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Lin Shaye

Lin Shaye

Acting·1943·176 films

Lin Shaye (born October 12, 1943) is an American actress. In a career spanning over fifty years, Shaye has appeared in more than a hundred feature films. She is regarded as a scream queen due to her roles in various horror productions, which include the films Alone in the Dark (1982), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), Critters (1986) and its sequel Critters 2: The Main Course (1988), Amityville: A New Generation (1993), Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994), Dead End (2003), 2001 Maniacs (2005) and its sequel 2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams (2010), Ouija (2014) and its prequel Ouija: Origin of Evil

Filmography

Insidious
Insidious (2011)Elise Rainier
Dumb and Dumber
Dumb and Dumber (1994)Mrs. Neugeboren
A Nightmare on Elm Street
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)Teacher
There's Something About Mary
There's Something About Mary (1998)Magda
Insidious: Chapter 2
Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013)Elise Rainier
Me, Myself & Irene
Me, Myself & Irene (2000)Mrs. Caleron
Insidious: Chapter 3
Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015)Elise Rainier
A Cinderella Story
A Cinderella Story (2004)Mrs. Wells
Insidious: The Last Key
Insidious: The Last Key (2018)Elise Rainier
The Running Man
The Running Man (1987)Propaganda Officer
Ouija
Ouija (2014)Paulina Zander
Ouija: Origin of Evil
Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016)Old Paulina Zander
My Sister's Keeper
My Sister's Keeper (2009)Nurse Adele
Cellular
Cellular (2004)Exotic Car Driver
Snakes on a Plane
Snakes on a Plane (2006)Grace
Insidious: The Red Door
Insidious: The Red Door (2023)Elise Rainier
The Signal
The Signal (2014)Mirabelle
Wes Craven's New Nightmare
Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994)Nurse with Pills
The Grudge
The Grudge (2019)Faith Matheson
Critters
Critters (1986)Sally
Last Man Standing
Last Man Standing (1996)The Madame
Kingpin
Kingpin (1996)Landlady
Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd
Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd (2003)Margie
National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1
National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1 (1993)Witness
Stuck on You
Stuck on You (2003)Makeup Babe
Boat Trip
Boat Trip (2002)Sonya the Coach
Brewster's Millions
Brewster's Millions (1985)Journalist at Rally
The Three Stooges
The Three Stooges (2012)Nurse Crotchet
Dead End
Dead End (2003)Laura Harrington
Tales of Halloween
Tales of Halloween (2015)Lynn's Mother
Critters 2
Critters 2 (1988)Sal
The Hidden
The Hidden (1987)Carol Miller
Critters 3
Critters 3 (1991)Sal (archive footage)
Corrina, Corrina
Corrina, Corrina (1994)Repeat Nanny
Detroit Rock City
Detroit Rock City (1999)Mrs. Bruce
The Midnight Man
The Midnight Man (2016)Anna
Pump Up the Volume
Pump Up the Volume (1990)PTA Parent #3
A Good Old Fashioned Orgy
A Good Old Fashioned Orgy (2011)Dody
Buster's Mal Heart
Buster's Mal Heart (2017)Pauline
2001 Maniacs
2001 Maniacs (2005)Granny Boone
Barely Legal
Barely Legal (2003)Tequlia
The Long Riders
The Long Riders (1980)Kate
Big Ass Spider!
Big Ass Spider! (2013)Mrs. Jefferson
Grace
Grace (2014)Helen
Extreme Prejudice
Extreme Prejudice (1987)Employment Office Clerk
Say It Isn't So
Say It Isn't So (2001)Nurse Bautista
The Black Room
The Black Room (2017)Miss Black
The Call
The Call (2020)Edith Cranston
Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy
Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy (2010)Self
Goin' South
Goin' South (1978)Parasol Lady
Alone in the Dark
Alone in the Dark (1982)Receptionist at Haven
The Final Wish
The Final Wish (2019)Kate Hammond
Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman
Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman (2021)Mrs. Bundy
Abattoir
Abattoir (2016)Allie
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1994)Rubber Rose Maid
Dreamkatcher
Dreamkatcher (2020)Ruth
Project: ALF
Project: ALF (1996)Waitress
Take Me Home
Take Me Home (2011)Jill
Chillerama
Chillerama (2011)Baglady / Nurse Maleva
Frank and Penelope
Frank and Penelope (2022)Ophelia
Pledge This!
Pledge This! (2007)Miss Prin
Amityville: A New Generation
Amityville: A New Generation (1993)Nurse Turner
Rosewood Lane
Rosewood Lane (2011)Mrs. Hawthorne
Asylum
Asylum (2008)String's Mother
Who's Your Daddy?
Who's Your Daddy? (2004)Ms. Harding
2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams
2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams (2010)Granny Boone
Room for Rent
Room for Rent (2019)Joyce
FDR: American Badass!
FDR: American Badass! (2012)Eleanor Roosevelt
Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror
Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror (2006)Clara
Jack Goes Home
Jack Goes Home (2016)Teresa
Nature of the Beast
Nature of the Beast (1995)Carol Powell
Bachelor Party Vegas
Bachelor Party Vegas (2006)Cassandra
Matchmaker Santa
Matchmaker Santa (2012)Debbie
The Temp
The Temp (1993)Rosemary
Drop Dead Sexy
Drop Dead Sexy (2005)Ma Muzzy
Jewtopia
Jewtopia (2012)Dr. Sutton
Living Out Loud
Living Out Loud (1998)Lisa's Nurse
My Demon Lover
My Demon Lover (1987)Anemic Counter Girl
Noobz
Noobz (2013)Mrs. Theodore
Living with Chucky
Living with Chucky (2022)Self
Crazy Kind of Love
Crazy Kind of Love (2013)Denise Mack
Max Reload and the Nether Blasters
Max Reload and the Nether Blasters (2020)Mrs. Wylder
Slam Dance
Slam Dance (1987)Librarian
Darkness Falls
Darkness Falls (2020)Angela Anderson
Three of Hearts
Three of Hearts (1993)Operator
The Last Stand of Ellen Cole
The Last Stand of Ellen Cole (2024)Ellen
Killer Pad
Killer Pad (2008)Marge
Homo Erectus
Homo Erectus (2007)Museum Guide
Surf School
Surf School (2006)Larry's Mom
All About the Money
All About the Money (2017)Mrs. Womack
The Hillside Strangler
The Hillside Strangler (2004)Jenny Buono
Hester Street
Hester Street (1975)Whore
Dark Moon Rising
Dark Moon Rising (2009)Sunny
Brain Smasher... A Love Story
Brain Smasher... A Love Story (1993)Make up Artist
Director's Cut
Director's Cut (2016)Captain Wheeler
Small Town Saturday Night
Small Town Saturday Night (2010)Phyllis Ryan
Lost Time
Lost Time (2014)Mysterious Woman
Hate Crime
Hate Crime (2005)Kathleen Slansky
Driftwood
Driftwood (2006)Nancy Forrester
Roadside Prophets
Roadside Prophets (1992)Celeste
All American Christmas Carol
All American Christmas Carol (2013)Barbara Belnap
The Voices
The Voices (2020)The Vagabond
Jekyll and Hyde... Together Again
Jekyll and Hyde... Together Again (1982)Nurse with Telegram
The Penthouse
The Penthouse (2010)Frances
Hoboken Hollow
Hoboken Hollow (2006)Mrs. Brodrick
Sketch Artist II: Hands That See
Sketch Artist II: Hands That See (1995)Bonnie
Born Killers
Born Killers (2005)Willow
Don Quixote: The Ingenious Gentleman of La Mancha
Don Quixote: The Ingenious Gentleman of La Mancha (2015)The Grand Lady
Ambition
Ambition (2019)Lady Bum
Book of Love
Book of Love (1990)Mrs. Flynn
Farewell Mr. Kringle
Farewell Mr. Kringle (2010)Zelda
Mountain Top
