David Arquette knows clowns have gotten a bad rap in the last few years with Pennywise from “It” and Twisty the Clown from “American Horror Story,” but he wants to change that.
“There’s more good clowns out there than there are scary clowns, despite what kind of films are being made,” the actor, 52, tells Page Six in a new exclusive interview. “I love clowns in general.”
“And if you find clowns creepy, you should give them a second shot,” he adds.
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The “Scream” star isn’t kidding about his attachment to clowns, as he bought the rights to Bozo the Clown in 2022.
“We’re on a mission to sort of bring joy back to the world and sort of shine a light on happy clowns and Bozo is one of the happiest,” he explains. He even brought the famous clown into the 21st century by introducing Joz Bozo, the first female Bozo the Clown.
And he’s serious about a Bozo relaunch.
“It’s a lot of work,” he shares, “(and we’re) still figuring it out. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in the portrayal of Bozo but we’ve gotten to a really good place.” He adds that he recently met with “the foremost Bozo collector and historian for a documentary we’re doing.”
Arquette managed to tear himself away from the greasepaint, bulbous nose and flaming red wig to film “The Good Half.”
The movie stars Nick Jonas, who plays a writer grappling with the death of his mother. Arquette plays the pop star’s stepdad.
The father of three, who shares daughter Coco with ex Courteney Cox, and two sons, Charlie and Augustus, with Christina McLarty, says he was drawn to the movie for the way it tackled the issues of death and loss.
“I’ve lost a lot of people in my life and addressing grief in such a way that you know, takes it head-on but also has a humorous slant to it…I just really think it had a voice,” he explains.
Arquette, who is part of an acting family that includes his sisters, Rosanna and Patricia, lost his mother when he was only 25.
“I really was super lost and super hurt and super self destructive,” he shares.
“And then, you know, different people that I lost throughout my life,” he continues. “I’ve evolved and been able to manage it with a lot more care and sensitivity and, and being able to remember the really great times.”
“That’s what it’s about really, being grateful for having those people in your lives to start with is a really healing way to approach it.”
Those other people include his sibling, Alexis, who passed away at age 47 in 2016 from cardiac arrest caused by heart issues stemming from HIV.
“We all miss her tremendously,” he says. “And just that really is when you lean into gratitude for being able to spend even as little amount of time as we were able to with them.”
Arquette will be appearing as Bozo in Nashville on July 21 for a city-wide baby shower that serves families affected by gun violence.
And “The Good Half” will be screened in theaters on July 23 and 25 with an exclusive virtual conversation with Jonas as well as the film’s director, Robert Schwartzman.
