The Time Drew Barrymore Accidentally Hit Wes Craven in the Face

Every horror fan remembers the opening of Scream (1996): Drew Barrymore, a ringing phone, and Ghostface’s chilling first attack.

But did you know the man behind the mask in that moment wasn’t an actor at all? It was the director himself!

Wait… Wes Craven Played Ghostface?

Around ten minutes into the movie, during the scene where Ghostface smashes his head through the window and gets nailed in the face by a phone, it wasn’t a stunt double – it was Wes Craven in full costume.

Barrymore, reacting in character, threw the phone so hard that she actually hit him square in the face.

The moment was so perfectly real that Craven decided to keep it in the final cut.

That quick shot of Ghostface recoiling is 100 percent genuine pain!

Why It Matters

This little-known cameo shows how hands-on Craven really was as a director.

He directed the movie’s tension, and he lived it.

His willingness to literally take a hit for the scene gave Scream a raw energy that helped cement it as one of horror’s most iconic openings.

It’s a perfect example of what made Craven a legend: clever storytelling, commitment to authenticity, and just a touch of dark humor behind the mask.

🎬 Share this with someone who’s seen Scream a hundred times but never noticed Wes Craven’s hidden cameo!