Even though October is over, horror movies can be enjoyed year-round. Everyone has their favorite horror flick, whether you enjoy a classic such as The Shining, or a modern scare such as Nope, there’s something for everyone. Horror films are also flexible with what the content is; different sub-genres keeping the movies fresh and interesting. For horror movies, they’re often looked over for big award shows unless it received rave reviews from fans and critics alike. That being said, there have been many outstanding performances in horror movies by actors who should’ve been credited for its success. Here’s a list of the best performances in a horror film, ranked.
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8 Allison Williams - Get Out (2017)
Universal Pictures
While Daniel Kaluuya rightfully was nominated for an Oscar for his performance as Chris in Get Out, Allison Williams deserves praise for her portrayal of Rose as well. Throughout the entire movie, audiences are worried about Chris as he travels with his girlfriend to meet her parents for the first time, and Williams plays the perfect doting and calming girlfriend in order to soothe her boyfriend’s worries. The way Williams flips a switch when she reveals that she’s in on the torture that her family is putting him through is horrifying and startling; a calmness taking over her face as she presents the keys she was just taking forever to search for. Williams is creepy, mystifying, and convincing in this flick.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
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7 Toni Collette - Hereditary (2018)
PalmStar Media
Vulture states that Toni Collette admitted that Hereditary was the scariest and wildest movie she’s ever worked on, and it’s easy to see why. Hereditary follows a family who’s dealing with the loss of a family member; the grandmother, who was Annie’s mother, and things only get worse from there. After her mother, her daughter Charlie is the next to go, when she gets decapitated by a telephone pole in the backseat of the car her brother Peter is driving. Annie insists the family do a séance to communicate with Charlie, and Collette sells it as Charlie’s spirit takes over her body and changes her voice. Collette has several show-stopping moments in Hereditary, and the performance should have won her an Oscar.
6 Sissy Spacek - Carrie (1978)
Red Bank Films
Carrie was Stephen King’s first novel to be adapted into a horror film, and to this day, remains one of the most iconic horror movies to date. More often than not, if you see a bloodied prom dress, your mind might think of Carrie, or someone might make a Carrie reference. Looper states that Spacek has much to do with audiences still loving Carrie, even though she was originally cast for Chris Hargensen, and not the main character with telekinetic powers. Sissy Spacek was able to embody everything that Carrie White was and made audiences feel for her and justify what she did at the end of the movie.
5 Jack Nicholson - The Shining (1980)
Hawk Films
Jack Nicholson is no stranger to losing his mind on the big screen. The Shining is one of the most memorable movies adapted from a Stephen King novel, and a big part of that was due to the performances from both Nicholson and Shelley Duvall. Duvall actually struggled immensely once filming was over due to how rigorous and frightening it was, so she deserves several accolades for her work. Nicholson, however, was able to tap into the character of Jack Torrance without pause, sliding into the role easily as he lost his mind and went after his wife and child. “Here’s Johnny!” has been copied, parodied, and used in dozens of different forms of media, signifying how memorable Nicholson’s performance was.
4 Lupita Nyong’o - US (2019)
Jordan Peele’s Us was the second horror film from the filmmaker, and introduced a story that was new to viewers and fans of this genre. When a family seemingly comes face to face with their doppelgängers, they quickly decipher that their clones aren’t the friendly type. Lupita Nyong’o delivers the performance of a lifetime as she balances the two characters; the good Adelaide, and the evil one, Red. She’s the definition of creepy as she crawls around the floor and torments the family, her family, and the plot twist at the end will leave you questioning everything.
3 Florence Pugh - Midsommar (2019)
A24
Midsommar wouldn’t have been nearly as successful if it wasn’t for Florence Pugh and the performance she gave for Ari Aster’s second film on this list. Dani and Christian are a dysfunctional couple, who decide to go to Sweden with a bunch of the latter’s friends, and the trip turns out to be a nightmare. Folklore is a main plot point for this film, and Pugh shines in one of her best roles as she goes through each trial and tribulation that their group is put through. Her smile at the end of the film, once she’s crowned the May Queen, signifies that she’s gone completely mad and is accepting her fate.
2 Anthony Hopkins - The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Orion Pictures
The Silence of the Lambs is a phenomenon for not only horror lovers, but film lovers as well. It’s the only horror movie to win Best Picture at the Oscars, and is often used as the backbone for other movies that dive into similar plots. Anthony Hopkins plays Dr. Hannibal Lecter, an imprisoned serial killer who’s also a cannibal. Clarice Starling, played by Jodie Foster, goes to the locked-up doctor for advice on how to catch a different serial killer, and Hopkins truly wows in his role. Lecter wasn’t originally meant to be Hopkins, but after Sean Connery turned it down, Hopkins got the role.
1 Kathy Bates - Misery (1990)
Columbia Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, & New Line Home Entertainment
When Kathy Bates won the Oscar for Best Actress for her role as Annie Wilkes in Misery, Stephen King got his one and only (so far) Oscar for his films. Bates stars as Wilkes, an obsessed fan of novelist Paul Sheldon, and when Sheldon crashes his car close to Wilkes house, one can only imagine the sheer torture he’s put through. Bates has several iconic moments in this movie, such as the unforgettable scene with a sledgehammer and Sheldon’s ankles.
