Category Archives: Films in the A Nightmare on Elm Street series

Tuesday Knight

AN INTERVIEW WITH TUESDAY KNIGHT

First of all I want to say thank you for agreeing to this interview, Tuesday. I guess the first question I want to start off with is what was your life like before becoming an actress and singer? Your father, Baker Knight, was a composer who worked regularly in the film industry and was the writer of “Lonesome Town”, the hit single for Ricky Nelson. How much of an influence was he in your choice to become an actress?

Thank you so much, it is such a pleasure.  My father is such an amazing and brilliant man, and he did write and compose for some amazing people like Elvis, Rick Nelson, and Frank Sinatra (to name a few).  So growing up around that I really didn’t think too much about it, I thought it was just life as we know it.  It really didn’t influence me too much on being an actress, because I got into singing long before acting. 

Once you decided on acting as a career, what then? Do you remember you very first role?

Well after being in the music industry for about 5 years I had gotten myself out there and it was advised that I get an agent.  That is just what you did in those days. My agent calls me and tells me that I was chosen for a small part on “General Hospital” due to the fact that I had this Madonna look going on.  And they wanted me to play a very bad girl on the show.   I remember having a lot of fun on the set, and didn’t realize that the acting gig was a very tough thing to do, especially soaps.  There are a lot of lines to remember and you work every day and you work early.  Well the short lived role turned into a lead in the show, and that lead me to get cast on another great television show called “Fame“.  Where I actually got to act and sing, bringing those worlds together really made me feel like I was living life, and that I could really do this thing called “Acting”.

You had roles on TV shows like Fame and The Facts of Life before landing the role of Kristen Parker in A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: the Dream Master. How did the role come to you and how did it feel knowing that you were replacing another actress, Patricia Arquette, in the role?

Well, being on “Fame” gave me the best of both worlds.  And the gig on “The Facts of Life” was just due to my music ability and the look I had going on was what was in, that was the oddest show to work on. I was still working on “General Hospital” full time and finishing up my debut album for CBS Records.  Then one day I get a call from my agent saying this Producer (Rachel Talalay) and Director (Renny Harlin) wanted to meet with me. Thank the Lord that I was actually in Los Angeles at the time because I was back and forth to NY and Florida doing my album when I wasn’t in Los Angeles working on “General Hospital”. So I go down to Hollywood and meet with Renny Harlin, who was very intimidating at first because he was so BIG in size. And I hardly remember reading the script; he jumped up and said “You got the part!”  I was shocked and so happy to be in my first Feature Film. They explained to me that I was replacing an actress by the name of Patricia Arquette, and I knew exactly who she was.  She came to a couple of the shows I did with Quiet Riot, because she was around the music industry people a lot.  I think she dated a couple of musicians. So I went home and I rented the first three “Nightmare” films, and I LOVED THEM!  But I studied Patricia and how she held down the character Kristen.  And I tried to keep that essence to a degree, but I decided that I was going to bring a little of “Me” into the role. When you come into something knowing that you are replacing an actor, there is a lot of stress.  You have to worry about the fans of the films liking you and accepting you in the role.  And then you have to worry about the Director and Producers liking you; or hating you if you are not doing a good enough job. Then you have to worry about the co-stars who actually had worked with the previous actress.  To this day I cannot tell you why she didn’t come back for the role, but I am happy with the way things turned out. 

 After A Nightmare on Elm Street 4 the majority of your films have either been drama or comedy. You seem to have gone out of your way to avoid horror films. Is there a reason for this?

It is weird I get asked this question a lot in person, I never went out of my way to not do another horror film.  I guess the only credits I have in the genre are “The X-Files” and my cameo in “Wes Craven’s New Nightmare“.  But it wasn’t deliberate or anything. After “Nightmare” I went on to work in music, and then I started getting those roles that were just in another genre.  I guess people saw me as more than just a victim.   I cannot complain about the films that I have done, I have worked with the best actors and directors and not to mention some of the top Producers in the industry.  I feel that “Nightmare” had something to do with that. But to answer your question, it just happened that way… I love Horror!  I would love to do another Horror Movie, if it’s the right fit.

You also have a singing career and you even did one of the songs for the A Nightmare on Elm Street 4 soundtrack (“Nightmare”). Do you prefer singing over acting, or vice versa?

Well before I got the role in “Nightmare” music was my life.  I had worked with Quiet Riot and Steven Tyler and a ton of people. Then I had released two albums myself.  And when I met with Renny I had mentioned to him that I was a singer, and he said to go write a song and come back with what I had.  My writing partner and I went into the studio and cranked out “Running from This Nightmare” in just 2 hours.  He loved it and said it was going to be in the film.  I had no idea where in the film, but when I heard it as the opening credit song at the premiere I nearly fainted. But after doing “Nightmare” I just fell in love with film, and my life in music started to calm down.  I never stopped but I never followed it as much as I did acting. But acting is my first love, and music would come 2nd.  I even found my love in designing jewelry.  I have been a pretty lucky girl.

