Comedians And Comedic Actors Who Appeared In Horror Movies And Thrillers
There's one thing that's true of almost all comedians when it comes to movies: they tend to remain within the comedy genre for most of their careers. Funny people tend to make funny movies, but not every comedic actor is content with the same work for their entire adult lives.
Many delve into the other movie genres, and while plenty show off their acting skills in dramas, occasionally, one will sign on for a horror movie or a thriller. It happens rarely, but when it does, and the actor performs well, the performances are often quite memorable.
Each of these actors started out as a comedian before branching out – they decided that they could do more than make us laugh; they could instill fear, dread, and terror.
- 1107 VOTESPhoto: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Robin Williams was one of the world's greatest stand-up and improv comics, and he built a career on his immense talent. Throughout his professional life, Williams appeared in all manner of comedies, but he also dominated whenever he popped up in dramas, proving he was more than a great comic – he was also a fantastic actor. Still, he primarily played in those two genres, but that changed when he took the lead in One Hour Photo.
One Hour Photo features Williams as Seymour "Sy" Parrish, a photo technician who becomes obsessed with a family whose photos he'd developed for years. This leads to Sy crossing many lines, and he terrorizes the family, even going so far as to force them to pose without clothes at knifepoint. Williams is truly frightening in the role, which is unlike his usual fair. Of course, it's not the only time Williams starred in a psychological horror.
The same year One Hour Photo hit theaters, Williams' other psychological thriller, Insomnia, also released. In that film, Williams plays Walter Finch, a crime writer implicated in a murder who ultimately slays some folks. It's another role that's genuinely against his type, and it showcases his talent. Director Christopher Nolan had this to say about casting Williams for the part of Finch:
What I thought of Robin, was, well he is an extraordinary guy to work with and he really gave what I consider to be a flawless performance. I wound up watching the film hundreds of times as we cut it, and I never hit that point with the performance where you start to see the acting. Most performances, at a point, bits start to peel off and away, but with Robin's he was very much in that character. Not that he's a very dark person to work with – he's very lively and friendly and amusing to work with. He really found something within himself. I think it's a very underrated bit of work on his part.
- Photo: Universal Pictures
Riki Lindhome built up a career as a comedian and musician, as she's a singer and songwriter for Garfunkel and Oats. On top of that, Lindhome is incredibly funny on-screen, having appeared in all kinds of comedies over the years. Still, she's never been pegged down to the genre and has multiple credits in various genres, including appearing in Million Dollar Baby and more.
In 2009, Lindhome appeared in The Last House on the Left, playing Sadie. The film centers around the assault of Mari Collingwood (Sara Paxton) and her family's quest for vengeance against the offenders. The film is decidedly horrific, and while you might think it's out of Lindhome's wheelhouse, she proves otherwise in every scene she appears.
- 358 VOTESPhoto: Warner Bros. Pictures
Bill Hader got his start working behind the camera as a production assistant. He also spent his off time taking classes at the Second City, where he unlocked his comedic talents. In 2005, Hader joined the cast of Saturday Night Live, where he firmly established himself as a professional comedian, opening the door for numerous film and TV roles.
While just about everything Hader does is funny, he stepped away from his typical role when he took the part of Richard "Richie" Tozier in It Chapter Two. Richie is a successful stand-up comic, so there are similarities between Hader and his character. That said, very little of his screen time is humorous, as the film is decidedly horrific. Hader shines in the film and clearly demonstrates an ability to handle horror just as well as he does comedy.
- 477 VOTESPhoto: Elevation Pictures
Kevin James got his start on television, appearing in A&E's An Evening at the Improv before landing a recurring role on Everybody Loves Ramond. Soon after, he scored the lead role in The King of Queens, where he distinguished himself as a comedy great. He went on to appear in numerous films, many of which paired him with Adam Sandler.
While James is a talented and funny comic, he proved he wasn't limited in his acting abilities in 2020 by starring in Becky. James plays Dominick, the leader of a gang of Neo-Nazis who raid a family's vacation home. You have to be a talented player to go from playing Paul Blart to the leader of a hate group and make it believable, which James absolutely does in this film.
- 577 VOTESPhoto: New Line Cinema
Jim Carrey is one of his generation's greatest comics, having mastered the art of slapstick while integrating his inimitable contortionist abilities into his act. This made him a comedic superstar, and throughout the 1990s, Carrey starred in a ton of high-profile comedies, including The Mask, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, and Dumb and Dumber, all of which were released in the same year.
Carrey's work has diversified somewhat over the years, but he typically plays a comedic role. He's worked in other genres, including drama and science-fiction, but he shifted gears in 2007 when he played Walter Sparrow/Detective Fingerling in The Number 23. The film is a psychological horror in which Carrey's character delves into the darkness after discovering a book that mirrors his own life. Of his work on the film, Carrey had this to say:
…Fingerling is a detective and he's a very different type of character for me to play, much more edgy. He's an angry, very turbulent guy and I really enjoyed playing him. I was able to explore the darker edges of my personality which really was a blast and something different for me. Fingerling is an a**-kicker. He's not somebody who is looking for trouble - he's expecting it.
- 673 VOTESPhoto: Lionsgate
Chris Rock made a name for himself as a stand-up comic during the 1980s, and it didn't take long for him to dominate on television and in films. He continues to release comedy specials and appears in movies and TV series, so he stays busy, and most of his work has been in comedy, though he's stepped into drama and action over the years.
