Janet Leigh screamed her way through the 1960s, Jamie Lee Curtis barely survived Michael Myers throughout the 1970s and 80s, Neve Campbell became the modern self-aware scream queen of the 1990s, and Sarah Michelle Gellar slayed (literally and figuratively) throughout the 2000s.
Who will be our next scream queen and what will she be known for?
When you think of the leading female actresses currently dominating the horror genre so many come to mind, especially nowadays where horror films seem to be coming out constantly throughout the year. In the United States alone, almost a fifth of the Top 100 most-in-demand movies released in 2022 were horror titles.
So, in an era where the competition is at an all-time high, who reigns supreme?
Enter the Contenders
Anya Taylor-Joy
First up, Anya Taylor-Joy. She had us hooked from The Witch. Honestly, who knew whispering about goats could be so terrifying? It’s crazy to think that that was her first credited feature film role.
While The Queen’s Gambit (2020) might have boosted her into superstardom, many of her original fans would have known her from previous roles like Split (2016) and Marrowbone (2017).
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Maika Monroe
Maika Monroe burst onto the horror scene with It Follows (2014), a film that scared everyone from having one-night stands for at least a week. After that role, she continued to star in other pictures like Tau (2018), Villains (2019), Watcher (2022) and much more recently in Longlegs (2024) which came out early this summer.
Samara Weaving
Taking on much more nondramatic roles, Samara Weaving stands out in the scream queen line-up with her more fun, camp films like The Babysitter duology and Ready or Not (2019). It’s her ability to scream and crack a joke in the same breath that makes her a fan favourite for a lot of horror buffs.
I’d like to think she’s how I would behave if I was ever in a horror situation. *knocks on wood* Also, being chosen as the first character to die at the start of a Scream film is pretty iconic.
Vera Farmiga
Vera Farmiga might as well have a PhD in the Paranormal Activity. The Conjuring series gave us Lorraine Warren and Farmiga brought gravitas and authenticity to the role despite the unlikability of the real-life person. Her work in Bates Motel (2013) and Orphan (2009) only cements her status.
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Lupita Nyong’o
How could I not mention Lupita Nyong’o after her performance in Us (2019)?! Playing dual roles as Adelaide Wilson and her doppelgänger Red, Nyong’o delivered a chilling act that was both terrifying and heartbreaking.
This was further seen in A Quiet Place: Day One (2024) as she comes to terms with both her terminal illness and the literal apocalypse. I know now to always expect to cry if I see her name in a horror picture line-up.
Kate Siegel
Kate Siegel is practically the queen of Netflix horror thanks to her collaborations with filmmaker and husband Mike Flanagan. From Hush (2016) to The Haunting of Hill House (2018) and Midnight Mass (2021), whatever role Siegel plays always has me falling in love with her. Despite mostly starring in TV shows, it felt like an injustice if she wasn’t included in this list.
Sophie Thatcher
While Sophie Thatcher hasn’t technically reached full scream queen status yet, I am really excited to follow her career. Known for her role as Young Natalie in the TV series Yellowjackets, she is quickly making a name for herself in the horror community having starred in Prospect (2019), Stephen King’s The Boogeyman (2022), and appearing briefly in MaXXXine (2024).
You can see her next horror project in theatres this November for Heretic (2024) also starring Hugh Grant and Chloe East.
Jenna Ortega
After her ear-piercing scream in Ti West’s X (2022), Jenna Ortega became a force to be reckoned with in the horror space. Having also starred in the revitalised Scream franchise and Tim Burton’s Netflix series, Wednesday all in the same year, she was the face of horror in 2022.
Her ability to balance vulnerability with strength, all while delivering blood-curdling screams, ensures that she will be haunting our dreams—and our screens—for years to come.
And we think the crown goes to…
Mia Goth
From screaming her iconic line “I will not accept a life I do not deserve!” to staring directly at the camera for six minutes straight while smiling and refusing to blink, is it really a surprise that Mia Goth has currently placed first as this generation’s scream queen?
Marrowbone (2017), A Cure for Wellness (2017), Suspiria (2018), X (2022), Pearl (2022), Infinity Pool (2023) and MaXXXine (2024)—it is clear to see that Mia has a love for the genre and steals the show of almost any horror film she stars in.
It’s hard to compare her to previous scream queens as she strays away from the typical criteria of being an almost final girl screaming herself away from danger as Goth takes on roles playing both the victim and the villain.
While she does star in other genres, she is most known and recognised for her role as Maxine and Pearl in Ti West’s ‘X’ Franchise. Now that the series has come to an end, you can see her next in Guillermo del Toro’s upcoming Frankenstein (2025) currently in production.
Not much has been revealed about the movie but Mia has stated “It’s been amazing. It’s everything that I wanted it to be and more. I love Guillermo, I love working with him, he’s an incredible director, everyone knows that, but he’s also such a wonderful person. And I’m very excited.”
Set to release on Netflix, Frankenstein will also star Saltburn’s Jacob Elordi, Oscar Isaac, Christoph Waltz, and Ralph Ineson.
