Where in the Horror are they Now? Jennifer Tilly!

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

JENNIFER TILLY

THEN:
Recently I happened upon a couple of Facebook posts about the lovely Jennifer Tilly. There was mention of her being incredible sexy yet her voice was slightly annoying. This is not an opinion I share. In fact, it is just plain wrong. Tilly’s whole presence and being is absolutely stunning, especially the way she speaks. The actress is one of the few talents who is alluring yet innocent within a blink of an eye. She is so unbelievably and uniquely sexual that she managed to nearly overshadow the great Brad Dourif as Chucky’s lovely bride Tiffany. It is that deep and throaty voice out of this deeply dangerous doll that charmed the hell out of horror fans far and wide.

Jennifer – Meg’s sister – began her career in the early Eighties and she was a sultry sight. With a ton of television work including appearances on the popular “Hill Street Blues,” the actress was utilized heavily in comedy. You could find Ms. Tilly in films like NO SMALL AFFAIR (1984), MOVING VIOLATIONS (1985) or HIGH SPIRITS (1988). In fact, she worked a ton. She caught my eye once again as I was researching Andras Jones for the previous “Where in the Horror are They Now?” when she popped up in the Drew Barrymore thriller FAR FROM HOME. And yes, she was lovely.

Horror was not a genre that you’d regularly see Jennifer take on which was sad for us all. She did appear in the cult flick EMBRACE OF THE VAMPIRE in 1995. Of course we all know that everybody was all about Alyssa Milano being all grown up and naked when it came to that one. And while it sure ain’t horror, it is worth mentioning that Jennifer was nominated for an Academy Award for Woody Allen’s well-received BULLETS OVER BROADWAY which was released a year before. As cool as all this was, with her first horror flick and an Oscar nomination, I am just itching to get to the next movie on her slate.

BOUND. Have you witnessed it? If not, this is a must watch for any red-blooded American (or anybody else for that matter). This sleek and sexy thriller directed by The Wachowski’s (THE MATRIX) is not only a classic work of film noir, it is also sizzling hot. Tilly and Gina Gershon played lovers plotting to steal millions of mob money. Yep… lovers! And I don’t mind saying, BOUND featured the two actresses in some of the most erotic on-screen sex scenes ever. Not only was this a smart and satisfying movie, but it was unabashedly sexually-charged. Girshon and Tilly were magnificent and of course there will be boobs if you watch this flick. Go ahead. Watch it now!

You back? Feeling better? I know I am. Let’s get on with this shall we? After that scorching performance, Tilly shined again in the 1997 comedy LIAR, LIAR opposite Jim Carrey. Few women can be this damn funny, and this freaking hot! Understandably this is not horror flick but it certainly was entertaining. With this box office hit, the next few years found her working consistently in comedy/dramas including THE WRONG GUY (also in 1997), MUSIC FROM ANOTHER ROOM, HOODS and RELAX… IT’S JUST SEX (all in 1998). Then something happened that same year that made her a horror icon… Or perhaps it would be more appropriate to say someone as opposed to something. Chucky meet Tiffany!

When Jennifer Tilly became the BRIDE OF CHUCKY, it was one of the most original casting choices ever made in this genre. Tilly and Dourif make a hell of a pair as they terrorize folks with gruesome glee. Hell, I was even on board for SEED OF CHUCKY in 2004 simply because Ms. Tilly was portraying herself which I thought was inspired fun. She carries the whole voluptuousness thing and she seems to have a great sense of humor about it all. Proving just how integral she is to Chucky’s world, she even made an appearance in last year’s CURSE OF CHUCKY if only for an all too brief moment. Frankly, I can’t imagine another movie in this franchise without her.

NOW:
Jennifer Tilly does it all. She is a horror icon. She is a sex symbol. She is a terrifically funny comedic actress. From Broadway to horror, she is a force to be reckoned with. And while you may not be seeing much of her lately, you may very well be hearing her vocal talents on “Family Guy” and “Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja.” Or maybe you’ve caught a couple of her guest spots on television shows such as “Modern Family” or “Drop Dead Diva.” Make no mistake as Ms. Tilly seemingly keeps herself busy with a ton of projects. According to IMDB she has a flick slated for 2016 called RENAISSANCE GIRL and if she is in it I’ll check it out.

Besides appearing in a ton of movies throughout her impressive career, she is also a damned remarkable professional poker player. According to her Wikipedia page, in 2005 she earned a World Series of Poker bracelet winner in the Ladies’ No-Limit Texas Hold’em Up event. A smart and funny bombshell with horror cred?!? Absolutely! Plus she can play cards better than you! While it seems that making movies is far from her priority, we can definitely hope that she will return as Tiffany (or herself for that matter) in the further adventures of the killer doll with an attitude. If you’d like to see what she has coming up, you can check out her official fan Facebook or follow her on Twitter.