Then/Now: The Cast of 'A Nightmare on Elm Street'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}<b>A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)</b> The 1984 classic slasher film, written and directed by Wes Craven, was the first film of the <i>Nightmare on Elm Street</i> franchise. The movie received rave reviews and heavily influenced the horror genre. (New Line Cinema)
<b>Johnny Depp: Then</b> Depp dabbled in the music industry at the age of fifteen when he dropped out of school in hopes of becoming a rock star. He was the frontman for a number of garage bands, including <i>The Kid,</i> which once opened for Iggy Pop. After visiting Los Angeles with his ex-wife, Lori Anne Allison, Depp was encouraged by fellow actor Nicolas Cage to pursue a career in acting, and made his film debut in the 1984 classic, <i>A Nightmare on Elm Street</i>. (New Line Cinema)
<b>Johnny Depp: Now</b> Depp's career blossomed after he appeared in <i>A Nightmare on Elm Street</i>. A handful of his most noted films include, <i>Edward Scissorhands</i> (1990), <i>Donnie Brasco</i> (1997), <i>Sleepy Hollow </i>(1999), <i>Pirates of the Caribbean </i>(a bunch of years)<i>,</i> <i>Sweeney Todd </i>(2007) and many more. Depp is the father of two children with French singer-actress Vanessa Paradis, whom he met in 1998. (Reuters)
<b>Robert Englund: Then</b> Englund made over 15 film and television appearances and starred in his first horror film, <i>Eaten Alive</i>, in 1977 before landing the role of Freddy Krueger in <i>A Nightmare on Elm Street</i>. He also played Willie in the original TV series, <i>V</i> in 1983. (New Line Cinema)
<b>Robert Englund: Now</b> <i>A Nightmare on Elm Street</i> helped launch Englund's career and he went on to star in the all of the film's sequels. Most recently, Englund has made guest appearances on the very successful TV shows, <i>Bones</i>, <i>Supernatural</i> and <i>Chuck, </i>however his role as Freddy Krueger will always remain as his claim to fame. (NBC Universal, Inc.)
<b>Heather Langenkamp: Then</b> The daughter of the former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Energy in both the Carter and Clinton Administrations, Langenkamp made her acting debut while in her late teens when she landed a small role in <i>The Outsiders</i> (1983). (New Line Cinema)
<b>Heather Landenkamp: Now</b> Content with her brief success in <i>A Nightmare on Elm Street</i>, Landenkamp prefers spending time with family and friends, and places her acting career second. "I have my husband, my kids, my parents, my brothers and sisters, my home and enough money. I don't need to be this rich and famous millionaire actress, I am quite happy with what I have and I can't think of anything that might be lacking from my life." Dubbed on of the original "scream queens," Langenkamp reprised her role as Nancy in two of the Nightmare sequels, and has since appeared in several films and TV series. (Dreamages Films)
<b>John Saxon: Then</b> In 1955, Saxon made his acting debut in <i>Running Wild</i> and went on to appear in films alongside Jane Fonda, Robert Redford, Clint Eastwood and Robert Duvall before landing the role of Lt. Don Thompson in <i>A Nightmare on Elm Street</i>. (New Line Cinema)
<b>John Saxon: Now</b> Saxon, like many other of his fellow cast mates reprised his role in two of the <i>Nightmare</i> sequels. He also has appeared in several independent films and television series, most notably <i>CSI: Crime Scene Investigation</i> and the Showtime hit <i>Masters of Horror</i>. (Fahn Field LLC)
<b>Ronee Blakley: Then</b> Blakley began her career in the music industry when she released her self-titled debut album in 1972. The singer-actress sang a duet, "Bluebird" with Linda Ronstadt and also provided background vocals for Bob Dylan's "Hurricane." She continued to work with Dylan when she played the role of "Mrs. Bob Dylan" in Dylan's film, <i>Renaldo and Clara</i> (1979). She received recognition for her role as country star Barbara Jean in Robert Altman's <i>Nashville</i> (1975) before appearing as Marge Thompson in <i>A Nightmare on Elm Street</i>. (New Line Cinema)
<b>Ronee Blakley: Now</b> Blakley focused on her music career after <i>A Nightmare on Elm Street</i>, and went on to appear in several small films and TV series. Most recently, the singer released two albums in 2009, <i>River Nile</i> and <i>Grief Holes</i>. (Ronee Blakley - RBPI)
<b>Jsu Garcia: Then</b> Garcia discovered he could act when a bully attempted to steal his bicycle and the then six-year-old broke down into fake tears, convincing the bully to flee the scene. "It was then I knew I could act," Garcia said. His big break came when he landed a role in the TV show <i>Fame</i> (1982). (New Line Cinema)
<b>Jsu Garcia: Now</b> Since his role in <i>A Nightmare on Elm Street</i>, Garcia has gone on to appear in films opposite Mel Gibson in<i> We Were Soldiers</i> (2002), Arnold Schwarzenegger in <i>Collateral Damage</i> (2002) and Jennifer Aniston and Ben Stiller in <i>Along Came Polly</i> (2004). Garcia teamed up with NY Times #1 bestselling author Dr. John-Roger to create the production company Scott J-R Productions. (Scott J-R Productions)
<b>Amanda Wyss: Then</b> Wyss was discovered when she starred in a local LA theatre's production of <i>The Seed</i> as a teen. She went on to appear in several commercials and made her television debut in <i>When the Whistle Blows</i> (1980). She also appeared in <i>Fast Times at Ridgemont High</i> (1982) starring Sean Penn and <i>St. Elsewhere</i> (1982-1988) featuring Denzel Washington, Mark Harmon, Howie Mandel and Ed Begley Jr. (New Line Cinema)
<b>Amanda Wyss: Now</b> Although she may always be known as Freddy Krueger's first victim, Wyss has gone on to appear in several films and TV series such as <i>Dexter</i> and <i>CSI: Crime Scene Investigation</i>. (Mischief Maker Studios)