Horror has always been a genre that allows creatives to explore all manner of themes, no matter how potentially taboo. While the genre has a history of relegating women to the roles of eye candy or the stereotypical final girl, it has begun changing in recent decades to give women more, better parts that allow them to showcase their talents. Representation in horror has never been as great as it is now.

The female leads of the below films have become some of the most iconic characters in horror, swiftly becoming fan favorites thanks to excellent writing and fantastic performances. Consisting of both heroes and villains, the following films feature female characters who go on journeys on both positive and negative trajectories, as they discover their true nature and precisely what it takes to survive and thrive.

12 'Evil Dead' (2013)

Lead Actress: Lane Levy as Mia Allen

A reboot of the legendary horror franchise, Evil Dead leaves beloved hero Ash Williams behind to instead focus on a new cast of characters. After Mia's (Jane Levy) friends and family decide they have had enough of her drug addiction, they take her to a remote cabin in the woods to beat it cold turkey. This is Evil Dead, however, so of course the evil of the Necronomicon is soon released. While the film itself was relatively mixed, reception-wise, the vast majority of people can agree that Levy's Mia makes for a terrific leading character.

Especially for a franchise such as Evil Dead, which has been greatly defined by its iconic male protagonist Ash Williams, it takes something special for a character like Mia to fill in those shoes. Mia's role in the story shifts throughout, playing both hero and villain. After becoming a possessed Deadite and witnessing the death of her friends, Mia is freed from the evil's grasp and becomes a chainsaw-wielding badass. As she shoves the power tool down the final boss' throat, Mia cemented her place as one of the 21st century's best final girls.

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11 'Happy Death Day' (2017)

Lead Actress: Jessica Rothe as Theresa 'Tree' Gelbman

A recent hit in the genre, Happy Death Day is a great combination of horror and comedy, taking a wild horror spin on the classic time loop storyline. College girl Tree (Jessica Rothe) finds herself the target of a Cupid-masked murderer, and after being killed by her stalker, she begins the day again, trapped in a time loop until she can unmask the one who wishes her harm. The film has garnered a reputation as one of the most defining horror comedies of the 2010s, with Rothe's lead performance as Tree playing a major factor as to why.

Starting as an unkind and self-absorbed individual, Tree experiences genuine character growth as she is murdered over and over again. Few horror films allow for their main characters to act as both a victim and a victor, but it's a facet that directly plays into Tree's evolution throughout the film. The unique concept allows both writer-director Christoper Landon and Rothe to really invest in the character, and by the end of the film, viewers cannot help but smile at how far Tree has come.

10 'Scream' (1996)

Lead Actress: Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott

The slasher genre as a whole has been greatly defined by "final girls," the last remaining survivor of a killer's onslaught who finds a way to either escape or defeat the monstrous killer. As one of the most defining and revolutionary films in the slasher genre, Scream doesn't shy away from having a final girl through Neve Campbell's Sidney Prescott. However, while the perceived notion of the final girl was one of cowering and innocence, Sidney has a fighting attitude perfectly shown by her glorious revenge on the killers.

It would only make sense for a meta-horror movie like Scream to end with the roles being reversed, as Sidney's terrific revenge seeing her taking the mantle of the figure in the shadows, scaring the killers through the phone call before going for the kill. While the character had certainly had her effective moments of fighting back against Ghostface up until this point, it's this final reversal that cemented her as a horror icon. Sidney would only continue to cement herself as a powerful badass with the long line of sequels, and more villainous Ghostfaces to take down in the process. - Robert Lee

9 'You're Next' (2011)

Lead Actress: Sharni Vinson as Erin

Somehow making dinner with the extended family even more terrifying, You're Next finds a family gathering interrupted by a trio of masked killers. Erin (Sharni Vinson), the partner of son Crispian (A.J. Bowen), takes charge of the situation as she displays extraordinary survival skills while fighting off the uninvited house guests. Female leads have always made for exceptionally strong protagonists in home invasion films, with Erin going one step beyond with her ruthless survival skills and defeat of the assassins.

