00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the quintessential performances
00:08from the last 10 years of horror cinema.
00:1413.
00:18John Goodman
00:1910.
00:20Cloverfield Lane
00:21It's hard to surprise audiences with a resume like John Goodman's.
00:29Given his long history across nearly every genre in the book, staying fresh is quite
00:34the feat.
00:35And that's exactly where this thriller finds its secret sauce, by playing off of his familiarity.
00:40As Howard Stambler, the screen legend exudes a far more sinister presence than ever before.
00:57With his mix of caustic paranoia and volatile rage, the character is a ticking bomb, but
01:02Goodman is also able to convey the fear underneath it all.
01:05It's the desperation of a fragile man, grasping to exert control over everything around him.
01:22Add in the perfect rival in Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and you have yet another highlight
01:26for a veteran career full of them.
01:2912.
01:30Emily Blunt
01:31A Quiet Place
01:32After establishing herself as a bonafide action hero in the early 2010s, Emily Blunt somehow
01:37found even more levels of badassery in this box office smash.
01:41And although she's no stranger to a tense situation, her time as Evelyn Abbott is stressful,
01:46to put it mildly.
01:58But the movie's compact runtime and breakneck pace couldn't stop her from leading a number
02:03of its most iconic moments, whether it's the nail-biting bathtub sequence, or with some
02:08gruesome nail-stepping.
02:10Blunt carries us through.
02:16Her performance grounds the film's fantasy elements, and is key to its heart.
02:25She would later return in the sequel.
02:26There, she helps pass the torch to the series' other star hero, Millicent Simmons.
02:3111.
02:32James McAvoy
02:33Split
02:34It would be easy for a flashy performer to overdo it in this role.
02:37Instead, James McAvoy is brilliant in this cinematic juggling act.
02:41Slipping between multiple distinct personas, he showcases stunning attention to detail.
02:57From mannerisms and postures, to vocal tone and cadence, precision was his game.
03:02His level of skill becomes even more haunting in the film's final act.
03:15Although the character himself shouldn't be considered representative of any real mental
03:19health conditions, McAvoy's work remains acclaimed.
03:22He later reprises the role in Glass, where he gets a chance to further humanize Kevin
03:28Wendell Crumb.
03:3610.
03:39Anya Taylor-Joy
03:40The Witch
03:41Few modern stars have exploded onto the scene quite as loudly as Anya Taylor-Joy.
03:56A huge part of that ascension is her debut in this unforgettable period piece.
04:02She is our anchor throughout this film.
04:04As a piece from Robert Eggers, the movie naturally treats us to some pretty disturbing imagery
04:08and difficult themes.
04:17As Thomasin is harshly vilified by those who should love her, we see the real evil present
04:22in stories like hers.
04:24She is both heartbroken and enraged by the portrayal, with Taylor-Joy portraying this
04:29masterfully.
04:329.
04:34Ewan McGregor – Doctor Sleep
04:46Faced with a daunting franchise legacy, McGregor had his work cut out for him in this ambitious
04:51film.
04:52Director Dan Torrance called for a deft balance between broad horror fantasy and intimate
04:56character drama.
04:57Luckily, McGregor was more than up to the task, painting a striking portrait of trauma
05:02and repression.
05:03As he finds new purpose in defending young Abra from Rebecca Ferguson's startling villain,
05:08we find even more layers to him.
05:18Through these cracks, he gives us glimpses of his compassion.
05:22This success marked another win for Mike Flanagan in adapting Stephen King.
05:26Previously, he also directed a superb Carla Gugino in 2017's Gerald's Game.
05:368.
05:41Florence Pugh – Midsommar
05:42In the same year she got awards love for Little Women, Florence Pugh became an icon in an
05:47entirely opposite genre.
05:49This sunny nightmare set the stage for a juggernaut performance.
06:00From the jump, we feel Dani's emotional turmoil as she strains to hold it all together.
06:04This tension makes her ultimate fate that much more impactful.
06:08In all of its terror, irony, and wicked tragedy, Pugh is so sympathetic that even as she falls
06:24further into the arms of the horger, we understand what she's going through.
06:27It's a display that fully immerses us with the character's POV, rendering the chaos
06:32around her even more baffling, and even scarier.
06:467.
06:47Daniel Kaluuya – Get Out
06:49Packed with amazing supporting talent like Catherine Keener and Lakeith Stanfield, you'd
06:54think this classic couldn't ask for much more.
