Huntsville-born actor David Howard Thornton, best known for portraying Art the Clown in the Terrifier horror franchise, announced his engagement during a public appearance at the Huntsville Comic and Pop Culture Expo on April 18, 2026.
Engagement revealed at Huntsville pop culture event
Thornton proposed to Jada Christie while dressed in character as Art the Clown. He later confirmed the engagement on Instagram with the post, “She said yes!”
The moment took place during the local convention, drawing attention from attendees and fans of the horror film series.
Local roots before Hollywood breakout
Thornton grew up in Huntsville and began performing at Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theater. In addition, he graduated from Grissom High School and later earned a degree in elementary education from the University of Montevallo.
Before his breakout horror role, he worked in voice acting and stage performance.
‘Terrifier’ franchise brought cult success
Thornton first starred as Art the Clown in Terrifier (2016), which later gained cult status. The sequel, Terrifier 2, earned more than $15 million on a low production budget and strengthened the franchise’s following.
He returned in Terrifier 3 in 2024, and director Damien Leone is currently developing Terrifier 4, according to IMDb.
Sign up for the Homely Huntsville newsletter to stay up to date on Huntsville.