Almost functioning as a horror take on Home Alone, You're Next features a variety of creative kills as both the killers and their victims are picked off. Erin shines as the movie's best character by far and her ability to strike fear in those that wish to harm her makes for one of the genre's most inspiring and badass lead characters. Especially with the film's twist ending, it's impossible to not only root for Erin and her plight for survival but also feel sorrow for what she has experienced and why she's experiencing it in the first place.

8 'Ready or Not' (2019)

Lead Actress: Samara Weaving as Grace

After marrying her loving boyfriend, Grace (Samara Weaving) is soon introduced to his family's strange wedding ritual. It sees the members of her new extended family chasing her around their mansion, each armed with a deadly weapon as they seek to kill her. Told she will win if she remains hidden until dawn, Grace soon turns the tables on her pursuers. With a cast seemingly filled to the brim with terrible and unlikable people, Grace is the shining beacon of hope for the audience to root for amongst all of the chaos.

A hilarious horror-comedy that will have you both laughing and wincing, Ready or Not is bolstered by a star-making turn from Weaving. The movie perfectly captures the awkwardness of spending time with your in-laws, and as Grace fights each of them off, she earns a place in the hearts of horror fans thanks to her unbreakable spirit. While many other protagonists or final girls would simply cower and hide in a situation such as this, Grace continues fighting for her life at every opportunity, even when her loving husband has betrayed her.

7 'The Witch' (2015)

Lead Actress: Anya Taylor-Joy as Thomasin

The debut of acclaimed director Robert Eggers, The Witch follows a family in New England during the 17th century. With the clan banished to live on the outskirts of the woods after a dispute with the community, teenage daughter Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) begins to suspect an evil force may be stalking her family after a series of bizarre incidents. While Anya Taylor-Joy is certainly a household name after her appearances in The Queen's Gambit, The Menu, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie, this is the film that put her on the map thanks to her stellar performance and portrayal.

A slow-burn horror film, The Witch is concerned with exploring horror themes as much as it is religion. Trapped on a small farm with nothing but her family, Thomasin is drawn to the Satanic forces that lurk in the darkness as a way to truly express herself and finally fulfill her innermost desires. Even with the darker turn that the character takes, when given the full scope and experience of her home life and family's inherent biases against her, it's hard not to root for the character's constant defense of her actions.

6 'Pearl' (2022)

Lead Actress: Mia Goth as Pearl

A prequel to their previous collaboration, Ti West's Pearl sees Mia Goth reprising her role as the original film's villain, exploring her origins as a young farm girl. Pearl is obsessed with stardom and dreams of leaving her dull life behind to become a traveling performer and will murder anyone foolish enough to get in her way. Her ambitions are relatable enough to make her a compelling lead, even despite her murderous intent, an extent of just how well Goth portrays the fractured character of Pearl.

While X is a slasher film, Pearl is more of a character study as it showcases Pearl's degrading mental state as her dream slips away. Goth delivers a performance for the ages and one that deserved more recognition from awards bodies, sparking a conversation about the horror genre's treatment by such organizations. One can only assume that Goth will continue to provide another performance for the ages with the next installment in this franchise, the long-awaited MaXXXine.

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5 'A Quiet Place' (2018)

Lead Actress: Emily Blunt as Evelyn Abbott

Sometimes a sign of strength comes from much more than defeating a powerful enemy and looking cool while doing it, but instead can come from insurmountable resilience and inner focus. This is a trait that is perfectly shown within Emily Blunt's Evelyn Abbott, who shows an unbelievable amount of restraint in A Quiet Place, a horror movie where the smallest noise is the difference between life and death.

