Chainsaw wielding Evil Dead icon battling most cancers
Bruce Campbell, cult anti-hero of the Evil Dead series has told fans he is battling cancer. The actor call the cancer “treatable” but not curable and warns he will have to miss fan conventions asa result.
A major draw at comic conventions Bruce Campbell(Image: Getty Images)
Cult chain-saw wielding Evil Dead star Bruce Campbell is battling cancer.
The actor best known for playing Ash Williams in the long running Evil Dead series, which began in 1981, warned fans he will have to change his working commitments to tackle his health issues.
Keeping his cards close to his chest, Campbell revealed: “These days, when someone is having a health issue, it’s referred to as an ‘opportunity,’ so let’s go with that — I’m having one of those. It’s also called a type of cancer that’s ‘treatable’ not ‘curable.’ I apologize if that’s a shock — it was to me too.”
Considered an influence on Jim Carey’s more outrageous performances, Campbell is known for injecting physical comedy into his film work which often involves collaborations with director Sam Raimi, including various Spider-Man movies.
He brought a bit of that humour to his message to fans: “The good news is, I’m not gonna go into any more detail. I’m posting this, because professionally, a few things will have to change — appearances and cons and work in general need to take a back seat to treatment.
“My plan is to get as well as I possibly can over the summer so that I can tour with my new movie Ernie & Emma this fall.”
Campbell is much loved in the horror community and his performance in Evil Dead 2 where he battles his own severed hand with a chainsaw, regularly tops ‘best of’ lists.
Campbell went on: “There are several (comic) cons this summer that I have to cancel. Big regrets on my part. Treatment needs and professional obligations don’t always go hand-in-hand. That’s about it. I’m not trying to enlist sympathy — or advice — I just want to get ahead of this information in case false information gets out (which it will).”
“Fear not, I am a tough old son-of-a-b*tch and I have great support, so I expect to be around a while. As always, you’re the greatest fans in the world and I hope to see you soon!”
Campbell reprised his role of Ash in a number of Evil Dead spin-offs and TV series Ash vs Evil Dead, which aired for three seasons, from 2015 to 2018 on Starz.
Talking about the character Campbell said: “”He has no formal training whatsoever. He’s not military, he’s not CIA; he’s like a garage mechanic that’s out to save the world. That interests me!”
Campbell is also a familiar face on TV’s Burn Notice and voiced a character of Pixar’s movie Cars 2 in 2011.
His new movie Ernie & Emma is about widowed pear salesman who travels to scatter his wife’s ashes in places she specified.
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