Top 20 Creepiest Portrayals of Real-Life Serial Killers

“The Frozen Ground” (2013)

Robert Hansen fancied himself a hunter of humans, often releasing his victims into the Alaskan wilderness and stalking them with a rifle. He murdered at least seventeen women before he was apprehended in 1983. Hansen’s bizarre and terrifying story is recounted in “The Frozen Ground,” with a chilling John Cusack donning his signature glasses. Cusack embodies an everyday man with a horrifying secret life, with his understated performance capturing Hansen’s dual nature - part meek suburbanite, part brutal hunter of women. It’s a great break from his typical roles, and it shows a darker side of the otherwise lovable actor.

“Appropriate Adult” (2011)

Receiving eight BAFTA nominations, “Appropriate Adult” is an acclaimed TV film about the brutal rampage of Fred and Rose West. In a span of twenty years, the Wests killed at least twelve people, although the true body count could be much higher. In “Appropriate Adult,” he is portrayed by Dominic West, who is best known for playing a cop on “The Wire.” Well here he’s on the opposite end of the moral spectrum, drawing viewers into the macabre world of Fred West. He seamlessly switches between affable and monstrous, which is a disturbing reflection of how killers like West can hide in plain sight and evade suspicion. West’s performance was universally acclaimed, and he walked away with the BAFTA for Best Leading Actor.

“The Boston Strangler” (1968)

Numerous movies have been made about The Boston Strangler, including one in 2023 starring an excellent David Dastmalchian as Albert DeSalvo. But the definitive portrayal of the Boston Strangler has to be Tony Curtis’, who played the killer in a popular and groundbreaking film from 1968. While the movie was criticized for its many inaccuracies, it was also praised as a piece of filmmaking, and that extends to the performance of Curtis. He gives us glimpses into DeSalvo’s fragmented psyche through powerful monologues and eerie silences, and his intense commitment to the role adds layers to what could have been a one-dimensional character. He was ultimately nominated for a Golden Globe for his efforts.

“Mindhunter” (2017-19)

While short-lived, this Netflix drama gave us many exceptional portrayals of serial killers, and believe us, we’ll get to them! First off is Sonny Valicenti as Dennis Rader, better known as BTK. Unlike the other killers in the show, BTK wasn’t given an interview sequence that allowed the actor to chew the scenery with mesmerizing dialogue. But Valicenti’s understated performance is no less impressive, with his eerie silence often speaking volumes. He depicts the prototypical creep with startling precision, his silence and awkward mannerisms cluing us into the fact that something is rotten in the state of Kansas.

“Badlands” (1973)

While the character of Kit is fictional, he is based on a man named Charles Starkweather, who killed eleven people in just under two months. For most of these murders, he was accompanied by his young girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate, and the two became national villains. Their brutal story is loosely recounted in “Badlands,” which is notable for being Terrence Malick’s directorial debut. Kit is played by a young Martin Sheen, who captures the character’s cold-bloodedness along with the dark charm that allowed him to manipulate his girlfriend. The casual way he commits murder adds an eerie normalcy to their twisted romance, and Sheen is wonderful in gradually revealing Kit’s inner psychopathy.

“American Horror Story: 1984” (2019)

The ninth season of “American Horror Story” was heavily influenced by the classic slasher films of the ‘70s and ‘80s, featuring - what else - a summer camp and some vicious killers. These characters are fictional, but nestled within them is the real Night Stalker, AKA Richard Ramirez. The season nicely weaves fictional drama with history, and Villa brings the right amount of intensity and swagger befitting Ramirez’s public persona. He also delivers terrifying moments showing just how unhinged the Night Stalker was believed to be, offering little in the way of basic compassion or human decency. He was a true monster, and Villa portrayed his monster tendencies perfectly.

“Snowtown” (2011)

The Snowtown murders is one of the most notorious crimes in Australian history, with dead bodies being found inside barrels in an abandoned Snowtown bank vault. Twelve people died between 1992 and 1999, and the crimes were eventually linked to a small gang of perpetrators led by John Bunting. In this little film from 2011, Bunting is portrayed by a pitch-perfect Daniel Henshall, who walked away with the very first AACTA Award for Best Actor. The movie does not make for light viewing, with Henshall proving utterly psychotic and manipulative as the ringleader of the murderous gang. The movie gives us great insights into his warped psyche, and Henshall is more than up to the task of delivering his various complexities and motivations.

