30+ Best Female Horror Villains & Final Girls

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Horror expert Sydney Bermudez lists the most famous female horror movie characters ever

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IN THIS ARTICLE

1 Carrie White (Carrie)

2 Ellen Ripley (Alien)

3 Laurie Strode (Halloween)

4 Nancy Downs (The Craft)

5 Annie Wilkes (Misery)

6 Needy Lesnicki (Jennifer’s Body)

7 Sidney Prescott (Scream)

8 Wendy Torrance (The Shining)

9 Regan MacNeil (The Exorcist)

10 Pearl (Pearl)

11 Annie Graham (Hereditary)

12 Thomasin (The Witch)

13 Ronnie Quaife (The Fly)

14 Suzy Bannion (Suspiria)

15 Rosemary Woodhouse (Rosemary’s Baby)

16 Marion Crane (Psycho)

17 The Monster’s Bride (Bride of Frankenstein)

18 Mrs. Voorhees (Friday the 13th)

19 Red (Us)

20 Jane Hudson (What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?)

21 Julia Cotton (Hellraiser)

22 Tiffany Valentine (Bride of Chucky)

23 Ginger Fitzgerald (Ginger Snaps)

24 Samara (The Ring)

25 Akasha (Queen of the Damned)

26 Kayako Saeki (The Grudge)

27 Jennifer Check (Jennifer’s Body)

28 Sue Ann Ellington (Ma)

29 Esther (Orphan)

30 Erin (You’re Next)

31 Nancy Thompson (A Nightmare on Elm Street)

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Co-authored by Sydney Bermudez and Raven Minyard, BA

Last Updated: July 25, 2026 Fact Checked

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Do you like scary movies? If you do, you probably know that there are a ton of iconic female characters across the genre, including final girls and villains. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best female horror movie characters from different horror subgenres and eras, with exclusive insights from a horror expert and a film expert. Keep reading to see if your favorite made the cut.

Top Female Horror Movie Characters

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Horror expert Sydney Bermudez says the best female horror movie villains include Carrie White (Carrie), Annie Wilkes (Misery), Samara Morgan (The Ring), and Pearl (Pearl). Iconic final girls include Laurie Strode (Halloween), Ellen Ripley (Alien), and Sidney Prescott (Scream).

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1

Carrie White (Carrie)

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1. 
   Carrie White is both the victim and villain in Carrie. She is a tragic character who is abused by her extremely religious mother and bullied relentlessly by her classmates. All the while, she’s trying to keep her telekinetic powers in check. It all comes to a head at prom night, when her rage finally gets the better of her after a horrible prank. Even though her actions are horrifying, you can’t help but think, “Good for her.” When it comes to female villains, she’s hard to beat, adds Bermudez.

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Sydney Bermudez is a horror expert. She explores paranormal cases, internet mysteries, and psychological horror, with over 400k followers on Instagram and TikTok.

   Lexi Amoriello is a film expert, writer, and editor. She is also the founder of the New Jersey Film Critics Circle and Movie Recs By Lex, where she specializes in personalized movie recommendations.
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2

Ellen Ripley (Alien)

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1. 
   According to film expert Lexi Amoriello, “Ellen Ripley from the Alien movies is one of the best examples of a strong female character who holds her own. At the time, it wasn’t as common to see sci-fi movies with a female protagonist, so her character really stood out.” At the time, Sigourney Weaver was an unknown actor, so it was even more impressive to see her character outlast those played by more well-known actors.

   • Bermudez adds that Ellen is one of her favorite villains.

3

Laurie Strode (Halloween)

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1. 
   We couldn’t have a list of iconic horror characters without including Jamie Lee Curtis’s Laurie Strode. Laurie Strode is just a babysitter, but she’s anything but weak. Sure, she’s a terrified teenager, but she’s resourceful, using makeshift weapons like knitting needles to survive.

   • Laurie has appeared in numerous spin-offs and sequels, and she only becomes more badass as she ages. Bermudez lists her as one of the best female horror movie characters ever!
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4

Nancy Downs (The Craft)

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1. 
   Like Carrie, Nancy Downs is both a victim and a villain. After suffering from bullying and abuse and living in poverty, it’s not surprising that she wants to gain power of her own. However, that desire for power causes her to go mad. Nancy embraces her rage and will do whatever it takes to get what she wants—including murder.

5

Annie Wilkes (Misery)

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1. 
   Annie Wilkes is terrifying because her actions are realistic, not rooted in supernatural abilities. She tricks the main character, author Paul Sheldon, and the audience into thinking she’s a sweet, maternal character. But everything changes when it’s revealed she’s obsessed with Sheldon and refuses to let him go. What makes everything even more horrifying is that, in her mind, she truly is the hero of her own story.

   • Bermudez also includes her as one of the most iconic horror movie villains.
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6

Needy Lesnicki (Jennifer’s Body)

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1. 
   Needy is an underrated horror character. She starts off shy, quiet, and unable to stand up to her best friend, Jennifer Check. But when Jennifer is possessed by a demon, Needy takes things into her own hands to save herself and the rest of her community. At the end of the movie, she inherits some of Jennifer’s powers and uses them to seek revenge on the band that turned Jennifer in the first place.

