What’s horror without a scream queen? And what exactly makes a scream queen? It usually starts with the Final Girl – the girl who survives to the end of the horror movie and usually kills the killer. If they are iconic enough (or have survived enough sequels), they are crowned Scream Queen.
But Scream Queens goes far beyond survivors. Some of the women on this list didn’t survive their run-ins with horror, but because their performances are so iconic and memorable (or simply because of how many horror movies they’ve starred in), they still earn the title of Scream Queen. . Here are the seven best Scream Queens in horror history, some you may already know about, but some you probably wouldn’t expect.
7. Jenna Ortega – Horror’s Latest Scream Queen
Notable films: the Scream (2022), Scream VI,X,Studio 666,Insidious: Chapter 2
Currently starring in Netflix Wednesday And in upcoming horror movies like beetlejuice 2 And scream 7, Jenna Ortega has become one of Hollywood’s hottest stars… and she’s earned much of her fame through the horror genre. His horror career began in 2013 when he got a role in Insidious: Chapter 2 At just 11 years old.
But Ortega would truly become a horror icon in 2022 when she starred in both of the highly anticipated films the Scream Sequel and Mia Goth-led horror film, x, Both the films were hits. Later that year she played the iconic role of Wednesday Addams in Netflix’s Wednesday, with another horror legend Christina Ricci. At this rate, Ortega could be the next Jamie Lee Curtis and Gen Z’s ultimate horror star, serving as a modern scream queen for the future of Hollywood.
6. Meagan Good – Underappreciated Scream Queen
Notable films: Venom, One Missed Call, Saw V, The Unborn, The Intruder, Day Shift
Meagan Good is easily the most overlooked scream queen in horror history. His first horror film was in 2005, in which he starred poison, which leaned heavily into the Southern Gothic genre to create a scary supernatural slasher film set in the bayou. Although the indie film was not very successful, its vibe and style were heavily realized in another indie horror film the following year, AxeWhich became a huge success.
Then, over a period of just one year, between January 2008 and January 2009, Good Starred in one missed call, V sawAnd Unborn, all of which received major theatrical releases and were box office hits. Whereas V saw has gone down as one of the worst saw The films in the franchise nevertheless became a major hit, grossing over $115 million. Also, it featured some extremely brutal murders, in which Good was used as a giant electrical conductor. Good returns with another horror/thriller hit in 2019 the intruderwhere he co-starred with Dennis Quaid, and stars in the 2022 vampire flick, day shift,
5. Danielle Harris – Child Star of Horror
Notable films: halloween 4, halloween 5, urban legend, Halloween (2007), halloween 2 (2009), Hatchet II, Hatchet III, Victor Crowley
It could be argued that Danielle Harris is the ultimate scream queen. The actress has built her career on horror and starred in halloween 4 At just 11 years old. She returned the following year Halloween 5. In the ’90s and early 2000s, Harris moved away from horror to voice Debbie. wild thornberries But Rob returned to his roots for Zombie Halloween Remake, this time starring Annie Brackett.
When speaking to ComicBook, Harris admitted that she almost wasn’t in the Zombies movie, saying, “A fan came up to me at a convention in Boston and said, “I heard you’re going to be in the new movie. ” Halloween, And I was like, “I am?” Harris said that the conversation actually inspired him to reach out to Zombie about being in the film, thinking maybe he would get a small cameo role. But ultimately Harris was invited to audition for the full role. “I just went and auditioned for it like everyone else,” the actress said. “And then, I think once he [Zombie] I got it on tape, it was like, “Okay, we can probably try it.”
Since then, Harris has starred in popular Axe franchise and is set to star in an upcoming horror film StreamAlong with other horror legends like Dee Wallace (Whose), Tony Todd (candy Man), and Felisa Rose (Sleepaway Camp,
4. Sigourney Weaver – Scream Queen in Space
Notable films: Alien, Aliens, Alien 3, Alien: Resurrection, Ghostbusters, The Village, Cabin in the Woods
Sigourney Weaver has created a very unique career for herself. While most horror stars are rarely seen as part of Hollywood’s high-brow inner circle, Weaver has somehow managed to carve out a career where she can do anything. From blockbuster action movies like Avatar Like Oscar-nominated biopics gorilla in the mistAnd even terrifying science-fiction epics like Foreigner,
Even though she is a three-time Oscar nominated actress, she is best known for her work in horror films – especially Foreigner Franchise. In 1979, when the first film was released, it created a stir. Not only were the costumes and effects absolutely stunning (and still look fantastic today), it was the first sci-fi film that was actually scary. In the past, there have been sci-fi movies that definitely had tension and thrills 2001: a space odyssey And solarisBut there was never actually a pant-peeing horror movie made in space.