Mountain Top (2017)Muriel Miller
American Cowslip
American Cowslip (2009)Lou Anne
Contagion
Contagion (2002)Laura Crowley
Helen Keller vs. Nightwolves
Helen Keller vs. Nightwolves (2015)Helen Keller
Confessions of an Action Star
Confessions of an Action Star (2005)Samantha Jones
Lucky Stiff
Lucky Stiff (1988)Bratty Kid's Mom
The Land of the Astronauts
The Land of the Astronauts (2010)
Doggie Heaven
Doggie Heaven (2008)Woman
Wish You Were Dead
Wish You Were Dead (2002)Jinny Macintosh
Grow House
Grow House (2017)Mrs. Gilliam
ManFast
ManFast (2003)Marge
I Was a Teenage Werebear
I Was a Teenage Werebear (2011)
Trial by Fire
Trial by Fire (1995)Phyliis Cardell
Trading Favors
Trading Favors (1997)Darla
Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story
Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story (2022)Self
Her Final Fury: Betty Broderick, the Last Chapter
Her Final Fury: Betty Broderick, the Last Chapter (1994)Inmate
Gothic Harvest
Gothic Harvest (2019)Griselda
Stuntmen
Stuntmen (2009)Bumble Jackson
3 Days of Normal
3 Days of Normal (2012)May
Get Gone
Get Gone (2019)Mama
Why Me?
Why Me? (1984)
Sedona
Sedona (2011)Claire
Breakfast with Einstein
Breakfast with Einstein (1998)Miss Desmond
Killer by Nature
Killer by Nature (2010)Leona
Texas Heart
Texas Heart (2016)Mrs. Smith
Summer Fantasy
Summer Fantasy (1984)Woman on Beach
Next Stop Murder
Next Stop Murder (2010)Detective Reeson
Life's an Itch
Life's an Itch (2012)Gloria
Stillwatch
Stillwatch (1987)
Sex and the Married Woman
Sex and the Married Woman (1977)Sandra
1000 Women in Horror
1000 Women in Horror (2025)Self
The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal
The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal (1979)Freida
Mistress
Mistress (1987)Woman Customer
Down the P.C.H.
Down the P.C.H. (2006)Wendy O'Hara
Los Angeles Overnight
Los Angeles Overnight (2018)Cousins
In the Line of Duty: The Price of Vengeance
In the Line of Duty: The Price of Vengeance (1994)Foreman #2
House of Abraham
House of Abraham (2025)
The Almost Guys
The Almost Guys (2004)Repo Boss
Pines
Pines (2022)Julie (voice)
The Horror Crowd
The Horror Crowd (2020)Self
Attention Shoppers
Attention Shoppers (2000)Libby
Herbert West: Reanimator
Herbert West: Reanimator (2018)Meredith
The Election
The Election (2007)The Wife
Scared to Death
Scared to Death (2026)Max
The Seeding of Sarah Burns
The Seeding of Sarah Burns (1979)2nd Nurse
Unbeatable Harold
Unbeatable Harold (2006)Jeannie
We Are Gathered Here Today
We Are Gathered Here Today (2022)Jean Cole
The Accidental Death of Joey by Sue
The Accidental Death of Joey by Sue (2010)Mrs. Rawlings
Chasing Robert
Chasing Robert (2007)Martha the Bookie
Chronic Town
Chronic Town (2008)Nurse
A Secret Space
A Secret Space (1977)Amy
Before Memory
Before Memory
The Quarry: Movie Mode
The Quarry: Movie Mode (2022)Lou/The Hag of Hackett's Quarry
Insidious: Out of the Further
Insidious: Out of the Further (2026)Elise Rainier
Thread: An Insidious Tale
Thread: An Insidious TaleElise Rainier
Goldberg - P.I.
Goldberg - P.I. (2011)Violet
They Bite!: The Making of Critters
They Bite!: The Making of Critters (2018)Self
VideoDome Rent-O-Rama
VideoDome Rent-O-Rama (2010)The Lush
Mascotland
Mascotland
Waffle Hut
Waffle Hut (2012)Jerrie Wolf
Pure Venom: The Making of Snakes on a Plane
Pure Venom: The Making of Snakes on a Plane (2006)Self
The Main Course: The Making of Critters 2
The Main Course: The Making of Critters 2 (2018)Self
Remote
Remote (2022)Kane
Jackson's Hole
Jackson's HoleNetter
The Old World
The Old WorldThe Aunt (voice)