Best Horror Actresses of All Time

Horror has launched careers, reinvented stars, and given performers some of the most challenging roles on screen, from tormented survivors to complex villains and everything in between. The actresses below have anchored box-office hits, critical favorites, cult classics, and long-running franchises. They’ve carried stories across slashers, supernatural chillers, psychological nightmares, and folk terrors, often returning to the genre throughout their careers. Here are forty performers whose bodies of work have shaped how horror looks, sounds, and scares.

Jamie Lee Curtis

Jamie Lee Curtis made her feature debut in ‘Halloween’ and returned to the franchise across multiple sequels, including ‘Halloween H20’ and ‘Halloween Ends’. Outside that series, she led ‘The Fog’ and ‘Prom Night’, helping define slasher conventions through recurring final-girl roles. Her work also spans thriller hybrids such as ‘Terror Train’. Curtis balances genre titles with major studio films and television projects across decades of screen acting.

Linda Blair

Linda Blair portrayed Regan MacNeil in ‘The Exorcist’, a performance central to possession narratives in mainstream cinema. She continued with ‘Exorcist II: The Heretic’ and appeared in multiple horror and exploitation titles. Blair’s career includes television work, documentary appearances, and public advocacy focused on animal welfare. She remains closely associated with the franchise through interviews and retrospectives.

Sigourney Weaver

Sigourney Weaver fronted the ‘Alien’ series as Ellen Ripley in ‘Alien’, ‘Aliens’, ‘Alien 3’, and ‘Alien: Resurrection’. She appeared in meta-horror projects like ‘The Cabin in the Woods’ and took roles in thrillers and dark fantasies. Weaver’s filmography shows frequent collaboration with genre-defining directors and effects-driven productions. Her character work established a model for resilient protagonists in sci-fi horror.

Toni Collette

Toni Collette headlined ‘Hereditary’, drawing wide attention to family-centered folk horror. Earlier, she appeared in ‘The Sixth Sense’ and later in genre-leaning projects like ‘Krampus’. Collette’s roles often involve psychologically layered characters navigating grief and moral strain. Her filmography also spans independent dramas, comedies, and limited series work.

Sissy Spacek

Sissy Spacek starred in ‘Carrie’, bringing Stephen King’s story to the screen through a focus on adolescent trauma and telekinesis. She later appeared in ‘Castle Rock’, connecting her to the King multiverse on television. Spacek’s broader career covers dramas such as ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’ and ‘Badlands’. Her work in horror continues to influence depictions of outsider protagonists.

Shelley Duvall

Shelley Duvall played Wendy Torrance in ‘The Shining’ under the direction of Stanley Kubrick. She worked extensively with Robert Altman and produced ‘Faerie Tale Theatre’ for television. Duvall’s screen presence blends vulnerability with resilience across genres and budgets. She is frequently discussed in making-of features and film scholarship focused on psychological horror.

Mia Farrow

Mia Farrow led ‘Rosemary’s Baby’, shaping urban paranoia and occult storytelling for studio-era horror. She later appeared in miniseries and television films while continuing stage work. Farrow’s broader career includes collaborations across drama and comedy. Her advocacy and published memoirs keep her in public discourse alongside film appearances.

Neve Campbell

Neve Campbell anchored the ‘Scream’ franchise as Sidney Prescott across multiple installments. She also starred in ‘The Craft’ and maintained a television presence with ‘Party of Five’. Campbell’s work bridges teen drama, thriller, and slasher subgenres. She remains an active figure in franchise press, conventions, and genre retrospectives.

Heather Langenkamp

Heather Langenkamp became synonymous with Nancy Thompson in ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’, returning for ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors’ and ‘Wes Craven’s New Nightmare’. Beyond acting, she has worked in special makeup effects through AFX Studio. Langenkamp frequently appears in documentaries and fan events tied to the series. Her career spans film, television, and behind-the-scenes artistry.

Vera Farmiga

Vera Farmiga co-leads ‘The Conjuring’ universe as Lorraine Warren, appearing in multiple entries. She portrayed Norma Bates in ‘Bates Motel’, expanding the ‘Psycho’ mythology for television. Farmiga balances genre roles with prestige dramas like ‘Up in the Air’. Collaborations with filmmakers such as James Wan have sustained modern studio horror franchises.

Barbara Crampton

Barbara Crampton’s early work with Stuart Gordon includes ‘Re-Animator’ and ‘From Beyond’. She later returned to the genre with ‘You’re Next’, ‘We Are Still Here’, and ‘Jakob’s Wife’. Crampton also produces and advocates for independent horror through festival circuits. Her filmography connects cult classics with contemporary genre releases.

Dee Wallace

Dee Wallace starred in ‘The Howling’, ‘Cujo’, and ‘Critters’, working across creature features and survival stories. She also appeared in ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’, introducing her to a broad family audience. Wallace continues acting in independent productions and television. She writes and speaks on motivational topics while remaining active at conventions.

