While she may be best known to horror fans as the ever-resourceful Nancy Thompson in A Nightmare on Elm Street and A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors before going on to play herself in Wes Craven’s New Nightmare, Heather Langenkamp has been slaying it both on the screen and behind the scenes for years, from playing Dr. Georgina Stanton in Mike Flanagan’s The Midnight Club and portraying Ellenor in Spider One’s Little Bites to writing and directing the short film Washed Away and doing amazing makeup effects work alongside her husband, David Leroy Anderson, at AFX Studio on phenomenal films such as Dawn of the Dead (2004), Cinderella Man, and The Cabin in the Woods.
Staying as busy as ever these days, Heather Langenkamp is continuing to leave a memorable mark on cinema with her latest role as Ruth Dillon, the sister of a man (Steve Mize) whose wife was supposedly killed by his best friend (Eddie Kehler)… until his name is cleared after serving 20 years in prison, leaving the widower questioning both the justice system and his very sanity as he realizes that his wife’s real killer could still be out there, and he needs to do something about it.
Written and directed by Brian McQuery, Plea is a fascinating and heartbreaking examination of the ripple effects left in the wake of a horrible crime, and Daily Dead had the great pleasure of speaking with Heather about her powerful role in the film, including working with Brian, exploring the complex dynamics of adult siblings, and the film’s resonating message about human flaws and the aftereffects of mistakes.
Heather also talks about her recent role in Spider One’s Little Bites (starring Krsy Fox and executive produced by Cher and Chaz Bono) and shares her excitement for her upcoming roles in Mike Flanagan’s The Life of Chuck and Last Chance Motel, which is written and directed by Danielle Harris and Scout Taylor-Compton.
And, because the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise remains one of the most influential horror films in my life since it got me to start drinking coffee years ago, I couldn’t resist asking Heather about the enduring legacy of Wes Craven’s New Nightmare, which celebrated its 30th anniversary last year and was way ahead of its time with its meta approach upon its release back in 1994.
You can watch Daily Dead’s interview with Heather Langenkamp below, and you can now see Plea on Prime Video and Blu-ray! To learn more about the film, visit:
Plea Synopsis: “After 20 years in prison, a man wrongfully convicted of rape and murder is released. He reconnects with his now adult daughter and tries to rebuild his life. The victim’s husband has become a recluse, obsessed with a true crime documentary about the case, and tries to contact law enforcement to reopen the investigation, but they consider it closed. Then the prosecutor is kidnapped in a desperate attempt to convince her to find the real killer.”