The term Scream Queen is an often-used urban expression that denotes an actress who is well-known or influential for appearing in horror films. There are many famous actresses out there who can claim the title of being a Scream Queen, such as Jamie Lee Curtis, Neve Campbell, and Sarah Michelle Gellar — just to name a few. However, as far as popular horror film titles go, there's only one among them who can claim the title of the Godmother of Horror.
When one considers the amazing career and filmography of the now 79-year-old, Lin Shaye, it's hard to argue that this unique title is a perfect one for her. Shaye now has a film, television, and theater career that's spanned an astonishing four decades and includes appearances in over 100 feature films to date. She's given us some amazing performances over the years that have cemented her popularity as an actress with a huge cult following. Her iconic reputation as the Godmother of Horror stems from her having appeared in over two dozen horror movies to date. As we pay homage to this brilliant actress, here's a look back at Lin Shaye's best performances to date.
15 Alone in the Dark
Lin Shaye has been a screen actor since 1975. She would later grow to amass a huge cult following as an icon of horror films, and some may say that journey began in 1982. It was then that she made a small appearance in a slasher horror film called Alone in the Dark.
She may have had a small role in the film, playing a receptionist in it, but it was no less poignant for her since it would herald the first time the horror legend ever appeared in a film belonging to that genre. As we know now, it certainly wouldn't be her last.
14 A Nightmare on Elm Street
Today, Shaye is a part of some huge horror franchises and is known for her other standalone roles in others too. Back in the '80s, few people may recall that she also made a small appearance in another massive horror franchise. Lin Shaye is one of the few actors out there who can say they were a part of the first-ever Freddy Krueger film, A Nightmare on Elm Street.
In it, Shaye played a teacher. The film of course went on to spawn a worldwide following and a huge franchise of sequels to follow. Her appearance again showed early on that she was already showing an interest in the genre that would go on to define the most successful parts of her career. She would later also play a small role in a spin-off of the Nightmare on Elm Street films, Wes Craven's New Nightmare in 1994.
13 Kingpin
Her iconic horror roles aside, Lin Shaye is also well known for the many times she's appeared in whacky Farrelly Brothers films. In one of her comedic roles, Shaye played a skeezy but hilarious landlord in the '90s comedy Kingpin.
To know Lin Shaye as the dignified actress she is and the respected characters she's more famous for makes this one an unforgettable role that shows she has a wonderful range as a performer too.
Starring alongside Woody Harrelson in the film, Shaye's parts in it made for some sidesplitting moments as she tortures the main character with her demands for rent, and the lengths she makes him go to keep a roof above his head.
12 Insidious: Chapter 2
Lin Shaye is probably best known for her roles in the hit horror franchise that the Insidious films became, appearing in all of them so far. Her iconic character from the films, Elise Rainier, proved so popular that, despite being killed in the first film, she still turns up in all the others through prequel storylines and supernatural means.
In Insidious: Chapter 2, Shaye reprised her role as Elise for the first time. Despite this probably being her smallest part in the films, she proved an integral one to its plot. As ever, the role was played to perfection by Shaye and went a long way in distinguishing her as one of the franchise's most enduring and memorable characters.
11 The Call
While Shaye may be better known for her parts in horror franchises like the Insidious films, she's also often starred in other standalone horror movies. For example, a few years ago, she played one of the lead roles in the chilling horror movie, The Call.
Like many of her appearances in horror movies, the film was hugely popular among her fans and horror fans in general. What made this one more special was that Shaye starred alongside Tobin Bell in the film. Bell himself is of course also an icon of horror from the Saw films, so seeing the pair on screen together was a real treat for horror junkies.
10 Snakes on a Plane
Lin Shaye's propensity for horror films often went beyond the usual supernatural kinds. Back in 2006, she also appeared in Snakes on a Plane. Whether you were a fan of creature features, or simply love hearing Samuel L. Jackson using expletives, the film was a hit.
The concept was a novel one in which its antagonists release a ton of poisonous snakes aboard a commercial flight that causes mayhem for all the passengers. Shaye played the main flight attendant on board this disastrous journey and did a great job of distinguishing herself as one of the most likable characters in what proved to be a memorable film for many reasons.
9 Hate Crime
In what became another memorable role for Lin Shaye, in Hate Crime, she played Kathleen Slansky, a cranky neighbor to an openly gay couple who move to a new neighborhood. The couple begins experiencing hatred and even physical attacks that turn their lives into a nightmare.
Despite the film being panned by mainstream critics, its extremely topical and important social commentary elements brought it a lot of acclaim among niche audiences. Shaye later won an award for her role in the film for Best Supporting Actress at the Breckenridge Film Festival.
8 There’s Something About Mary
In another one of Shaye's comedic roles, she proved to be one of the funniest parts of the hit film There's Something About Mary back in 1998. Playing Magda, the elderly and terminally bronzed neighbor of the main character, Shaye brought charm and hilarity to a character that is one of the most memorable of the actress's career. The film was a huge worldwide hit and grossed over $300 million against a $23 million budget.