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Sarah Michelle Gellar headlined ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ on television, blending horror, fantasy, and coming-of-age storytelling. Her film credits include ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’, ‘Scream 2’, and ‘The Grudge’. Gellar has produced and voiced characters in animation. She remains associated with the shift toward serialized mythology in genre TV.

Naomi Watts

Naomi Watts led ‘The Ring’ and its sequel, helping introduce J-horror remakes to mainstream Western audiences. She collaborated with David Lynch on ‘Mulholland Drive’ and ‘Twin Peaks’. Watts balances studio releases with independent dramas and limited series. Her horror roles often intersect with psychological and supernatural elements.

Lupita Nyong’o

Lupita Nyong’o starred in ‘Us’, performing dual roles within a home-invasion and doppelgänger framework. She also appeared in ‘Little Monsters’, a horror-comedy set during a zombie outbreak. Nyong’o’s career includes an Academy Award for ’12 Years a Slave’ and major franchise work in ‘Black Panther’ and ‘Star Wars’. She contributes to stage readings, advocacy, and documentary narration.

Anya Taylor-Joy

Anya Taylor-Joy broke out with ‘The Witch’ and followed with genre entries such as ‘Split’ and ‘Glass’. She has worked in period drama with ‘Emma.’ and high-concept satire in ‘The Menu’. Taylor-Joy voices characters in animation and appears in action franchises. Her early career features a strong concentration in atmospheric and psychological horror.

Florence Pugh

Florence Pugh led ‘Midsommar’, collaborating with writer-director Ari Aster on folk-horror themes. She has appeared in thrillers like ‘Malevolent’ and in dramas including ‘Little Women’. Pugh’s work extends to action and franchise titles, as well as limited series. Her roles often center grief, relationship dynamics, and moral conflict.

Isabelle Adjani

Isabelle Adjani’s performance in ‘Possession’ pushed body-horror and psychological breakdown into art-house territory. She maintains a substantial European film career across historical dramas and thrillers. Adjani’s work has earned major festival recognition and national awards. Her contributions bridge genre cinema and auteur-driven projects.

Kathy Bates

Kathy Bates won the Academy Award for Best Actress for ‘Misery’, adapted from Stephen King’s novel. She later appeared in ‘American Horror Story’ across multiple seasons. Bates’s career spans Broadway, film, and television, including directing credits. Her roles frequently explore moral ambiguity through intense character studies.

Bette Davis

Bette Davis starred in ‘What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?’ and ‘Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte’, energizing a subgenre often linked to psychological melodrama. Her earlier career established her as a major Hollywood figure across dramas and noirs. Davis also worked on stage and television. Late-period roles connected classic studio-era acting to modern horror-thrillers.

Jenna Ortega

Jenna Ortega leads ‘Wednesday’, reimagining Wednesday Addams for contemporary audiences. She appears in ‘Scream’ entries and in Ti West’s ‘X’. Ortega’s credits include family and teen programming, bridging audiences across age groups. She continues to work in both studio projects and independent films.

Samara Weaving

Samara Weaving headlined ‘Ready or Not’, a survival thriller with darkly comic elements. She has appeared in ‘The Babysitter’ films and ‘Scream VI’. Weaving’s career spans television series like ‘Ash vs Evil Dead’ and streaming projects. She frequently collaborates on genre pieces that mix suspense and humor.

Danielle Harris

Danielle Harris appeared in ‘Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers’ and ‘Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers’, later returning in Rob Zombie’s remakes. She also stars in the ‘Hatchet’ franchise. Harris began as a child actor and transitioned into adult genre roles. She engages with fans through conventions, podcasts, and independent productions.

Barbara Steele

Barbara Steele became a face of Italian gothic horror through films like ‘Black Sunday’ and ‘The Long Hair of Death’. She worked with directors such as Mario Bava and Riccardo Freda. Steele later appeared in ‘Piranha’ and television projects, maintaining ties to genre cinema. Her screen image helped define European horror’s atmospheric style.

Patricia Arquette

Patricia Arquette appeared in ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors’ and later led ‘Stigmata’. Her broader career includes ‘Boyhood’, ‘Medium’, and multiple limited series. Arquette has combined film and television work with producing. She continues to take roles across thriller, drama, and true-crime projects.

Janet Leigh

Janet Leigh’s performance in ‘Psycho’ reshaped on-screen suspense through a now-classic midpoint narrative jolt. She reunited with John Carpenter for ‘The Fog’, appearing alongside Jamie Lee Curtis. Leigh’s broader career includes comedies, dramas, and television guest roles. She authored books and participated in retrospectives examining her most famous work.

Fay Wray

Fay Wray headlined ‘King Kong’, helping define effects-driven creature features and the early scream-queen image. She also appeared in ‘The Most Dangerous Game’, produced alongside the ‘King Kong’ team. Wray worked across dozens of films through the 1930s, spanning thrillers and melodramas. She later embraced preservation efforts and public engagements celebrating early Hollywood.

