Given to actresses who are notably prominent in the world of cinematic horror, the title of "scream queen" is a fun twist on the classic "screen queen". In order to be awarded the iconic title, actresses become director and audience favorites by portraying strong female characters in popular horror features. The scream queen is more than a dashing damsel-in-distress; she is intelligent, resourceful, and sharp. Often, these women are the final girls of horror narratives — the lasting survivors of whatever evil haunts the screen.
The scream queen has been a foundational character in horror since its inception. Actresses whose high status within horror have been long-established include the likes of Barbara Steele, Neve Campbell, and Jamie Lee Curtis. Although these powerful women have been killing it for decades, the 2020s have seen the emergence of some incredible scream queens whose performances offer refreshing new takes on the classic final girl.
10 Melissa Barrera Got Her Start in Horror With Scream
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Melissa Barrera got her start in the wide world of telenovelas, with the series Siempre tuya Acapulco (2014) and Club de Cuervos (2015-2019) being two of her first opportunities to garner critical acclaim. Her first big film role was in the 2021 Warner Bros. production of the famous musical In the Heights, produced by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
The films that truly catapulted her to fame belonged to the iconic Scream franchise, Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023). It was within these roles that she began establishing herself as a novice scream queen, and Barrera went on to star in the 2024 horror-comedy Abigail as one of the leading characters. Her career in horror has only just begun, and it will be exciting to follow along with her journey in the genre.
9 Kiernan Shipka Stands Out in Totally Killer and Longlegs
Kiernan Shipka's talent in the world of horror has flown under the radar for years. From her debut in the world of horror media in The Blackcoat's Daughter (2015) to her beloved characterization of Sabrina in the dark fantasy show Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018-2020), she has proved her versatility as an actress and budding scream queen. Her leading role in the 2023 slasher comedy Totally Killer cemented her as a horror star, and it's been exciting to see this underrated actress get the applause she deserves.
Her most recent feature was in Osgood Perkins' psychological horror film Longlegs (2024). She has only one scene, but it is so unsettling that her performance makes it stand out as one of the film's most chilling moments.
8 Samara Weaving Is the Queen of Horror Comedy
Samara Weaving is an actress unlike any other on the scene right now. The Australian star launched her career in the macabre in 2017 with the horror comedies Mayhem and The Babysitter. In Mayhem, Weaving teams up with Steven Yeun to deliver a gory and high-octane feature that shows off her unique and confident acting style. The Babysitter is still heralded as one of the greats of horror-comedy, and a sequel was released in 2020.
Weaving has found her sweet spot as a sassy scream queen in the niche and fantastically fun world of parody and comedy horror. Her performances are as chilling as they are hilarious, and it is always a pleasure to see her on screen. Her recent features in horror include appearances in Ready or Not (2019), Scream VI (2023) and Azrael (2024).
7 Kathryn Newton Shines in Lisa Frankenstein
Kathryn Newton got her acting start in television, including hits such as Big Little Lies (2017-2019) and Supernatural (2014-2018).
Like Samara Weaving, Newton has established herself as a queen of the horror-comedy genre. Her debut role within the genre was alongside Vince Vaughn in the 2020 film Freaky, and her most recent appearance was in Abigail (2024).
On top of these performances, her role as the title character in 2024's Lisa Frankenstein cemented her status as a modern scream queen. Following the story of a misunderstood high school girl who adopts a reanimated Victorian corpse (Cole Sprouse) as a friend, Lisa Frankenstein is an offbeat, heartwarming horror-comedy, wherein Newton's performance shines through as an authentic and quirky portrayal of a teenage girl. Her acting style and character types are not unlike those of Winona Ryder and Helena Bonham Carter, two iconic women in the world of the gothic and macabre.
6 Maika Monroe Made Her Horror Debut in It Follows
Maika Monroe has recently gotten a lot of public acclaim for her portrayal of FBI agent Lee Harker in Longlegs, but this is far from her first outstanding horror role. Her breakthrough acting feature was that of the main character in 2014's iconic horror film It Follows, which is now a classic in the genre. This was also her debut as a scream queen, and she quickly became well-known for her aptitude for horror features.
She went on to star in the sci-fi blockbusters The 5th Wave (2016) and Independence Day: Resurgence (2016). She also established her talent in the world of drama with Hot Summer Nights (2017) and Honey Boy (2019). Amid her work in this diverse library of highly rated films, Monroe's roles as a scream queen were in The Guest (2014) and Watcher (2022). Monroe has continued to uphold her title with this year's Longlegs, where she starred alongside Nicolas Cage in the spine-tingling chiller about the FBI's tense hunt for a serial killer.
5 Sophie Thatcher Is Known for Yellowjackets
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The Showtime series Yellowjackets (2021-present) created quite a buzz upon its debut. Following the surviving members of a girls' soccer team after their plane crashes in the Canadian wilderness, the show is an unsettling look at what atrocities regular people can resort to when put in dire circ*mstances. Reminiscent of the dark story of the 1954 novel Lord of the Flies, Yellowjackets is a chilling series in which Sophie Thatcher gets to really show off her talent as a scream queen.
Although she is best known for her work on Yellowjackets, she also delivered an incredible performance in the 2023 supernatural horror film The Boogeyman, based off of a Stephen King short story. Seven years prior to that, she also put in a quick appearance in the Fox's series The Exorcist (2016). Sprinkled into her career with thrillers are sci-fi features Prospect (2018) and Companion (2023). She has also been quite busy on the musical theater circuit, acting in productions of Oliver!, The Secret Garden, and Seussical, to name a few.
4 Anya Taylor-Joy Is a Thrill to Watch
With starring roles in some of the biggest horror hits of the last few years, Anya Taylor-Joy has become well-known for her portrayals of some incredible final girls. Her wide range of acting capability spans genres, and she stuns in romances, period dramas, action pieces, and horror films alike, although some of her most impressive work is seen in the latter.
The most popular horror films on her long list of productions include The Witch (2015), Last Night in Soho (2021), and The Menu (2022). These films do a great job of displaying her range as a scream queen, from the naive and demure Thomasin seen in The Witch to the resourceful and seductive Margot in The Menu. Her commanding stage presence makes her a thrill to watch, and it is no wonder that these films became such big hits with her as a starring actress.
3 Taissa Farmiga's Sister, Vera Farmiga, Encouraged Her to Act
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Taissa Farmiga has been a heavy hitter in the horror genre since her days in American Horror Story (2011-present). She is well-known for her role as Violet in AHS: Murder House, the first season, and her subsequent appearances in seasons 3, 6, and 8. Her acting career debuted with the premiere of the drama thriller Higher Ground (2011), written and directed by her older sister Vera.
Vera Farmiga, of course, is an iconic scream queen in her own right; her starring roles in Orphan (2009) and many films within the universe of The Conjuring have ensured her place as a showstopping horror actress. Fortunately, she encouraged Taissa to pursue an acting career, and the two have both been instrumental members of The Conjuring franchise. Taissa's latest horror feature was in The Nun II (2023), in which she plays the tenacious and devout final girl Sister Irene Palmer.
2 Jenna Ortega Is Perfect for Beetlejuice
Jenna Ortega is the new girl on the block of horror, and she has debuted her presence as a scream queen with a bang. With killer performances in Scream VI (2023) and X (2022), she came onto the scene with guns blazing. It doesn't hurt that besides her captivating talent and charm, she has the perfect horror movie scream that will send shivers up anyone's spine!
Ortega's most highly anticipated feature this year is in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the sequel to the iconic family-friendly horror comedy Beetlejuice (1988). She will play the rebellious teenage daughter of Winona Ryder's character, Lydia Deetz, in the film which is set to release on September 6th of this year. The Beetlejuice Beetlejuice cast has been thrilled about her performance and they have only good things to say about her, citing her incredible talent and perfect casting in the film.
1 Mia Goth Has Incredible Talent
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Mia Goth came onto the scene with ambition and show-stopping talent and has carved quite a niche for herself in the Hollywood world of horror. Her impressive catalog as a scream queen and final girl includes the recent hits X (2022), Pearl (2022), and MaXXXine (2024). Ti West’s trilogy may have catapulted her into the spotlight, but she was taking on major roles in horror features before the iconic A24 films were released.
Her career as a scream queen started in 2017, with the releases of A Cure For Wellness and Marrowbone. An honorable mention under her belt is 2023's Infinity Pool, wherein she stars alongside Alexander Skarsgård in a trippy psychological horror arguably more intense (and definitely more weird) than either X or Pearl. She possesses an incredible talent for commanding the screen in whatever film she is in, and her upcoming performances will definitely be terrifyingly impressive.