And it’s led by Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley. Now our Final Girl was no unfortunate young girl forced into a bad situation – Ripley was strong, courageous, and determined from the beginning. She ushered in a new era of horror female looks and acting.
3. Sarah Michelle Gellar – She’s Buffy, damn it!
Notable films: I Know What You Did Last Summer, Scream 2, The Grudge, The Return
Before we even talk about her film credits, we need to state the obvious: Sarah Michelle Gellar has not only been in a number of horror movies, but she’s also been in Buffy. vampire slayer, which single-handedly cements its place in horror history. But in addition to her seven seasons as Buffy, Gellar also has a long career in horror films.
In the 90s, he had two major supporting roles in horror films, both in scream 2 And I Know What You Did Last Summer, both of which were hits at the box office. But after that it was not till 2004 buffy Its final season ended with Gellar getting her first starring role in horror. Grudge, The film was a huge success, and ring A few years ago, the J-horror remake craze started in the mid-2000s.
In an interview with PopEntertainment just before the premiere in 2004 Grudge, Gellar was asked why horror is so important to her. The actress responded, “Women can’t open a comedy like Jim Carrey or open an action movie like Tom Cruise… It seems like the horror genre is where women shine like Naomi Watts ” ring,
2. Neve Campbell – The Scream Queen Who Redefined the Rules
Notable films: Scream, Scream 2, Scream 3, Scream 4, Scream (2022), The Craft
Thanks to the countless sequels in friday the 13th, HalloweenAnd A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise in the ’80s, by the ’90s horror had all but died out – and the slasher subgenre had disappeared entirely. People were bored, and rightfully so. The subsequent films in all three franchises were absolutely terrible. But in 1996, the Scream The premiere happened and everything changed.
Somehow, director Wes Craven managed to create a film that was both smart and funny, often making fun of the horror genre, while also being a genuinely scary horror film. It’s not an easy rope to walk and it could go wrong, never finding the proper balance. One of the reasons it worked so well was our new final girl, Sydney Prescott, played by Neve Campbell.
She was truly a 90s girl and even broke some traditional slasher rules, like the need to remain a virgin to survive in the film. What was even better, though, was seeing Prescott’s character evolve throughout the franchise. As the films progress, she becomes more neurotic and isolated, but also stronger and more willing to fight back, which really shows the effects of trauma on a person.
1. Jamie Lee Curtis – The Original Scream Queen
Notable films: halloween, halloween ii, halloween h20, halloween (2018), Halloween Kills, Halloween Ends, Prom Night, Terror Train, The Fog
Yes, call it cliché or predictable, but Jamie Lee Curtis is the ultimate and best scream queen. That too is original. Yes, his mother Janet Leigh had a small (but highly coveted) role in it crazyAnd yes, Marilyn Burns survived Leatherface four years earlier, but she had no impact on horror like Curtis.
It also needs to be remembered that at the beginning of his career, Curtis was making horror films like crazy. In just four years, from 1978 to 1981, Curtis starred in HalloweenIts sequel, Fog, prom nightAnd terror train, She was an unstoppable force who single-handedly created a plethora of horror films and played a huge role in creating the slasher sub-genre.
While speaking to Variety, Curtis also explained how easy it was to create the original Halloween, In an era when the slasher genre was even a thing, and before films created franchises, Curtis said making the film was surprisingly low-pressure. “We had nothing to lose,” the actress said. “We didn’t know we had something to achieve. We were very happy to find this program. Original Halloween It was made in 17 days with 12 people… everyone was young. There was magic happening and none of us, not one person – I would dare say even John Carpenter and Debra Hill – I don’t think anybody knew.”