Be still our beating hearts! PLEASE! When Leatherface is around you hide and you pray to whatever deity you believe in that he doesn’t find you. The sight of his chainsaw is enough to make your blood run cold, but once it begins to roar, your heart will spring from your chest in terror. Texas Chainsaw Massacre converted the chainsaw from a tool to take down trees into one of the most symbolic of weapons of murderous terror ever known, and Leatherface wields it like none other.
We found him though! Daniel Yeager, star of 2013’s Texas Chainsaw 3D, brings the Leatherface character more in your face than ever before! The ultimate horror fan, Sarah Church, collaborated with RockRevolt writers to bring this epic interview to light, and helped us all to get to know the man behind the leather mask a little better.
INTERVIEW WITH DANIEL YEAGER
We are going to dig around into some other stuff before getting into Leatherface. We are, after all, a rock music website. Tell us about your experience with the filming of Metal Heads. How did you land that role, and why did you accept it?
It was a movie written and directed by a good friend of mine, Tony Stengel. He grew up in LA and spent a lot of time in the music world. He needed a big cop, which is what I look like after a shave and a hair cut. I did it because you always help your friends.
Were you a metal head in the 80s, and if so, what were your favorite bands?
I love all genres of music. When I was a kid, it was Hard Rock. We saw that grow into Heavy Metal. I think Punk and Heavy Metal lead to what we call Metal today. I like Aerosmith, Pink Floyd, REM, Led Zeppelin, Nazareth, Blue Oyster Cult, Black Sabbath, Foghat… I think you may find the foundations of Metal in my high school record collection. I should probably mention Twisted Sister, too.
If you were a metal head in the 80s, what bands do you feel are still relevant today?
It’s all Rock-n-Roll. But I’m not sure any of the bands we listened to are still relevant. They are certainly historically interesting. That’s a question for a real musician.
You are a VERY tall man. Is your height what got you into acting?
No, you get into acting because it’s socially acceptable showing-off. I like applause.
What blessings and curses has your height brought you?
There is no anonymity at 6′-6″. That’s good if you’re trying to stand out. I can’t think of anything like a curse. You have to know your brand and try to stick with it. I’ll never play the romantic lead.
Let’s get into Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D. How did you fall into that role and what made you say, “Hmm, I think the character of Leatherface suits me just fine!”
There’s an article written by the Director of TC3D on Huffington Post that describes how we met. I was friends with the Producer while he was developing the script. It was largely coincidence that I was there and they all saw the character in me. I’ve always loved Leatherface. He’s the greatest horror icon since Frankenstein’s Monster. I love his complexity. From a distance, you can pity him, but if you get close, he’ll kill you. He’s not a mindless killer, as he’s often been portrayed. He’s profoundly lethal. As an actor, you can’t ask for more.
Being that Leatherface is a character behind a mask, how did prevent yourself from indicating? What did you do to bring the character to life?
Leatherface is the mask. In the original movie, there was nothing behind the mask, now he’s beginning to emerge. That was the one progression we made in the character. That’s why you can see his eyes now; why he sews the mask on. Leatherface is a unique combination of love, fear and violence. To play him, you just look at people as a threat or family. Leatherface has no ego. It’s a strange existence. Everyone scares you, but you respond with lethal ferocity.
Had you been a fan of Texas Chainsaw Massacre before?
It was one of the first VHS tapes I bought in high school.
While shooting, what was your favorite scene?
There was great satisfaction in sinking a meat hook into Kenny’s back and dragging him down the steps. That was probably the most dangerous stunt we did.
What does the future bring for Daniel Yeager? Are there any films (horror or otherwise) on the horizon?
I’m writing a low budget horror script that I’ll try to get made this year. I’m working on starting a film club in our little mountain village. I’m hoping we’ll be shooting another Chainsaw installment before the Fall. I’m hoping several of my friends are successful in funding their projects: Killbilly, The Mangled, 11 For 11… I still audition every chance I get, mainly features, but also TV shows. I feel very optimistic.
~Sarah Church, Horror Fan and RockRevolt Magazine Contributor
