Horror Crush: Linda Cardellini

Thanks to a recent and hotly talked about streaming series, we have a new Horror Crush inductee. One whose connection to the genre started earlier than you may have realized: the gorgeous Linda Cardellini!

Linda Cardellini was born on June 25, 1975, in Redwood City, California. The youngest of four children, she is the daughter of Wayne David Cardellini, a businessman, and Lorraine Hernan, a homemaker. Her ancestry includes Italian, Irish, German, and Scottish roots, and she grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Her first public performance came at the age of ten, when she sang in a school play. She continued participating in school productions and taking drama classes, setting the stage for a career in acting. After graduating from Saint Francis High School in Mountain View in 1993, Cardellini moved to Los Angeles to pursue opportunities in film and television.

In 1994, she appeared as a contestant on The Price Is Right and won a fireplace. She subsequently earned a degree in theatre arts from Loyola Marymount University's College of Communication and Fine Arts in 1997. In 2007, the university recognized her as a Distinguished Alumna.

In 1998, Cardellini appeared in her first horror movie, Strangeland. Written by and starring heavy metal rocker and Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider, the film features Snider as its antagonist, the psychotic Captain Howdy. Howdy uses the internet to lure and kidnap teenagers, holding and torturing them in his basement.

The villain's name actually comes from the Twisted Sister song "Horror-Teria (The Beginning) – A) Captain Howdy B) Street Justice," from the band's megahit album Stay Hungry. The song tells the story of an evil child killer who escapes the justice system, only to be immolated by an angry mob.

Directed by John Pieplow, Strangeland is very much a product of its time, reflecting 1990s anxieties surrounding the still-burgeoning internet, chat rooms, and the subculture of piercings and tattoos. Steeped in an alternative-metal aesthetic and featuring an awesome soundtrack, the film taps into the paranoia many parents felt about the dangers lurking online. As a result, some of its specific fears feel dated today, even if online predators remain a legitimate concern and continue to exploit people in different ways.

However, Strangeland also has a nasty edge. Its graphic violence, bodily violation, and torture predate the torture-porn cycle of the 2000s by several years. Snider delivers a solid performance as Captain Howdy, convincingly portraying a cruel and deeply disturbed individual.

As a metalhead and horror fan, I've always been quite fond of this flick and have long been a supporter of it. It's a shame that Strangeland has become overlooked and forgotten by some horror fans over the years. I was also immediately smitten with Cardellini as Genevieve Gage, the young woman who becomes one of Howdy's victims. She even gets a particularly nasty scene in which her lips are sewn shut, an image that was also used in the movie's poster art (above left). And that's how I became a fan of hers!

Arguably Cardellini's most famous role was as Velma in the two Scooby-Doo movies released in 2002 and 2004. I was well past the intended age group for these films, and while I wouldn't exactly classify them as horror, I can see how they could serve as a gateway into the genre for younger audiences. One thing we can all agree on, though: she single-handedly made Velma hot!

But, her genre connections extend well beyond live action movies. She has much voice work including the horror inspired video game Lollipop Chainsaw (2012) and the animated series Creature Commandos (2021). |

In 2019, Cardellini finally returned to live-action horror with The Curse of La Llorona. Produced by James Wan, the film has the dubious distinction of being shoehorned into The Conjuring universe, despite feeling more like a forgotten, unofficial side entry than an integral part of the franchise. Cardellini plays Anna Tate-Garcia, a recently widowed caseworker who investigates the apparent neglect of the two children of her client, Patricia Alvarez (played by the lovely Patricia Velásquez of the first two The Mummy movies).

The movie was a huge box-office hit, but it was panned by many critics. It's easy to see why. Despite the presence of Cardellini and Velásquez, there's little to recommend here. They and the rest of the cast deliver good performances, and there are a few well-executed moments. But, the film is otherwise thoroughly forgettable and generic. The aforementioned shoehorning into The Conjuring universe and a groan-inducing ending do it no favors.

Cardellini has appeared in her fair share of television series, including a 2003 episode of The Twilight Zone titled "The Path," in which she played Ali Warner. However, it's her role in the 2026 series Camp Crystal Lake that's cementing her status in the horror genre.

Conceived as a prequel to the original Friday the 13t and, by extension, its sequels, the series retcons the drowning of Jason Voorhees, placing the event in the early 1970s. The story focuses on his mother, Pamela Voorhees (Cardellini), and her life following the loss of her beloved son. Developed by Brad Caleb Kane and streaming on Peacock, the series greatly expands Pamela's character and explores the origins of Jason.

