For many actors, having a well-rounded acting resume is a huge achievement. Oftentimes, actors can be pigeonholed or typecast into playing specific characters, which can lead to stagnation in their careers. Variety is the spice of life, after all. For many an actor, the horror genre is often the place to really show off those acting chops as it requires some pretty big emotions. Here are some DC and Marvel actors that either started off or got their big break in the horror genre before they had their superhero calling.
Paul Rudd
Rudd has been delighting us for quite some time now, but when he was still fairly new to the scene, he had his fair share of horror film roles. One of his earliest-ever projects was Moment of Truth: Stalking Back (1993), he then starred in the now cult-classic Clueless (1995) as Josh, a role that set him up as one of the quirkier rom-com leads of our time. In that same year, though, he also starred in the sixth installment of the Halloween franchise, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, in which he played Tommy Doyle. The actor hasn’t been in many horror films since then as he’s focused primarily on comedies.
Henry Cavill
Cavill is one of the biggest action stars of our time and has brought to life iconic characters such as Superman and Geralt of Rivia in films and television series. One of the star’s earliest projects, however, was Hellraiser: Hellworld (2005). This was one of the first larger roles for Cavill who, up until that point, had only minor roles in films or television series. He hasn’t appeared in anything particularly horrifying since then, though, moving more into the world of action instead.
Chris Hemsworth
We know Hemsworth originally rose to fame in his home of Australia playing a role in the popular sitcom Neighbours, but he found global fame as Thor, God of Thunder, within the MCU. Before filming had commenced for Thor, Hemsworth took on a role in the horror parody The Cabin in the Woods which was filmed in 2009. He had appeared in films before this, but either in smaller roles, such as playing George Kirk, father of Captain James Kirk in Star Trek (2009), or in films that didn’t reach as wide of an audience, such as Ca$h (2010).
Jeremy Renner
Renner had been working as an actor for some time before he was cast in the horror/zombie classic 28 Weeks Later, but it was this film that really got things going for him. Here, he played Doyle, an American Soldier set to guard the district where people are trying to get back to normal. A few years later, he would be introduced as Clint Barton a.k.a Hawkeye in Thor. Other than facing another zombie invasion, this time as Hawkeye, in the animated series What If…?, Renner hasn’t been involved in horror as much since then and even suffered a near-fatal snow-ploughing incident recently, so he’s out-of-action for a while.
Idris Elba
Elba, like Renner, had been acting for some time before he also starred in 28 Weeks Later (2007), but his roles had predominantly been guest appearances on television series for one or two episodes rather than anything significant. In the zombie film, he plays General Stone, the gruff head of the military overseeing London’s repopulation. In that same year, he starred in another horror, The Reaping, opposite Hilary Swank. Just like Renner, he also made his MCU entrance in Thor playing Heimdall, the guardian of the Bifrost.
Florence Pugh
Pugh’s breakout movie that brought her international attention and recognition was the psychological horror Midsommar. This was by no means one of her earlier roles as her first role was in the mystery drama The Falling back in 2014, and she had acted in another horror in 2018, Malevolent. Pugh works well in complex psychological films but has also entered the world of superheroes as Yelena Belova, one of the infamous Black Widows and Natasha Romanoff”s estranged sister.
Michael Rooker
Though we now know him as the blue-skinned alien Yondu, Rooker got his start in horror. In fact, in his very first film, he starred as the lead in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986). The film was deeply disturbing and Rooker’s performance was lauded, putting him on the map. He has starred in other horror films since, and had a notable role in The Walking Dead, but has taken a turn towards the comedic, especially with his roles in Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad.
Elizabeth Olsen
She is one of the indisputable stars of the MCU, playing the emotionally damaged character of Wanda Maximoff a.k.a the Scarlet Witch. In fact, her last outing as the character can be considered a little horrific, given how heavily into the horror genre Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness leaned. Olsen, however, is no stranger to horror as one of her first-ever films was Silent House (2011) wherein she played the lead character and delivered a performance which was lauded by many.
Karen Gillan
Karen Gillan originally rose to fame, particularly in the U.K., thanks to her role in the iconic television series Doctor Who. Although there are a fair few scary episodes of the beloved sci-fi series, it was her role in Occulus (2013) that really saw her enter the horror genre and modern American cinema. A year later, she starred as Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy, a role which she continues to play to this day.
Ezra Miller
Miller’s next outing is in DC’s The Flash and though his personal life has taken a turn for the disturbing, Miller’s earlier role was extremely horrific. In We Need to Talk About Kevin, Miller played the titular character, a teenage boy with psychopathic tendencies who ends up murdering several of his fellow students with a bow and arrow. Though it may not be a classic horror and is more a thriller-drama, the acts in the film are horrific and leave you feeling completely unsettled. Miller was lauded for his performance and his career evolved from that point.
Despite many horror films struggling to get recognition when it comes to awards, some of these performances are the best of the actor’s careers as they delve deep into their humanity to either find their inner darkness or fear for their own mortality. These kinds of films can be brutal on actors and actresses who often require therapy after filming. So we can see why they might want to do more superhero films, given that they are likely less emotionally draining.