Brad Dourif has done an incredible job portraying Chucky over several decades, staring with the 1988 movie Child's Play. In an interview with Vice alongside his daughter Fiona Dourif, who voiced Nica Pierce in several films along with the SyFy series Chucky, Brad Dourif shared his thoughts on the iconic killer doll. Brad said, "I think he's the ultimate coyote—which, in terms of American personas, is very much alive" as Chucky wants "To be the trickster, to be the upsetter, to change up everything."
Brad Dourif's performance has been impressing horror fans for a long time, and there are so many reasons why Chucky will never go out of style. There's just something special about this doll that endures.
Chucky remains a timeless horror movie villain thanks to his portrayal on the recent TV series. Season 1 of Chucky is great and that is a testament to how hilarious, memorable, and intelligent Chucky is. It's fascinating watching Jake Wheeler (Zackary Arthur) and Chucky interact with each other, as Jake is uncertain about the evil doll right away, but Chucky is so charming that Jake isn't sure what to think.
Chucky also prevails because he's actually progressive. The movie Seed Of Chucky was ahead of its time because when Chucky and Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly) have a child (Billy Boy), Chucky wants them to be a boy named Glen and Tiffany wishes that they would be a girl named Glenda. By the end of the movie, their child says that they don't fit into either gender.
In one Chucky scene, Chucky talks to Jake about his child who is gender fluid. Jake asks “You’re cool with it?” and Chucky says, “I’m not a monster, Jake." This line works so well since, of course, fans know that Chucky has killed a lot of people and that he does some horrible things... but he supports and loves his child and wants them to be themselves. This adds another layer to Chucky, making him seem like so more than just another typical horror villain. Diversity and inclusion are important, which is one reason why the elevated horror genre is meaningful. Even though Jake knows that he can't trust Chucky because of course he murders people, Jake does appreciate hearing Chucky say this.
There have been eight Child's Play movies and there are many films about killer toys, yet there is something special about Chucky. Many feel that there is something special about slasher villain Freddy Krueger, too, and horror fans enjoy Freddy's funny quotes in A Nightmare On Elm Street. Like Freddy, Chucky is full of personality and he always feels fresh and vibrant.
While Chucky is famous for saying "Hi, I'm Chucky. Wanna Play?" he always has so much more to say about the situation and place that he finds himself in. Chucky is "your friend til the end" and he likes to chat about his victims before he murders them. Chucky feels both totally evil and also somehow lovable. Fans can't help but be drawn into his world, and he is so unique because it can be easy to forget that he's a killing machine. When Chucky isn't murdering anyone on the SyFy TV series, for instance, he seems somewhat sweet and innocent. He always has a spark and an edge, but he convinces little Caroline Cross (Carina Battrick) that he's her friend, and Caroline hates that her older sister Lexy (Alyvia Alyn Lind) doesn't seem to understand that. Chucky likes to explain his thought process and fans hang on his every shocking and memorable word. The movies and show wouldn't be the same without Chucky's desire to be super chatty at every opportunity.
When compared to horror villains who always win, Chucky is more fun and entertaining to watch. There are some brutal and gruesome killers in the genre, from Pennywise in IT to Jigsaw in Saw and Jason Voorhees in Friday the 13th. These villains have no redeeming qualities whatsoever and some have personalities whether Jason doesn't talk and is pretty mysterious. Of course Chucky commits crimes, but his compassion for his child does make him stand out. This is something that fans really appreciate.
The 2019 Child's Play reboot isn't great, and a big reason why is Chucky doesn't seem like himself. He's a more watered down version of himself and isn't as funny, quirky, or dynamic as he usually is. This is a shame as while it's fun to see Aubrey Plaza in a horror movie, the film just doesn't measure up to the rest of the franchise. Whether watching Chucky in season 2 of the SyFy series or perhaps seeing the evil doll again in a future film, horror fans can't get enough and will always consider Chucky to be a timeless and classic villain.