Descriptions:
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon | Nathan Baesel & David J. Stieve on the Cult Classic, the Deleted Scene They Actually Filmed, and Behind the Mask 2 | Midnight Horror Picture Show
Twenty years after Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon quietly left theaters and found its true home in the horror community’s hearts — and Blockbuster aisles — Leslie Vernon is coming back. And on this episode of Midnight Horror Picture Show, we sat down with the two people most responsible for making him an icon.
Nathan Baesel, the Juilliard- and UCLA-trained actor who brought Leslie to life with that impossible mix of charisma and menace, and David J. Stieve, the screenwriter who built the character from the ground up and is now writing Behind the Mask 2: The Return of Leslie Vernon, join us for one of the most in-depth conversations about this cult classic we’ve ever put on record.
We cover everything: the Kickstarter campaign that blew past $320,000 (over 1,000% funded), the original cast reuniting, what it felt like to watch the movie get buried in the torture porn era of 2006 only to grow into one of horror’s most beloved cult films through word of mouth and late-night video store discoveries.
We also go deep on:
– Why Leslie Vernon isn’t a villain (at least not to his creators)
– Nathan’s personal connection to the character — and how his own hunger for validation became the performance
– David’s philosophy on writing Leslie as a metaphor for any outsider trying to break into a difficult world
– Why the original script ended completely differently — and how the entire third act was a late addition
– The future of indie horror distribution, and why the team is bypassing traditional Hollywood for Behind the Mask 2
Whether you’ve seen Behind the Mask a dozen times or you’re discovering it for the first time, this episode is essential listening.
🎃 LINKS:
Behind the Mask 2 Kickstarter (late pledges still open):
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/btm2/behind-the-mask-ii-the-return-of-leslie-vernon
Leslie Vernon Returns on Instagram: @LeslieVernonReturns
Nathan Baesel on Instagram: @nathanbaesel
David J. Stieve on Instagram & Bluesky: @DjStieve
Catch Nathan at Midsummer Scream in Long Beach, CA — August 7–9
Nathan will also be at Triangle Terror Con in Durham, NC — September 26
🎙️ Midnight Horror Picture Show releases new episodes monthly.
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and find us on Instagram @MidnightHorrorPictureShow.
Theme music by @nick_ferreri
Check out our sister show Dead Pine Archives — urban legends, cryptid tales, and local lore.
Stay spooky. Keep supporting indie horror.
Chapters:
0:00 – Welcome to Midnight Horror Picture Show & Episode Intro
1:35 – Meet Nathan Baesel & David J. Stieve: The Minds Behind Leslie Vernon
2:28 – The Behind the Mask 2 Kickstarter: $322K and Counting
4:45 – Why Behind the Mask Flopped at the Box Office (And Became a Cult Classic Anyway)
5:20 – “Blockbuster Built Behind the Mask”: The Power of Horror Cover Art
7:18 – The Death of Discovery: Movie Poster Culture vs. Streaming Thumbnails
10:00 – 20 Years Later: The Urgency Behind Finally Making the Sequel
11:30 – The Original Team Returns: Who’s Back for Behind the Mask 2
14:45 – Crafting Leslie Vernon: The Character Who Breaks Every Slasher Rule
17:30 – Leslie as Metaphor: The Anxious Young Artist Hiding in Plain Sight
18:40 – Nathan Baesel on Finding Leslie Through His Own Hunger for Validation
21:50 – “Relatability Is the Currency of Acting” — Nathan’s Acting Philosophy
23:00 – Is Leslie Vernon a Villain? David & Nathan Push Back
25:15 – The Cider Press Scene & Leslie’s Master Manipulation (Deep Dive)
26:00 – 🚨 EXCLUSIVE: The Deleted Scene That Was Actually Filmed
31:10 – The Kickstarter Rewards, Physical Media & VHS for Leslie Vernon Fans
32:30 – Filming Locations for Behind the Mask 2 (Massachusetts or Illinois?)
38:30 – Leslie & Taylor: The Dark Love Story at the Heart of the Film
43:10 – Why Halloween’s Laurie Strode Is the Key to Understanding Leslie Vernon
47:00 – The Sequel Script: Multiple Drafts, Table Reads & Getting the Band Back Together
49:45 – David’s Award-Winning Short “Wait for It” & Expanding the Leslie Vernon Universe
53:00 – Nathan Stepping Behind the Camera: Learning From Robert Englund & Scott Wilson
55:00 – The State of Horror: Why the Studio System Is Failing Indie Filmmakers
57:30 – Netflix, Consolidation & the Future of Independent Horror Distribution
1:00:00 – Fan Encounters & Why Nathan Almost Said No to Convention Appearances
1:02:45 – Convention Appearances: Midsummer Scream (Long Beach) & Triangle Terror Con (Durham, NC)
1:06:00 – Closing Thoughts: What the Sequel Means to the Creative Team
1:07:46 – Outro: Stay Spooky & Support Indie Horror