When it comes to classic horror, there are perhaps no two characters more genre-defining thanHalloween’s Michael Myers andFriday the 13th’s Jason Voorhees. Michael Myers, clad in a white mask nicknamed “The Shape,” moves in silence as he approaches his victims, murdering them with a callousness that only a stone-hearted killer can possess. Jason Voorhees, donning a muddied-up hockey mask, acts similarly, preying upon innocent victims and killing them in cold blood.
Yet, portraying characters as ghastly as Mike and Jason takes some serious talent, even when both characters are often hidden behind their signature mask. Here, we take a look at every actor who has played the iconic horror movie villains and recall the movies they helped make so scream-worthy.
16Ari Lehman
We open our list with the first actor to ever portray Jason Voorhees on-screen,Ari Lehman. As the first installment in the series, the 1980 filmFridaythe13thset the stage for a myriad of follow-up movies and introduced the world to one of the most infamous villains of all time.
The originalFriday the 13thactually sees Jason’s mother, Pamela Voorhees, as the main antagonist; she vandalizes and targets a summer camp located on the infamous Crystal Lake, known for its history of death and violence. Here, we follow four main camp counselors as they face the distraught mother, fighting for their lives as they are overpowered one by one. Though it is one of the earlier films on this list and introduces Jason as merely a flashback, Ari Lehman’s performance helped cement Jason’s place as one of the scariesthorror moviecharacters to date.
15Warrington Gillette
Next up isWarringtonGillette, who starred as Jason in the second installment of the franchise,Friday the 13th Part 2. Since the first movie merely showed Jason in flashbacks and as a child, Warrington might just be the first true portrayal of the villain, specifically as an adult.
One defining feature of this film is that Jason is seen wearing a white sack over his head rather than his trademark hockey mask. Taking place once again at Camp Crystal Lake, this time after the events of the first film, the movie sees Jason terrorizing a group of soon-to-be counselors just as his mother had in the first. Warrington gives a stunning performance that ultimately, helped show a more deranged side of the killer; unlike the first movie, Jason is now able to interact with his victims more directly.
14Richard Booker
Friday the 13th Part 3is the film where Jason truly begins to take shape thanks to the talents ofRichardBooker. For the first time, audiences see Jason in the iconic hockey mask, making his physical appearance all the more menacing.
This time, the story begins right where we left off, with Jason unmasked and reeling from the previous night of his homicidal mayhem. From there, Jason is once again, seen terrorizing the innocent victims in and around Crystal Lake, killing them off one by one in typical slasher fashion. The film was released to audiences in 3-D, making Richard Booker’s performance all the more terrifying with the action practically jumping out of the screen.
13Ted White
TedWhiteis a definitefan-favoriteafter his expert portrayal of Jason in the installmentFriday the 13th: The Final Chapter. Here, Jason takes evil to new heights; not only is this the first film where he attacks a child, but this is one of the first times we see Jason arise from the dead, implying he will never fully be stopped.
Ted White built on the work of the last few actors, but what ultimately set him apart was his stature; standing at six foot four, Jason was now as tall as he had ever been, able to physicallydominate his opponentswith ease. Jason was also shown to be far more ruthless and menacing in this adaptation, making it one of the scariest films on this list.
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12C.J. Graham
Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason LivessawC.J. Grahamas the titular killer. Here, Jason is completely different than he was before; for the first time, Jason is shown as truly undead, a zombie-like creature prowling the earth, looking for the next kill.
With maggots coming out of his mask, Jason is resurrected and begins a new killing spree, this time targeted at one of his former victims, Tommy Jarvis. When Tommy goes back to the cemetery to exhume Jason’s body in order to cremate him, an electrical shock jolts him back to life. Viewers follow Tommy as he is once again, forced to face his tormentor head-on.
11Kane Hodder
Kane Hoddermay be one of the most well-known Jason portrayers, mostly due to how many times the actor was featured in the series. Hodder played Jason Voorhees in four different installments fromFriday the 13th Part VII: The New BloodtoJason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday.
Kane Hodder was able to develop the character in a way that many of the previous actors had not; across his four movies, Hodder was able to portray Jason as someone capable of decision-making, not just mindless killing. Furthermore, Hodder was able to take Jason’s evil outside of Camp Crystal Lake inFriday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan, adding a whole new layer and setting for Jason’s destruction.
10Ken Kirzinger
2003’sFreddy vs. Jasonput two of the most devilishhorror iconshead to head. Here,KenKirzingerhad to portray Jason as willing to work together withA Nightmare on Elm Street’s Freddy Krueger in order to dominate more victims. In the end, the two ultimately clashed, resulting in an epic showdown between the two murderers.
Ken took over the character after Kane Hodder, helping to ring in a new era for Jason as a character. Here, Ken made it clear that Jason’s only goal was to kill, showing him as a truly bloodthirsty individual. Overall, it was made clear to audiences that Jason wasn’t interested in allying with his co-star villain, making for some truly amazing on-screen drama and battles.
9Derek Mears
The last Jason Voorhees on this list,DerekMearshelped to revive the character in 2009’s remakeFriday the 13th. For the most part, the movie holds true to the original 1980 film, set at the infamous Camp Crystal Lake. However, Derek Mears is able to take Jason in a new direction.
Unlike the first movie which centered around Pamela Voorhees, Jason is able to take center stage. This time, Jason is shown torturing his victims, setting traps, and targeting those at Camp Crystal Lake with a precision that has never been seen before. On top of being a killer, Derek Mears shows Jason as a stalker, actively plotting the murders of those around him.
8Nick Castle
We transition now from Jason Voorhees to Michael Myers, the star and main villain of theHalloweenseries. The first actor to portray this masked menace is Nick Castle in 1978’sHalloween.
The original story tells the tale of Michael Myers, who is locked away for murdering his sister when he was only six years old. The story picks up with Michael at age 21, who escaped from his prison and is now heading back to his hometown to seek out his next victim. Here, Nick Castle sets the tone for the killer in movies to come, expertly portraying the ease with which he can take an innocent life.
7Dick Warlock
Next up isDick Warlockwho portrayed Michael in the follow-up movieHalloween II.The story picks up with Michael intent on murdering a woman named Laurie who survived his attack in the previous movie. Taking place mainly in the Haddonfield Memorial Hospital,HalloweenIIsees Michael go head-to-head with his stubborn target.
Here, Dick Warlock is able to portray how casual Michael is when it comes to murder. Michael never runs after his victims, slowly walking toward them with a weapon in hand. Dick Warlock’s Michael is equally sluggish andzombie-likein his approach; in one scene, Michael is seen slowly stalking his victim in the basement of the hospital as she frantically attempts to evade capture.
