Muse Watson Interview »

The Facts

Name: Muse Watson

Birth Date: July 20, 1948

Birth Place: Alexandria, Louisiana, USA

His Big Break: Played Ben Willis in I Know What You Did Last Summer [1997]

Sharlene Hartley: You’re mostly known for your role as Ben Willis in the horror flick I Know What You Did Last Summer. How did you get the part?
Muse Watson: I think they may have been down to the wire. Originally, it seemed real important for the actor playing Ben to show both sides of Ben. That would have made it more difficult to cast. Ben, the father of a daughter he loved very much, and Ben, the man over the edge after his daughter was killed in a car driven by a drunk teen. I auditioned in Los Angeles, playing a piece of both sides of Ben. It was fed-xed to North Carolina, where the production company was set up, and within a week, I was cast. As the filming progressed, it seemed to me to be less important for Ben to show both sides, but I played him as originally planned in my mind.

Did you have fun playing the role of Ben?
I had a blast. I practiced everyday with the hook until I was like a surgeon. The boat was great fun, because I have always liked shrimp boats better than yachts. I spent alot of my time on the set, because the producers and the cast thought it would be nice to have me on the side lines as a menace. That gave me lots of time with everyone.

Did you have fun with your cast and crew members?
I did. I spent a lot of time with the cast. It was very exciting to work with an entire cast of actors who were moving up. The crew was very familiar to me, because I had made my start in the business in North Carolina and I knew a lot of them, so that was very nice.

What did you all do for fun?
We went to movies, walked on the beach, and went to dinner.

Did you do film all of the scenes or did you have a stuntman for some?
I had some of the best stunt guys in the business, Stunts Unlimited. We were able to share the scenes so well, it looks as if I am doing it all. For instance, [in I Know...], on the boat the fight sequences are mine, the ride on the accellerator up the mast was mine, then Bobby Brown does a free fall, hanging by one foot. I was then put in the rig to swing by one leg back and forth across the boat. Then the fall in the water was back to the stunt team.

Were the special effects hard or easy to create?
They were hard for me on the first one. It seemed like I was turning my hands and body in side out so that the camera could get some weird angle to create the effect. Sometimes it was difficult to stay anywhere near the character for the technical requirements of the camera. The second one was easier.

I heard that some of them made you guys jump, like the lightning for example.
I made them jump. Lightnin’ smightnin’.

[Laughs] Where exactly did you all film?
The first one was in North Carolina and northern California, the second was filmed on the Sony lot and in Mexico.

If I can get a character’s music, I can get the character.

Mexico. Were there a lot of bugs? I heard that Matthew [Settle] kept playing with them.
That may be true. Every time they landed on you, they would pee acid on you. They were gross. If one was dead, they ate it and they flew into your face while on camera. I thought they were gross.

Disgusting. What about the first one?
No Mexican beetles, but plenty of no see ums.

That’s good. Did you like making this sequel or the first one?
The first one was harder. The second was under very nice conditions, location, and so on.

Isn’t there going to be another one called I Still Know What You Did Three Summers Ago? I heard Jennifer talking about it.
It’s not my call. If the script is good and Love agrees to do it and they ask me, I’ll be there. Somehow, I doubt it. The second one died suddenly. But, if enough fans want it…

I bet they will. What do you like doing in your spare time?
I have a wonderful ranch in the foothills of the Smokey Mountains. White water stream, mountain views, trails, cliffs, caves, a big John Deere tractor, a shop that would make Tim The Tool Man cry…I have no ’spare’ time.

Do any actors and actresses out there inspire you?
Tom Hanks, Bridget Fonda, Raymond Cruz…

What’s your favorite film?
I used to have a favorite. I think being in the business my take that away. I like a lot of movies — The Princess Bride, Man From Snowy River…

Good picks. What kind of music do you like?
Almost all of them. I listen to classical, blues, jazz, rock, new age. If I can get a character’s music, I can get the character.

Thanks for your time and I wish you the best of luck with your career.
Thank you. And to you and your readers, all my best.