Heather Langenkamp
Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox person
Heather Elizabeth Langenkamp (born July 17, 1964) is an American actress, filmmaker, businesswoman, and radio personality. Langenkamp is best known for her pioneering work in horror films. Langenkamp's most recognized roles are Nancy Thompson in the A Nightmare on Elm Street film franchise and Marie Lubbock in the ABC sitcom Just the Ten of Us (1988-1990).
While studying at Stanford University, Langenkamp was cast in Drew Denbaum's drama film Nickel Mountain (1984) and Sandor Stern's CBS television film Passions (1984). Langenkamp subsequently had her breakthrough role as the resourceful teenage heroine Nancy in Wes Craven's influential slasher film A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). Langenkamp later served as the co-lead of Chuck Russell's fantasy slasher film A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987), returning as a grown-up Nancy.
Subsequently, Langenkamp found success on television with guest appearances on the ABC sitcom Growing Pains and a leading role on its spin-off Just the Ten of Us (both 1988-1990). Langenkamp reunited with Craven for a brief cameo appearance as a victim in his supernatural slasher film Shocker (1989) before starring as a fictionalized version of herself in his critically acclaimed film Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994).
After an acting hiatus, Langenkamp served as the executive producer and narrator for the documentary film Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy (2010) and has since made an acting comeback appearing in the horror film The Butterfly Room (2012), the science fiction film Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), Mike Flanagan's Netflix series The Midnight Club (2022), and Flanagan's drama film The Life of Chuck (2024).
Langenkamp co-owns the visual effects studio AFX Studio with her husband David LeRoy Anderson, where she has worked as a special make-up effects coordinator for films such as Dawn of the Dead (2004), Cinderella Man (2005), Evan Almighty (2007), and The Cabin in the Woods (2012). Langenkamp has been a disc jockey for the Malibu radio station KBUU-LP since the 2010s.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She made her directorial debut with the short film Washed Away (2019). Her accolades include two Fangoria Chainsaw Awards, a Sitges Film Festival Time Machine Award, and two Young Artist Award nominations. In 2021, A Nightmare on Elm Street was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
Early life
Heather Elizabeth Langenkamp was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma.<ref name=beyond>Template:Cite web</ref> Her mother, Mary Alice (née Myers), is an artist and an abstract expressionist painter. Her father, Robert Dobie Langenkamp, was a petroleum attorney and a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Energy. She later moved to Washington, D.C., where she attended the National Cathedral School for Girls, graduating in 1982.
Life and career
1983–1984: Early roles and A Nightmare on Elm Street
At age eighteen, Langenkamp worked for the Tulsa Tribune where she saw an advertisement looking for extras for Francis Ford Coppola's The Outsiders in the summer of 1982.Template:Sfn Auditions occurred at a nearby elementary school where the casting director took a Polaroid of her; Langenkamp got a call back to appear in a high school scene, in which she had to wear attire based on 1950s fashion.Template:Sfn Coppola was shooting another film in Tulsa the same summer, Rumble Fish, after The Outsiders; Langenkamp's friend got a phone call to appear in a street scene, and her friend's mother felt more comfortable with Langenkamp going with her to the set at night.Template:Sfn The casting director allowed her to join and gave dialogue to Langenkamp—in which she did several takes of her saying dialogue to Matt Dillon's character; The Outsiders and Rumble Fish did not include her scenes but helped her get into the Screen Actors Guild.Template:Sfn These positive experiences made Langenkamp feel like she should attempt to pursue an acting career in Hollywood.Template:Sfn
While studying at Stanford University, she would travel to Los Angeles on the weekends to pursue auditions, where she had her first official Hollywood audition for Drew Denbaum's independent drama film Nickel Mountain (1984).Template:Sfn While auditioning, her rented car got hit by a runaway truck on Cahuenga Boulevard.Template:Sfn Denbaum and the casting director helped Langenkamp during the ordeal.Template:Sfn She bonded with them and got cast in the lead role of Callie Wells.Template:Sfn She has expressed regret for doing the nude scene as she feared voicing her discomfort while filming—as she was an up-and-coming actress.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Her next role was Beth, the daughter of Joanne Woodward and Richard Crenna's characters in the CBS television film Passions (1984).Template:Sfn The direction towards her character received praise.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Langenkamp reflects, "It was a complex part. Richard plays a philandering husband who has a son with his mistress, so my character was acting like a bridge between these two families."Template:Sfn
