5. Mia Goth
The Queen of Modern Horror
Mia Goth has become one of the defining screen presences of her generation, an actress whose name is now synonymous with daring, intensity, and reinvention. Born in London in 1993, Goth grew up between Brazil, Canada, and the UK — a multicultural upbringing that shaped her eclectic sensibilities and gave her a truly international outlook.
Her career began in modelling, but it was her acting that quickly set her apart. Goth’s early roles — in Lars von Trier’s Nymphomaniac (2013) and the unsettling period horror The Survivalist (2015) — immediately showcased her willingness to embrace difficult, complex material. There was nothing safe about her choices, and that fearlessness would come to define her career.
In 2016, she starred in Gore Verbinski’s A Cure for Wellness, a lavish Gothic nightmare that highlighted her ethereal screen presence. Yet it was her collaboration with director Ti West on X (2022) and its prequel Pearl (2022) that turned her into a phenomenon. In X, she stunned audiences by playing both the young aspiring actress Maxine and the elderly, murderous Pearl — a dual performance that became an instant horror classic.
Then came Pearl, in which Goth co-wrote and starred as the titular character in a Technicolor fever dream of madness and yearning. Her climactic monologue and that unforgettable closing shot — a deranged, unblinking smile held for minutes — became viral sensations, proof of an actress completely inhabiting her role. Critics hailed her as a revelation, with many declaring it one of the finest horror performances ever filmed.
Her recent work has only deepened her legend. In Brandon Cronenberg’s Infinity Pool (2023), she delivered a performance of unhinged brilliance, gleefully stealing every scene. And in MaXXXine (2024), the third and final instalment of Ti West’s trilogy, she reprised Maxine in a neon-drenched 1980s Hollywood setting. The film became the trilogy’s highest-grossing entry, a cult sensation that cemented her status as the defining scream queen of the era.
What makes Mia Goth extraordinary is not just her fearlessness, but her range. She can embody innocence, menace, vulnerability, and madness, often in the same performance. She belongs to the tradition of great scream queens — from Fay Wray to Jamie Lee Curtis — yet she has expanded it, turning horror into a space for profound psychological depth and artistry.
Off-screen, Goth is admired for her quiet authenticity. She avoids the trappings of celebrity, letting her work speak for itself. Her collaborations with visionary directors, her commitment to challenging material, and her sheer magnetic presence ensure that every project she touches becomes an event.
At #5, Mia Goth stands not just as a rising star but as a towering figure in contemporary cinema. She is the queen of modern horror, a risk-taker, and an artist who has already begun to redefine what screen acting can be in the 21st century.
