In the summer of 2019, I shared a list of 11 film celebrities with early roles in horror who would eventually become Oscar winners. Of those listed, 82% were men, which in hindsight was a misleading imbalance in terms of gender representation. (What can I say, I must have been in heat when compiling the list—lol.)
Fast forward to the spring of 2021; it’s Oscar season and time to balance the scales. In alphabetical order, the following are 17 additional examples of (mostly) actresses and (some) actors who appeared in horror films before they became part of Oscar history.
CHARLIZE THERON
From Horror: The Devil’s Advocate (1997)
To Oscar: Monster (2003) – Best Actress in a Leading Role
EDDIE REDMAYNE
From Horror: Black Death (2010)
To Oscar: The Theory of Everything (2014) – Best Actor in a Leading Role
ELLEN BURSTYN
From Horror: The Exorcist (1973) – Nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role
To Oscar: Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974) – Best Actress in a Leading Role
EMMA STONE
From Horror: Zombieland (2009)
To Oscar: La La Land (2016) – Best Actress in a Leading Role
GARY OLDMAN
From Horror: Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
To Oscar: Darkest Hour (2017) – Best Actor in a Leading Role
HOLLY HUNTER
From Horror: The Burning (1981)
To Oscar: The Piano (1993) – Best Actress in a Leading Role
JENNIFER LAWRENCE
From Horror: House at the End of the Street (Sept 2012)
To Oscar: Silver Linings Playbook (Nov 2012) – Best Actress in a Leading Role
JESSICA TANDY
From Horror: The Birds (1963)
To Oscar: Driving Miss Daisy (1989) – Best Actress in a Leading Role
JODIE FOSTER
From Horror: The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976)
To Oscars: The Accused (1988) and The Silence of the Lambs (1991) – Best Actress in a Leading Role
JULIANNE MOORE
From Horror: Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990), Psycho (1998) and Carrie (2013)
To Oscar: Still Alice (2014) – Best Actress in a Leading Role
NICOLAS CAGE
From Horror: Vampire’s Kiss (1989)
To Oscar: Leaving Las Vegas (1995) – Best Actor in a Leading Role
From Horror: Dead Calm (1989) and The Others (2001)
To Oscar: The Hours (2002) – Best Actress in a Leading Role
REESE WITHERSPOON
From Horror: American Psycho (2000)
To Oscar: Walk the Line (2005) – Best Actress in a Leading Role
RICHARD DREYFUSS
From Horror: Jaws (1975)
To Oscar: The Goodbye Girl (1977) – Best Actor in a Leading Role
SISSY SPACEK
From Horror: Carrie (1976)
To Oscar: Coal Miner’s Daughter (1980) – Best Actress in a Leading Role
From Horror: The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) and The Hunger (1983)
To Oscar: Dead Man Walking (1995) – Best Actress in a Leading Role
WILLIAM HURT
From Horror: Altered States (1980)
To Oscar: Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985) – Best Actor in a Leading Role
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