For many actors, the road into cinema begins with a single spark. For Ryan Thomas Moore, that spark ignited in New York long before he ever stepped onto a film set. Growing up in the same neighborhood where Goodfellas unfolded, Moore found himself captivated by gangsters on screen, the magnetic intensity of Val Kilmer, and the electrifying presence of Kevin Bacon. By the time he was ten, he was in acting classes, trying to carve a path in a world where most people told him to become a plumber or electrician. But Moore was not deterred. Cinema had already chosen him.
After making the move to Los Angeles, Moore’s early career included roles in Hollywood Heights and Days of Our Lives, but it was Pitchfork that became his breakout moment. A gritty indie horror film shot on a remote Michigan farm, the cast and crew lived together like a deranged summer camp, filming by day and watching classic horror films by night. “It was like a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere,” Moore recalls. “We were not even near the one stoplight in town. Just cows, actors and horror movies every night.”
That chaotic and immersive environment taught him two things. First: horror sets have their own kind of electricity. Second: he wanted more.
And more came calling with Jeepers Creepers 3.
Two years before he ever auditioned, the director of Pitchfork told him a new Jeepers Creepers film was coming and that he should keep an eye out for it. When the audition finally landed in his inbox, Moore booked the role of Kirk, the dirt bike riding, tough skinned survivor who quickly became a fan favourite. What made it even sweeter was the full circle moment. “I called the director back like, ‘Remember you told me to look out for Jeepers Creepers 3? I got it.’”
Despite auditioning originally for the heroic love interest role, Moore was quickly redirected toward Kirk. Twenty minutes with new sides in a hallway and the role was his. Sometimes cinema chooses you twice.
Stepping into an established horror franchise is no small thing, especially one with a cult following as loud and loyal as Jeepers Creepers. Moore was not obsessed with the films growing up, but he admired the first instalment, particularly its unnerving connection to an Unsolved Mysteries case. Working on the sequel gave him a behind the scenes vantage point few fans ever experience.
Jonathan Breck, the actor behind the Creeper, surprised Moore with his professionalism and warmth. But that did not make shooting any less intense. Especially the death scene.
“He had to grab me by the leg and drag me,” Moore laughs. “The director joked, ‘What is he, heavy?’ And Breck just goes, ‘He’s not light.’ I was supposed to be dead but I could not stop laughing.”
But the hardest scene to prepare for was not the death. It was the moment Kirk realises the Creeper has targeted him, a tense and fearful sequence layered with physicality and raw emotion. Moore tried rehearsing at home but quickly realised screaming for his life in a Los Angeles apartment is not ideal for neighbour relations. When the cameras rolled, he simply let go. Fear is something you cannot half do on film.
Jeepers Creepers 3 is remembered for many things, but the dirt bike crew sequence remains one of its sharpest highlights. Fans often say they wanted more of that storyline, and Moore agrees. “A full bike chase with the Creeper would’ve been awesome,” he says. The mechanics, stunt coordination and night shooting created a demanding atmosphere, and although Moore looks convincing on screen, he laughs while clarifying a misconception.
He had stunt doubles. Very good ones.
“I’ve never been on a dirt bike,” he admits. “I ride a motorcycle, but I can’t do wheelies. In both Baskets and Jeepers Creepers, they used doubles for all the bike work.”
Yet even without performing the stunts, Moore’s grounded performance helped sell the fear. Horror relies on sincerity, and Moore understands that instinctively. “Acting scared is something I enjoy,” he says. “I hope it came off okay.” It more than did. It made him one of the standout characters of the film.
No discussion of Jeepers Creepers is complete without the truck. The horn. The rumble. The licence plate that fans endlessly joke about: “BEATINGU.” Who registers it? Who renews it? What DMV employee processed that application?
Moore finds the whole thing as entertaining as fans do. He also revealed that the truck was driven all the way from California to Louisiana by the family who owned it. “It must’ve been a sight for people on the freeway,” he says. Horror history cruising down the highway.
When Moore is asked whether he watched the reboot Jeepers Creepers: Reborn, he hesitates before admitting he did not. After hearing a passionate breakdown of the film’s shortcomings from us at Movieland, Moore simply responds, “Damn.” The reboot had complicated rights disputes that derailed the original creators’ plans for a true fourth instalment.
As for the Creeper’s origins, Moore did not receive any insider explanations, though fans have long theorised everything from ancient curses to parasitic organisms. He personally leans toward the mystery being part of the magic. “Not knowing is pretty cool,” he says.
Still, fans continue to hope for another proper sequel, and Moore’s performance is cited as one of the best elements of the third film. For us at Movieland, we highly recommend checking it out.
Though he’s known for horror, Moore does not want to stay boxed into one genre. He recently wrapped a short film about an actor who accidentally wanders into an intimacy coordination class with his ex girlfriend, a comedic scenario he describes as “awkward in the best way.” He speaks passionately about the project, calling it one of the works he is most proud of.
He also stars in the military themed series Night Visions, a role that demanded intense memorisation and discipline. “Some of the hardest work I’ve ever done,” he says. The show’s early episodes have already generated interest, and Moore hopes it eventually reaches more streaming platforms so audiences worldwide can access it.
And then there is his dream franchise. He wants to be in Scream. He auditioned for Scream 5, originally for Jack Quaid’s role, and still hopes another opportunity comes. The horror genre has embraced him, and he embraces it right back.
When he is not acting, Moore loves cinema as a fan. His movie snacks of choice include cherry soda and Skittles, though he cheekily admits he will always steal someone else’s popcorn rather than buy his own.
His must watch film recommendations span genres and decades:
True Romance, Inside, Goodfellas, Wonderland, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and The Reader.
Whether he is running from the Creeper, navigating awkward comedy, or tackling military drama, Ryan Thomas Moore brings a sincerity that audiences feel. He is a storyteller with a love for cinema that began in childhood and continues to shape every role he takes.
And as the horror world evolves, there is little doubt we will be seeing more of him, whether sprinting from monsters, chasing dramatic depth or eventually stepping into the Scream universe he has always dreamed of.
Interview by Shawn Montague