EarlyCareer Horror Flicks and the Stars Who Survived Them

Horror movies are fun. Period. We get to see giant monsters eating people and crazy loons hack up goofballs ... and of course what makes it fun is that it's all fiction. Nobody wants to see that stuff in real life, and if you do, then please stop reading this and go check into a nice, clean hospital. But one of the very specific pleasures of "older" horror movies is the enjoyment you receive while spotting a familiar actor, cackling to a friend, and offering something witty like, "man, Jason Alexander looks really weird with hair."

Sometimes the actor is fine with appearing (for all eternity) in a rotten horror flick, but more often than not (I'm looking at you, Kevin Bacon) they express embarrassment and disdain for the film at hand. Like there's something to be ashamed of if you're a good actor whose big break came in a flick called "Forest Hack Slash Part 3." As they say, we all have to start somewhere. So in the spirit of fun, and with full knowledge that other people have done this before, I started making a list. (Horror geeks are great at lists.) So here's the list. Big thanks to HMAD's Brian Collins for making some key contributions!

 

Jason Alexander -- The Burning (1981)

 

Jennifer Aniston -- Leprechaun (1993)

 

Patricia Arquette -- Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)

 

Kevin Bacon -- Friday the 13th (1980)

 

Angela Bassett -- Critters 4 (1992)

 

David Caruso -- Without Warning (1980)

 

George Clooney -- Return to Horror High (1987)

Kevin Costner -- Shadows Run Black (1986)

Jamie Lee Curtis -- Halloween (1978)

 

Johnny Depp -- A Nightmare on Elm Sreet (1984)

 

 

Leonardo DiCaprio -- Critters 3 (1991)

 

Corey Feldman -- Friday the 13th 4: The Final Chapter (1984)

 

Laurence Fishburne -- Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)

 

Greg Germann -- Child's Play 2 (1990)

 

Tony Goldwyn -- Friday the 13th 6: Jason Lives (1986)

 

Crispin Glover -- Friday the 13th 4: The Final Chapter (1984)

 

Joseph Gordon-Levitt -- Halloween 7: H20 (1998)

 

Lance Guest -- Halloween 2 (1981)

 

Linda Hamilton -- Children of the Corn (1984)

 

Daryl Hannah -- The Fury (1978)

 

Tom Hanks -- He Knows You're Alone (1981)

 

Josh Hartnett -- Halloween 7: H20 (1998)

 

 

Katherine Heigl -- Bride of Chucky (1998)

 

Holly Hunter -- The Burning (1981)

 

Virginia Madsen -- Zombie High (1987)

 

Matthew McConaughey -- Texas Chainsaw Massacre 4: The Next Generation (1994)

 

Rose McGowan -- Scream (1996)

 

Eva Mendes -- Children of the Corn 5: Fields of Terror (1998)

 

Breckin Meyer -- Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)

 

Demi Moore -- Parasite (1982)

 

Viggo Mortensen -- Prison (1988)

 

Timothy Olyphant -- Scream 2 (1997)

 

Joe Pantoliano -- The Final Terror (1983)

 

Jada Pinkett -- Tales from the Crypt Presents: Demon Knight (1995)

 

 

Brad Pitt -- Cutting Class (1989)

 

Paul Rudd -- Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers  (1995)

 

Katee Sackhoff -- Halloween 8: Resurrection (2002)

 

Adam Scott -- Hellraiser 4: Bloodline (1996)

 

Seann William Scott -- Final Destination (2000)

 

Brooke Shields -- Alice Sweet Alice (1976)

 

Fisher Stevens -- The Burning (1981)

 

Meg Tilly -- One Dark Night (1983)

 

Naomi Watts -- Children of the Corn 4: Urban Harvest (1996)

 

 

Vanna White -- Graduation Day (1981)

 

Rachel Ward -- Night School (1981)

 

Michellle Williams -- Species (1995)

 

Billy Zane -- Critters (1986)

 

Renee Zellweger -- Texas Chainsaw Massacre 4: The Next Generation (1994)

 

Daphne Zuniga -- The Dorm That Dripped Blood (1982)

 

Any noteworthy omissions? Toss 'em in the comments section below or hit me up on twitter!

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