Scream Queen Now
While many of the Scream Queens on my list started their careers in the 1970’s or earlier, a few younger ladies also made my list. One of those ladies is the surprisingly versatile Mary Elizabeth Winstead. While she doesn’t necessarily pop up on a lot of Scream Queen lists, Mrs. Winstead has appeared in more horror films and franchises than many of the most beloved Scream Queens of all time. She’s also extremely comfortable in multiple genres. From horror and action to comedy and drama, Winstead is quite possibly the best actor on this list overall and she’s only been acting since 1997!
She’s also appeared in a number of films and series on the small screen. In fact, her first foray into horror was the 2001 series Wolf Lake which starred Lou Diamond Phillips. Although it was short-lived, the series kicked off Winstead’s journey into horror royalty. The campy Monster Island (2004), a made-for-TV movie, was next. That was followed by a ton of roles in stand-alone horror films and established franchises including The Ring Two (2005), Final Destination 3 (2006), Black Christmas (2006), The Thing (2011), Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012), The Returned (2015), 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016), and the upcoming Ursa Major.
Like a chameleon, Winstead shifts from role to role and genre to genre in a seemingly flawless way. Whether it’s a slasher flick like Black Christmas or a science fiction thriller like The Thing, Mrs. Winstead is comfortable no matter what horror is thrown her way. She’s one of those rare actors who doesn’t limit herself to certain roles, as Winstead has proven her acting skills over and over in films as varied as The Spectaculary Now (2013) to Factory Girl (2006). Winstead is simply an amazing actress.
Winstead deserves to be called a Scream Queen. While she hasn’t been acting as long as many of the other ladies on this list, the films and shows that she has appeared on are almost all surprisingly well done. I personally recommend 10 Cloverfield Lane, The Thing, and Final Destination 3. If you want to check her work out in other films, give Sky High (2005) and Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (2010) a look.
Thanks for checking out my latest Scream Queen post. Let me know some of your favorite Winstead films in the comments section. See you tomorrow!
Ken's Alternate Universe! 