Do you still keep in touch with any of the stars from A Nightmare on Elm Street 4? I read that you and Lisa Wilcox are best friends, but what about some of the other cast members like Rodney Eastman, Ken Sagoes and of course, Robert Englund?

Well I dated Andras Jones for 3 years after the film, and we still remain really good friends to this day.  And I still talk to Toy, Brooke, Lisa, Rodney, Kenny, Renny and many others from the film.  When you make those films you kind of become like family, and it and the people in it kind of become part of your life. I am really excited because I am getting to reunite with Robert Englund at Monster Mania in March.  This is going to be my first big Horror Show.  I hear the fans are great (They sure show me a lot of love on Facebook) and I am just really excited to see him.  I haven’t seen him since we did “New Nightmare” together. Should be lots of fun!

Robert Englund has become an icon of the horror film industry. What was it like working with the man who brought Freddy Krueger to life?

It’s hard to say what the experience was, I was a big fan of his from when he was on the show “V” and he was totally professional.  He never acted as if he was better than any of us because he had been doing this longer than us.  He shared his trailer with me on many scenes we had together (Beach Scene).  He is a brilliant actor and he deserves all the attention and recognition that he gets.  I think being “Freddy” has really paid off. It was a real pleasure!

Do you think you will ever do another horror film?

I would love to! I’m just looking for the right one.  I actually got a call to do a cameo in the re-make of “A Nightmare on Elm Street” and at first I was so excited, and then I had called Wes and asked him if he had anything to do with this.  When they told me no, that was my answer to the studio.  The whole thing to me is a big slap in the face to Bob Shaye who worked really hard at making those films into what they are today, and the way he was treated was just not how a human being should be treated. But I would love to work with Wes or even Rob Zombie.

According to the Internet Movie Database your last film was Diamond Zero in 2005. What have you currently been doing?

Well I have done a couple of other projects since then, but the name of “Diamond Zero” was actually changed to “Ice Maker” and you should see it.  It’s a great film! But I have been wrapped into the Fashion Industry creating 2 jewelry companies called “Toe Brights” and “Tuesday’s Hip Vintage”. Both have done really well, and have gotten a lot of celebrity attention, and have been featured in many magazines like: Harper’s Bazaar / Vogue / Italian Vogue / Cosmo / Playboy and so many more. 

 You’ve worked with everyone from Robert Englund to Robert De Niro. Are there any anecdotes you’d care to share?

 I can only say that I have worked with sooooo many people, that I feel totally blessed.  All have been such a great pleasure to work with.  I think the most fun I ever had on a gig was when Drew Barrymore and I were doing “2000 Malibu Road” together.  She was really great as was Wesley Snipes.  Life has been really good to me, and I am thankful for everything that has happened for me. 

I’ve heard actors sometimes voice their displeasure at not getting certain roles. What role would you have liked to have gotten and why?

Well I tried out for the part of Susan in “Desperately Seeking Susan” which went to Madonna.  And I also auditioned for “The First Wives Club” and Elizabeth Berkley got that part. Those were two films that I would have loved to have been a part of.  They were both a lot of fun. But you play the hand you are dealt and you just move on to the next.

Aside from singing and acting you also run a jewelry business called Tuesday’s Hip Vintage and you’ve had a number of celebrities as customers. Can you tell us a little bit about the business? Do you think that being a celebrity has helped it to be a success?

 I love designing jewelry.  I think that being in the social media helped a lot because it gave me that connection to get my jewelry to people. A lot of people knew me and knew that I designed and they came to me.  With time so many people were wearing my designs (Cher / Madonna / Ashlee Simpson / Nancy Grace / Jessica Simpson / Paris Hilton / Gavin Rossdale / Gwen Stefani / Stella McCartney) and it just blew me away! Like I said it is all a blessing, some people don’t find what they are supposed to do in life, and I have found 3 different things that I can do and that I have been successful at.  And I have to thank God for that.

Finally, what does the future hold for Tuesday Knight? Have you ever had the desire to write, or perhaps direct?

The future? … Well anything is possible.  I write all the time, and I am currently producing a new film that will start filming in April.  More jewelry is along the way for the next year. And I plan to go back into acting full time and also work on a new record with some amazing people. 

Tuesday, you are a wonderful lady and I wish you nothing but the best. Thank you.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to do this.

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