Langenkamp became aware of auditions for a horror film known as A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) at the end of 1983.Template:Sfn Casting director Annette Benson was familiar to Langenkamp as she had brought her in to read for the lead role in Night of the Comet (1984).Template:Sfn She auditioned for the highly sought after role of fifteen-year-old heroine Nancy.Template:Sfn There were not enough chairs to accommodate the number of actresses auditioning.Template:Sfn Craven stated that he wanted someone very "non-Hollywood" and someone who embodied the "all-American, girl-next-door" for the role and believed that Langenkamp had these qualities.Template:Sfn Craven informed her that she got the part in January 1984.Template:Sfn
The people in Langenkamp's life told her she would regret starring in a slasher film at the beginning of her career, as it would affect her future acting jobs due to the genre having a stigma attached to it.<ref name="40 years">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2024, Langenkamp stated, "I have to say, I did suffer that for a few years. But now, 40 years later, I’m definitely very happy that I didn’t listen to anyone.”<ref name="40 years"></ref> The film grossed $25.5 million at the United States box-office and was a critical success upon release.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2021, the Library of Congress inducted A Nightmare on Elm Street into the National Film Registry.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1985–2002: Television and A Nightmare on Elm Street sequels
Following A Nightmare on Elm Street, Langenkamp was initially cast in smaller-scale roles on family-friendly television.<ref name="Dream Warriors">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Career">Template:Cite web</ref> In 1985, Langenkamp portrayed Hope Sherman in the NBC television pilot Suburban Beat, the youngest of four housewives living in the fictitious Jericho Downs, who work together to solve crime.<ref name="Pilot">Template:Cite web</ref> In a review for The New York Times, John Corry wrote, "Heather Langenkamp, as the youngest housewife, is particularly adorable, but since she's also amusing, the adorability isn't cloying."<ref name="Pilot"></ref> The pilot was unsold.Template:Sfn The same year, Langenkamp got cast in the music video for ZZ Top's single "Sleeping Bag".<ref name="Career"></ref> Langenkamp later had roles in the ABC Afterschool Special episode "Can a Guy Say No?" and the Emmy Award-winning CBS Schoolbreak Special episode "Have You Ever Tried Talking to Patty?", and had a guest appearance on an episode of the television series Heart of the City (all in 1986).<ref name="Dream Warriors"></ref>
Following the drastic departure from the original storyline in the sequel A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985), Langenkamp felt the story of the characters from the original film was over.<ref name="Dream Warriors"></ref> However, in 1986, Langenkamp received a telephone call from Wes Craven informing her that he was considering writing the script for A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) and wanted to know if she would agree to sign on to the film if he included her character.<ref name="Dream Warriors"></ref> She signed on to the production in September 1986.<ref name="Dream Warriors"></ref> Langenkamp stated, "I was really excited. Nancy was a real adult. She was a woman who was very serious about herself and her life. When she realizes that Freddy’s back, she wastes no time in fighting back."<ref name="Dream Warriors"></ref> Langenkamp described the Dream Warriors set as intense, attributing this to time constraints and Chuck Russell becoming the director, stating, "With Chuck, the whole filmmaking process has been a bit more narrowed down and precise."<ref name="Dream Warriors"></ref> However, she liked working with both Craven and Russell and experiencing contrasting directing styles.<ref name="Dream Warriors"></ref> The film opened to box office success in 1987, grossing over $44 million.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Later, she had a guest appearance as Tracy in the television series The New Adventures of Beans Baxter and Monica on the soap opera Hotel (both in 1987).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Langenkamp obtained further recognition when she portrayed lead character Marie Lubbock on the ABC television series Just the Ten of Us, a spin-off of the popular ABC situation comedy Growing Pains (on which she guest-starred), from 1988 to 1990. Langenkamp worked with Craven again for a small cameo appearance as a victim in his supernatural slasher film Shocker (1989).<ref name="Career"></ref> Langenkamp portrayed the figure skater Nancy Kerrigan in the NBC television film Tonya & Nancy: The Inside Story, released in 1994, which focused on Tonya Harding's husband's attack.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1994, Craven approached Langenkamp to star in a standalone film in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise that he was writing.