The show has been garnering strong reviews, including from mainstream critics, who haven't always been as forgiving of this franchise as genre fans. While some fans have complained that the series explains "too much," the majority have been singing its praises. It's also been pulling in impressive viewership numbers for Peacock, making it a major hit for the streaming service.

And to those fans bitching and moaning, remember that this is a franchise with a long, convoluted history and a timeline that's never been particularly consistent. We're talking about a series that brought Jason back to life like Frankenstein's monster, had him fight a psychic girl, killed him via toxic waste (which apparently runs through the sewers of NYC! Who knew?), and eventually had someone chow down on his heart so he could start possessing people Hidden-style via a worm demon. Oh, and he went into outer fucking space!

Personally, I think the explanations of Jason and his mother's past work really well with the mythology and are a welcome addition. The series is strongly written and acted, with plenty of Easter eggs for fans and some really cool twists. The final two episodes rank among the finest in recent horror television. Hopefully, we'll get a second season.

Cardellini is excellent as Mama Voorhees. She manages to be both sympathetic and menacing, making us care about her and feel for her. As a result, we find ourselves on her side for at least a portion of the series, if not most of it. She brings complexity and a grounded quality to the proceedings.

And on top of all that, who would've thought we'd be having the hots for Jason's mama?

While Cardellini has had her share of genre work since early in her career, it's her role as Pamela Voorhees that will undoubtedly cement her place in horror history. And, in turn, it's made me happy to finally have the chance to add her to Horror Crushes!

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Horror Crush: Tamara Glynn

It's Spooky Season, so it's the perfect time to add another actress from the Halloween franchise to Horror Crushes. This time around, it's the beautiful Tamara Glynn!

Tamara Glynn was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas, on December 6, 1968. She began pursuing acting as a teenager after being discovered by a talent agency. Her screen debut came in 1987 with an appearance on the television series Rags to Riches. Two years later, she entered the horror genre as Laura in the Freddy's Nightmares episode "Love Stinks," adding a Freddy Krueger-related production to her growing list of genre credits.

While I undoubtedly saw her episode of Freddy's Nightmares, the role that introduced Tamara Glynn to me was Samantha Thomas in Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989). Having grown up watching the franchise, I was dying to see what happened after the previous film's cliffhanger. At just 13, I needed someone to take me, and my late Aunt Berta kindly obliged, despite not being a horror fan herself. It became the first R-rated movie I saw in a theater, giving this admittedly messy sequel a special place in my heart.

Despite its annoying characters, questionable humor, and terrible jump scares, the movie has its strengths, including some wonderfully mean-spirited moments, bloody kills, and terrific performances from Danielle Harris and Donald Pleasence. But for me, Glynn was one of its most likable new additions. Samantha even gets a sexy love scene before Michael Myers cuts her life short with a spectacularly gruesome scythe kill. I immediately developed a huge childhood crush on Glynn, and she's remained one of my favorite ladies in the franchise ever since.

Glynn continued acting until 1991, with one return in 2001, all in non-horror roles. She eventually stepped away from acting to focus on her family, but would find herself returning to the genre in an unexpected way. As with other genre actors, social media played a big role in that comeback. On Facebook, she connected with horror writer and historian Justin Beahm, who encouraged her to join a Halloween fan page and share an update with fans. She didn't think fans would still care so much about her character, Samantha Thomas, but she was pleasantly surprised by their enthusiastic response.

That reconnection opened an unexpected new door in her career within the genre. This included appearing at conventions, taking roles in independent horror films, and supporting emerging filmmakers. In fact, in 2013, she co-founded the Hot Springs Horror Film Festival in Arkansas with Bill Volland, helping independent filmmakers learn, network, and promote their work.

In the years since her return, Glynn has built up an impressive résumé of indie and low-budget horror movies. These include titles like The Dark Offerings (2021), 10/31: Part 3 (2022), and Ouija: A New Beginning (2025), among others. Her filmography spans multiple subgenres, from supernatural horror and anthologies to more extreme fare.

Falling on the more extreme end of the slasher spectrum is the one film I know from her post-Halloween 5 horror career: Terrifier 2. The second blood-soaked entry in the ultra-gory series created by writer, director, and makeup FX artist Damien Leone, featuring his signature creation, Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton), is a personal favorite of mine. Glynn has a fun little cameo as the Costume Shop Mom.

