Sarah Hayward | Stitch

How did you get the role of Stitch and what was the audition process like?

I auditioned in person in Vancouver, BC with lots of other actors. The director Rick Bota was really friendly and conversation flowed freely.

What were your initial thoughts and feelings when you discovered you were going to be a part of the Hellraiser legacy?

I was pretty excited, I was aware of the movies but they were too scary for me. I needed to watch them all after I was cast to understand the previous movies. I came to understand they have a morality message, make bad choices, life can become hellish!

How did you approach embodying a character who communicates only through physicality rather than dialogue?

The costume did most of the work, it was hard to move easily or see for that matter. But the costume exudes strength.

Was Stitch ever designed at any stage to have the ability to speak and deliver dialogue?

No dialogue, not to my knowledge. Highlight was the kiss with Dean Winters!

If not, is there any particular dialogue you’d have liked Stitch to have?

I think she would sing big like an opera singer or shriek loudly!

Did your scenes require any specific physical training, choreography, or stunt work?

I took advice from a Jim Carrey interview, where he talks about playing the Grinch and how claustrophobic he felt, so he saw a therapist! So I spoke to a therapist about how to stay calm, velcroed into a thick rubber mask in a room full of artificial smoke, with tiny slits for eye holes and small mouth! Plus keeping calm when you have a kiss with someone you are a fan of!

Was there anything about your scenes that changed significantly between the script and filming for Stitch?

No.

Did playing the Stitch Cenobite change the way you think about creature work or genre acting?

The power of costume and make-up professionals. We had a great make-up team from England. The best part was the latex make up on my arms, they would rub it to distress it to make it look like skin peeling off, like when you peel wax on your finger as a kid!

Can you describe the first time you saw yourself fully transformed into the Stitch Cenobite? Could you even see through the head-sculpt?

Mostly saw the effect afterwards in photos! Very hard to see much through the mask.

Were you given a backstory for Stitch?

Just watching the movies that came before.

What’s your favourite memory from filming Hellraiser: Hellseeker and what was the funniest or most amusing moment filming?

I was walking down the hallway of the sound studio first day of filming when I saw Dean Winters, the lead actor, walking towards me. And I realized he was an actor from the Oz tv series. I was a fan of Oz, he played Ryan O’Riley. I hadn’t put it together before and my knees went weak and I lost my breath, like a teen age crush. Surprised myself. Luckily We didn’t shoot that day and I had a chance to recover in my trailer! I was very calm, cool and collected after that.

Can you recall any scenes filmed as Stitch that were not used or present in the final cut?

Don’t think so.

Were there many concept iterations for Stitch before landing on the screen-ready design?

That’s a question for the designers. They may have wanted breasts out, but we weren’t keen on that.

Looking back on the movie retrospectively, what are your thoughts on it nowadays?

Back then horror movies were very scary and not so prolific and main stream. Today with second wave horror, even popular teen shows like “Stranger Things,” have hellscape landscape in “the upside down”. They even have a villain character similar to Pinhead in Vecna, and the Demogorgon, are like the cenobites who do his bidding!

Were you called back for the sequel Hellraiser: Deader? Stitch does have a blink and you’ll miss it moment near the end of the movie.

That wasn’t me in Deader! Probably not shot in Vancouver.

What’s the most memorable fan encounter you’ve had related to Hellraiser?

Letters from Men in prison wanting autographs.

What happened with all the prosthetic pieces and costume garb that comprised Stitch?

They are probably in England somewhere in a costume museum!

Have you ever seen a cosplay or fan-art of Stitch that blew you away?

I was surprised to find I had an action figure. I sent away for two. One in its package and one for display, that my cats play with every now and then.

Stitch is in a boxing-ring with all the other Cenobites, which ones does Stitch defeat and are there any they would struggle against or lose to?

I think Stitch would win with a loud piercing scream that would make others fall to the ground clutching their ears!

Have you yourself seen all eleven Hellraiser movies?

I saw the movies leading up to Hellraiser: Hellseeker!

Is there a particular form or medium you would love to see Stitch materialise in? You’ve told us you have your own action figure of Stitch in your living room!

I was in New York touring my one person show Stripes: The Mystery Circus, to the Fringe ( Cherry Lane Annex theatre) when I was interviewed for a movie about the Cenobites: Hellraiser Evolutions. I’d like to see that film one day.

I’d like to see Stitch, in her own one person show, she takes off her mask and talks about her dreams, her day job at the library and her music!

Hellraiser has been experiencing a real renaissance, with the 2022 reboot and the upcoming Hellraiser: Revival, introducing the franchise to a whole new generation of fans. How do you feel now be a part of such an enduring and fascinating legacy?

It’s interesting to me that 25 years later the franchise is going strong!

I see the Hellraiser films as morality tales. Live a good life and you don’t end up in hell. Make terrible decisions and you pay!

In today’s world there are innocent people having horrors inflicted upon them by greedy war mongering monsters, this is much harder to grapple with! I hope the people will stand up to the bullies and that they will get their just desserts!

Would you ever pick up the Stitch costuming again if ever presented with the opportunity?

Perhaps.

Is there anything you’d like to see explored with Stitch in a future sequel, or even perhaps the upcoming video game?

Oh, yes I’d like to Voice Overs for the video game, the screaming voice overs and a bit of opera singing to stun my opponents!

Are you a gamer yourself?

Only Plants Vs. Zombies on my phone.

Will you experience Hellraiser: Revival hands-on or through watching a playthrough?

That would be interesting.

Which platform will you be playing the game on – Playstation, PC or Xbox?

Not sure?

Where can fans look forward to seeing you next – whether on-screen, on stage, or at upcoming conventions?

Conventions would be cool!

I’m writing a one person musical about my years working at the library!

I’m in two new top-secret TV projects coming out next year.