‘Chucky’ Movie and Series Star Jennifer Tilly Admits She Still Has Not Seen the Original ‘Child’s Play’
Jennifer Tilly has been inextricably linked to the Child’s Play franchise ever since Bride of Chucky. The fourth sequel took the horror franchise to the next level in the aftermath of the Scream movies. Tilly has appeared in the next three Chucky movie sequels and the USA/Syfy TV series. But, Tilly admits she never saw the three films before hers.
Tilly spoke with Showbiz Cheat Sheet about the Chucky series by Zoom on Nov. 3. Here’s why she hasn’t gotten around to seeing the very first Chucky movie, Child’s Play. Chucky Season 1 is streaming on Peacock and it has been renewed for Season 2.
Jennifer Tilly thinks of ‘Bride of Chucky’ as the first movie
Bride of Chucky introduced Tilly as Tiffany, the girlfriend of Charles Lee Ray (Brad Dourif) before he became the killer doll. Tiffany recovers Chucky’s body from the remains of Child’s Play 3 and resurrects him. She would be integral to the Chucky movies ever since.
“[Creator] Don [Mancini]’s always chastising me,” Tilly said. “He goes, ‘Jennifer, there were three movies before you came on board.’ I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, right.’ To me, it doesn’t really exist until I arrive.’ It came out that I hadn’t actually seen the first three movies, still after all this time. I’ve been meaning to do it.”
Jennifer Tilly promises to watch the first ‘Child’s Play’
Child’s Play came out in 1988. The sequels came out in 1990 and 1991. It was seven years later that Mancini brought Chucky back and added to the mythology with Tilly’s character. It may have taken her 34 more years, but Tilly promises she’ll watch the original one day.
“I’m going to do it but the first Child’s Play is iconic,” Tilly said. “It spawned the genre so I should definitely see them. I will see the first one but I’m so proud to have been in four movies and now the television series.”
Jennifer Tilly was confused by Chucky’s many returns
Mancini first asked Tilly back for 2004’s Seed of Chucky. This was a surprise to Tilly, but she soon caught on.
“When Don called me up and said, ‘We’re doing another Chucky movie, are you ready?’ I was like, ‘But didn’t the doll die?’” Tilly said. “I died twice in the last Chucky. I died physically, my physical form died, spectacularly I might add. And then I died as the doll and I was burned beyond all recognition. With my dying gasp, I popped out a little gender fluid kid and I thought that was the end of it. That was so much fun. Now I’m going to go on to making more Oscar-nominated movies. Then when Don called up and said, ‘We’re bringing Tiffany back’ I was so thrilled because I had such a good time on Bride of Chucky.”
Tilly played herself in Seed of Chucky, and Tiffany possessed her actual body. Thus, Tilly could play human Tiffany again in Curse of Chucky, Cult of Chucky, and Chucky the series.
“Cut to the next two movies, I’m running around in Jennifer Tilly’s body but it’s actually Tiffany,” Tilly said. “This television series takes place where Cult of Chucky took off. I’m Tiffany but I’m in Jennifer Tilly’s body and that’s an excuse for me to wear all my designer clothes because she also had access to Jennifer Tilly’s extensive wardrobe.”
