Ken Kirzinger (born November 4 1959) is a Canadian stuntman and actor best known for his portrayal of Jason Voorhees in Freddy vs. Jason (2003). Standing at 6 ft 5.5 in (197 cm), he is the tallest man to have played the Crystal Lake killer. Freddy vs. Jason director Ronny Yu tried to limit Kirzinger's stunts on the film as much as possible. Stuntman Glenn Ennis was called in to perform a series of stunts, including a stunt showing Jason running through a field killing teenagers while on fire.
Long before Kirzinger took over the role of Jason Vorhees from Kane Hodder, he had ties to Friday the 13th. He appeared in 1989's Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan as a New York cook who gets in Jason's way while pursuing Rennie Wickham (Jensen Daggett) and Sean Robertson (Scott Reeves). Jason, played by Kane Hodder, threw the much taller Kirzinger over the counter. In addition to his role as the cook, Kirzinger also served as a stunt coordinator for the film.
Though Kirzinger maintains a friendly relationship with Kane Hodder, the stuntman he replaced as Jason Voorhees, Hodder has expressed his bitterness at not being asked to reprise the role he's played in four previous Friday the 13th films.
His brother Dave Kirzinger played for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League from 1978 to 1986.
Is the tallest out of the 8 actors to have played Jason Voorhees so far.
Long before he took over the role of Jason Vorhees from Kane Hodder, Kirzinger appeared in Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989) as a New York cook who gets in Jason's way when he is pursuing Rennie Wickham (Jensen Daggett) and Sean Robertson (Scott Reeves (I)), and Jason (played by Kane Hodder) threw the bigger Kirzinger over the counter.
Was one of the stunt coordinators for Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989).
Director Ronny Yu and the producers of _Freddy Vs. Jason (2003)_ tried to limit him doing his own stunts as much as possible.
Brother is Dave Kirzinger, who was playing for the calgary Stampeders(CFL) from 1978 to 1986
