Anna Faris said she feared getting fired from the “Scary Movie” franchise because she felt she did not have much work on her resume when she first joined the series.
In an interview with PEOPLE, Faris said she was “so scared” while filming the first two “Scary Movie” films because she did not yet have an agent and worried she could be replaced. She said she felt intimidated on set and kept to herself during those early shoots.
The first “Scary Movie” came out in 2000 and made fun of popular horror films. It did well at the box office and led to several sequels, which kept the series going for years, according to the Independent.
The franchise stayed popular because it spoofed movies that audiences already knew. That made it one of the best-known comedy parody series of its time.
Faris played Cindy Campbell, the main character in the early films. Cindy is written as a nervous but determined young woman who gets caught in the center of the jokes and scares in each movie.
Faris said she became more comfortable by the third film and felt more relaxed with the cast. She returned for “Scary Movie 2,” “Scary Movie 3,” and “Scary Movie 4,” helping keep Cindy at the center of the series, Forbes reported.
After “Scary Movie,” Faris built a long comedy career in film and television. Her work includes “The Hot Chick,” “Just Friends,” “My Super Ex-Girlfriend,” “The House Bunny,” “What’s Your Number?” and the CBS sitcom “Mom.”
In recent years, Faris has remained active through acting and public appearances connected to her comedy work. She has also returned to the “Scary Movie” conversation as the franchise prepares a new film.
Faris said in the PEOPLE interview that she was shocked and happy when the Wayans brothers asked her to come back. The new “Scary Movie” film is scheduled for release on June 12, 2026, and several familiar names are returning, including Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Regina Hall, Anna Faris, and others from the earlier films.