Final Destination Bloodlines director opens up on working with Tony Todd on his final movie

Over the entirety of its 25-year run, only one actor has returned for all six of the films – horror legend Tony Todd, who sadly passed away in November of last year at the age of 69.

Playing the mysterious William Bludworth in all six films, Bloodlines is the last to feature Todd, and also the first to delve a little deeper into his character.

Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, Final Destination Bloodlines director Zach Lipovsky reflected on the experience of working with Todd.

"We were so grateful to have him there," he said. "We knew he was ill when we were working on the film and writing the film, and he was very, very eager to be in the movie, even though he was sick."

He continued: "So it presented itself as a potential moment where we could give his character, that he's had in all these films, more of a backstory. To make him a bit more of a character rather than this sort of mentor figure that shows up. [And] give a bit more of an explanation of who he is, which he was very excited about.

"And then also craft the ability for him to have a goodbye. You know, when we were filming that scene we knew that it was likely his last Final Destination movie, and potentially his last movie ever."

Lipovsky also explained that Todd's scene was intentionally crafted as a farewell. He explained: "The narrative was built around that idea that Bludworth would be saying goodbye to the characters, but also, on another level, that he was saying goodbye to the audience.

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Lipovsky added that he and co-director Adam Stein "worked very closely" with Todd, and that the actor "had so much fun with the cast – there was like this electricity with him and the cast".

On filming Todd's emotional final scene, Lipovsky said that it was a particularly poignant moment on set: "When it came time for his last moment in the movie, which is quite powerful, we told him to, for a moment, throw the script away and sort of speak from the heart about what was on his mind, about what all these movies have been about, what his life had been about, thinking about his own mortality and Bludworth's mortality, and just [letting] us know what was on [his] mind.

"And those lines about cherishing what you have all came from him in that moment. And I think that's why it's so powerful, is it's really earnest and honest, and it's been something we thought about a lot, and even through the whole rest of making the movie, [we've] been trying to cherish every second, just like he said, because you can see how much it meant to him."

Final Destination Bloodlines will be released in UK cinemas on Wednesday 14th May.

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