“10 Rillington Place” (1971)

John Christie is an infamous name in British history, having killed eight people inside his Notting Hill flat and storing their corpses in various locations around the house. The address was 10 Rillington Place, which is also the name of the 1971 film dramatizing his crimes. Christie is portrayed by the legendary Richard Attenborough, who plays Christie with a disturbingly calm demeanor. Attenborough’s mastery lies in his subtle expressions and quiet delivery; he doesn't need to resort to over-the-top villainy to evoke unease. Sometimes all you need is a creepy look or a subtly menacing line delivery, and Attenborough provides in full, imbuing the movie with an unbearable sense of dread.

“Mindhunter” (2017-19)

While he only appeared in one episode, Oliver Cooper left behind one heck of an impression playing the Son of Sam. Real name David Berkowitz, he terrified New York City throughout the mid ‘70s, killing six and wounding many more with his .44 Bulldog revolver. He was eventually caught and sent to prison, which is where the FBI agents, Holden and Bill, find him in season two. Cooper is magnificent as the killer, capturing Berkowitz’s eerie mannerisms and unsettling confidence. He’s also great at displaying the killer’s manipulative attitude, eventually admitting that he made up the story of hearing a demon. He just wanted to kill people, and Cooper cuts to the hidden depths of Berkowitz’s terrifying psychology.

“Des” (2020)

Many people know David Tennant as the friendly and affable Tenth Doctor, but this role couldn’t be any further from friendly and affable. Tennant plays Dennis Nilsen, a Scottish serial killer who murdered at least twelve people between 1978 and 1983. Tennant transforms into Nilsen with an unsettling ease, delivering a nuanced performance that captures both the banality and malevolence of the infamous murderer. His ability to switch from mundane to menacing proves his remarkable versatility as an actor, and his startling performance earned him the International Emmy Award for Best Actor.

“Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile” (2019)

Talk about breaking typecasting! How about that Zac Efron as Ted Bundy? The man with the boyish good looks found immense popularity with the “High School Musical” movies, but here he sheds that youthful charm and steps into the mind and body of a notorious serial killer. Efron captures Bundy’s manipulative allure and superficial charm with incredible precision, but he is also capable of revealing the underlying malevolence that makes Bundy one of the most infamous killers in American history. He was always a very tough man to read, and Efron capably portrays his complexities by allowing us to see both the attractive man and the monster hiding underneath.

“American Horror Story: Coven” (2013-14)

We return to that wonderful mix of drama and history that makes “American Horror Story” so endlessly compelling. The third season takes place in New Orleans and stars Kathy Bates as Delphine LaLaurie, a local socialite who is believed to have abused and killed the people in her employ. Bates proved with “Misery” that she could play the unhinged psychopath, and she returns to that mold by portraying the historic serial killer. Her mastery over conflicting personalities is commendable, often masking LaLaurie’s sadistic nature with that ever-charming Southern hospitality. Whether she’s delivering wickedly sharp dialogue or grappling with the character’s historical atrocities, Bates ensures that every moment crackles with intensity.

“Mindhunter” (2017-19)

There are pitch-perfect casting choices, and then there are casting choices that seem like benediction from the TV Gods. Damon Herriman as Charles Manson is one of them. Watching Herriman work is indistinct from watching the real Charles Manson, and if you put the two side-by-side, you’d be hard-pressed to figure out which one is which. Of course, the hair and makeup department deserves a ton of credit, but Herriman’s performance is simply out of this world, capturing the infamous killer’s every little nuance and vocal mannerism. Watch Herriman in “Mindhunter” and then watch him as the bumbling Dewey Crowe in “Justified” and see just what an extraordinary actor he is.

