Horror is a specific genre of film, TV, and literature that has many sublets within its categories. There are so many palpable ways to make an audience truly feel terror and fear.
Acting in the context of horror has proven to be incredibly difficult, especially when actors practice method acting techniques. An example of this distress can easily be pointed to the character of Kayako in The Grudge (2020), played by Junko Bailey. While Bailey can pull off the holy terror displayed within the movie, it is not uncommon for actors to be uncomfortable playing into the fear factor that makes audiences click into horror movies.Â
A24, an independent entertainment company specializing in film and television production, has recently released the movies X (2022), Pearl (2022), and Maxxxine (2024), which have quickly become very popular. All of these films star the brilliant Mia Goth, who could not only act remarkably well but also quickly climbed the charts as a horror actress.Â
But let’s rewind: who is Mia Goth?Â
Mia Gypsy Mello da Silva Goth is a British actress who started off her career by modeling. Her early brand ambassadors included Miu Miu, British Vogue, and Prada. She quickly landed her first role in Nymphomaniac in 2013. Since then, she has landed jobs acting alongside Willem Dafoe and Grace Van Patten and even appeared in a music video for Shia LaBeouf in 2014.
Her breakthrough finally came when she starred in A24 Ti West’s slasher trilogy “X” (2022-2024). Since then, she has consistently earned critical acclaim for her mounting fame and talent.Â
The attention Goth received from her starring role accumulated until she became recognized as a major horror movie icon across the United States. Her performances have remained consistent throughout the films and are packed with physical rigor.Â
The horror genre suffers from predictability and overused stock characters, like the Scream (1996) franchise, even though it remains iconic today.
Physicality within horror films is a different level of mastery, however. Goth has now perfected her sense of rhythm, style, and a fresh formulaic iconography system to make her audiences feel fear. Her performances are great because her characters are packed with many ambitious traits, and Goth can pull off the distinct craft of playing multiple roles within the same storyline. This provides horror with a much-needed new direction, and through her endeavor, she is sure to succeed.Â
Fear is an emotion that humans can experience every day. Horror can be found in a hospital, in your house, or in the eyes of a perpetrator. Horror is hard to act within because we see it every day. It’s hard because it’s too real.
Horror is raw and passionate. Horror is angry and gruesome. But no matter what subgenre of horror we see next, there is one actress within the industry who has already stretched out her acting muscles.
In Goth’s most recent film, Maxxxine (2024), she performed such a gut-twisting story as something extremely real. Her performance was visually appealing, making every frame of the movie a candid picture.Â
Horror is complex and not easily versatile, and acting within it has been a feat for many talented actresses. Mia Goth’s talent is becoming increasingly recognized, putting her at the top of the horror icons we recognize today.Â
In honor of this upcoming Halloween, I highly recommend watching A24’s X (2022-2024) trilogy to highlight this talent in a newfound industry. While we wait to see what Goth does next, have a happy fall and enjoy the horror of it all.Â