In the new class of horror It Girls actress is flying under the radar, but she could be vying for the #1 modern horror queen crown right now. Even though horror has never really struggled as a genre, it's fair to say that it's thriving like never before. With the explosion of streaming and the growing adoption of genre offerings, horror is stranger, more experimental, smarter and in more formats than ever before. Horror anthologies and horror TV series abound, Neon and especially A24 offer inventive horror films, and major horror franchises are coming back from the dead. It's a great time to be a horror fan.
Still, a genre is only as strong as its actors, and horror is no different; horror movies live and die by their last girls. This resurgence has been fueled by smart writing and direction, but also by the genre's excellent performances. Horror has always been a young person's game, with most offerings in the genre aimed at younger audiences. It's no surprise, then, that The best work in the genre is being offered by promising new stars and actresses – and one, in particular, stands out.
Sophie Thatcher has been flying under the radar as horror's No. 1 girl
She's Quietly Assembling a Truly Impressive Horror Resume
Although other horror artists have received more attention lately, such as ScreamJenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera, there many other actresses making their mark on the genre in a quieter but equally compelling way. One of them is the discreet best modern scream queen of them all: Sophie Thatcher. Thatcher is still relatively new to Hollywood, with her first acting credit coming in 2015, but her first major role won't come until five years later, in 2020. When the street lights come on.
Of the 15 projects Thatcher has appeared in so far, half of them are rooted in horrorno matter the format. Her second non-short project was playing young Regan in The Exorcist reboot series. When the street lights come onwhile it's not exactly horror, it could be considered horror-adjacent as a crime thriller and murder mystery with sinister elements. Then came the short horror, Blinkand the acclaimed horror thriller Yellow Jackets. Immediately thereafter, Thatcher starred in three consecutive hits: The bogeyman, MaXXXineand, more recently, Heretic. She's not slowing down either, with more Yellow Jackets and the next thriller Partner in the works.
Yellow Jackets really showcased Thatcher's talent, with the young actress receiving widespread praise for her portrayal of teenage Natalie. Natalie is a troubled character, full of layers and prickly complexity, and Thatcher is widely credited with being the heart of the series. Her portrayal of the younger version of Juliette Lewis' character brings emotion to the role, infusing the horror with warmth. Your turn at the box office milestone Heretic like Sister Barnes was also praised for her nuance and depth, another example of how Thatcher brings another level to every project she's onespecially horror.
Modern horror has benefited from a new crop of young Scream Queens
They reinvigorated the horror genre
Whether one agrees that Sophie Thatcher is the #1 scream queen right now, it can't be argued that the horror genre is experiencing a renaissance thanks to a new crop of talented young actresses who bring new perspectives and lots of new talent to the game. The aforementioned Ortega and Barrera are two of the biggest names, but there is also Anya Taylor-Joy, Samara Weaving, Maika Monroe, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mia Goth and others. It's an excellent lineup of young talent, with several of these names looking like future Emmy or Oscar winners.
|
Actress |
Notable horror/thriller projects |
|---|---|
|
Sophie Thatcher |
The Exorcist, Yellowjackets, When the Street Lights Come On, Blink, The Boogeyman, MaXXXine, Heretic, Sidekick |
|
Jenna Ortega |
Insidious: Chapter 2, Deadtime Stories, You, The Babysitter: Killer Queen, Scream, Studio 666, X, Wednesday, Scream VI, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Death of a Unicorn |
|
Melissa Barreira |
Scream, Scream VI, Abigail, Keep Breathing, Bed Rest, You Monster, The One |
|
Samara Weaving |
Ash vs. |
|
Maika Monroe |
Mudblood, The Guest, It Follows, Tau, Villains, How to Be Alone, The Stranger, Observer, Significant Other, God is a Bullet, Long Legs, They Follow, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, Brides |
|
Anya Taylor-Joy |
The Witch, The Menu, Split, Glass, Marrowbone, Morgan, Last Night in Soho, The Gorge |
|
Jasmine Savoy Brown |
Scream, Scream VI, Yellow Jackets, Missing, Sound of Violence |
|
Mia Gothic |
X, MaXXXine, Pérola, Infinity Pool, Suspiria, Marrowbone, Alta Vida |
Unlike most scream queens of previous generations, these actresses have shown that they are very talented, jumping from horror to other genres with ease. They're not doing horror because low-budget horror projects are the only ones they can get after being pigeonholed as genre actresses like the actresses of old, but because they genuinely love it. This new class of scream queens is wielding their talent and power like never before in the industryleaving his mark on the horror genre and Hollywood as a whole. The result is a golden age of horror; the genre is more interesting than ever and we're luckier for it.