Dana DeLorenzo Explains Why Her Potty-Mouthed Character Doesn't Use F-Bombs In Evil Dead: The Game - Exclusive
Easily the biggest breakout star of the beloved horror-comedy series "Ash vs Evil Dead" is Dana DeLorenzo, whose character, Kelly Maxwell, along with Pablo Simon Bolivar (Ray Santiago), joined Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) to vanquish evil Deadites after Ash accidentally cited incantations from the Necronomicon. In the "Evil Dead" trilogy spin-off, which ran three seasons on Starz, Kelly proved to be a force of nature that otherworldly foes did not want to mess with because she was willing to resort to any means necessary to take them out.
As if Kelly's kills weren't entertaining enough, she punctuated her actions with some choice language, which included healthy doses of F-bombs and mother-F-bombs. DeLorenzo became so proficient and prolific at the use of profane language in the series that she rivals Jack Nicholson and Samuel L. Jackson as the greatest screen swearers of all time.
In an exclusive interview with Looper, DeLorenzo recalled how she was assigned the responsibility of being the potty-mouthed character on "Ash vs Evil Dead" — an honor bestowed upon her by "The King" of the "Evil Dead" saga himself.
"It was Bruce Campbell's idea. In Episode 3 of the first season, when we were doing a table read, Ash said something with an F-bomb. He said, 'You know what? I'd really like all of Ash's lines to be non-sequiturs. We should dedicate one person to do the majority of the F-bombs, and I think that one person is Dana DeLorenzo.' And I said, 'Well, that's f***ing great,'" DeLorenzo said, laughing.
DeLorenzo is back as Kelly in the new video game adventure "Evil Dead: The Game," and fans of the character will likely notice that this Kelly doesn't use the F-bomb. For those wondering "what the f**k is up with that?" the actor has an explanation.
DeLorenzo says swearing 'doesn't add' to the video game
Part of the reason Kelly doesn't use F-bombs in "Evil Dead: The Game" extends from the nature of video game play. As a single-player game, if you choose to play Kelly, you're facing the Deadites and environments from her point of view, meaning gamers will only see her back as she carries out her missions.
"There were no F-bombs [in the game], but you don't need them because it's the attitude of Kelly that counts," Dana DeLorenzo explained. "Like, 'Choke on this' is a line. You don't need to drop the F-bomb. Part of why it worked for Kelly [in the series] is she had this constantly pissed-off, agitated face when she said it or because of her creative way of saying it, but you had to look at her face. When you're playing the video game, you're looking at her back. You don't need it. It doesn't add to it."
What the game may lack in F-bombs, though, is made up in another area Kelly is known for: Lots of blood. During "Ash vs Evil Dead," DeLorenzo was soaked with hundreds of gallons of fake blood.
"The game, what really sold it for me — I was laughing hysterically — was when the characters get blood on them ... I'm loving the amount of blood in this game," DeLorenzo enthused. "I also would've said in 2018 that I was probably going to be happy not to be covered in blood and guts and viscera for a while. Shockingly, I miss it. I'm uncomfortable without it.
"In fact, I considered throwing ketchup on my face before this interview because that's what makes me comfortable now, so go ahead and wrap your mind around that one ... My therapist's going to have a heyday with that," DeLorenzo added, laughing.
"Evil Dead: The Game" is available in stores and online from Boss Team Games and Saber Interactive.