7

Sidney Prescott (Scream)

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1. 
   Scream may be a satirical horror film, but Sidney Prescott is still one of the most iconic final girls in all of horror. From the very beginning, she’s hypervigilant and has a backbone. It’s hard enough surviving a serial killer, but it’s even worse when it’s your boyfriend. But even after the heartbreaking reveal, Sidney doesn’t stop fighting for her life. She’s one of the best female horror movie characters of all time, notes Bermudez.

   • Think you’d survive a horror movie? Take our quiz to find out!
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8

Wendy Torrance (The Shining)

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1. 
   Shelley Duvall was actually highly criticized for her portrayal of Wendy Torrance, but thankfully, horror fans and critics have since seen the error of their ways. Wendy is realistic because she isn’t fearless; she’s terrified and overwhelmed while trying to do everything in her power to protect her son. Though she may seem fragile, she’s a very capable character who manages to save herself and her son.

9

Regan MacNeil (The Exorcist)

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1. 
   Regan’s youth and innocence are exactly what make her so terrifying. After being possessed by a demon, she levitates, uses disgusting language, and even kills multiple people. Though she remembers none of it after the demon has been exorcised, her possession is a metaphor for the corruption of innocence.
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10

Pearl (Pearl)

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1. 
   Pearl is unhinged, but she’s also relatable, making her a complex horror character. She’s lonely and dreams of escaping her life, and her violent outbursts are at least partially caused by her deep desire for love. It’s hard not to root for her even when she does horrible things.

   • It’s hard not to include Pearl when it comes to female villains, adds Bermudez.

11

Annie Graham (Hereditary)

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1. 
   Annie Graham’s descent into madness is more than just supernatural; it’s grounded in generational trauma. Audiences watch as she grieves the loss of her daughter in an ugly, visceral way. She has a complicated relationship with her son and suffers from a lot of guilt. In the end, it’s unclear how much of her breakdown is caused by her mental illness or the influence of a cult.
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12

Thomasin (The Witch)

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1. 
   Thomasin represents the experience of a woman living in an oppressive, patriarchal society. She starts out as an innocent, devout daughter who is wrongfully blamed for her brother’s disappearance. As the film continues, she slowly descends into darkness and signs the Devil’s book. In some movies, this would make her a villain, but in this case, it’s a form of feminist rebellion and liberation.

13

Ronnie Quaife (The Fly)

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1. 
   Geena Davis’s Ronnie Quaife is the heart of the story in the 1986 remake of The Fly. She falls in love with Seth Brundle, a scientist who accidentally splices his DNA with a fly while developing a teleportation machine. She provides audiences with a realistic portrayal of what it’s like to watch someone you love get sick and die.
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14

Suzy Bannion (Suspiria)

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1. 
   Many consider Suzy Bannion to be the “ultimate” final girl. She uses her intelligence to figure out what’s going on and survive the coven of witches running her new school. Instead of just surviving until the end of the movie, she actively fights back and takes out the head witch all on her own.

   • In the 2018 remake, Suzy subverts the final girl trope, as she is revealed to be Mother Suspiriorum, the entity that the witches worship. This puts her in a position of power rather than being portrayed as a victim.

15

Rosemary Woodhouse (Rosemary’s Baby)

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1. 
   Rosemary is a character you can’t help but want to protect because her situation is so terrifying. She’s slightly naive, and all the other characters manipulate and gaslight her as she’s forced to carry Satan’s baby. Her story is a metaphor for the fight for bodily autonomy and the oppression of women.
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16

Marion Crane (Psycho)

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1. 
   Alfred Hitchcock shocked the world by killing off Marion Crane. But it’s not just her death that left an impression on audiences. Marion is a realistic character rather than a damsel in distress. After stealing money from her boss, she flees and, unfortunately, lands herself in danger by staying at the Bates Motel. She’s in charge of her own life, even if her decisions are ultimately what seal her fate.

17

The Monster’s Bride (Bride of Frankenstein)

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1. 
   Even though the Bride is hardly in the film, she certainly left an impression. Audiences are on the edge of their seats waiting for her to be revealed, and then, to everyone’s surprise, she rejects the monster despite being created to be his mate. On a deeper level, she represents female autonomy, and on a shallow level, her look is iconic.
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18

Mrs. Voorhees (Friday the 13th)

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1. 
   People may think of Jason when they think of this horror franchise, but the original villain was actually his mother, Pamela Voorhees. In a way, Mrs. Voorhees is a devoted mother; she swears to get revenge on anyone working at Camp Crystal Lake after the staff let her son drown. Plus, no one expected her, a grieving, middle-aged mother, to be the slasher in an 80s horror movie.

   • Are you a horror fanatic? Test your knowledge with our “Am I a Horror Movie Expert?” quiz.

