Anthony Anderson On Scream 4 Role: 'I Always Wanted To Be The Black Guy In The Horror Movie'

It was before the start of summer 2010 that Anthony Anderson heard whispers of a fourth installment of Scream being prepped for the big screen. The popular Wes Craven horror film franchise, which to date has grossed an impressive half a billion dollars worldwide, would boast the usual star-studded cast including Scream vets David Arquette, Neve Campbell, and Courteney Cox as well as scary flick newcomers Emma Roberts and Hayden Panettiere. Anthony wanted in. “

It wasn’t something to where they reached out to me,” Anderson tells VIBE of how he scored his role as Deputy Anthony Perkins, a sly nod to the actor who starred in Alfred Hitchcock’s groundbreaking 1960 slasher classic Psycho.  “I actually reached out to the Scream people. I always wanted to be in a big horror movie franchise because I previously appeared in a horror spoof (Scary Movie 3 and 4).  And I always wanted to be the black guy in the horror move [laughs].”

Of course, there was also the prospect of working with Craven—the greatest horror film visionary of all-time—that attracted Anderson to the project. “I’ve been blessed to work with some great directors such as [Martin] Scorsese (The Departed), Barry Levinson (Liberty Heights), and now Wes Craven,” Anderson beams. “Those are the biggest directors in their film genres. Why not work with the best?” 

As for future projects, Anderson has a full plate. “I’m starring in an independent film with Christian Slater called The Power of Few,” he says. “And I I’ll be in a movie called The Big Year with Jack Black and Steve Martin. I’m really excited about that one. Both movies should be coming out by the end of this year. And I just signed a development deal with 20^th Century Fox to create a comedy. Comedy is something that I still love to do.”

Scream 4 is now in theaters.—Keith Murphy