Nine films. Different families. Conflicting histories. Follow the people, stories, and sources through every released chapter.
A role passed between performers, with different bodies, masks, names, and family histories.
The first four films
Gunnar Hansen establishes the original screen performance. Bill Johnson plays Leatherface in the second film, whose physical work also involves Bob Elmore. R. A. Mihailoff takes the role in the third film; Robert Jacks plays the character in The Next Generation. These performances belong to films with very different dramatic and comic registers.
Remake, inheritance, and reinvention
Andrew Bryniarski plays Thomas Hewitt in both the 2003 remake and The Beginning. Dan Yeager plays Leatherface in Texas Chainsaw 3D. The 2017 prequel centers on Sam Strike’s Jackson/Jedidiah, with Boris Kabakchief playing the child. Mark Burnham plays the older Leatherface of the 2022 film.
Read the performance, not just the mask
An archive reading: posture, hesitation, speed, and relationships inside the household are as useful to compare as makeup and costume. The interviews below let several performers describe their own approach. A principal acting credit should not erase stunt work, doubles, or the effects department’s contribution.
Jon Towlson interviews Hansen during the promotion of Chain Saw Confidential. This is a companion to the actor’s production memoir, not a substitute for the book.
An actor interview that offers a route into Johnson’s work beneath the Leatherface mask. Pair it with his own anniversary recordings and production reminiscences.
A Q&A covering the Leatherface role and Mihailoff’s physical-performance background. Useful for researching the relationship between acting and stage combat.
Samuniverse Production interviews the actor who played Leatherface in both Platinum Dunes films. The conversation links the remake and its prequel through one performer.
A press-day interview about approaching Leatherface and performing behind the mask. This source focuses on the actor’s choices rather than only the film’s plot.