<ref name="Roles">Template:Cite web</ref> The film, set in the real world, would feature Langenkamp portraying a fictionalized version of herself.<ref name="Roles"></ref> Langenkamp was hesitant to sign on to the production due to the premise and was unsure how the film would be received.<ref name="Roles"></ref> However, she agreed after having conversations with Craven. On the film, Langenkamp stated "It's a really interesting concept, and it's one of the only horror movies where the monster's really in the background, at least until the end. But it's all about our mentality about fear."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Wes Craven's New Nightmare was released in 1994, and opened to critical praise,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> being cited as an influential "metahorror" film. Joe Leydon of Variety stated that she "proves she is still one of cinema’s most resourceful scream queens here."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Langenkamp became pregnant with her daughter during the final stages of filming for New Nightmare and attests that after this production, she struggled to put in the effort required for a successful acting career while balancing family life, resulting in a hiatus in pursuing roles.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Langenkamp starred in Robert Kurtzman's low-budget superhero film The Demolitionist (1995).<ref name="The Demolitionist">Template:Cite web</ref> In 1997, she portrayed housewife Lou Ann Solomon under the pursuit of shapeshifting aliens in an episode of the short-lived science fiction horror television series Perversions of Science.<ref name="Perversions">Template:Cite web</ref> She later starred in the direct-to-video film Fugitive Mind (1999).<ref name="Fugitive Mind">Template:Cite web</ref> Langenkamp played Janet Thompson in an episode of JAG (2002).<ref name="Career"></ref>
2003–2009: Acting setbacks
After her appearance on JAG, Langenkamp took an extensive break from acting to focus on her family.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Career"></ref> Langenkamp reunited with Wes Craven for a small role as a reporter in the Dimension Films werewolf horror comedy film Cursed (2005), which would be her only film role in the 2000s.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Career"></ref> The film had a troubled production, and Langenkamp's scenes were deleted from the final version of the film.<ref name="Career"></ref> In the early 2000s, Langenkamp and her second husband, David LeRoy Anderson, discussed launching a chewing gum business.<ref name="Malibu Gum">Template:Cite web</ref> They spent six months researching and developing.<ref name="Malibu Gum"></ref> Malibu Gum Factory launched in February 2001 with 30,000 packs of peppermint-flavored chewing gum featuring a collectible trading card and water safety tips.<ref name="Malibu Gum"></ref> Rather than featuring photographs of celebrities, they wanted the cards to feature regular people of Malibu, which proved popular with residents.<ref name="Malibu Gum"></ref>
2010–2021: Resurgence
On her post-A Nightmare on Elm Street career: ”Women my age, you go through this decade of getting offered terrible, boring roles that don’t have anything to do with the plot. You’re just an accoutrement. It’s been such a wasteland for me.”<ref name="Career"></ref> In an effort to restart her acting career, Langenkamp executive-produced, starred in, and narrated the documentary film Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy (2010).<ref name="Career"></ref><ref name="Never Sleep Again">Template:Cite web</ref> Her follow-up effort was another documentary film that she executive-produced and starred in, I Am Nancy (2011), which focuses on the fandom of Nancy and showcases the importance of horror heroines.<ref name="Never Sleep Again"></ref><ref name="Career"></ref>
Langenkamp's first acting role in a decade was in Jonathan Zarantonello's horror film The Butterfly Room (2012) as the daughter of Barbara Steele's character.<ref name="Never Sleep Again"></ref><ref name="Career"></ref> Langenkamp stated, "It was the first role I’d been offered in many years that actually had substance."<ref name="Career"></ref> However, she was worried the film would be little-seen like her prior film efforts.<ref name="Career"></ref> Producer Ethan Wiley was initially hesitant to cast her due to her extensive break from acting, but was impressed by her performance.<ref name="Career"></ref> Film critic Kim Newman, writing for Screen International, singled Langenkamp out in his review, "Langenkamp—little-seen since her interesting turn in Wes Craven’s New Nightmare—is outstanding."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Langenkamp had a brief cameo appearance in Ryan Murphy's American Horror Story: Freak Show (2014) episode "Tupperware Party Massacre".<ref name="AHS">Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2015, Langenkamp portrayed Sharon Monroe in four episodes of the drama series The Bay, and narrated the short horror film Vault of the Macabre II.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2016, she starred in the horror drama film Home.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She has a cameo appearance in the horror sequel film Hellraiser: Judgment. Also that year, she portrayed the adult version of the "final girl" Donna Boone in the Syfy television horror film Truth or Dare, guiding a group of teenagers with their battle with a deadly spirit that left her physically scarred several years prior.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2022–present: The Midnight Club and acting comeback
