Some actors chase Oscars, while others prefer to lurk in the audience’s nightmares rent-free. These terrifying legends have redefined horror cinema for generations, from classic creatures of the night to iconic “Scream Queens”. Here on this list, we’ll be taking a look at ten performers who made history by making our skin crawl.
10. Toni Collette
When Toni Collette played a concerned mother in The Sixth Sense, little did she know she would become a veritable icon of modern horror. Her performance in Hereditary is as chilling as it is captivating, truly an Oscar-worthy horror performance if there ever was one.
9. Christopher Lee
Though many might remember him as Saruman or Count Dooku, Lee’s first major villain role came with his imposing portrayal of Dracula in the Hammer horror universe, where he played the Count in seven films.
8. Bruce Campbell
Ash Williams’ transformation from a scared survivor to a full-blown action hero in the Evil Dead saga would have been unachievable by anyone other than Bruce Campbell. No one else has Campbell’s unique skill to deliver the most memorable one-liners in a horror film.
7. Robert Englund
If there ever were an actor who lived in our nightmares, that would be Robert Englund. He created Freddy Krueger from the ground up, complete with his famous potty mouth.
6. Linda Blair
For anyone born in the ’60s, Linda Blair was the very definition of a horror icon. Her legendary performance as Regan in The Exorcist is still positively bone-chilling.
5. Anthony Perkins
Alfred Hitchcock may have reinvented the horror genre with Psycho, but Perkins’ performance as the unstable Norman Bates is what made this thriller truly legendary, especially with that final scene with him in a straitjacket, giving the audience one final, menacing look.
4. Lon Chaney Sr.
The original Phantom of the Opera, Lon Chaney spent most of his acting career hiding under layers of makeup and prosthetics, but nothing could conceal his undeniable talent when it came to embodying timeless horror monsters.
3. Boris Karloff
For many die-hard horror fans, Boris Karloff remains the definitive Frankenstein’s monster. Karloff made a living playing misunderstood outcasts who could terrify you one moment and break your heart the next, establishing the enduring idea that horror can be much more tragic and not just explicitly disturbing.
2. Bela Lugosi
When we think of Count Dracula, we subconsciously think of Bela Lugosi. This icon of the silver screen embodies the perfect blend of menace and regality that a character like Count Dracula demands. This unique talent led him to star in over fifteen horror films throughout his career. He was also in Plan 9 from Outer Space, but we don’t talk about that.
1. Vincent Price
Price is the kind of genius that appears once in a generation. Everything about Price screams “horror icon,” from his eerie on-screen presence to his haunting (but undeniably soothing) voice. Price starred in more horror films than we can count, and became an inspiration for filmmakers like Tim Burton and Guillermo del Toro.
