‘Scream queen’ is an epithet for actresses who have become iconic for portraying roles inhorrormovies. One of the biggest scream queens (who some might call the GOAT), of all time is Jamie Lee Curtis. Curtis has had a lot of big roles in scary movies, including the franchise that some say started the golden age ofthe slasher movies,Halloween. Her mom, Janet Leigh, is also considered a scream queen for her role (especially in one of the most memorable scenes in cinema history) inPsycho.
The ’90s movies created a lot of scream queens, such as Neve Campbell in theScreammovies. The actress did not return for the new installment of the franchise,Scream 6, though, and the baton has been passed to new scream queens. For a woman to be considered a scream queen, she should be in more than one horror movie. However, there are some actresses who did such a great job that they could also be considered scream queens after only starring in one. A few recent examples are Toni Collette for her amazing portrayal of a mother in grief inHereditaryand Florence Pugh in the brightly coloredMidsommar.
Scream queens are an inherent part of the horror genre, and in the past couple of years, there have been some actresses who have earned the title and, therefore, made up a new, more modern part of this group. Here are some of the best modern scream queens.
Update July 19, 2025: In honor of Halloween, this article has been updated with even more great modern scream queens.
13Maika Monroe
Maika Monroestarted in the horror genre with her role inThe Guest.It Follows, her most famous horror movie so far, was released quickly after her first appearance in a scary movie. The movie is about an evil entity that is transmitted only through sex and was so successful that she was quickly called a scream queen and has been in more horror movies since, includingWatcher. Theactress said thatit wasn’t intentional at first, but she has been a fan of the genre since she was little and evenwants to doIt Follows 2.
12Anya Taylor-Joy
Anya Taylor-Joy’s first movie wasThe Witch, and since then has been playing award-winning roles almost every year. She came back to horror in 2021 with her role as a wannabe singer who has her life turned upside down inLast Night in Soho. She has a quality of being extremely unique, from how she looks to the depth she gives in all ofAnya Taylor-Joy’s performances; she is always a delight to watch, even if you are terrified.
11Chloë Grace Moretz
Chloë Grace Moretzhas steadily amassed an impressive horror resume in her decorated career, making her cinematic debut in the 2005 supernatural remakeThe Amityville Horror. Since then, Moretz has made a very strong case for herself as a modern-day scream queen, starring as the titular telekinetic outcast inCarrieand in spine-tingling hits likeLet Me In, Suspiria,andGreta. The talented actress continues to demonstrate her commitment and love for the chilling genre and will no doubt remain a horror staple in the years to come.
10Emma Roberts
Emma Robertshas been in the film industry spotlight for quite some time. She has done multiple projects in various genres, but her roles in scary movies and series have become a trademark for her. She has been a part of the cast ofAHS, orAmerican Horror Story, for a few seasons, as well as literally being in a series calledScream Queens,both produced and created by Ryan Murphy. Her role inScream 4is one of the main reasons why she quickly became a part of this iconic group of women in film.
9Lupita Nyong’o
Oscar-winning actressLupita Nyong’oserved up some serious thrills and chills when she starred in Jordan Peele’s lauded horror hitUs, commanding the screen in her eerie dual roles as a woman whose family is targeted by sinister doppelgängers. Her engrossing and powerful performance helped make Peele’s buzzed-about follow-up toGet Outa critical and commercial triumph, and she effortlessly dominated every scene. Nyong’o also appeared in the underrated comedy horror filmLittle Monsterand is set to appear inA Quiet Place: Day One, the latter of which is likely to elevate her status in the terrifying genre.
8Victoria Pedretti
Victoria Pedrettiis a relatively new name in the industry, but the actress has already become known for the intricate characters she portrays in thrillers and supernatural horror stories. Pedretti was in two seasons of Mike Flanagan’s anthology seriesThe Haunting, playing very different roles in both. She also became a fan favorite inYou, playing Love, a psychopath who just wants to be loved. She hasn’t yet made a horror movie, but her roles in these series make her a scream queen nonetheless.
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7Vera Farmiga
Vera Farmigahad to be on this list. She has portrayed the real-life Lorainne Warren for theThe Conjuringcinematic universe. Farmiga is a phenomenal actress who does not only do horror movies but in the ones she is in, her screams and performances are spectacular. Another role that helped her secure the title was as the famous Norma Bates in the television seriesBates Motel. The actress already stated that she would love to come back fora fourthConjuringmovieand be able to play Lorraine once again.
6Sarah Paulson
Sarah Paulsonis known for being one of the original actresses in the cast of the television sensationAmerican Horror Story. She has played a lot of different characters over the years and was Emmy-nominated five times because of her roles in the show, including two twins that shared a body and had divergent personalities. She has an extensive list of projects alongside creator and filmmaker Ryan Murphy, including another quasi-horror series calledRatched.
5Jenna Ortega
Jenna Ortegahas been one of the newest upcoming scream queens. Her roles in the moviesScream(2022), Scream VI,Studio 666, and Ti West’sXhave solidified her as a scream queen. It appears she wants to act in more horror projects, as she also stars as Wednesday Addams in the smash hit Netflix and Tim Burton seriesWednesday. Jenna is quite young, only 21 years old, but some have already named her the next generation’s scream queen. The actresshas said thatshe feels like she doesn’t have enough horror roles to earn the title, but fans explicitly disagree.
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4Jane Levy
Jane Levycame out swinging when she first dipped her toe into the horror genre, collaborating with director Fede Álvarez in two terrifying films:Evil Dead andDon’t Breathe.Levy appeared as ultimate final girl Mia Allen in the chilling remake of the ’80s classic and followed up her phenomenal performance in the intense and anxiety-inducing flickDon’t Breathe. The actress also appeared as the niece ofThe Shininglegend Jack Torrance in the psychological horror seriesCastle Rockand in the thriller miniseries What/If, effectively claiming her crown as a celebrated scream queen.