7 Dead End
In the English-language, French-made comedy-horror film Dead End, Lin Shaye played the role of a wife and mother who ends up on a horrendous detour with her family on Christmas Eve. The film was widely praised for its twisty plot and other great elements that made it a very entertaining film. For Shaye's part in it, she won an award for Best Actress at the Peñíscola Comedy Film Festival.
Here's a bit of what Variety had to say about it in a review of the film.
"With most of the gore off-screen, and almost the entire film set within the family car or on the country road, Andrea & Canepa manage to sustain interest largely through dialogue, pitched at a satisfyingly pulpy level and played with straight-faced glee by the small cast."
6 EastSiders
Lin Shaye hasn't only earned her acting chops as a film actress. She's also appeared in many successful series as well over the years. In the darkly-comedic series, EastSiders, Shaye appeared in two episodes of the popular show. Following the success and popularity of it as a web series, the show went on to be picked up by Netflix.
East Siders has been critically acclaimed and has gone on to win a host of awards, including Daytime Emmy Awards. Shaye herself won a Daytime Emmy for her role on the show for Outstanding Guest Performer for a Digital Daytime Drama Series. The show follows a gay couple as they navigate perilous issues such as addiction and infidelity, doing so with some amazing charm and wit along the way.
5 Penny Dreadful: City of Angels
In her most recent appearances in a series, Lin Shaye joined the main cast of Penny Dreadful: City of Angels. The show is a spin-off morbid fantasy of the original series, Penny Dreadful, and is set 50 years after it. It went on to achieve positive reviews but was, unfortunately, still canceled after just one season. Nevertheless, Shaye's performance in it was a memorable one as she played Dottie Minter, a sly and formidable woman who is a friend of a detective in the show.
4 Room for Rent
In one of her most chilling and tragic roles, in Room for Rent, Shaye played Joyce, an elderly widow who needs extra money after her husband passes away. After reading a magazine article, she turns a portion of her home into a bed and breakfast to earn some extra cash. After receiving her first lodger, she tries her best to make him comfortable and happy as a guest.
However, the film takes a dark turn when Joyce starts becoming more and more obsessed with her guest and tries to get closer to him. What follows is a morbidly twisted descent into Joyce's chilling actions when she feels rejected by the object of her attention. The film has some chilling moments that play out amid a tragic undercurrent of the main character's psychological damage and loneliness. The film and Lin Shaye's performance in it have been widely praised.
3 Insidious: Chapter 3
Despite her character dying in the first Insidious film, Elise Rainier proved so popular to the horror franchise that each successive movie found a way to have her play a part in it again. In Insidious: Chapter 3, a novel way to do this was to set this installment of the franchise in the past, during a time when Elise was still very much alive.
Shaye's massive popularity among fans of the franchise all but demanded that she return and play a larger part in it. In this film, she again proves integral to the plot. She reluctantly helps a young girl who opens herself up to being haunted when she inadvertently lets in spirits of the dead while trying to make contact with her dead mother.
2 Insidious
When the first film of this now-famous horror franchise was made back in 2010, even its director, the brilliant and iconic horror director James Wan likely never predicted that a supporting character would end up becoming one of its most famous and popular elements. The original Insidious movie proved to be a superhit as a horror film, further entrenching Wan's reputation as one of the preeminent horror directors of our time.
Insidious was the film in which the now iconic Lin Shaye character, Elise Rainier, was first introduced. However, the fame and popularity of the film threw up an immediate concern thereafter. As a psychic medium, Elise helps a family and many others navigate the perils of a supernatural realm known as "The Further." Her gifts, and immense presence by being an elderly woman who isn't afraid to tackle demons and other terrifying entities head-on, made her stand out in the film.
However, one of the most chilling aspects of the film was that Elise was sadly killed in it. Given the popularity that the character went on to enjoy, this was untenable to fans, and every film since has found a way to bring her back because of it. However, Shaye's performance in the first film will always be hailed as one of her best, since it was the first time we were ever introduced to this now iconic character.
1 Insidious: The Last Key
By the fourth installment of the Insidious franchise, Elise Rainier's popularity as a character, and Lin Shaye's as the actress who plays her, were both firmly cemented. With Insidious: The Last Key, the franchise spawned another commercially successful film. This time, fans of the series were given exactly what they all wanted.
Since Elise's popularity in the franchise had grown so influential, fans were treated to a film that revolved solely around her backstory. Not only did the film give viewers a glimpse into Elise's tragic childhood, but it also provided great context to her family, both as a child and in her later years. The film and Shaye have proven massively popular and the franchise seems to have no end in sight, given its appeal among horror fans.
Lin Shaye, through her work in the Insidious franchise and many other notable horror films, has truly earned her cult status as the Godmother of Horror. An icon among millions of horror buffs around the world, fans were thrilled when the trailer for the upcoming fifth film from the Insidious universe showed that Elise will indeed return in that film too. Shaye's popularity among her many fans continues to grow, and given this remarkable actress's amazing career so far, it's easy to see why her stellar reputation is richly deserved.