Read This: For its actors, The Blair Witch Project was a real-life nightmare
One might think appearing in a movie that grosses $248 million and becomes the talk of the nation for weeks, even months, would be a good thing. But that was not necessarily the case for Heather Donahue, Michael Williams, and Josh Leonard, the three young actors featured in 1999’s unforgettable The Blair Witch Project. With a new Blair Witch film just days away, attention has turned once again to the micro-budgeted original. That creepy indie classic, shot in the style of a handheld documentary, set the standard for many found-footage horror films to come but did not exactly elevate its leads to stardom. Over at Broadly, writer Emalie Marthe has assembled an intriguing if discouraging oral history of the movie called “‘They Wished I Was Dead’: How The Blair Witch Project Still Haunts Its Cast.” The article includes details on the making, marketing, and reception of this groundbreaking but divisive film. Interviewees include Donahue and Leonard as well as Blair Witch co-directors Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez.
