These fantastic horror performances prove that some of the most talented actors are working in this genre. It will be exciting to see what these performers do next.
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Keke Palmer (Nope)
Thinking about the true meaning of Nope is a common experience after watching Jordan Peele’s third horror movie. The film was a hit in the summer of 2022 and anticipation was high. Keke Palmer gave one of the year’s best performances as Emerald Haywood. Palmer’s performance is multilayered. She’s trying to live up to her family name while also forging her own path.
Palmer lends the performance the perfect blend of comedic energy and dramatic weight. Emerald may not have been as three-dimensional were it not for Palmer’s impressive range. She also has the perfect sibling chemistry with Daniel Kaluuya’s character Hawyood Jr., hitting all the beats of being a younger sister who is both annoying and endearing to her brother. Emerald’s growth throughout the movie is impressive, and Palmer sells it perfectly.
Sosie Bacon (Smile)
Given the many scary smiles in horror movies, when Parker Finn’s debut was first announced, it was hard to know what to expect from this film. How could an entire story be built around an unsettling grin? Sosie Bacon’s performance is another stand-out of the year, and she keeps the movie grounded in reality.
As Dr. Rose Cotter, a woman who is still dealing with her mother’s disturbing death and who works in the mental health field, Bacon proves that she can inhabit a character’s vulnerability and toughness with ease. Rose is sympathetic but strong, which can be a tricky balance, but Bacon achieves this easily. As Rose is cursed, she is both horrified and trying desperately to hang onto her life. Bacon is thrilling to watch throughout.
Mia Goth (Pearl)
Given Mia Goth’s stunning performances as Maxine and Pearl, it’s no wonder that Ti West is making MaXXXine, the third movie in his horror franchise. While Goth is amazing in X as it’s not easy to play two distinct roles, it’s her turn in Pearl that cements her as one of the year’s best actors.
Pearl is by no means a simple character to bring to life. She’s strange, wild, unhinged, and yet somehow innocent and endearing at times. She dreams of being famous, loves to dance, and has a huge imagination. In this brilliant character study, Goth played Pearl as someone who is childlike and charming in some moments and a fierce, brutal and terrifying killer in others. Goth knew that there were layers to the younger version of this character and the close-up of her scared and emotional face at the end of the movie is unforgettable. Goth even shows that Pearl is scared of her urges and desires, which is important.
Jenna Ortega (Scream)
Jenna Ortega is hailed as the 2022 Scream Queen and her turn as Tara Carpenter proves why. The opening scene is a nod to Drew Barrymore’s Casey Becker in the original, making popcorn and getting a terrible phone call from Ghostface that spells doom. Tara answers the phone and shows off her love of elevated horror movies in a charming and funny way. She realizes that something is off and fights for her life.
Ortega brings her strong, tough energy to the role and makes Tara super relatable. Whether battling Ghostface or interacting with her sister Sam (Melissa Barrera) who she hasn’t seen in a long time, Ortega expresses many different emotions in the same scene. It’s no wonder that she has been so impressive as Wednesday in the Netflix series.
Amandla Stenberg (Bodies Bodies Bodies)
Amandla Stenberg’s Bodies Bodies Bodies character is sympathetic but there are moments when it’s tough to like her, just like the rest of her friend group. In one of the best A24 horror movies, Stenberg plays Sophie, who brings her girlfriend Bee (Maria Bakalova) to meet her friends, who are staying at David’s (Pete Davidson) house in the country. The part of Sophie needed someone who could share her softer side while also showing that she might be manipulating her friends and she might not be trustworthy.
As Sophie’s pals accuse her of using them, Stenberg gives Sophie layers, and her emotional reaction proves that they are right. Stenberg gives an expressive performance where Sophie knows that she has been found out and that she had no idea that her friends know the real her.
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