My Fave Five: Female Characters in Horror Movies

By Sarah Gavlak

October 21, 2024

With spooky season in full swing and Halloween coming up sooner than it seems, scary movie nights are essential.

Whether someone is a fan of true gore and terror or only enjoys lighthearted horror comedies, there is a scary movie fitting for everyone.

The movies below are must-watch films to add to October movie nights, and I have chosen my favorite female character in each one.

Alice in “Bodies Bodies Bodies”

“Bodies Bodies Bodies” is a newer horror/comedy film that received a ton of uproar on social media for its iconic lines and hilarious plot points.

Played by Rachel Sennott, Alice is one of the main characters who gets stuck in a remote mansion due to a hurricane. It’s a classic horror movie plot: a group of dumb 20-somethings get trapped in the middle of the woods.

Alice delivered some of the most memorable and riotous lines to come out of the 2022 film, including “Oh my god. I’m so sorry, that’s really serious. Mental health is a really serious issue. I mean, I’ve never actually said this to anyone, but… I have body dysmorphia.”

Sennott did an incredible job and was the perfect choice for Alice. She was definitely my favorite character in “Bodies Bodies Bodies,” but I won’t spoil her fate.

Sue Ann (Ma) in “Ma”

“Ma” is another iconic movie, releasing in 2019 and following a middle-aged woman who befriends a group of teenagers after buying them alcohol. She just wants to party!

Played by the wonderfully talented Octavia Spencer, Sue Ann (Ma) allows the teenagers to throw parties in her basement, but her friendship with them slowly turns into an obsession as “the best drinking spot in town” turns into a nightmare.

Ma also delivered pivotal lines with “Don’t make me drink alone” and “I was just thinking, why wait for the weekend? It’s five o’clock somewhere!”

This movie is so unserious, but that is exactly why I love it so much. Ma is forever an icon.

Pearl in “Pearl”

“Pearl” is the second movie in the “X” trilogy, serving as a prequel to “X” that follows the story of the old lady in the first film, named Pearl, of course.

Mia Goth acts as Pearl in “X” and “Pearl,” and Maxine in “X” and “MaXXXine.”

Pearl is a young woman who dreams of getting off her family’s farm and becoming a famous movie star. After being seen as the old woman in “X,” however, it’s clear that Pearl never makes it off the farm.

Once again, this movie is filled with exemplary quotes delivered by Goth. Some of my favorites include Pearl screaming “Please I’m a star!” “I’m not staying on this farm!” and “I’m married!” at the top of her lungs.

Pearl is an icon, and she is even the inspiration for one of my Halloween costumes this year. I’ll love her forever, she’s just a girl.

Lorraine Warren in “The Conjuring”

“The Conjuring” franchise is not for the faint of heart, but it is my favorite horror movie collection of all time.

“The Conjuring” movies follow the real-life stories of paranormal investigators Lorraine and Ed Warren. The Warrens served as part of some of the most famous paranormal cases, including the story of the Perron family, the Annabelle doll and the story inspiring “The Amityville Horror.”

Lorraine Warren is simply an icon both in real life and in “The Conjuring” movies, where she is played by Vera Farmiga.

She has professed to be a psychic and a trance medium, communicating with the spirits and conducting the infamous seance where Carolyn Perron allegedly rose from the ground in her chair.

The real-life Lorraine actually served as a consultant for the film and even made a cameo appearance.

I find the Warrens’ adventures unbelievably fascinating, and the movies in “The Conjuring” universe are definitely worth watching for those who aren’t afraid of true horror.

The bear in “Cocaine Bear”

Now, maybe this one doesn’t count, but “Cocaine Bear” is one of those movies that is so bad it’s good, and the most iconic character from the horror/comedy has to be the bear herself.

“Cocaine Bear” loosely follows the true story of a bear who ingested then overdosed on about 75 pounds of cocaine that were dropped in the wilderness by drug smugglers.

While this movie is probably the least scary of the bunch, it is still a movie worthy of watching during spooky season, as the cocaine made the bear go on a killing spree.

The cast of this movie is also stacked, featuring Keri Russell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Margo Martindale and the late Ray Liotta, to name a few. Despite these fan-favorite names, I have to say that “Cocaine Bear” herself outshined everyone.

She kind of reminds me of Katya, the female bear who was sentenced to time in a human jail in Kazakhstan after injuring two hikers. Katya spent 15 years in a human jail. I feel bad for these poor girls.