By Gregg Goldstein
NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) -
Henry Lee Hopper, the
17-year-old son of Dennis Hopper, will play the lead role in a
new teen horror from Wes Craven.
The Rogue Pictures project, tentatively titled "25/8," also
stars Denzel Whitaker ("The Great Debaters") and Shareeka Epps
("Half Nelson").
Hopper will play Bug, one of seven teens haunted by a
serial killer who supposedly died when they were born 15 years
earlier. The film takes place over the course of a day as the
mystery of who (or what) is stalking the small-town high
schoolers unfolds.
Hopper landed the lead after meeting Craven at a party for
his godfather, Julian Schnabel. The pair bonded while
discussing art, including the abstract expressionist paintings
the teen made in his Venice, Calif., home studio. Craven said
he fit the role of the initially naive, innocent Bug who is
changed by strange events, and Craven invited Hopper to
audition.
One might expect any son of Dennis Hopper to be perfect
casting for a horror film. But the greatest surprise is that he
appears to be a seemingly grounded teen despite being raised by
one of Hollywood's most infamous wild men.
"I never really got the brunt of all that," said Hopper,
who was born to actress Katherine LaNasa when his dad was 54.
"I have two older (step)sisters that did, and I think it was
really hard for them. Alcoholism played a big part in it all,
so sobriety is something that's very valued in our family.
Everyone has a dark side to them, and he's overcome it, so I
don't feel outraged by it."
Hopper was 14 when he first watched his dad huff gas in
"Blue Velvet" but didn't find it that disturbing. "'Speed' was
a lot scarier because he got his head chopped off," he said.
"But I wondered, 'Why does he always play these bad guys?' "
Hopper will attend the California Institute of the Arts to
study fine art in the fall, and won't act outside of his summer
breaks. At any rate, other pursuits might win out over acting.
"I was raised to value creativity and being myself," he
said. "Through my family and their friends, I got a real
education in what it's like to be alive."
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
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