From the knife-wielding villain Michael Myers to the badass final girl Laurie Strode, the wide-ranging horror genre is crawling with an overabundance of scintillating characters which either give the audience a notable figure to cheer for or root against. As time goes on, the versatile genre has spread its wings and welcomed a variety of LGBTQ+ characters which have gone on to become memorable figures across a plethora of franchises.
As a result, eagle-eyed viewers from all walks of life were able to be introduced to queer characters as filmmakers explored the fundamentals of same-sex relationships and gender nonconforming individuals in the genre. In doing so, commodities such as Netflix’s Fear Street trilogy and Peacock’s slasher spectacle They/Them featured a strong lineup of queer characters which are accurately represented and given the proper spotlight needed to shine in a catalog that continues to uplift the community.
So, let’s take a definitive look at the 10 best LGBTQ+ characters in the horror genre.
Jake Wheeler (Chucky)
In a franchise swarmed with campy queer characters, it seems only fitting that Jake Wheeler from Don Mancini’s Chucky series makes the list. When audiences initially meet Jake in season one, he is consistently outcasted and bullied for being gay. However, the writers simultaneously introduced Jake’s love interest Devon, although the boys were strictly friends at first. With Jake’s no-nonsense type of attitude and devout heroism, there’s no denying he’s one of the best queer characters in horror.
Deena Johnson (Fear Street)
Much like Jake Wheeler, Deena Johnson from Netflix’s Fear Street trilogy is 100% queer badass. During the franchise’s three movies, Deena is hellbent on breaking a horrid curse that affects not only Deena, but also her friends, and even her ex-girlfriend Sam. However, Deena and Sam eventually reunite and deliver some of the sweetest queer scenes that have ever been performed in the genre. Truth be told, you could place these two on this list as a pair, but it’s hard to discount that Deena is the driving force of it all.
Miriam Blaylock (The Hunger)
When the discussion of iconic queer characters comes into play, it shouldn’t take more than a few seconds to toss Miriam Blaylock’s name in the proverbial ring. From the romantic vampire extravaganza The Hunger, the bisexual character adds a special element to the film that undoubtedly keeps viewers returning for a necessary rewatch. As beautiful and likable as they come, it hardly comes as any great surprise that Miriam continues to make audiences absolutely fall in love with her.
Eddie (Hellbent)
Speaking of badass queer characters, it would be an understatement to say that Eddie from Hellbent completely sets the bar. Not only is the movie itself rooted in history as one of the very first LGBTQ+ slasher extravaganzas, but its lead character proudly representing a passionate community is iconic enough on its own. Between embracing his sexuality and unapologetically defending his friends, it’s not hard to understand why Eddie belongs on this list.
Theo Crain (The Haunting of Hill House)
Of course, forgetting to place Theo from Mike Flanagan’s jaw-dropping television spectacular would be an obvious crime. As one of the younger siblings of the Crain family, Theo is introduced to thrill-seeking subscribers as openly lesbian with a strong power of heightened sensitivity to spirits and energy. As a result, Theo is often the most level-headed and honest of the siblings, and her adoration and love of being gay only makes her that much more likable.
Mindy Meeks-Martin (Scream)
As far as groundbreaking lesbians are concerned, it’s worth noting that Mindy from Scream is arguably the most badass LGBTQ+ character on this list. With a knack for scoping out details and keeping her friends safe from threats, Mindy is a strong-minded individual who proudly embraces being a lesbian. In fact, audiences are even introduced to her girlfriend Anika in Scream VI. Luckily, Mindy has stuck around and is expected to confront Ghostface once more in Scream 7.
Glen/Glenda (Chucky)
It certainly wouldn’t be a list of showcasing iconic queer characters without mentioning Glen/Glenda from the Chucky franchise. Since their debut in Seed of Chucky, the character has been heavily discussed and favored within the horror fandom for refusing to stick with just one gender. And when you consider that Glen/Glenda was undoubtedly one of the first non-binary representations in horror, then it makes perfect sense as to why they belong on this list.
Will Byers (Stranger Things)
After it was strongly hinted in a scene between Will and Mike in season four that Will is gay, actor Noah Schanpp recently confirmed the news just a few months ago. And while Will’s sexuality has been examined and assumed for years now, this divine confirmation is just what the world needed, and exactly the sort of credibility that places Will Byers on this list. And while Will is certainly more sensitive and timid than other characters here, there’s simply no denying that he reigns as one of the best.
Ellie Williams (The Last of Us)
As truly iconic as one lesbian character can get, The Last of Us’ Ellie Williams is a certified legend in the queer community. Of course, with the HBO series beautifully showcasing Ellie’s sexuality during the first season, it hardly comes as a surprise that Ellie is slotted on this list and so close near the top. If we had to pick the best queer character in all of television, then Ellie is undoubtedly our choice.
Frank-N-Furter (The Rocky Horror Picture Show)
There’s several huge reasons as to why actor Tim Curry is an absolute legend, but his performance as Frank-N-Furter is arguably the biggest. That being said, it would prove to be difficult to try and find a LGBTQ+ character more iconic than Frank-N-Furter. As absolutely wicked, shameless, brilliant, eccentric, and campy as one can get, Frank is the complete embodiment of queer excellence — which makes for a true iconic character that speaks to an entire community. All in all, Frank remains as the cream of the crop.