Langenkamp started the 2020s with roles in voice acting, providing a voice role in an episode of the Cartoon Network adult animated horror comedy JJ Villard's Fairy Tales (2020) and the voices of Dazzle Feather, Mayflower, and a confused mother in the animated adventure film My Little Pony: A New Generation (2021).<ref name="Fairy Tales">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="My Little Pony">Template:Cite web</ref>
On February 1, 2021, reports confirmed Langenkamp as being a cast member in Mike Flanagan and Leah Fong's 10-episode Netflix horror mystery-thriller series The Midnight Club (2022); an adaptation of Christopher Pike's 1994 novel of the same name as well as various other Pike novels.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Langenkamp portrays Dr. Georgina Stanton, an enigmatic doctor who runs Brightcliffe Hospice, the primary setting of the series.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The series premiered on October 7, 2022.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Langenkamp felt a personal connection to the role, stating "It was really exciting to me. You might know I lost my own son to brain cancer four years ago, and when I read the sides for the audition, I literally burst into tears because I really felt like it was a ghost story of my very own—like something very supernatural was happening that I was being asked to play this role."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> While intended to have multiple seasons, Netflix ultimately canceled it in December.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2024, Langenkamp had a supporting role as Ellenor in Spider One's horror film Little Bites, which was executive produced by Cher, followed by the crime film Plea.<ref name="Little Bites">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Additional credits">Template:Cite web</ref> Speaking of her role of Ellenor: "I really responded to the way my character, Ellenor, thrusts Spider’s terrifying story in a new direction. I love that I get to deliver a kind of wisdom that older women often carry with them and are mysteriously duty-bound to pass along."<ref name="Little Bites"/> Flanagan later cast Langenkamp in the supporting role of Vera in his science fiction drama film The Life of Chuck (2025), based on the 2020 Stephen King novella of the same name.<ref name="Vera">Template:Cite web</ref> The Life of Chuck was released theatrically nationwide in the United States by Neon on June 13, 2025.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Langenkamp is set to star in the upcoming horror films Last Chance Motel and Dirt..
Personal life
Langenkamp enrolled in Stanford University in 1982 and was a roommate of politician Susan Rice.<ref name=beyond></ref> Langenkamp took sporadic breaks from college for her acting career.<ref name="Dream Warriors"></ref> Following the success of A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), Langenkamp returned to college as she enjoyed the atmosphere on campus, but attempted to maintain a low profile by cutting her hair short and wearing glasses.<ref name="Dream Warriors"></ref> However, people still recognized her in public.<ref name="Dream Warriors"></ref> Langenkamp struggled with the sudden fame, as some of her peers tried to maintain close contact with her due to her success as an actress.<ref name="Dream Warriors"></ref> She graduated from Stanford with a Bachelor of Arts in English in 1989. Shortly after the cancellation of Just the Ten of Us (1988-90), Langenkamp was informed that a stalker began making threats to other people involved in the show.<ref name="Career"></ref> The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) cautioned Langenkamp to be alert with her surroundings.<ref name="Career"></ref>
Langenkamp's first husband was musician Alan Pasqua, from 1984 until 1987.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Her second husband is make-up artist David LeRoy Anderson, whom she met at a wrap party for the 1988 film The Serpent and the Rainbow.<ref name=beyond /> The couple were introduced by casting director Jill Simpson, a good friend of Langenkamp's from when they worked together on The Outsiders (1983); Simpson also worked on The Serpent and the Rainbow. Anderson proposed to Langenkamp on the set of Pet Sematary (1989), and they wed in 1990, in which Charlie Sheen acted as best man.<ref name="Career"></ref> Anderson and Langenkamp had two children: Daniel "Atticus" Anderson, who died in 2018 of brain tumor complications at age 26, and daughter Isabelle Anderson.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Langenkamp has maintained a close friendship with A Nightmare on Elm Street costars Amanda Wyss and Robert Englund.<ref name="Friendships">Template:Cite web</ref> Langenkamp has also developed friendships with actresses Lisa Wilcox and Tuesday Knight, who starred in additional A Nightmare on Elm Street sequels, through frequent appearances with them at fan conventions.<ref name="Friendships"></ref> Langenkamp states, "This group of Nightmare actors, we’ve been lucky that we’ve been thrown together a lot — going around the country to these conventions. And so, our friendships have really blossomed."<ref name="Friendships"></ref>
