following is Trick ‘r Treat. Have you seen that? Michael Dougherty’s one?

Kennedy: No, I haven’t.

LRM Online: Oh, you should definitely watch that. Anna Paquin, Brian Cox, Dylan Baker. Your new movie and it have such a Halloween vibe, where you can feel it. The dry leaves and the pumpkins, you get that feeling. It’s immersive, you know?

Kennedy: Yeah, there is something scary about that. Foliage and the pumpkins, like you say, there’s just a creepy vibe more towards Halloween and the fall.

I don’t know if it’s set on Halloween, but Children of the Corn is always a good one.

LRM Online: Oh yeah. And speaking of another franchise too, there are so many installments, you could have your own little marathon. That was cool too, the Halloween movie marathon Tom Atkins’ character has. Are you a fan of his? I don’t think you guys share any scenes, but was it cool being in a movie with him?

Kennedy: We didn’t shoot any scenes together, but yeah. I was a fan of him from the beginning in The Fog, but also Halloween III. You know, that’s a highly underrated movie, and I just think he’s great. He’s so good.

LRM Online: I had one quick question to ask you about Scream if that’s okay?

Kennedy: Sure.

LRM Online: It’s not about the movie itself, but more just that I’ve seen a lot more of the actors from it have been hitting the convention circuit lately, and I was curious what it was like for you going out there and meeting the fans, and also just being back together with all these guys 20 plus years later?

Kennedy: Well, Scream is more popular than it’s ever been, in a weird way, and conventions are bigger than they’ve ever been. It’s not just like these little fringe things, it’s like people are rabid, and they love it. And the more of us that go out, the more people want to see us. And it was beautiful. We just went to one recently, HorrorHound, and David had a birthday, so it was me and Rose and Elise and Matthew and Neve, and we all just had a nice little birthday dinner with David, and it was awesome. We all just picked up right where we left off, like we’re back in Santa Rosa.

LRM Online: That sounds almost like a high school reunion when you guys get together.

Kennedy: It was great, man, because you know, you don’t see people for awhile, but we have a bond because of our movie and it was just a special time, you know?

LRM Online: Yeah, it’s definitely stood the test of time. It’s a classic, so you guys should all be proud to have been involved with it, and you’re all still going and making movies, TV and whatnot. I’ll wrap it up with one last question I was asking people on the black carpet at Screamfest since it’s Halloween time, it’s a very random question, but when you were growing up was there a certain Halloween candy you looked forward to finding in your trick or treat bag?

Kennedy: I was always a big fan of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, you really can’t go wrong with them. They were fantastic.

LRM Online: That was the big battle. Reese’s Cups and Snickers, I’m going about 50/50 with answers from people.

Kennedy: Yeah, Reese’s man, the most addictive.

LRM Online: Oh yeah, you can polish off a whole bag. And the cool thing too is around this time you get them in bat shape, pumpkin shape, all sorts of different ways.

Kennedy: Yeah, it’s good. It’s definitely a good one.

LRM Online: Well, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me. And I just wish you luck with everything you’ve got going on, and I hope lots of people will check out Trick .

Kennedy: Thank you, man. I really appreciate it. Thank you for your time.

LRM Online: Oh yeah, and have a good, happy Halloween.

Kennedy: You too, brother.

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