“To Catch a Killer” (1992)

Not too many people have heard of this little TV movie, but they should watch it for no other reason than seeing Brian Dennehy at work. He plays John Wayne Gacy, one of America’s most notorious serial killers and a man responsible for at least thirty-three deaths. Gacy is famous not because he took so many lives, but because he hid in plain sight, acting as a productive member of society and even cozying up to the First Lady of the United States. Dennehy richly captures all the nuances of Gacy, both his charming good guy veneer and that signature malevolence hiding just underneath the surface. It’s no surprise that he received an Emmy nomination for his performance. It is brilliant.

“The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” (2018)

Darren Criss had a monumental task in front of him by playing the elusive Andrew Cunanan. It was so difficult because no one really knew the real Cunanan. He was a master manipulator, the type of person who reads someone and gives them what they want to see instead of what he truly was. And to this day, no one knows why he killed Gianni Versace. Despite all these glaring questions, Criss was up to the task, expertly embodying Cunanan’s many different masks and personas. Watching Criss bounce from one mode to the next is utterly spellbinding, and it’s no surprise that he walked away with the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series.

“Black Bird” (2022)

Nothing much is certain about Larry Hall, a suspected serial killer and Civil War aficionado who traveled all across the country for re-enactments.While Hall recanted all of his confessions, investigators believe that he murdered up to fifty women, which would make him one of the most prolific killers in American history. In Apple TV’s “Black Bird,” Hall is portrayed by an outstanding Paul Walter Hauser, who dons stringy hair, a whispery voice, and a magnificent set of mutton chops. Hauser is both literally and figuratively unrecognizable, embodying Larry Hall and all of his maliciousness and cloudy ambiguity. Hauser would eventually win the Emmy for Supporting Actor, beating out the likes of Richard Jenkins, Ray Liotta, and Jesse Plemons.

“Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer” (1986)

Michael Rooker has enjoyed a long and storied career, now known for “The Walking Dead” and the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films. But long before either of them, he was donning a white tank top as serial killer Henry. He is loosely based on Henry Lee Lucas, a man who confessed to hundreds of murders but who likely committed just three. This highly controversial film is based more on the legend of Lucas rather than the man himself, with Michael Rooker portraying one of the most vicious and merciless psychopaths in cinematic history. The movie has long garnered controversy for its extreme violence and gritty realism, with Rooker’s horrifying performance being far too realistic for comfort.

“Monster” (2003)

One of the most eye-popping transformations in movie history comes via Charlize Theron playing Aileen Wuornos. Theron is literally unrecognizable in the role, using a new accent, wearing fake teeth, shaving her eyebrows, and gaining thirty pounds. That all results in a startling and convincing transformation which sees Theron not just portraying, but becoming the mentally ill serial killer. While the movie attracted some controversy for its sympathetic depiction of Wuornos, Theron’s performance was universally lauded and she won virtually every major award in the industry, including the Oscar. In fact, Roger Ebert called it “one of the greatest performances in the history of the cinema,” and that man knew his stuff.

“Mindhunter” (2017-19)

Of all the exceptional actors to star in “Mindhunter,” Cameron Britton was the breakout star, playing the gigantic and utterly deranged Edmund Kemper. This is one of the scariest serial killers America has ever seen, an imposing man standing 6’9’’ and killer of ten people, including his paternal grandparents and mother. Britton certainly has the body for the role, but he’s also a tremendous actor, expertly toeing the line between polite indifference and complete madness. When he speaks, we listen with rapt attention, and when he threatens an FBI agent, we hold our breath, knowing full well the extent of his depraved capabilities.

“Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” (2022)

The name Jeffrey Dahmer is synonymous with evil, and many people have played him throughout the years, including a marvelous star turn from Ross Lynch in “My Friend Dahmer.” But that movie tells of the killer’s teenage years. If we want the quintessential Dahmer experience, we have to turn to this popular Netflix drama and the acclaimed performance of Evan Peters. Having won the Golden Globe for his portrayal of Dahmer, Peters nails all of his awkward mannerisms and his quiet, reserved demeanor. And when it comes time for the violence, Peters doesn’t hold back, depicting a man unhinged and desperate for blood. The rapid swings in mood are tremendous, and Peters is deftly capable of portraying all sides of the infamous killer.


Can you think of any other great serial killer portrayals? Let us know in the comments below!