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Few franchises own a day of the year, but even fewer own an inconsistent date. That inconsistency helps make everyFriday the 13thfeel like a surprise in its own right, which makes any time to celebrate Jason Voorhees a worthwhile occasion. With that in mind, one of the cooler aspects of the franchise has been a rotating group of actors, each with their own spin on Jason Voorhees. Don’t get us wrong, a lot of this comes down to the directors and quality of the movies, but each brings something unique to the role.
Ranking the Jason Voorhees Actors
13Dick Wieand (Friday the 13th: A New Beginning)
Well, sorry if you didn’t know that Dick Wieand plays Roy, who becomes Jason. However,A New Beginninga shockingly bad entry as a whole. His ninety-ish seconds are indicative of the poor quality of the movie overall. Nothing against Wieand, but it’s as if they pulled someone off the street for a candid cam scene, yet he’s meant to be an integral part of the story.
11John Hock (Friday the 13th: A New Beginning)
Hock only stood in for Morga for the opening scene with Corey Feldman. However, considering that it’s all downhill after Hock leaves the screen, andA New Beginningfeatures some of the worst sequences of the franchise, I guess he’s the winner of this movie.
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8Ari Lehman –Friday the 13th(1981)
The first actor to play Jason only gets a short cameo at the end of Ms. Voorhees killing spree. It’s truly the moment that launched the franchise, because as fun as the movie had been, it immediately solidified him as a force of nature. It’s one of the most chilling aspects of anyFriday the 13thfeatures. It’s certainly not a full performance the way the other actors deliver, but at the same time, the moment far exceeds the fear Jason Voorhees generates in some of the lesser titles. For that alone, we bumped him up a few spots.
Honestly, Kirzinger does a pretty great job framing the quiet Jason Voorhees in opposition to motormouth Freddy Kreuger (Robert England). The movie is at its best when it is not in “your turn, my turn” mode. The two coming face-to-face does mostly live up to the promise, in part because Kirzinger looks the part. Kirzinger certainly draws aspects of his Jason Voorhees from Hodder’s recent run, which puts him in a good place with the character.
4Ted White (Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter)
More than the actors of the previous three entries, White sells the Hunter aspects of Jason Voorhees. He’s patient, but his outbursts of extreme violence open the door for some of the best kills in the franchise. He also adds more of a mental side to the JasonVoorhees character. He actually tries to kill his victims in a logical order, and cut them off as they attempt to escape him. It’s not something that carries through in other roles. White’s best sequence comes opposite Tommy Jarvis (Corey Feldman), in one of the most iconic sequences of the franchise.
3C.J. Graham (Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives)
Graham rules inFriday the 13th: Jason Lives. The difference in energy between Graham and most of who played Jason Voorhees before him is night and day. It’s obvious from scene one.Part VIdeserves a lot more credit than it gets for changing the tone of the franchise. Graham uses his physical gifts and deliberate actions to sell the violent outbursts. He’s also performing through a lot of makeup, and still makes Jason feel every bit as angry as we’d expect.
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2Derek Mears (Friday the 13th– 2009)
There are plenty of issues with the Platinum Dune horror movies, but Derek Mears as Jason Voorhees is not one of them. A career stuntman, Mears brings a unique athletiticism to the role that other actors have missed. He’s faster, scarier, and adds incredible presence to every aspect ofFriday the 13th. While it received some rough reviews upon the initial release, the release of The Killer Cut and recent Arrow 4K release continue to raise it’s standing in the horror community. Also, not that this matters much, but Mears is the only actor nominated for an MTV Movie Award for playing Jason Voorhees. I rest my case.
1Kane Hodder (Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood,Jason X,Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday,Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan)
Was there ever a doubt that Hodder is GOAT Jason Voorhees? He understands the brute force and violence in ways other actors cannot replicate. Hodder’s performance inJason Xis quite good, and he’s become a horror icon with his performances over the four films. While the movies are not always great, he is almost always excellent in them. Long live Kane Kodder. Long live Jason.
Friday the 13th (2009)released on a 4K Special Edition in September of 2024.
Alan French
Film/TV Critic
Articles Published :280
Alan French began writing about television and film by covering the Emmys and Oscar beats in 2016. Since then, he has written hundreds of reviews on TV and movies. He attends film festivals regularly. He is a Rotten Tomato-approved critic and is on the committee for the Critics Association of Central Florida.
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