The cultural standing of horror movies has changed over the years, though it remains one of the most controversial genres. During the 1970s, when gory slashers first burst on the scene, many saw the genre as pure schlock, or even worse, something sinister and immoral. In the 2010s, the perception of horror changed with the advent of the “elevated horror” genre and the success of A24’s slate of sleek, supposedly more intellectual horror movies.
And yet, horror still isn’t widely recognized as a prestigious or award-worthy genre. Horror actors rarely get nominated for big awards in these films, with Demi Moore’s surprising Golden Globe win for the nauseating body horror movie “The Substance” proving an exception to that rule. That’s probably why, when you think of beloved or respected Hollywood actors, horror usually isn’t the first genre that comes to mind, but maybe it should be.
Everyone’s got to start somewhere, right? If you take a deep dive on IMDb, you’ll find many actors with horror films on their resumes, especially in the early days. What follows is a list of stars who got their start in these oft-forgotten projects. Some of these films are hidden gems, while others are corny B-movies or overstuffed sequels. Either way, this trip down memory lane will give you a sense of how many horror movies have been the jumping-off points for some of Hollywood’s biggest names.