10 Famous Actors Everyone Forgets Appeared In Horror Movies
A-list actors tend to be associated with a certain genre of film, but audiences may be surprised to learn how many stars start or have their first career roles in B-horror movies. Today, horror is big business. Each year, a number of horror films come out and dominate the box office, and some other horror films even make a small splash during awards season. While there are still very low budget horror films, the genre has earned a certain amount of respect. However, this is not always true. From the mid-century to the 2000s, there were dozens of low-budget, gripping, chilling horror films and direct-to-video sequels that formed the backbone of sleepovers and October night for generations. They’re not necessarily great and some horror movies are outright box office bombs, but there are plenty of them, with dozens being produced each year. Due to their low budget and popularity, it’s not surprising that a number of actors starred in these horror films before becoming household names. Here are 10 actors that people may have forgotten about doing horror movies when they were just starting out.
Johnny Depp – A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Johnny Depp is one of Hollywood’s most notable actors, anchoring the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and appearing in other successful movies like Edward Scissorhands, Sweeney Todd, Donnie Brasco, Blow, and Sleepy Hollow. GWith his frequent collaboration with Tim Burton and his penchant for playing gothic-leaning characters, it may not come as a surprise that his first movie role was in A Nightmare on Elm Street, where he played Glen. Unfortunately, Glen wasn’t the Last Girl, and her death is one of the most memorable and bloody in horror film history.
Jennifer Aniston – Leprechaun (1993)
Jennifer Aniston’s breakout role was, of course, the juggernaut sitcom of Friends. Since then, Aniston has had a number of roles across movies and TV alike. However, just a year before Friends premiered, a baby-faced Aniston was the protagonist of the first Leprechaun movie (which is getting a reboot). Aniston’s Tory was terrorized by Warwick Davis’ murderous leprechaun, who was on a killing spree to find who stole his pot of gold. As a camp classic of the early ’90s, it holds up.
Scarlett Johansson – Eight Legged Freaks (2002)
Today, Scarlett Johansson is known for being a twice-Oscar-nominated actress and one of the original anchors of the MCU as Natasha Romanov, a.k.a. Black Widow. Unlike most other early Marvel actors, Johansson actually had quite a bit of work before joining the Avengers. However, while Johansson had quite a few films in his youth, it’s understandable that many have forgotten that one of those movies was the spider-focused horror comedy Eight Legged Freaks. At one point, a giant mutant spider attempts to kidnap her character, Ashley, and devour her, but Ashley is saved. It’s definitely not a highlight of Johansson’s career.
Jack Black – I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998)
Jack Black is beloved across the world for his endearingly goofy persona, first with his band Tenacious D. Later, he’d transition that showmanship on the stage to the screen, going on to star in movies like the Jumanji franchise, School of Rock, High Fidelity, and most recently, The Super Mario Bros. Movie. But he once appeared in an early-career horror movie, the sequel I Still Know What You Did Last Summer. It will not come as a surprise to learn he played a drug-dealing, dreadlocked guy named Titus. It will also not come as a surprise to learn the dimwitted Titus does not survive the movie. R.I.P. Titus.
Idris Elba – Prom Night (2008)
Most American audiences know Idris Elba from his breakout role on The Wire, playing the savvy and dangerous gangster Stringer Bell. Audiences who don’t remember him from that know him from his roles of Heimdall in the MCU, and the titular character of Luther in the BBC detective drama. In 2008, however, Elba played a very different kind of detective in the Prom Night reboot. His Detective Winn is in pursuit of the serial killer. As one might expect of Idris Elba, his character survives.
Leonardo DiCaprio – Critters 3 (1991)
Leonardo DiCaprio is recognized as one of this generation’s greatest actors, every performance of his an Oscar-worthy piece of work. In 2016, he finally won that Oscar for his performance in The Revenant. Other notable movies of his include Inception, The Wolf of Wall Street, Django Unchained, Gangs of New York, Catch Me If You Can, Titanic, and so many more. His name is immediately associated with complex, prestige roles. But his very first movie role wasn’t exactly a highbrow role, with the young actor playing Josh in Critters 3. It’s a shame the actor doesn’t do much press these days, as it would be incredible if someone were to ask him about his first movie.
Angela Bassett – Critters 4 (1992)
Clearly, the Critters series is a launch pad for a future Oscar-winning career, as Angela Bassett has appeared in the series’ follow-up film, Critters 4. Bassett is now Hollywood royalty, one of the hottest actors. most respected in the industry. Her portrayal of Queen Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is intensely charismatic, and she’s been commanding the screen since early roles in films like Boyz n the Hood, What’s Love Got to Do With It, and How Stella Got Her Groove. The quirky, spatial Critters 4 was a far cry from her later work, but even then, she displayed the no-frills brilliance that would define her career.
Charlize Theron – Children of the Corn III: Idle Harvest (1995)
Charlize Theron is a multitalented actress, able to take on challenging action roles as easily as intense dramatic roles. Her 2004 Oscar was well-earned, given for playing the role of real-life serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Monster. Her turn as Imperator Furiosa in Mad Max: Fury Road is iconic, and she’s embedded in multiple franchises like the Fast & Furious movies, The Old Guard, and, more recently, taking on the role of Clea in the MCU, which will inevitably become a bigger role. But a very tiny, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it role in her early career came in 1995’s Children of the Corn III: Idle Harvest, where she played a fanatic follower of Eli.
Kevin Bacon – Friday the 13th (1980)
Kevin Bacon is an actor as beloved as anyone in Hollywood, with the game Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon celebrating his many roles becoming a fun party game for generations. From Footloose to Tremors to The Follow, you can always count on Bacon’s stellar performance, whether it’s comedy or drama. However, one of his first roles required both comedy and drama in the form of excessive death when he played the doomed counselor Jack on Friday the 13th. His character was eliminated. with an arrow to the throat, creating one of his first roles. The most satisfying thriller deaths in the franchise.
Tom Hanks – He Knows You’re Alone (1980)
Everyone knows that the father of America is Tom Hanks, who first rose to stardom in comedies and romances before moving on to more dramatic roles in the following decades. Her work has earned her six Academy Award nominations, two Academy Awards, seven Emmy Awards, five Golden Globes, and countless other awards and honors throughout her long career. Even his first film, the 1980s killer thriller He Knows You’re Alone, gave hints of the likeability Hanks would later become known for. His role was a small one as the psychology student Elliot, but he’s easily the most interesting character and the best actor in the movie. Even then, there was something about him that just popped on the screen.