While Evelyn shows many moments of restraint and keeping things calm throughout the film, her biggest moment comes from the iconic bathtub scene. In this scene, despite all odds, she finds a way to stay quiet inside of a bathtub, not only with the deadly alien right around the corner, but while dealing with the pains and process of literal labor and giving birth. This also comes after a cringe-inducing injury of stepping barefoot on a nail, cementing the character as someone who will stop at nothing to survive, an element of her character further explored in A Quiet Place: Part II. -Robert Lee

4 'Midsommar' (2019)

Lead Actress: Florence Pugh as Dani

Ari Aster's follow-up to his smash-hit debut Hereditary, Midsommar stars Florence Pugh as Dani, a college student mourning the death of her family. Reluctantly invited by her deadbeat boyfriend and his friends to join them on a trip to Sweden, they soon become part of a strange local ritual with deadly consequences. While much has been said about the themes and overarching messages of Midsommar and its controversial ending, it's difficult to deny that the film is as powerful as it is thanks in part to Pugh's portrayal of Dani.

Perhaps the quintessential "good for her" horror movie, Midsommar sees Dani put through the wringer emotionally before being chosen as the tribe's May Queen. Stripped of her cheating partner and his unkind friends, Dani shifts from feelings of grief and horror to acceptance and happiness, as Pugh delivers an award-worthy performance.

3 'The Invisible Man' (2020)

Lead Actress: Elisabeth Moss as Cecilia Kass

A modern take on the classic horror story, The Invisible Man follows Cecilia (Elisabeth Moss), who leaves her abusive tech-millionaire boyfriend. After he commits suicide, Cecelia begins to suspect that he is still tormenting her as an invisible presence begins to wreak havoc on her life, causing those around her to question her sanity. Few horror movie antagonists are as psychologically destructive and gaslighting as the one in The Invisible Man, making Cecilia's overcoming of such harsh obstacles despite all the odds all the more powerful.

The Invisible Man is a clever and suspenseful thriller anchored by a great performance from Moss. Her Cecilia makes for a likable and resilient protagonist, still fighting to reveal the truth even as those closest to her lose faith, even when nobody around her believes her, she sticks to her truths because she knows what is right. It makes for a satisfying arc as Cecilia graduates from victim to hardened survivor, eventually choosing her own fate in the film's powerful ending.

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2 'The Menu' (2022)

Lead Actress: Anya Taylor-Joy as Margot

When Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) is invited by her date to attend an exclusive restaurant on a remote island, she expects a night of fine dining and an elegant ambiance. Instead, head chef Slowik (Ralph Fiennes) subjects his rich guests to a night of horror as they begin to realize they may be partaking in the last meal of their lives. As with many other "eat the rich" films, the inclusion of a powerful and relatable outsider for the audience to root for can make for an engaging and exciting character, a role that Margot easily fulfills.

Margot is an outsider in this world of wealth and snobbery, something that Slowik quickly realizes. As a fellow service worker herself, when it's revealed that Margot is an escort paid by Tyler to be here, she directly understands the chaos and nightmare of dealing with snobby and unworthy clients. Both Taylor-Joy and Fiennes are great as they argue with each other about the validity of Slowik's plans, with Margot eventually earning her freedom thanks to her cunning and determination to stand up for herself, unlike the rest of the shallow diners.

1 'Carrie' (1976)

Lead Actress: Sissy Spacek as Carrie White

One of the earliest examples of a "good for her" horror film, Carrie follows the titular character as she attempts to navigate the horrors of high school. An outcast, Carrie is routinely bullied, and after discovering she possesses telekinetic abilities, it all leads to a bloody climax at the school's prom as she ultimately gets her revenge. Carrie is one of the most iconic characters in all of horror history, with her sudden turn to vengeance and destruction being an all-time influential moment in film history as a whole.

One of the best adaptations of Stephen King's work, Carrie features a star-making performance from Sissy Spacek, who perfectly captures the isolation of being a loner in school. Carrie White remains one of the most popular characters in horror, and the image of her covered in blood at the school dance is one of the most iconic moments in cinema. While other adaptations and remakes have been made since to attempt to recapture the terror and brilliance of the original film, they don't hold a candle to Brian De Palma's original masterpiece or Spacek's triumphant performance as Carrie.

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