Jeffrey Combs is an actor known for his work in the horror and science fiction genres. He starred in cult classics like Re-Animator and The Frighteners, he played Edgar Allan Poe in Masters of Horror, and starred in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Enterprise. While he was a guest at Creature Feature Weekend, Combs took a break from signing autographs for an interview with Scoop.

Scoop: Are you having fun this weekend?
Jeffrey Combs (JC): Absolutely. This is a big surprise.

Scoop: What do you like about working in horror?
JC: Working in horror? Well, it’s kind of theatrical. I love horror when it’s smart. I’m not such a fan of it when it’s kind of senseless shock, not substantiated or motivated. That doesn’t interest me very much. But it wouldn’t interest me in anything else that wasn’t very motivated. So that’s not a surprise.

Scoop: What was your initial reaction to the Re-Animator script?
JC: My first thought was, wow, this is a bloody script. This is really over the top. I saw it as an opportunity because it was three weeks on a set when I hadn’t done much film. And so I looked at it as sort of a learning experience. I quite honestly thought, “I don’t think anyone will ever see this movie because it’s so gory” and that shows you what I know. I did not know the genius of Stuart Gordon and his vision and how his outrageousness elevated it beyond mere gore. So, that’s on me not understanding his vision. I also thought that some of the gore needed to be counterbalanced carefully with some humor so that the audience was not just being assaulted all the time. And Bruce and I were able to find those moments.

Scoop: What do you like about playing eccentric characters like Milton Dammers in The Frighteners?
JC: I mean, it’s far more interesting than playing someone who has not a lot of emotional beats to convey. You know, it’s far more entertaining for me as an actor. I’ve never been very good at normal characters. Well, I can do it, but it’s not nearly as fun as playing quirky characters.

Scoop: What’s your method for creating sinister characters like you did in House on Haunted Hill?
JC: Well, House on Haunted Hill was sort of a strange little gift. You know, I’m in that movie… I think I worked two days and you’re asking me a question about that, and I had no lines.

Scoop: Well, I wanted to ask you about it because you did have that small part, but you’re the scariest part of the movie.
JC: Well, see, I didn’t see that coming. That’s on William Malone, his vision and the way he shot me, and the sort of visual trickery that he did made the character far more memorable. All of that jerky, herky kind of creepy. That made the character kind of jump off the screen and made you and a lot of other people remember the character. And I never said a line.

Scoop: Would You Rather is a very tense movie, and a lot of that fell on your character. How do you maintain that level of tension day after day when you’re on set?
JC: Well, I didn’t approach it with tension. I decided to go the other way with that guy. It is a very disturbing movie. It is very tense for all of the players. But I thought the good thing would be for me to just be enjoying it, like it’s a fun game. And it’s far more disturbing if someone’s not affected by all of that, in fact, is enjoying it when everyone else is cringing. It’s kind of creepy. In the movie, if you watch it, the first time you see me, I’m eating pistachios and throwing the shells on the couch, like it doesn’t matter. And I realized that I would use that motif all the way through. So I said, “Listen, while we’re playing the game, I would like to be enjoying the meal, or I’m enjoying the dessert, or I’m enjoying tea while everyone else is suffering so terribly.” Because that’s sort of what that movie is about, the haves and the have nots. And how un-empathic the privileged are to their plight. Think of it, I could have taken care of everyone at that table’s problem, but it wouldn’t have been anything.

Scoop: Okay, so we’re here for the horror show, but obviously I have to ask you about Star Trek.
JC: I agree.

Scoop: What was it like stepping into that world?
JC: Well, a bit of a dream come true when I was a child. I loved the original series, but I’d never dreamed that I would have wound up being on that show. And I remember when [Star Trek] Next Generation came along, it was like, “Maybe I could guest star on that.” I never was able to, I never even had an audition for that show, for all those years that that thing was on. Then [Star Trek] Deep Space Nine came along and I started getting, I think I auditioned a couple times prior and didn’t get them. Then finally on the third time, I think they invited me to play and it was a thrill for me. I walked away from that one thinking, “Well, that was it, that’s all.” Then lo and behold, they called me back in and it just blossomed into many, many… it’s a dream come true. You don’t have many opportunities to work within a franchise that everything is top drawer like that. Production value on every level is just… you’re just surrounded by artists and they support you in what you do. I can’t do all that makeup and create those characters without everybody.

Scoop: What have been your favorite roles?
JC: I probably have half a dozen of them. Certainly, all my Star Trek roles. I can’t pick one, but just being a part of that franchise. Re-Animator, of course, because it kind of got me on the dance floor. Would You Rather, you mentioned. I did another movie called Love and a .45, which I liked a lot. It’s not in the genre. It’s very [Quentin] Tarantino. Yeah, “The Black Cat” [episode of Masters of Horror]. Oh yeah, I really enjoyed portraying [Edgar Allan] Poe, and I think it’s beautifully shot. There’s a handful of things I’m very proud of, but people ask me that question, “What’s your favorite?” And I usually what I say is, “Do you have any children?” They go, “Yeah, I got three.” I go, “Well, which one’s your favorite?”

Scoop: Fair point.
JC: Yeah, what I love is the difference between my characters. I was taught really early on that you will survive in this business if you’re versatile. And then you come to Hollywood and it’s not so much that way. They kind of go, “Oh, you’re the guy with the lab coat and needle, so if we need that, we know who to call.” It’s kind of that sort of… just pigeonholing. And I’ve always sort of fought against that. Star Trek allowed me to do that. So, I prefer the rainbow than just one color.

Scoop: Well, thank you so much.
JC: My pleasure. Thank you.