Terrifier actor David Howard Thornton had fans’ hearts beating over the weekend when he proposed to his girlfriend, Jada Christie, while dressed head to toe as Art the Clown.
The star behind the recent horror idol got down on one knee at the Huntsville Comic and Pop Culture Expo in Huntsville, Alabama, and later shared video of the occasion on his Instagram account. It’s an engagement that will no doubt be memorable for them both, as he could be seen popping the question while sporting Art the Clown’s iconic black-and-white suit, makeup, and his trademark, menacing grin.
Art is normally grinning while disemboweling human beings as they scream in terror, but this time, he found a new reason to smile: love. “She said yes!” Thornton wrote.
Terrifier broke onto the horror scene with the first film in 2016 and has quickly sawed its way into becoming one of the more recognizable names in the genre, with Terrifier 2 hitting in 2022 and Terrifier 3 arriving in October 2024. Terrifier 4 is expected to be the final film in the series and has no release date.
While horror icons like Jason Voorhees or Ghostface have qualities that have helped them rise to fame, it’s Thornton’s mix of humor and brutality that has drawn viewers to Art for a decade. The practical effects the series is known for have only made his most menacing moments all the more memorable, which is why seeing him so giddy to be engaged in the real world feels like a different kind of heartwarming.
“That’s how ya do it! Congratulations,” franchise creator Damien Leone said with clown and balloon emojis in a reply to the post. “Love you both!!”
While Thornton and Christie wipe off the makeup to get their wedding plans in place, you can see our 7/10 review of Terrifier 2 and our 6/10 review of Terrifier 3. You can also check out IGN’s list of the 25 best horror movies of all time.
Image credit: David Horward Thornton / Instagram.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
