Despite Kennedy's lack of experience, Craven got his way, citing that actor Johnny Depp was not a big name when cast in A Nightmare on Elm Street.

In the film, he is a high school student and a close friend of Sidney Prescott, Billy Loomis, Tatum Riley, and Stu Macher.

Randy attends a party thrown by Stu, where, while watching Halloween, he breaks down the rules to survive a horror film – those being that you must never have sex, never take drugs or drink alcohol, and never say "I'll be right back".

Randy warns Sidney and Gale that in horror movies, there is always a moment where the supposedly deceased killer inexplicably comes back to life for one more scare.

Randy is stabbed to death by Ghostface, later revealed to be Nancy Loomis, with his body being discovered in the van by Dewey, Gale, and Joel.

In Scream 3, Randy leaves behind a video message for his younger sister Martha, explaining his belief that his recorded words will serve as his legacy in case he doesn't survive another killing spree.

When the third attack spree hits Woodsboro High School in Scream, Randy's niece, Mindy Meeks-Martin, along with her twin brother Chad, suggests meeting at her place to discuss the events.

[6][7] When casting Randy, Dimension Films intended a bigger name to play the character,[8] with actors like Jason Lee, Seth Green, and Breckin Meyer being considered,[8] meaning that Jamie Kennedy was initially rejected from the part.

[2][11] When actor Jamie Kennedy received the character breakdown, it said that Randy is "a lanky, gangly, opinionated fifth wheel who has a love and passion for movies and begins to dismantle these murders and start piecing things together".

In the first Scream film, Randy, a video store employee, establishes the rules for surviving a horror movie, setting a precedent for the franchise.

[13] As the series progresses, Randy's expertise gains greater appreciation from the other characters, highlighting his evolution from a mere film geek to a crucial voice in the meta-dialogue of the movies.

[16][17] His exaggerated anticipation of impending danger serves as a narrative tool, with director Wes Craven utilizing Randy as a surrogate character for the audience.

[6][16][18] Randy's role as the glue holding the first Scream film together is crucial, as he provides essential meta-commentary while navigating the horror narrative.

[2] He chose to kill off Randy, despite being a beloved character among fans, to shock the audience and intensify their reaction towards the killer,[6] saying "Everything is off the table.

[19] Despite plans to potentially bring Randy back in Scream 3, they could only incorporate him through posthumous cameos, as his death scene in the sequel was too conclusive to feasibly reverse.

[24] Jack Pooley of WhatCulture described Randy as "being hilarious" and that his role in the first two Scream films was "an endearing, sex-starved nerd who in many ways feels like the audience surrogate".

[29] Jack Pooley of WhatCulture named the character's death in Scream 2 as undeservedly brutal, writing that "everything about [the] scene was executed for maximum shock value and disgust".