Glynn's role in Halloween 5 made her a fan favorite, and that alone would have been enough to earn her a place in horror history. But, then you add her modern contributions to the genre, including an extensive résumé of roles in independent horror films. The result is a unique story and career within the genre, making me very proud to have her included in Horror Crushes!

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Horror Crush: Inde Navarrette

In the early days of this website, I tried to give you guys even more horror write-ups than usual during "Spooky Season". As time went on, though, I didn't quite keep up with that tradition. Since I've been back to writing here, I've felt so reinvigorated that bringing it back just felt natural.

So let's do just that—while adding THE it girl of the moment to Horror Crushes: Inde Navarrette!|

Born Danielle Fabiola Navarrette on March 3, 2001, in Tucson, Arizona, Inde is the daughter of a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of Mexican descent and an Australian hairstylist. Because of her father's military service, the family relocated frequently. In fact, by the time she was fifteen, Inde had attended a whopping eleven different schools.

After her parents separated, she primarily lived in Visalia, California, where she attended Mt. Whitney High School. She later moved to Los Angeles, attending Redondo Union High School.

So where did the name "Inde" come from? Her mother gave her the nickname because of her independent nature, and it eventually became the name she went by professionally. Inde also credits her family with helping spark her interest in acting. She got her love of horror from her father's side of the family, who introduced her to horror movies as a kid, while her mother's side gave her an appreciation for the other side of cinema—watching the Academy Awards together.

Considering where her career is heading, I'd say both sides of the family had a pretty good influence on her.

Navarrette's first role came in 2019 with the Snapchat original sitcom Denton's Death Date. However, I first became aware of her thanks to her role as Sarah Cortez in Superman & Lois. Her combination of beauty and natural acting chops on the superhero drama made me an instant fan. So, you can imagine how excited I was when I heard she would be starring in this year's massive horror hit Obsession.

As such, this induction isn't just because everybody has suddenly discovered how gorgeous Inde Navarrette is. It's because she delivered one of the standout horror performances of 2026 in Obsession.

Obsession is a 2025 supernatural horror movie written, directed, and edited by Curry Barker. It tells the tale of Bear (Michael Johnston), who has a crush on his beautiful friend Nikki (Inde Navarrette). But instead of, you know, doing the right thing and simply telling her how he feels, he makes a wish using a store-bought magical item called a Wish Willow. It doesn't take long for him to learn a lesson we've been taught ever since The Monkey's Paw: Be careful what you wish for! Nikki's newfound "love" for him quickly escalates into a dangerous obsession.

First premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 5, 2025, the movie was subsequently picked up for distribution by Focus Features. It received a wide release on May 15, 2026, and became a massive critical and box-office hit. And, it's easy to see why! It explores complex themes of obsession and control, delivering its horror in a smart and merciless fashion. Creepily shot, with an ending that delivers one final gut punch, it's without a shadow of a doubt my favorite movie of the year so far.

The film is propelled by great performances from the entire cast, but most especially Navarrette. She delivers a breakout performance that's both deep and complex, helping to make this lovely beauty absolutely terrifying. Thanks to this performance, she very quickly became the "it" girl of the moment.

Since the movie's release, I don't think a day has gone by without seeing a meme or post praising her acting, celebrating her beauty, talking about how cool she is (she's a gamer and a fan of bands like Paramore and Nickelback), speculating about her role as Rogue in the upcoming X-Men movie—the first installment in the MCU—or some combination of the above.

I mean, we have an absolute megastar on the rise, which is always exciting to catch here on Horror Crushes. The difference? Her trajectory might be the biggest one we've caught right at its inception.

Inde Navarrette's performance in a movie that's shaping up to be regarded as a modern horror favorite, if not a classic in its own right, made writing this post an easy decision. Add in her current trajectory in Hollywood, and I feel overjoyed to welcome her to the ranks of Horror Crushes!

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Horror Crush: Laura Harris

 It's time for another gorgeous and talented lady to get inducted into Horror Crushes. Today we add one of my biggest 90's crushes in the absolutely stunning Laura Harris!

Laura Elizabeth Harris was born on November 20, 1976. She was born and grew up in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia. Also, this serves as yet a friendly reminder that Canadian women are truly gorgeous! Any who, both of her parents were actually schoolteachers, She began acting at the mere age of five doing CBC (Canadian Broadcast Corporation) Radio Dramas and cartoons. During her childhood she attended Crofton House School in Vancouver. Post her move to Los Angeles, she attended psychology corresponding classes while in college.  

