Drawing on the primal instincts inherent to every audience member, horror films thrive on their ability to elicit fear. The actors who excel in this genre can be said to possess unique talents that set them apart from their peers; whether through their physical presence, emotional depth, or an uncanny ability to embody the macabre, these performers leave an indelible mark on audiences. From seasoned veterans to rising stars, these actors have delivered chills, thrills, and the occasional gut spills that define the very essence of horror.
Perhaps at the very heart of a compelling horror film is the actor’s performance, which serves as the conduit through which the audience experiences fear and tension. An actor’s ability to portray genuine terror or to become the embodiment of a nightmare directly impacts the effectiveness of the film. When an actor convincingly expresses fear, it resonates with the audience, amplifying the film’s tension, and conversely, an actor who can convincingly instill fear in others can create a palpable sense of dread in the audience. Thus, the talent and dedication of an actor become the linchpin of a successful horror movie, making their role not just significant but essential to the film’s impact and legacy.
10 Jenna Ortega
Notable Horror Role: ‘Scream’ (2022)
Jenna Ortega has quickly become a fan favorite in the horror genre. Notable performances include her standout role in 2022’s Scream reboot, in which she plays Tara Carpenter, a scream queen for a younger generation. Ortega’s performance in Scream showcases her ability to convey fierce vulnerability, an essential trait for a horror protagonist. Additionally, her work in the hit sequel Scream VI and the horror-comedy The Babysitter: Killer Queen further cements her place in the genre.
Ortega’s expressive acting evokes genuine fear and empathy from audiences, bringing a fresh and dynamic energy to her roles that makes her characters relatable and memorable. With her continued popularity as Wednesday Addams in Netflix’s Wednesday series and her upcoming role in the long-awaited Beetlejuice sequel, Ortega seems bound to become a staple of the horror genre.
9 Sebastian Stan
Notable Horror Role: ‘Fresh’ (2022)
Sebastian Stan, best known for his role as the Winter Soldier in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, takes an unexpected yet promisingly dark turn in the horror-thriller Fresh. Playing the character of Steve, a charming prospective lover for protagonist Noa (Daisy Edgar-Jones), Stan’s performance slowly descends into something truly chilling, demonstrating a fantastic ability to shift seamlessly between charisma and menace.
Stan’s strengths in horror lie in his nuanced and unpredictable allure. His natural charisma hides a delightfully unsettling darker side, which can keep an audience on edge. Stan’s experience in action and drama enhances his physicality and intensity in horror roles, and his apparent willingness to take on more diverse and challenging characters suggests a promising future in the genre, where he can continue to surprise and terrify audiences.
Fresh
- Release Date
- March 4, 2022
- Director
- Mimi Cave
- Runtime
- 114 minutes
8 Lupita Nyong’o
Notable Horror Role: ‘Us’ (2019)
Lupita Nyong’o delivers a powerhouse performance in Jordan Peele’s Us, in which she embodies two extremes with the dual roles of Adelaide Wilson and her terrifying doppelgänger, Red. Nyong’o creates a clear difference between the characters while maintaining a coherent narrative, a testament to her incredible acting skills. Her portrayal of Adelaide’s fear and determination sharply contrasts with Red’s eerie, murderous desperation.
By mixing intense emotions with restrained realism, Nyong’o creates a palpable sense of dread. Her incredible vocal control and impressive emotional range make her double performances twice as impactful, bringing a level of gravitas and sophistication to her horror characters that elevate them past traditional tropes. Nyong’o’s fearless approach makes her an ideal fit for horror, as evidenced by other ventures like Little Monsters and the current hit A Quiet Place: Day One, where she continues to push the boundaries of the genre.
7 Ethan Hawke
Notable Horror Role: ‘The Black Phone’ (2021)
Beloved for playing romantic leads and traditional leading men, Ethan Hawke is a bonafide star. However, his role in The Black Phone marks a significant departure from his usual repertoire, revealing a hidden ability to play much darker, sinister characters. In the film, Hawke’s usual alluring charisma is weaponized as he plays a sadistic kidnapper known as The Grabber, a performance that is at once haunting and compelling.
Rooted in grounded reality and human depth, Hawke’s performance in The Black Phone is horribly believable as he seamlessly transitions from a sympathetic friend into a menacing antagonist. Hawke’s understanding of the arc-based nature of storytelling makes him a formidable presence in the genre, evoking fear through a subtle, understated performance that sets him apart from more typical horror movie villains. Hawke is down for a Black Phone sequel, which would strengthen his presence in the horror genre.
The Black Phone
- Release Date
- June 24, 2022
- Director
- Scott Derrickson
- Runtime
- 113 minutes
- Writers
- C. Robert Cargill , Scott Derrickson , Joe Hill
6 Mia Goth
Notable Horror Role: ‘Pearl’ (2022)
Similar to the trajectory of Jenna Ortega, Mia Goth has firmly established herself as an up-and-coming scream queen, albeit with a more unstable touch. Throughout X, Pearl, and MaXXXine, Goth portrays Maxine Minx, a young actress with dreams of stardom, and Pearl, an elderly woman with a sinister past. Goth’s ability to bring out the complexities of both characters, from the hopeful and determined Maxine to the twisted and vengeful Pearl, relishes in the foundational nature of what makes horror engaging to watch.
