13 Mind-Blowing Facts You Didn't Know About Jason Voorhees
5. There Was A Major Script Change To Get Jason's Image Right
When planning the first Friday the 13th movie, young Jason never actually got his final look until child actor Ari Lehman got his butt into the makeup chair for the first time. You see, Jason Voorhees was supposed to be a completely indistinguishable boy with average features; his disabilities entirely mental instead of physical. It was special effects artist Tom Savini who ultimately decided to alter his outer appearance based on a boy he knew as a child with an asymmetrical face.
This was the design that stuck with the character for the rest of the series, ultimately reconfiguring the story in the process. Screenwriter Ron Kurz had to adapt the script to fit Lehman's prosthetic face after Savini worked practical effects into his appearance, resulting in the Jason we know today.