Jason’s mom in “Friday the 13th” was sure no one would watch the horror flick, but the joke was on her

Actors often take roles having no idea how the film will do. Yes, if you’re in a Marvel movie, chances are you’re set, but many other films aren’t so secure. It turns out, the late Betsy Palmer from the horror classic Friday the 13th wasn’t expecting anyone to see the film — let alone that the film would spark a decades-long franchise.

SURPRISE!!

Palmer played the character of Mrs. Voorhees — mother to Jason — in 1980’s Friday the 13th, which is one of the most well-known horror films today and has spawned numerous films, comics, video games, and more.

But Palmer said she took the part expecting no one to ever see the film. In DVD documentary unearthed by The Hollywood Reporter, she said that she simply needed a new car and knew the check from her role in the film would pay for it.

"I had a Mercedes, which I had for a number of years, and it broke down on the Connecticut turnpike," Palmer said in the video. "So I said to myself, 'I need a new car, universe.'" 

Then, the universe (aka her agent) called about Friday the 13th.

She had little faith in the film, but accepted her part because she knew it would pay for her new wheels.

"So the script came and I read it and said, 'What a piece of [shit]. No one is ever going to see this. It will come. And it will go. And I will have my Scirocco.'"

Well, she was *slightly* off the mark — we can only imagine how many people must be watching and re-watching the film today — but hey, better to be wrong in this case!