Andy Barclay

Fictional character in the Child's Play franchise

Fictional character

Alex Vincent (1988–1990, 2013–2023)
Justin Whalin (1991)
Gabriel Bateman (2019)

In-universe informationFull nameAndrew BarclayGenderMaleRelativesKaren Barclay (mother)
Bob Barclay (deceased father)
Mike Norris (stepfather)
Kyle (foster sister)
Phil Simpson (deceased foster father)
Joanne Simpson (deceased foster mother)
Mickey Rooney (deceased pet; 2019 reboot)NationalityAmericanStatusAlive

Andy Barclay (born November 9, 1982, in Chicago) is a fictional character and protagonist of the Child's Play horror film series. He is a young boy who, after receiving a Good Guy doll for his sixth birthday, is the prime suspect in a series of mysterious murders. In reality the murders are being committed by the doll, which was possessed by serial killer Charles Lee Ray (aka Chucky). The duo go on to become archenemies. Andy Barclay is portrayed by actor Alex Vincent in the original Child's Play film, Child's Play 2, Curse of Chucky, Cult of Chucky and in the Chucky television series. Justin Whalin played Andy in Child's Play 3, while Gabriel Bateman played Andy in the 2019 reboot of Child's Play. Andy is mentioned, but does not appear in Bride of Chucky and Seed of Chucky.^[1]

History

Child's Play	Child's Play 2	Child's Play 3	Bride of Chucky	Seed of Chucky	Curse of Chucky	Cult of Chucky	Chucky
Main role					Cameo	Main role	Recurring role

Other appearances

In 1991, Andy appeared in 3 issues (1,2, & 5) of the "Child's Play" comics, which were based on the first film. He was also in all issues based on Child's Play 2 in 1992 and all based on Child's Play 3 in 1993.^[2]
Andy appears in the novelization of Child's Play 2 and the novelization of Child's Play 3.^[3]
In 1999, clips of Andy are shown in the television series Where Are They Now?, as part of the episode Horror Movie Stars.^[4]
Andy is shown throughout the documentary Evil Comes in Small Packages, which was included as a special feature in the 20th anniversary edition of Child's Play in 2008.^[5]
Archive footage of Andy is shown in the 2001 horror documentary Boogeymen: The Killer Compilation.

Reception

Alex Vincent's performance as Andy has been praised for being "one of the best child performances in a horror movie" and for being able to create an "emotional connection" with the audience.^[6] From his first scene in the movie to his sobbing in the hospital room he is able to bring out emotions that seem far too real. The article went on to say:

"Watching him sob alone in his tiny hospital room feels like seeing my own kid cry – but not the kind of crying when he doesn't get his way or stubs his toe. It's the kind of crying informed by genuine sadness. There is a hopelessness to the way Alex Vincent plays that scene that's impossible to reproduce. What makes his performance great is that it is totally, effortlessly authentic. He is not manufacturing motivation, nor calculating his delivery. He is reacting purely in the moment. When they are best friends, he interacts with Chucky like it's an actual toy that he loves (the way he excitedly talks to the doll way too loudly when they first interact is another great moment in the movie). When Chucky goes bad, Vincent's fear – and even heartbreak – is totally real."^[7]

Dustin Putman stated in a review that he was "always convincing as an endangered... son faced with an unthinkable terror."^[8] Another article went as far as to say Vincent's portrayal "was what made that series as much as Brad Dourif doing the voice of Chucky."^[9]

References

^ "Andy Barclay (Character)". IMDb. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
^ "Andy Barclay Comics – Comic Vine". Comic Vine. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
^ "Movie Maniac Comic Books". Icons of Fright. Archived from the original on March 19, 2013. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
^ "Andy Barclay (Character)". IMDb. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
^ "CHILD'S PLAY (20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION) REVIEW". IGN. September 13, 2008. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
^ Bromley, Patrick. "Great Horror Performances: Alex Vincent in Child's Play". F This Movie!. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
^ Bromley, Patrick. "Great Horror Performances: Alex Vincent in Child's Play". F This Movie!. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
^ Putman, Dustin. "Dustin Putman's Capsule Review Child's Play (1988)". Dustin Putman' TheFileFile. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
^ Nathan, Strack. "Tiny Heros and Heroines: The Forgotten Children of Horror". Awesome B Movies. Archived from the original on March 8, 2017. Retrieved March 8, 2017.