19

Red (Us)

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1. 
   Red’s entire existence is terrifying; she’s a doppelgänger who takes over Adelaide Thomas’s life. As if her raspy voice and eerie movements aren’t creepy enough, audiences are left wondering who is real and who is the doppelgänger, which evokes a sense of psychological dread.
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20

Jane Hudson (What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?)

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1. 
   Jane Hudson doesn’t need supernatural powers—she relies on psychological terror. Once a child star, Jane has turned to alcoholism after being overshadowed by her sister, Blanche. The two live together after Blanche is left paralyzed, and when Blanche decides to sell the house, Jane takes things into her own hands by killing their housekeeper and locking Blanche away. Jane’s behavior stems from jealousy and mental illness, making her a tragically complex villain.

   • Unfortunately, what happens to Blanche is a realistic fear for many disabled people.

21

Julia Cotton (Hellraiser)

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1. 
   Julia may not be the main villain in Hellraiser, but she’s still a standout character. After her lover, Frank Cotton, is sentenced to an eternity in hell after opening the lament configuration, Julia will do whatever it takes to restore him, even if it means becoming a villain in her own right. She uses her beauty to seduce and manipulate men so she can feed them to Frank.
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22

Tiffany Valentine (Bride of Chucky)

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1. 
   Jennifer Tilly’s portrayal of Tiffany Valentine steals the show in Bride of Chucky. Tiffany is murdered after bringing Chucky back to life, then becomes a murderous doll herself. She proves herself to be a fearless killer in her own right and doesn’t just serve as a sidekick to Chucky. Even though the premise is pretty silly, Tiffany is actually a complex character who shows remorse and grapples with her desire for motherhood.

23

Ginger Fitzgerald (Ginger Snaps)

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1. 
   Ginger’s story is a monstrous metaphor for female puberty. After being bitten by a werewolf, Ginger’s body goes through strange changes and she becomes more aggressive. Her sister, Bridgette, tries to help her keep it under control, but she ends up going on a bloodthirsty rampage. Ginger manages to be both a victim and a monster as she embraces her new instincts.
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24

Samara (The Ring)

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1. 
   Everything about Samara is terrifying—her long black hair, her strange movements, and, of course, the fact that she kills anyone who watches a cursed videotape within 7 days. She truly wants to hurt others, and nothing’s creepier than watching her crawl out of TV screens.

   • Samara also made it onto our list of the most iconic horror characters of all time. Plus, Bermudez includes her as one of her top horror villains!

25

Akasha (Queen of the Damned)

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1. 
   Akasha is the queen of all vampires, making her one of the most powerful villains on our list. She’s far more powerful than other vampires, and she wants to take over the world by killing humans and setting vampires up as gods. If she dies, all other vampires will die.
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26

Kayako Saeki (The Grudge)

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1. 
   Kayako is a ghost who was murdered by her husband, who snapped her neck and crushed her throat. Now, she makes an eerie croaking sound that warns victims she’s close by. As if her death rattle isn’t terrifying enough on its own, she crawls around like a spider and appears in dark corners, which immediately brings out audiences’ fight-or-flight instincts.

27

Jennifer Check (Jennifer’s Body)

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1. 
   We already mentioned Needy, so we couldn’t forget Jennifer. Jennifer may kill a lot of people in Jennifer’s Body, but she’s not just a villain. She’s a victim. Jennifer was always a bit mean, but it’s only after a band sacrifices her in an attempt to get famous that she turns into a man-eating succubus. Her story is a metaphor for sexual assault and female rage.
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28

Sue Ann Ellington (Ma)

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1. 
   Sue An Ellington, better known as Ma, is another tragic villain. She starts out as a lonely, middle-aged woman who attempts to befriend a group of teenagers after buying alcohol for them. However, she then develops an obsession with them, and it’s revealed that she’s actually seeking revenge on the children of a group of classmates who ruthlessly tormented her in high school. Her desire for acceptance and her desperation for revenge make her a compelling character.

29

Esther (Orphan)

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1. 
   When you first start watching Orphan, you think Esther is just going to be another creepy kid in a horror movie. But what makes her such a complex character is the big plot twist—she’s actually a 33-year-old woman. Because she looks like a child, she’s able to use her perceived innocence to manipulate the family who adopted her.
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30

Erin (You’re Next)

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1. 
   You’re Next puts a new spin on the final girl trope. When Erin joins her boyfriend for his parents’ 35th anniversary celebration, a group of masked attackers starts killing everyone. It’s then revealed that Erin grew up on a survivalist compound, so she’s better at killing than the murderers.

   • Bermudez includes Erin as one of her favorite final girls.

31

Nancy Thompson (A Nightmare on Elm Street)

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1. Nancy first appears as a teenager hunted in her dreams by the infamous serial killer Freddy Krueger. She is one of the most beloved and underrated final girls, using her intelligence to trap Freddy and defend her friends.

   • Bermudez also mentions Nancy as one of her favorite final girls.
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