Her first foray inro horror happened when she appeared in the It mini-series in 1990. This was definitely the first thing I saw her in, but I don't remember her in it. Truth be told, I have not watched it since it first aired on TV.

She would return to TV horror with one of my favorite episodes from my favorite series of all tine: The X-Files with "Die Hand Die Verletzt". This one is from the second season and involves Satan worship and black magic. So yeah, it is absolutely right in my wheel house. And, while I've watched this episode I don't really remember her role. But, I feel like I would've totally have found her to be a cutie, especially during my first watch as a teen.

In 1997, she did double genre duty for two syndicated shows: The Outer Limits and Poltergeist: The Legacy. I never really watched the former, but I did watch the Poltergeist series. Though, I am hard pressed to remember of anything about it, much less Harris' role in it. She would actually return to The Outer Limits in 2001 and appear in a second episode.

In 1998, she appeared in The Faculty, the movie where I first really noticed and is the main reason she got this induction. Directed by Robert (Planet Terror) Rodriguez directed and Kevin (Scream franchise) Williamson wrote this very 90s teen sci-fi/ horror flick. Done at the height of the Scream style slasher flick, it was nice to see that at least this one was a monster movie and not a stalk and slash flick.

In this tale of teens who realize that their teachers and school faculty are acting weird and shit. And, that's cuz they are really aliens who haven taken them over! It's very much a rip-off of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and falls under a lot of style and feel of this era. But, it is a decent time killer, even if much of it is a little to clean in execution and finalization for my more my more gritty and nasty tastes.

Harris plays new girl Marybeth Louise Hutchinson. She is really great in the role, as she comes off as cute, sweet, as well as sexy and dangerous. Her character is honestly my favorite in the movie. She is certainly the most aesthetically unforgettable character. Cuz, she does something no one from the Scream school of horror did: she got nude! That scene has lived rent free in my mind ever since I saw the movie in the theaters. Even while a lot of the movie kinda slipped into mental oblivion, that did not. In fact, as I said in the intro, sealed Harris as one of my biggest late 90s Horror Crushes!

While, not actually horror, it is worth mentioning that she did appear in a total of 24 episodes of Dead Like Me (2003-2004). It's one of my favorite, underrated shows with a great mix of dark humor and an excellent cast and writing. She played Daisy Adair, who is a grim reaper.

Between 2005-06, she did a total of three episodes of The Dead Zone, playing the character of Miranda Ellis. Again, it has some twenty years since I watched this show, so I don't remember her character. But, I know I did enjoy the show while it was running.

2006 also saw her do her final feature length genre flick with the awesome but severely underrated horror/ comedy Severance. This one comes from wrier/ director Christopher Smith, who made his debut with his masterpiece Triangle (which stars fellow Horror Crush inductee Melissa George). I actually first saw this one for work years ago. And, when it hit special edition Blu-Ray I was beyond happy to finally revisit it. And, man, it is as great as I remember it being!

This British flick tells the tale of a sale team from an arms corporation that goes on a corporate retreat. The problem is they encounter a group of whacked out killers, who begin to take them out one by one. It is such a fun movie, one that is suspenseful, gory, and, at times, utterly hilarious. And, like the best horror comedies, it works cuz it takes the horror seriously. It really needs to be seen by more people.

Harris plays the lead role of Maggie. She is so good in this role and looks great, of course! It really made me wish that she had done more horror feature length movies. But, as of this writing this stands as her best movie, that I have seen her in.

Her final horror credit is the animated movie Underworld: Endless War. It is an animated anthology movie made up of three stories. Despite, being a fan of this franchise, I gotta admit I never saw it, hell, I am not even sure I remember it coming out! Regardless, she does the voice of Selene (Kate Bekinsale's character in the movies), which is pretty cool, if you think about it!

So, before I started this post I didn't think Harris had done a lot of horror. And, while from a feature standpoint that is the case, she did do a lot of TV work. The movies she did do, include a favorite among fans of late 90sb teen horror and an absolutely great horror/ comedy, solidify her place in horror history. She, herself, is a gorgeous and talented blonde beauty with stunning blue eyes, who is great in any role she is given. And, with that we are pleased to add Laura Harris to Horror Crushes!

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