EDITED BY BETH WEBB
A POP STAR HUNTED by a smiling demon. A decaying, middle-aged fitness celebrity battling a version of her younger self. A mysterious woman with a shot-off ear. A clairvoyant FBI agent. Horror has always created unique opportunities for actresses to craft boundary-breaking performances, from Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode to Mia Goth as Pearl. Yet over the past 12 months, the genre has delivered an especially consistent, exceptional showcase of female versatility.
Not only has it translated into box-office success —psychological chiller Longlegs made $109 million on a budget of under $10 million —but, in the case of warped body horror The Substance, which has been submitted for Best Motion Picture —Musical Or Comedy for next year’s Golden Globes, awards buzz, too. “I’m just so thrilled that people are watching the movie at all,” the film’s star Margaret Qualley tells Empire on Halloween, having by happenstance booked tickets to a post-interview matinée of Smile 2. “It’s all just fucking icing on the cake from this point on. I’m just happy that people care.”