In 2021, Rock took the lead role of Detective Zeke Banks in Spiral: From the Book of Saw, which is about as far from comedy as a comedian like Rock can get. The film centers around the cops trying to stop a Jigsaw copycat, and Rock's performance helps drive the movie. In the film, Banks finds himself trapped within the killer's machinations, placing him at the center of a lot of the action, and Rock handles the role well.
Interestingly, Rock was the driving force in getting the movie made. The film is the ninth in the Saw franchise, and Rock managed to impress the Lionsgate higher-ups enough that they bit. The film was developed from that point, and the franchise was revitalized as a result. Lionsgate's CEO, Joe Drake, spoke about Rock's involvement, saying the comic's ideas were “completely reverential to the legacy of the material while reinvigorating the brand with his wit, creative vision, and passion for this classic horror franchise.”
- 747 VOTES
Lil Rey Howery, 'Get Out'
Photo: Universal PicturesWhile Jordan Peele stepped away from comedy to become a horror and thriller director, he's remained behind the camera for the most part. Despite this, he's not against hiring his fellow comics for roles within his movies, and Lil Rel Howery was one such comic. Howery got his start on comedy series like Last Comic Standing. He's also made a couple of HBO comedy specials and launched his film career playing Rod Williams in Get Out.
Rod is Chris's friend who works at the TSA, and he stays in contact with him as the film's underlying conspiracy arises. This ultimately pushes him to go to the police to make a statement and ask for help, but they literally laugh him out of the office. Howery gives an honest and thoughtful performance, which is played for laughs due to the situation. Still, in the end, his character saves the day, proving his importance to the story despite his limited screen time.
- 847 VOTESPhoto: Miramax Films
Jon Stewart hosted The Daily Show from 1998 until he left in 2015, and the series is perhaps Stewart's most famous gig. Of course, that's hardly the only thing Stewart has done throughout his career, which is filled with all kinds of feature film and television roles. Stewart gravitated toward comedies many times over the years, appearing in Big Daddy, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and Evan Almighty.
Stewart also delved into horror by playing Professor Edward Furlong in 1998's The Faculty. The horror film centers around a school plagued with strange occurrences, including a dead nurse inexplicably popping up again completely alive and okay. It eventually turns out that aliens are responsible and have taken the forms of the teachers and administration, making the school dangerous. Furlong initially helps the students but later turns on them and is offed in a very cringy way.
- 936 VOTESPhoto: Universal Pictures
Tim Heidecker began working in the industry via his creation Tom Goes to the Mayor, which premiered on Adult Swim. He continued developing animated series with the help of people like Bob Odenkirk and many others. Eventually, Heidecker began appearing in front of the camera, playing various comedic characters in television series and movies, including Bridesmaids, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and many others.
In 2019, Heidecker strayed from his comedic roots to take on the role of Josh Tyler/Tex in Us. The film is a psychological horror written and directed by Jordan Peele. Despite the comedic talent working on the movie, the film isn't funny and doesn't try to be. For Heidercker's part, he plays a regular guy who's killed by his double - they take out his wife as well, and Tyler's double attacks the family at the center of the narrative.
- 1032 VOTESPhoto: Paramount Pictures
Kristen Wiig worked with the Los Angeles comedy troupe The Groundlings before moving to national attention when she joined the cast of Saturday Night Live in 2005. She remained a member of the cast until 2012, and throughout her time on the show, she worked in various comedies, including Knocked Up, Paul, and Bridesmaids.
Wiig diversified somewhat over the years, appearing in films like The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Martian, and Wonder Woman 1984, showing off her ability to take on roles outside of comedy. In 2017, Wiig jumped entirely out of comedy to play Herald in mother!, and while it's not a typical horror film, it's certainly not a comedy.
mother! revolves around a loving couple whose relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive, mucking up their happy lives. The film features fantasy and horror elements, and Wiig's standout performance proves she's more than capable of working outside the realm of comedy.
- 1131 VOTESPhoto: A24
Pete Davidson got his start doing standup and appearing in various TV shows on MTV and other networks as he developed his comedic style. In 2014, Davidson joined the cast of Saturday Night Live during its 40th season. He remained on the show until 2022, and throughout his time on SNL, he appeared in various feature films, most of which were comedies.
In 2022, Davidson appeared in Bodies Bodies Bodies, a comedy horror film about a hurricane party at a remote family mansion that turns deadly. Davidson plays David, whose family owns the mansion, and he's funny and somewhat frightening. David doesn't last long and is the first person killed at the party after his throat is slashed.
- 1239 VOTESPhoto: 20th Century Fox
Danny McBride got his start in comedy, and that's where he's proven his abilities, year after year. He's played memorable characters in Pineapple Express, Tropic Thunder, and Land of the Lost. However, one of his funniest roles was playing a fictionalized version of himself in This is the End. Whatever the role, McBride brings his unique comedic talent to it, often standing out among his peers and setting the tone of whatever scene he's in.
In 2017, he switched things up a bit by taking on the role of Tennessee, the pilot of the Covenant in Alien: Covenant. While the film isn't a comedy by any means, McBride maintains his general comedic demeanor when the situation allows. McBride's work in the movie stands out above his costars. In Neil Soans's review of the film for The Times of India, he called out McBride's performance:
The most surprising performance however, comes from Danny McBride who sheds his comedic roots to dramatic effect.
