Classic horror fans will likely recognize actress Mimi Craven, who got her break acting in horror movies Swamp Thing (1982) and A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), before going on to a fairly long and successful acting career.
But what has Mimi Craven been up to more recently? Are Mimi Craven and Wes Craven related?
Read on for answers to these questions and more about Mimi Craven, from her early days and breakthrough to her more recent activities.
Early Days
Mimi Craven was born on September 28, 1957 in Indianapolis, far from Hollywood where she would eventually find her big break and make her mark.
Mimi grew up a ballet dancer and pursued a degree in dance (ballet specifically) from Indiana University (in her home state). She started off as a dance teacher in Indiana and Texas before eventually moving to Los Angeles to become an actress.
Mimi studied with acting coach Roy London, and began working in movies and television. It was then that she caught her big break with now-classic horror movies Swamp Thing and A Nightmare on Elm Street.
Swamp Thing and A Nightmare on Elm Street
Mimi Craven became better known to the world in the early-to-mid 1980s as she appeared in classic horror films such as Swamp Thing and A Nightmare on Elm Street. She appeared as Arcane’s secretary and a nurse in the two films, respectively.
Swamp Thing (1982) is a cult classic, one of those “so bad it’s good” films. The film is about a research scientist who turns into a swamp monster after reacting violently with a special chemical.
A Nightmare on Elm Street launched the mythos of Fred (or Freddy) Krueger. Teenager Nancy Thompson and a group of her friends experience nightmares where a clawed killer tries to kill them. When they die in their dreams, they die in real life, so Nancy sets out to save herself and her friends.
After the Breakthrough
Mimi Craven’s breakthrough with horror isn’t all that surprising, given she married film director Wes Craven in 1982. In fact, Craven wrote the film A Nightmare on Elm Street, and directed Scream and many other horror films.
Mimi would continue to act in genre film and TV following her breakthrough, with roles in The Twilight Zone and the TV movie Chiller, both in 1985.
Mimi acted in many TV movies and series as the years went on, most notably as Cynthia in an episode of Seinfeld in 1992, Star Trek: Voyager in 1999, and ER in 2001.
Shortly thereafter, however, Mimi would retire from acting (around 2002-2003).
Mimi Craven was fortunate to have had an early breakthrough. But what has she been doing since then? As stated, she continued to act before retiring in the early 2000s. Now, however, she focuses on photography, which she has been pursuing since the 1990s.
Along with her acting work, Mimi is best known for her photography. In 1996, she began studying photography at UCLA and has worked as a professional photographer since then.
She has shot celebrities such as Sharon Stone, Quincy Jones, Balthus, and the Dalai Lama, while her pictures have appeared in many popular magazines and newspapers.
She has even shot movie posters for major studios, including Paramount and Sony Pictures.
One creative project involved shooting graveyards and cemeteries around the world. Her good friend Sharon Stone wrote the text and it was sold as a book about guardian angels, titled Something to Hold (2005).
Personal Life
Not much is known about Mimi Craven’s personal life, although she did marry Wes Craven in 1982. They divorced five years later, in 1987.
Since retiring from acting, Mimi has focused primarily on photography, as discussed above. She has also enjoyed taking photos of her many friends for non-commercial purposes. One of her best friends is Sharon Stone, of Basic Instinct fame.
You can learn more about Mimi from her personal website. On her site, she has a wide range of her photography work, as well as an “About” section and a contact form. You might also connect with her by visiting a horror convention, as she’s been making appearances for several years now.
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