07:07But as one of the most compelling and intelligent films of the decade, it needed a convincing
07:12lead.
07:13Enter Daniel Kaluuya.
07:25He commands each scene without overdoing it, as you can see in the first Sunken Place sequence.
07:30Kaluuya scored an Oscar nomination for his work.
07:33It's a rare feat, given the Academy's history of snubbing horror.
07:45As it turns out, it was only a peek at what has since been a remarkable career, with an
07:49Oscar win and another terrific Jordan Peele collab already in the books.
07:556.
07:56Elizabeth Moss – The Invisible Man
07:57The last decade has seen superb work come out of sci-fi horror, and Elizabeth Moss sets
08:02a new standard in this gritty, yet operatic spine-chiller.
08:15As Cecilia Kass, her journey is tormented by a cruel, abusive partner.
08:19We watch as she's pushed into the depths of despair and paranoia.
08:30Moss gives a sheer tour de force in this role, at times single-handedly carrying entire
08:35scenes.
08:36Her captivating blend of naturalism and melodrama helps the world feel fully realized, and when
08:50you pair that with director Leigh Whannell's incredible stunt choreography, you get a performance
08:55that fires on all cylinders.
08:585.
08:59Mia Goth – Pearl
09:11After debuting this role in X, Goth returns as the titular serial killer in this blood-soaked
09:15prequel.
09:16The movie leans hard on her loud and brashly animated bursts of passion and ultra-violence.
09:21But alongside these moments, Goth also plays Pearl with calm and sensitivity.
09:26This duety can be seen in an incredible final act.
09:30It kicks off with a surreal audition, before Pearl has an infamous breakdown.
09:34Hitting rock bottom, she then gives an intimate monologue that runs for over five minutes.
09:47It all culminates in one of the most memorable and unsettling end credits in recent canon.
09:53Her attempt to just smile through the pain cements the character as horror royalty.
10:024.
10:11Willem Dafoe – The Lighthouse
10:12Willem Dafoe does the impossible in this amazing A24 showpiece.
10:16He takes one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood and makes it completely disappear
10:21into the role of Thomas Wake.
10:34With a look and voice that genuinely feel like something from another time and place,
10:38he is vital to the film's atmosphere.
10:40Even a long speech about lobsters is totally immersive.
10:54Next to his partner in crime, Robert Pattinson, the pair are only our guides through this
10:59suffocating tale.
11:00They play off each other beautifully.
11:02Captured in shadow and grime, their downward spiral is totally enthralling to watch.
11:173.
11:18Lupita Nyong'o – Us
11:20Dual roles for one performer is a big gamble.
11:23They're not always going to work out, but what Lupita Nyong'o does here might just
11:28be their pinnacle.
11:40She simultaneously crafts one of the genre's most petrifying villains and one of its most
11:45endearing heroes.
11:46Witnessing them interact creates an uncanny, disquieting effect, and Nyong'o's voice
11:51for her tethered self is utterly hair-raising.
12:04Their dynamic defines the entire story, with a final reveal that cashes in on the tension
12:09between them.
12:10It's no surprise that Nyong'o took home a slew of awards and nominations for her performance.
12:252.
12:32Bill Skarsgård – It
12:34Any adaptation of Stephen King's It would be dead on arrival without a good Pennywise.
12:39As Tim Curry demonstrated, it's a core aspect of the story.
12:53Luckily for director Andy Muschietti, he got to work with the pitch-perfect Bill Skarsgård.
12:58For most performers, it would be difficult to be impactful without knowing much at all
13:02about your character, but he took the role to its absolute ceiling.
13:17Somehow he stays expressive underneath the makeup, prosthetics, and visual effects.
13:22And above all, the physicality he brings is imposing, unpredictable, and outright creepy.
13:28Skarsgård's legacy as a genre heavyweight is only set to grow from here.
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13:581.
14:00Toni Collette – Hereditary
14:02Nearly 20 years after her first Oscar nomination for a genre classic, horror fans everywhere
14:07thought she was a shoo-in for another.
14:09Although her work in this frightful family saga was overlooked by the Academy, it will
14:13still go down in the horror history books as one of the all-time best.
14:30Annie Graham is a mother consumed by grief and generational trauma.
14:34Collette is simply a force of nature in the role.
14:37Her anguish and despair are tangible.
14:49Ari Aster's harrowing debut feature was a phenomenon for many reasons, but its lead
14:54performance may just be its greatest achievement.
15:08Which performances blew you away?
15:09Let us know in the comments.
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