The Actor Behind One of the 90s’ Scariest Slashers is a Louisiana Native
In the summer of 2025, a classic 1990s teen slasher movie got the reboot treatment. It seems to happen all the time now, with so many properties just getting remade over and over. But this one actually gave us a chance to revisit a great movie, and a great Louisiana story.
We're talking about a classic 90s movie where the actor behind of the main characters is from right here in Louisiana. Not just a main character...but the legendary slasher star of this horror franchise.
Back in 1997, a Louisiana native landed a role that would become part of horror movie history. It's time to give this guy his due.
Remember 'I Know What You Did Last Summer'?
On October 17th, 1997, the teen slasher I Know What You Did Last Summer hit theaters. This movie came right after Scream and helped cement the 90s teen horror craze. It starred all the biggest young names in Hollywood...Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, and Freddy Prinze, Jr. The Mt. Rushmore of 90s teen movies.
Critics weren't huge fans, but let's be honest, they rarely love slasher movies. What mattered was the box office. The movie opened at #1 and stayed there all the way through Halloween. It ended up making over $125 million on just a $17 million budget.
The Man Behind the Hook is From...Louisiana?
Okay, the movie is over 25 years old, so we're past the spoiler warning window.
The killer stalking the teens is The Fisherman, whose name in the movie is Ben Willis. He's played in the original and the sequel by Muse Watson...an actor born and raised in Alexandria, Louisiana.
That's not his only local tie, either. Before he went into acting full-time, Watson attended Louisiana Tech right up the road in Ruston .
You've definitely seen him in other things, including roles on TV shows like NCIS and Prison Break.
'I Know What You Did Last Summer' Got The Reboot Treatment in 2025
This franchise got a boost in the summer of 2025 as Sony Pictures relaunched the franchise. The major release of the remake hit theatres in July, with the digital release following in August, and the Blu-Ray/DVD release in October. Netflix also got the streaming right launched on October 16th, 2025.
The 2025 reboot is not part of the TV universe that Amazon launched in 2021, but is actually a long-term sequel to the original movies. It includes actors from the original 1997 film, playing the same characters. That includes Jennifer Love Hewitt, Brandy, and Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Freddie Prinze, Jr.
But Who Was The Real Villain in 'I Know What You Did Last Summer'?
I've gotta point something out. The guy everyone calls the villain, Ben Willis, was the victim of a hit-and-run by the main kids. They hit him, thought they killed him, and dumped his body in the water to hide the crime. They left him to drown. So...who really started it?
Either way, it's awesome that the man behind one of modern horror's most iconic slashers is a Louisiana native, and we get to talk about it again thanks to this reboot. Its past time to put some respect on Muse Watson's name.