Top 10 Times Non Horror Actors Scared The Sh*T Out of the Audience

Black Swan (2010)

The theme of obsession can be one far scarier than your average slasher film. This is one of the reasons why Natalie Portmans performance in 2010s Black Swan is so tremendous. Her relentless pursuit of perfection brings her character to the breaking point and beyond. The hallucinatory imagery at play during Portmans heaviest and darkest moments is harrowing, while the actors commitment is never brought into question. Black Swan was a hit with both critics and audiences at the time, remaining one of the modern eras finest examples of a psychological thriller.

What Lies Beneath (2000)

It had been decades since Harrison Ford last visited the horror genre with his 1977 telefilm, The Possessed. This was, in part, what made his appearance in What Lies Beneath so interesting. The film may be somewhat forgotten now, but both Ford and co-star Michelle Pfeiffer bring it with this tale of a marriage gone south, and a deep, dark secret. The supernatural elements at play are pure, old-school horror movie storytelling, while Ford delivers a deliciously villainous performance. The actor seems to be having fun as he portrays a cheating husband with more than a few skeletons in his closet. But, how far will he go to keep that closet locked forever?

Us (2019)

The horror genre in the modern day certainly isnt as maligned as it once was. More A-list celebrities than ever are willing to dip their toes into genre fare if only to let loose some steam and creative energy. Lupita Nyong'o seemed to be one of those actors when she appeared in Us for director Jordan Peele. Of course, the fact that Peeles star was on the rise certainly didnt hurt, but Nyong'o never phones in her performance. Instead, her haunting stare and that low, rumbling vocal delivery allow her character to get under the audiences skin. Its a mesmerizing performance that helped make Us yet another win for Peele.

American Psycho (2000)

It speaks volumes that the author of American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis, felt that his work was unfilmable. Yet, here we are speaking about whats largely viewed as a classic horror adaptation. The largest pile of flowers deserves to be laid at the feet of Christian Bale, who seemed to perfectly embody the character of Patrick Bateman. Bales performance is at once suave, sophisticated, and barely contained; a loathing and rage bubbling just below the surface. The extremity of the films murder set pieces are juxtaposed against Batemans musings on music and pop culture, and this is by design. Batemans detachment from reality is always brought into question, yet his visceral hatred for every living thing remains sharp as a knife.

Misery (1990)

Fans of Stephen King love to debate the big-screen adaptations of the mans work. Misery is almost always near the top of those lists thanks largely to the performance of Kathy Bates. Its almost impossible now to separate the face and physical mannerisms of Bates from her character of Annie Wilkes at this point. The two are intertwined, an image of mental illness and obsession that keeps a wounded author prisoner in her home. Bates determination to make her captive write a new novel about her favorite characters speaks to the questions of fandom in pop culture. Additionally, her stop-on-a-dime mood swings and violent outbursts become the stuff of nightmares for anybody who saw Misery at a young age.

Nightcrawler (2014)

Those who have followed his career are accustomed to seeing Jake Gyllenhaal give it his all. The mans work in 2014s Nightcrawler remains one of his best. This is a nuanced, compelling performance of an ultimate opportunist; a scavenger of human sorrow. Gyllenhaals Lou Bloom starts as a thief, and never really leaves this life. He only changes the prize. Bloom begins stealing moments of tragedy as opposed to items of value, selling filmed footage to television news stations. Gyllenhaals inherent likability is balanced against Blooms amorality. Its this weighted scale that makes watching Nightcrawler so tense and unsettling.

Fatal Attraction (1987)

They say that love can make us do crazy things, but what if emotional chaos is already present? Michael Douglas finds out the hard way when he cheats on his wife with Glenn Close in this iconic 80s thriller. Closes character in Fatal Attraction has been labeled by critics as everything from an erotomaniac to someone with borderline personality disorder. Alex Forrest seems to initially be aware that her encounters with Douglas Dan Gallagher wont last, but her fear of abandonment leads the character to a violent breaking point. Closes manic and hysterical performance is a sight to behold and helped make Forrest one of the scariest characters of the 1980s.

One Hour Photo (2002)

Some movie fans simply want their favorite actors to do the same thing over and over again, while others relish when these thespians play against type. Robin Williams seemed to be seeking the latter out when he starred in films like Insomnia and One Hour Photo back in the 2000s. The latter in particular is a slow-burn descent into obsession and madness, as Williams portrays a troubled photo technician. His characters own past trauma is hinted at as Williams covertly ingratiates himself into one familys life. This isnt an overly violent character, and Williams Sy Parrish doesnt die in a hail of bullets at the films climax. Hes simply arrested, and forced to live within his own hell.

Hereditary (2018)

Toni Collettes performance in Hereditary is another one that seems emblematic of A-list celebrity talent dipping their creative toes into the muck of horror movies. Director Ari Aster brought powerhouse performances out of his actors for Hereditary, but its Collette that received the lions share of attention. And rightfully so, since its her Annie Graham thats required to deliver so much of the emotional heavy lifting. Grief, trauma, and loss all come into play during Collettes performance, one that ramps up gradually until it reaches a fever pitch during the films occult-drenched climax.


Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.


Matt Dillon, The House That Jack Built (2018)
Descending the Circles of Hell


Sir Patrick Stewart, Green Room (2015)
Picard as Neo-Nazi?! Say It Aint So!


John Goodman, 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
Subterranean Overlord After an Alien Invasion

Cape Fear (1991)

It isnt often that a remake achieves the same important status as its source material. Then again, this remake of 1962s Cape Fear was helmed by none other than Martin Scorsese, who was no stranger to box office gold. Robert De Niro also had the deck stacked against him in this film, since his performance was going up against the legacy of Robert Mitchum, who first terrified audiences as Max Cady. De Niro successfully updates the mesmerizing magnetism of Cady for a new generation, however, without losing a touch of Mitchums original menace. This is a villain with the pedigree of a cult leader and one that serves as a benchmark against which so many other performances are measured.

Which of these performances gave YOU the chills? Let us know in the comments!