There are two types of horror movie characters: the good (final girls and their friends/family/peers/love interests) and the killers/villains. Most of the time, the main characters are likable enough, depending on how silly or smart they are throughout the story. But sometimes, there are minor and main characters who are easy to empathize with, as these people struggle and have tough experiences, both before and during the events of the film.
From a favorite character in the Scream franchise to some 2022 characters who made an impression, there are several people who are going through a lot in horror films and who make fans feel many strong emotions.
Randy Meeks (Scream, 1996)
Randy Meeks may not be as popular a Scream character as Kirby Reed, but Jamie Kennedy's horror superfan is one of the greatest from the slasher franchise. Randy is also easy to sympathize with as he has a bit of a tough time throughout the 1996 film and the 1997 sequel.
Other characters always underestimate Randy and think of him as a movie nerd who couldn't possibly be cool. When he starts attending Windsor College, Randy gets into spirited debates in film class. It often seems like Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) is the only person who really loves and accepts Randy for who he is. It's also sad to watch Ghostface kill Randy as he's so young and has a bright future ahead of him. It's easy to picture Randy making horror films of his own.
Grace (Ready Or Not, 2019)
It's impossible not to feel for Samara Weaving's Ready or Not character, Grace Le Domas. She has just married into a rich family but their snobby personalities are the least of her worries when, on her wedding night, she learns that they want to play hide and seek... but she's part of an eerie and horrible ritual.
The 2019 film is one of the best and most underrated horror comedies, and audiences feel empathy for Grace right away. Grace is tough, strong, and overall a flawless horror movie character. Weddings are stressful enough and it can be overwhelming to try to make a good impression on in-laws... and when Grace finds herself in this terrible situation, audiences root for her and want her to succeed.
Adelaide Wilson (Us, 2019)
Lupita Nyong'o's Us character, Adelaide Wilson, has a strange and horrifying experience as a child. When visiting the Santa Cruz boardwalk, she sees her doppelgänger, something that haunts her throughout her life. When she's an adult, she and her family go on vacation and encounter "The Tethered," including Red, Adelaide's doppelgänger.
Jordan Peele's acclaimed horror filmsGet Out (2017) and Us both deal with race and culture, and audiences are invested in Adelaide right away. The movie expertly tells the story of Adelaide's past and present while allowing viewers to see how she is affected by this discovery.
Jasmine Moore (Master, 2022)
Master doesn't live up to its message, but Jasmine Moore (Zoe Renee) is a sympathetic character from the beginning of the film. As Jasmine joins the freshman class at Ancaster college, she feels isolated immediately, as her peers don't accept her and treat her horribly. While the supernatural mystery at the core of the movie is poorly handled and the film isn't scary at all, and Jasmine isn't the super well-developed character that she could be, audiences can still understand what Jasmine is going through.
Master shows the microaggressions that Jasmine faces on a daily basis and as she wonders about the paranormal history of the school that she has chosen to attend, audiences are livid at the treatment that Jasmine gets from her classmates and teachers. Jasmine deserves to have an amazing college experience, studying topics that interest her and making new friends.
Lorraine (X, 2022)
There are so many storytelling lessons in Ti West's 2022 movie X and Jenna Ortega's character, Lorraine, sticks out as a particularly well-developed and interesting person. Lorraine has agreed to help make an adult film as she's dating the director, RJ (Owen Campbell). At first, Lorraine is judgmental and prudish, as she thinks that porn is terrible. Before too long, though, Lorraine wants to film her own scene. And by this point in the movie, Lorraine is established as a tough and strong character who audiences love.
When Lorraine is locked in Pearl (Mia Goth) and Howard's (Stephen Ure) basement with a bloody hand, audiences sympathize with her flight and hope that she can escape. While it's unlikely that she can, since this is a slasher after all, horror fans appreciate watching this unique story through the lens of a young girl who is still learning who she is and who she wants to be.