Goth embodies vulnerability and menace with equal conviction, using her expressive eyes and quintessential horror-movie scream to convey fear, desperation, rage and utmost insanity. She excels in roles that require a psychological edge, drawing viewers into the twisted minds of her characters. Goth’s continued collaboration with visionary director Ti West promises more groundbreaking performances in the future.
5 Barry Keoghan
Notable Horror Role: ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer’ (2017)
Quickly becoming a household name, Irish actor Barry Keoghan’s unsettling performance in The Killing of a Sacred Deer provided the formidable young actor with a breakout role. Keoghan plays Martin, a mysterious teenager who brings chaos and terror into the lives of a surgeon and his wife, played by Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman, respectively. Keoghan is somehow frightening and alluring, marked by an unnerving calmness and a sense of foreboding that lingers throughout.
Keoghan’s incredible ability to blend sexuality with horror creates a perverse sense of fear that is as attractive as it is upsetting. His unique screen presence and distinctive features contribute to gripping performances across genres. Outside of outright horror, Keoghan excels at dark, morally ambiguous movies like Saltburn or The Banshees of Inisherin, making him a perfect fit for the horror genre. By keeping audiences guessing, Keoghan ensures that he will continue to be a sought-after actor.
The Killing of a Sacred Deer
- Release Date
- November 3, 2017
- Director
- Yorgos Lanthimos
- Runtime
- 121 minutes
- Writers
- Yorgos Lanthimos , Efthymis Filippou
4 Doug Jones
Notable Horror Role: ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ (2006)
Often buried in layers of special effects makeup, Doug Jones is a master of transformation. He is best known for his incredible work in creature roles, particularly in Guillermo del Toro‘s Pan’s Labyrinth, in which Jones portrays both the Faun and the Pale Man. The actor brings fantastical characters to life through exceptional physical performances. Indeed, Jones’ work in practical effects and makeup is unparalleled, allowing him to embody the otherworldly and the grotesque with uncanny realism.
Still, Doug Jones remains incredibly underrated. On top of using his body language and movement to evoke fear, curiosity, loneliness, or grief, his experience working with prosthetics and elaborate costumes makes him an invaluable asset to any horror production. Moreover, Jones’ deeply empathetic performances, even when portraying the most monstrous characters imaginable, allow audiences to connect with the creatures he portrays on a deeper level.
3 Willem Dafoe
Notable Horror Role: ‘The Lighthouse’ (2019)
The incomparable Willem Dafoe, even at his most grounded, is astonishing to behold. His whirlwind performance in Robert Eggers‘ The Lighthouse is a tour de force of psychological horror. He plays Thomas Wake, a grizzled lighthouse keeper whose sanity slowly unravels. Dafoe’s portrayal of Thomas is intense and mesmerizing, capturing the character’s descent into madness with a raw, unflinching, manic energy that is downright terrifying.
Dafoe is legendary for fully immersing in his roles, showing true dedication even in the most outrageous of situations. He knows how to use his distinct voice and expressive face to create dread and unpredictability, bringing to life complex, tormented characters. With his upcoming appearance as the Vampire hunter Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz in Eggers’s Nosferatu, Dafoe’s theatrical approach to challenging material promises to be a continuously powerful force in the horror genre.
2 Toni Collette
Notable Horror Role: ‘Hereditary’ (2018)
Toni Collette’s performance in Hereditary is widely regarded as one of the most compelling in modern horror. Collette plays Annie Graham, a mother grappling with unimaginable grief and the dark secrets of her family’s past. Believably portraying the harrowing experience of a complete and total emotional breakdown, Collette earned critical acclaim for her role, demonstrating an ability to evoke the utmost dread with discomforting ease.
Collette unflinchingly depicts raw, intense emotions with bravura, often displaying rage and grief in the same breath. Her expressive range forces the audience to feel every moment of fear, despair, and anger as Annie loses her grip on reality and drags her family into the mouth of hell. Collette elevates the emotional stakes of any film by virtue of appearing in it, but Hereditary might be her magnum opus, a performance that greatly enriched modern horror.
Hereditary
- Release Date
- June 8, 2018
- Director
- Ari Aster
- Runtime
- 127 minutes
- Writers
- Ari Aster
1 Bill Skarsgård
Notable Horror Role: ‘It’ (2017)
The modern Robert Englund in every sense, Bill Skarsgård’s portrayal of Pennywise the Dancing Clown in It and It Chapter Two has become even more iconic than Tim Curry‘s legendary turn as the killer clown in the 90s miniseries of the same name. Skarsgård’s performance as Pennywise, the terrifying, shape-shifting entity that preys on children, is positively chilling, embodying the malevolent and grotesque nature of childhood fear with an upsettingly playful energy.
Bill Skarsgård’s talent for horror is further heightened by his role in 2022’s Barbarian, which turned audiences’ notions of him on their heads, proving he can play a hapless horror-movie victim with the same intensity. Skarsgård’s soulful eyes and contortionist expressions contribute to the menacing presence he brings to the screen, while his unsettling mannerisms and vocalizations make him a perfect fit for horror. Joining Willem Dafoe as the titular Nosferatu in Robert Eggers’s upcoming adaptation of the classic monster flick, Skarsgård will undoubtedly continue to be a prominent figure in the horror genre, bringing fresh and innovative performances to future horror projects.