Selected filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Template:Abbr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | The Outsiders | Extra | Scenes deleted | Template:Sfn |
| Rumble Fish | ||||
| 1984 | Nickel Mountain | Callie Wells | Template:Sfn | |
| Template:Sortname | Nancy Thompson | Template:Sfn | ||
| 1987 | Template:Sortname | <ref name="Acting">Template:Cite web</ref> | ||
| 1989 | Shocker | Victim | Cameo appearance | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 1994 | Wes Craven's New Nightmare | Herself | <ref name="Acting"/> | |
| 1995 | The Demolitionist | Christy Carruthers | <ref name="The Demolitionist"/> | |
| 1999 | Fugitive Mind | Suzanne Hicks | Direct-to-video | <ref name="Fugitive Mind"/> |
| 2010 | Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy | Narrator / Herself | Documentary film; also executive producer | |
| 2011 | I Am Nancy | Herself | Documentary film; also producer | |
| 2012 | Template:Sortname | Dorothy | <ref name="Career"></ref> | |
| 2013 | Star Trek Into Darkness | Moto | Cameo appearance | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2016 | Home | Heather | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | |
| 2018 | Hellraiser: Judgment | Landlady | Direct-to-video; cameo appearance | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2019 | Portal | Fiona | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | |
| Washed Away | Template:N/A | Short film; director and writer | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | |
| 2020 | Cotton Mouth | Jenn | Short film; proof of concept | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2021 | My Little Pony: A New Generation | Dazzle Feather / Mayflower (voice) | As Heather Langenkamp Anderson | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2024 | Little Bites | Ellenor | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | |
| Plea | Ruth Dillon | <ref name="Additional credits"></ref> | ||
| 2025 | The Life of Chuck | Vera | <ref name="Vera"></ref> | |
| TBA | Last Chance Motel Template:Dagger | Bobbi Love | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | |
| Dirt Template:Dagger | Loretta Lang | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Passions | Beth Kennerly | Television film |
| 1985 | Suburban Beat | Hope Sherman | Television pilot |
| 1986 | CBS Schoolbreak Special | Erica | Episode: "Have You Tried Talking to Patty?" |
| ABC Afterschool Special | Paula Finkle | Episode: "Can a Guy Say No?" | |
| Heart of the City | Audrey | Episode: "Of Dogs and Cat Burglars" | |
| 1987 | Template:Sortname | Tracy | Episode: "Beans Goes to Camp" |
| Hotel | Monica | Episode: "Desperate Moves" | |
| 1988 | Circus of the Stars #13 | Herself | Television special |
| 1988–1990 | Growing Pains | Marie Lubbock / Amy Boutilier | 5 episodes |
| Just the Ten of Us | Marie Lubbock | Main role (47 episodes) | |
| 1990 | ABC TGIF | Marie Lubbock | Episode: "#1.19" |
| 1994 | Tonya and Nancy: The Inside Story | Nancy Kerrigan | Television film |
| 1997 | Perversions of Science | Lou Ann Solomon | Episode: "Ultimate Weapon" |
| 1999 | Partners | Suzanne | Episode: "Always..." |
| 2000 | 18 Wheels of Justice | Waitress | Episode: "Genesis |
| 2002 | JAG | Janet Thompson | Episode: "Odd Man Out" |
| 2014 | American Horror Story: Freak Show | Tupperware Housewife | 2 episodes |
| 2015 | The Bay | Sharon Monroe | Web series; 4 episodes |
| 2016–2020 | The Bet | Herself | Web series; 4 episodes |
| 2017 | Truth or Dare | Donna Boone | Television film |
| 2020 | JJ Villard's Fairy Tales | Charla (voice) | Episode: "Boypunzel" |
| 2022 | The Midnight Club | Dr. Stanton | Main role |
Music video
- "Sleeping Bag" (1985), by ZZ Top<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
Awards and nominations
| Year | Association | Category | Work | Result | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival | Best Performance | A Nightmare on Elm Street | Template:Won | |
| 1985 | Young Artist Awards | Best Young Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical, Comedy, Adventure or Drama | Template:Nom | ||
| 1989 | Young Artist Awards | Best Young Actor/Actress Ensemble in a Television Comedy, Drama Series or Special | Just the Ten of Us | Template:Nom | |
| 1995 | Fangoria Chainsaw Awards | Best Actress | Wes Craven's New Nightmare | Template:Won | |
| Fangoria Horror Hall of Fame | Template:N/a | Template:Won | |||
| 2010 | Fright Night Film Fest | Scream Queen of the Year | Template:N/a | Template:Won | |
| 2020 | Atlanta Horror Film Festival | Best Actress | Cottonmouth | Template:Won | |
| 2024 | Sitges Film Festival | Time Machine Award | Template:N/a | Template:Won | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |