(Don’t forget to check out our list of scream kings, too.)
Jenna Ortega
– YouTube www.youtube.com
She’s Gen Z’s scream queen—Jenna Ortega has become the face of contemporary horror. Her breakout role as Tara Carpenter in 2022’s Scream reboot established her credentials, but Wednesday truly cemented her status as a cultural phenomenon (and great dancer).
In Ti West’s X, she gave us one of the best horror screams of all time.
Her recent projects include Death of a Unicorn, a dark fantasy/comedy horror film written and directed by Alex Scharfman, and the thriller Hurry Up Tomorrow, starring The Weeknd and Barry Keoghan.
Though Ortega exited the Scream franchise, her departure has opened doors to more diverse horror projects.
Melissa Barrera
– YouTube www.youtube.com
Despite some career drama, Melissa Barrera has emerged as one of horror’s most compelling performers. For playing Sam Carpenter in the slasher films Scream and Scream VI, as well as leading the horror-comedies Abigail and Your Monster, she has established herself as a stellar scream queen.
In Abigail, Barrera anchored a high-concept vampire thriller as Joey, a kidnapper who becomes the unlikely hero. She’s slated for a few non-horror projects coming up, but has expressed interest in joining Scary Movie 6.
Kathryn Newton
– YouTube www.youtube.com
Kathryn Newton is one actor I’ll follow into almost any horror film. She’s carved out a unique niche as a comedic scream queen and always makes interesting choices.
Her breakout horror performance came in Freaky (my beloved), which follows a teenage girl who switches bodies with a middle-aged serial killer played by Vince Vaughn.
In 2024, Newton starred in Lisa Frankenstein, a 1980s teen film retelling of Frankenstein, and in Abigail alongside Barrera.
Up next, she will star in Searchlight’s Ready or Not 2, opposite Samara Weaving.
Mia Goth
– YouTube www.youtube.com
Mia Goth has carved out one of the most distinctive positions in contemporary horror through her collaboration with Ti West on the X trilogy, where she achieved a career breakthrough as a scream queen by playing both Maxine Minx and Pearl.
But we can’t forget her darker, arthouse roles, like Suspira, A Cure for Wellness, Marrowbone, and Infinity Pool. We’ll see her soon in del Toro’s new Frankenstein, too.
Anya Taylor-Joy
– YouTube www.youtube.com
Anya Taylor-Joy’s horror credentials were established from her very first film role. Her performance as Thomasin in Robert Eggers’ period horror film The Witch revealed the potential for this young actor to go dark and dramatic. What has followed is a career balancing prestige horror with mainstream success.
In The Menu, she played Margot Mills, a character who becomes increasingly aware that her fine dining experience is turning deadly. She shone in M. Night Shyamalan’s sleeper hit Split. She also had a star turn in the supernatural thriller Last Night in Soho.
Maika Monroe
– YouTube www.youtube.com
Maika Monroe is one of horror’s most reliable performers. She burst on the scene with two roles the same year in The Guest and It Follows, which established her as a formidable scream queen. Later, she went on to star in the atmospheric serial killer thriller, Watcher.
Her latest film, Longlegs, has become Neon’s highest-grossing film domestically, the highest-grossing independent film of the year, grossing $128 million worldwide on a budget of less than $10 million.
Monroe also has They Follow in development, which she teases will be “bigger and darker and more fucked up” than the original. Can’t wait.
Lupita Nyong’o
– YouTube www.youtube.com
While Lupita Nyong’o may be best known for dramatic work, she has dabbled in the horror genre through some pretty iconic roles.
Her breakout horror role came in Jordan Peele’s Us, where she played two characters. As Adelaide, she’s a mother battling to protect her family, while as Red, she’s the eerie, soft-spoken figure leading a nightmarish reckoning.
Nyong’o expanded her horror credentials with the zombie comedy Little Monsters, playing a kindergarten teacher protecting children during the apocalypse.
Most recently, she starred in A Quiet Place: Day One, playing Samira, a terminally ill character caught in an alien invasion.
Samara Weaving
– YouTube www.youtube.com
Samara Weaving’s journey into the horror genre began with The Babysitter, but it was her role in Ready or Not that truly established her as a horror icon. In that film, she portrayed Grace, a humble and snarky bride hunted by her devil-worshipping in-laws on her wedding night.
Her 2024 film Azrael showcased another side of her talents, playing a mute survivor in a post-apocalyptic world where she had to convey fear and rage through physical performance.
Let us know any of your favs that we left out.