Neve Campbell Says She Survived a Bear Attack on Movie Set

Neve Campbell recently described a harrowing attack years ago by a bear while she was on a film set. 

The actress shared details of her encounter during an appearance on "The Kelly Clarkson Show," saying that in hindsight, it was a "silly" ordeal. 

"I was playing this role where she’s ‘one with the animals,’ and there was a scene where I’m supposed to be getting chased by a bear," Campbell explained to Clarkson. "They brought this bear on set and they first gave me this big bottle of Coke to feed it. So now, this is a bear on a sugar rush. And then, they said — and I’m 17, so I’m really dumb — they said, 'Dip your hand in honey and just run. And when you get to the tree over there, turn around and stick your hand out and feed the bear.' And I, of course, wanting to please everyone was like, 'Ok!'"

However, Campbell noted that when she stopped and turned around, the bear was still charging and showing no signs of slowing down. And it was not going for her hand. 

"He grabs me by the leg and he pulls me through the forest," she said. "My mother happens to be visiting set, so she’s screaming. The whole crew is frozen because no one can believe what’s happening. All I can think to say is, 'He’s biting me,' like it’s not obvious."

Eventually, the film's wrangler was able to rescue the "Scream" star by throwing rocks at the bear until it charged him. Campbell then ran away and hid on top of a rock. 

"It's silly," she said of the story. No major injuries were sustained during the incident but the crew was not filming so Campbell admitted that she agreed to do the whole scene again because she was a people pleaser. 

Campbell appeared on "The Kelly Clarkson Show," to promote the latest "Scream" film.  She starred in the original 1996 movie as well as its sequels. After "Scream 3" was released in 2000, Campbell moved to England where she pursued a career in theater.

"I learned a great deal about myself and the craft," she told Elle in a new interview. "I immersed myself in a different way that is really hard to do in the States."

After several years, Campbell decided to dive back into the world of film and television. She appeared in "Mad Men" and landed a recurring role in "House of Cards." When she was asked to reprise her role as Sidney Prescott in the latest "Scream" film, she did not hesitate. It did still take lengthy negotiations for her to receive the pay she felt she deserved though. 

"Only in the past few years have I felt confident to ask [for more money] because I used to be told, 'Oh you can’t ask,'" she said. "I wonder if I’d been a male working on the fifth film of this franchise, if it would’ve been the same conversation in my negotiation. We got there in the end, but I feel like it would have been different if I was a man. I honestly do."

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