A horror movie with a female villain can be surprising due to audience expectations and norms of how violence breaks down by gender in real life. This means that when villains are women, the surprise factor and actresses playing against type can create an especially shocking and entertaining experience. Gathered here are the most vicious, scary, or simply memorable female villains in horror, ranked with the best at the bottom of this list.
Warning: A few of these villains aren’t revealed until the end of the film, so if you aren’t well-versed in horror, you may be spoiled by this list. Scroll carefully!
Here are the most iconic female villains in horror history:
10. La Femme from Inside (2007)
Played by Beatrice Dalle, “La Femme” is one of the most sadistic and violent villains on this list. The day before newly widowed Sarah is due to give birth, a mysterious woman shows up at her home demanding entry. A brutal home invasion follows in which Sarah and everyone who comes to her rescue is attacked by La Femme. Her motive is revealed as wanting to take Sarah’s baby for herself.
I want one.
La Femme, Inside
9. Asami Yamazaki from Audition (1999)
A widower named Shigeharu Aoyama holds a fake audition for the purpose of finding a new wife. He is attracted to Asami Yamaza (Eihi Shiina) and impressed by her empathy. The two begin dating, and Asami asks Aoyama to love only her. She is enraged when she finds a photo of his deceased wife, realizing that Aoyama still loves her, and she drugs him. When the drug paralyzes Aoyama, Asami takes the opportunity to ruthlessly torture him with needles as punishment for loving someone besides her.
I’ve never had anyone to talk to. You were the first person to support me. Warmly accepting me, trying to understand me. I’m sorry, but it’s hard to forget that.
Asami Yamazaki, Audition
8. Lola Stone from The Loved Ones (2009)
Played by Robin McLeavy, Lola is turned down for the prom by her classmate Brett, who plans to go with his girlfriend, Holly. Instead, Lola and her father kidnap Brett and hold him hostage in their home, which is decorated as a prom. Lola turns out to be a sadistic killer who permanently destroys Brett’s vocal cords and gets off on torturing him.
Bring the hammer, Daddy.
Lola, The Loved Ones
7. Mrs. Loomis from Scream 2 (1997)
Played by Laurie Metcalf, Mrs. Loomis is the mother of Billy Loomis, who is angry at Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) for killing him and because Sidney’s mother had an affair with her husband. Disguised as a reporter named Debbie Salt, Mrs. Loomis works with her partner to kill off Sidney’s friends at Windsor College.
No. I’m very sane. My motive isn’t as “90s” as Mickey’s. Mine is just good old-fashioned revenge. You killed my son! And, now, I kill you and I can’t think of anything more rational.
Mrs. Loomis, Scream 2
6. Mrs. Carmody from The Mist (2007)
Played by Marcia Gay Harden, Mrs. Carmody isn’t the big bad guy in this supernatural sci-fi thriller based on a story by Stephen King. However, for a side character Mrs. Carmody is pretty memorable and scary. As a group of survivors are trapped inside a grocery story as a malevolent mist lingers outside, Mrs. Carmody is a religious nut who whips up paranoia among the group. She trades on this chaos to gain power within the group and begins demanding human sacrifices be offered to The Mist.
I have a friend. God, up above. I talk to him every day. Don’t you condescend me.
Mrs. Carmody, The Mist
5. Sue Ann Ellington from Ma (2019)
Played by Octavia Spencer, Sue Ann “Ma” Ellington is a Ohio vet tech who is asked to buy alcohol by a group of local high-school students. She invites the students to her home and allows them to drink and party in her basement, ostensibly out of loneliness. When she is confronted by one of the boys’ fathers, Ben, it is revealed that in high school Ben arranged for Sue Ann to be raped and publicly humiliated in front of their classmates. Sue Ann has been taking revenge on the children of the people who bullied her.
Some people just fit right in.
Sue Ann ‘Ma’ Ellington, Ma
4. Santanico Pandemonium from From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
Played by Salma Hayek, Santanico “The Mistress of the Macabre” works as a stripper at the Titty Twister bar on the U.S.-Mexico border. While her role in the film is small, Santanico leads an unforgettable scene where she dances with a snake and makes Quentin Tarantino’s character drink whiskey from her toes. Santanico then reveals herself as a vampire, and she and her coworkers massacre as many patrons as they can.
I’m not gonna drain you completely. You’re gonna turn for me. You’ll be my slave. You’ll live for me. You’ll eat bugs because I order it. Why? Because I don’t think you’re worthy of human blood. You’ll feed on the blood of stray dogs. You’ll be my footstool. And at my command, you’ll lick the dog shit from my boot heel. Since you’ll be my dog, your new name will be “Spot.” Welcome to slavery.
Santanico Pandemonium, From Dusk Till Dawn
3. Samara Morgan from The Ring (2002)
Played by Daveigh Chase, Samara was an adopted girl who lived on a horse ranch on Moesko Island, Washington with her parents. Possessing a gift for putting horrifying images in someone’s head, Samara, the scariest female horror villain, tormented her mother and drove the family’s horses to suicide. After failing to find psychiatric help, Samara’s adopted mother murders her by pushing her into a well on Shelter Mountain. Samara creates a cursed VHS from beyond the grave that is eventually watched by the niece of journalist Rachel Keller, who sets out to discover the origin of the cursed tape.
Seven days!
Samara Morgan, The Ring
2. Mrs. Voorhees from Friday the 13th (1980)
Played by Betsy Palmer, the reveal of Mrs. Voorhees as the killer in Friday the 13th (1980) is well-known now, but at the time it was one of two shocking twists at the end of this slasher film (the other being Jason’s sudden appearance in the final scene). Final girl Alice embraces Mrs. Voorhees, as she thinks she has finally met an adult who can take her away from the bad place, Camp Crystal Lake. However, Mrs. Voorhees is in no hurry to leave and reveals to Alice that her son, Jason Voorhees, died at Camp Crystal Lake in 1957 when he drowned, unnoticed by his counselors who were too busy sneaking off to have sex.
Did you know a young boy drowned the year before those two others were killed? The counselors weren’t paying any attention….They were making love while that young boy drowned. His name was Jason. I was working the day that it happened. Preparing meals… here. I was the cook. Jason should’ve been watched. Every minute. He was…he wasn’t a very good swimmer. We can go now, dear.
Mrs. Voorhees, Friday the 13th
1. Annie Wilkes from Misery (1990)
Played by Kathy Bates, Annie Wilkes is the ultimate “clingy woman” archetype because she is both nurturing and homicidal. At first, famous writer Paul Sheldon is happy to have been rescued from his car wreck, and his superfan Annie nurses him back to health. However, she also holds him hostage in her isolated cabin in the woods. When Annie realizes Paul has killed off her beloved fictional character Misery, she violently hobbles him and forces him to write a new book, Misery’s Return.
I know I left my scrapbook out. I can imagine what you might be thinking of me. But you see, Paul, it’s all okay. Last night it came so clear. I realized you just need more time. Eventually, you’ll come to accept the idea of being here. Paul, do you know about the early days at the Kimberly diamond mines? Do you know what they did to the Native workers who stole diamonds? Don’t worry, they didn’t kill them. That would be like junking your Mercedes just because it had a broken spring. No, if they caught them, they had to make sure they could go on working, but they also had to make sure they could never run away. The operation was called hobbling.
Annie Wilkes, Misery