Tippi Hedren

Tippi Hedren starred in ‘The Birds’ under Alfred Hitchcock, showcasing large-scale practical effects and location work. She continued with the director on ‘Marnie’ and later returned to genre projects in television and independent film. Hedren’s career expanded into animal activism and authorship. She has appeared in documentaries discussing production techniques and industry practices of the period.

Elsa Lanchester

Elsa Lanchester portrayed the title role in ‘Bride of Frankenstein’, creating one of classic horror’s most recognizable images. She also appeared in thrillers like ‘The Spiral Staircase’ while maintaining a varied stage and screen career. Lanchester frequently collaborated with Charles Laughton on dramatic and comedic projects. Archives and museum programs often cite her work when tracing Universal horror.

Marilyn Burns

Marilyn Burns led ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’, shaping survival narratives in low-budget horror. She reunited with director Tobe Hooper for ‘Eaten Alive’ and later made franchise-linked appearances. Burns worked in film and regional theater with ties to Texas-based productions. Convention interviews and features document the production history surrounding her projects.

Lin Shaye

Lin Shaye anchors the ‘Insidious’ films as Elise Rainier, becoming a central figure in a modern supernatural franchise. Earlier credits include ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ and cult titles such as ‘Dead End’. Shaye’s career spans comedy, drama, and horror, with frequent collaborations at New Line Cinema. She continues to support independent projects and festivals through panels and premieres.

Katharine Isabelle

Katharine Isabelle broke through with ‘Ginger Snaps’ and returned for its sequels alongside Canadian genre filmmakers. She fronted ‘American Mary’ and appeared in ‘Freddy vs. Jason’, connecting her to multiple fandoms. Isabelle works across film and television, including crime and medical dramas. She regularly participates in convention circuits and media focused on women in horror.

Mia Goth

Mia Goth leads Ti West’s trilogy through ‘X’, ‘Pearl’, and ‘MaXXXine’, spanning slasher, character study, and industry satire within one continuity. She appeared in the ‘Suspiria’ reimagining and in psychological and body-horror projects with auteur directors. Goth’s filmography moves between independent cinema and studio-backed releases. Festival Q&As and profiles highlight her involvement in developing character backstories.

Rebecca Hall

Rebecca Hall fronted ‘The Night House’, centering a grief-focused supernatural narrative. She previously starred in ‘The Awakening’ and later in the psychological thriller ‘Resurrection’. Hall’s career includes directing and producing, alongside roles in historical dramas and literary adaptations. She frequently discusses performance technique and sound design in genre storytelling.

Elisabeth Moss

Elisabeth Moss led ‘The Invisible Man’, collaborating with Blumhouse and director Leigh Whannell on a tech-inflected approach to terror. She appeared in ‘Us’ and portrayed Shirley Jackson in ‘Shirley’. Moss balances film roles with acclaimed television work that explores dystopia and psychological tension. She also produces, shaping material from development through release.

Emily Blunt

Emily Blunt co-led ‘A Quiet Place’ and its sequel, integrating family survival with precise sound-driven suspense. Earlier, she appeared in ‘The Wolfman’ and the wintry chiller ‘Wind Chill’. Blunt’s broader career includes action, musical, and historical films across major studios. She has collaborated repeatedly with writer-director teams on character-forward genre stories.

Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman headlined ‘The Others’, a gothic haunted-house tale built on atmosphere and misdirection. She later explored unsettling territory in ‘Stoker’ and ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer’. Kidman’s screen work spans international productions, limited series, and independent films. She also produces projects that foreground strong central performances.

Carla Gugino

Carla Gugino has become a mainstay in Mike Flanagan’s projects, including ‘Gerald’s Game’, ‘The Haunting of Hill House’, and ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’. She appears across genres in film and television, from thrillers to superhero adaptations. Gugino’s stage background complements her screen work, especially in ensemble storytelling. She contributes commentaries and panels examining modern gothic narratives.

Kate Siegel

Kate Siegel co-wrote and starred in ‘Hush’, then joined ‘Oculus’, ‘The Haunting of Hill House’, ‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’, and ‘Midnight Mass’. She collaborates frequently with Mike Flanagan, alternating between leading and pivotal supporting roles. Siegel’s credits include guest appearances in procedural television and independent features. Press materials document her involvement in script development and character construction.

Asia Argento

Asia Argento starred in Italian genre works including ‘Trauma’, ‘The Stendhal Syndrome’, and ‘Dracula 3D’, connecting two generations of giallo and horror filmmaking. She began acting as a child in ‘Demons 2’ and later directed features and music videos. Argento’s filmography spans international co-productions and festival circuits. She remains linked to European horror history through family collaborations and retrospectives.

Share the names you’d add and the performances that left you sleepless in the comments!