Every Horror Icon on The X-Files | Screen Rant – Screen Rant

The X-Files played host to lots of currently and soon to be famous guest stars, including a number of actors who played iconic horror movie roles.

The X-Files played host to lots of currently and soon to be famous guest stars, including a number of actors who played iconic horror movie roles. Since so much of the mythology arc revolves around aliens, The X-Files often gets categorized as sci-fi more than anything else. But the show is just as much horror as it is sci-fi, especially during its various "monster of the week" episodes, which showcased some of the coolest, creepiest, most unsettling creatures ever seen on the small screen.

In that respect, it's appropriate that so many notable horror stars played guest roles on episodes of The X-Files, further entrenching the show into the genre. Sadly, Robert "Freddy Krueger" Englund never joined those ranks, despite seeming like a perfect fit for such a venture. Freddy himself did at least cameo, sort of, during an episode about a shape-shifting monster that briefly became the Springwood Slasher, as relayed to Mulder and Scully by a terrified eye-witness.

Related: Every Supernatural Actor on The X-Files

Englund being missing in action aside, The X-Files did get visits from lots of horror legends, some who've made the genre their home, and some who've played a single horror role so iconic that it'll be remembered forever. Here's the full rundown, presented in alphabetical order by last name.

Despite acting in Hollywood since the 1980s, it wasn't until Tobin Bell began playing John "Jigsaw" Kramer in the Saw franchise that his career took off. Bell had previously appeared in the season 7 X-Files episode "Brand X," which concerned an experimental kind of cigarettes that had the unfortunate side effect of painful death for everyone but Bell's character.

Born with a rare genetic condition called hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia, Michael Berryman is well-known for his unique look, and playing cannibalistic mutant Pluto in Wes Craven's The Hills Have Eyes films. In the season 3 X-Files episode "Revelations," Berryman got to play a hero for once, Owen Jarvis, who does his best to protect a child from an attempted murderer.

Bruce Campbell is a B-movie icon, and general cool dude, well-known for his hilarious free-form panels at genre conventions, and boundless charisma. Onscreen, Campbell's signature role is comedic Deadite-slayer Ash Williams in the Evil Dead franchise, but in the season 6 X-Files episode "Terms of Endearment," Campbell played a sympathetic demon desperately trying to conceive a normal human baby.

Related: The X-Files: Bruce Campbell's Character & Episode Explained

Brad Dourif, an Oscar-nominee for his work in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, is of course best-known for his voice work in the role of serial killer turned evil doll Chucky in the Child's Play series. Dourif is just as capable in onscreen horror roles though, such as the Gemini Killer in The Exorcist 3, or jailed psychic murderer Luther Lee Boggs in the excellent season 1 X-Files episode "Beyond the Sea."

A real-life U.S. Marine, R. Lee Ermey was able to turn a drill instructor role in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket into a decades-long acting career, until his death in 2018. Ermey didn't do a ton of horror, but he absolutely stole the show as the sadistic Sheriff Hoyt in 2003's underrated remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and its 2006 prequel Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. He appears briefly in "Revelations," as a deceitful minister.

To those who grew up in the 1990s, it's possible Ken Foree is most recognizable as Kenan's dad on Kenan and Kel. For horror fans though, he'll always be best-known for playing badass hero Peter in George Romero's zombie classic Dawn of the Dead. He's had a long, successful horror career since. In the season 3 X-Files episode "The List," Foree plays a prison guard Scully encounters while investigating possible death row murders from beyond the grave.

One of the most honored actresses of her generation, Jodie Foster should need little introduction. She's not generally known for horror, but her immortal, Oscar-winning performance as Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs guarantees her a spot in the genre hall of fame. Foster didn't actually appear on The X-Files in person, instead she voiced a seemingly evil tattoo named Betty in the season 4 episode "Never Again."

Related: Hannibal: The Actresses Who Almost Played Clarice Starling

Lance Henriksen is a true horror legend, having spent much of his career working within the genre, as well as occasionally sci-fi. His most famous horror credits include Aliens, Near Dark, and Pumpkinhead. Henriksen played lead protagonist Frank Black on Chris Carter's series Millennium, and when that got canceled, Carter brought Frank over to The X-Files to send his character off into the sunset.

Katharine Isabelle's breakthrough role came as the title character in the teenage werewolf flick Ginger Snaps, and she's become a full-fledged scream queen since, appearing in Freddy vs. Jason, American Mary, and as Margot Verger on Hannibal. Her early role on The X-Files came in the season 5 episode "Schizogeny," playing a classmate of a teenager accused of murdering his stepfather.

Having starred in both Millennium and another short-lived Chris Carter series called Harsh Realm, Terry O'Quinn is clearly a favorite of Carter's, and actually holds the odd distinction of having played three different characters on The X-Files. O'Quinn appeared in the season 2 episode "Aubrey," the 1998 movie Fight the Future, and the season 9 episode "Trust No 1." O'Quinn's signature role came as John Locke on Lost, but his biggest claim to horror fame is the titular character in the Stepfather movies.

Emily Perkins starred alongside Katharine Isabelle in Ginger Snaps, but her first taste of horror cred came as young Beverly Marsh in the 1990 IT miniseries. She's since recurred on Supernatural, and in the season 5 X-Files episode "All Souls," she played a nephilim, a half-angel/half-human.

Related: What Happened To Emily Perkins After Playing Young Beverly In IT Miniseries

Shawnee Smith is best-known to horror fans for playing Jigsaw's apprentice Amanda Young in the Saw movies, and also starred in the underrated 1988 remake of The Blob, as well as an appearance in the 1994 miniseries adaptation of The Stand. In the season 2 X-Files episode "Firewalker," Smith plays part of a scientific research team exposed to a deadly organism living inside a volcano.

Tony Todd is another certified horror legend, with his signature role being Candyman. He's got quite the resume though, playing Ben in the 1990 remake of Night of the Living Dead, Reverend Zombie in the Hatchet movies, William Bludworth in the Final Destination franchise, and more. In the season 2 X-Files episode "Sleepless," Todd plays Augustus Cole, a Vietnam vet who has been unable to sleep for decades thanks to a military experiment.

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Michael Kennedy is an avid movie and TV fan that's been working for Screen Rant in various capacities since 2014. In that time, Michael has written over 2000 articles for the site, first working solely as a news writer, then later as a senior writer and associate news editor. Most recently, Michael helped launch Screen Rant's new horror section, and is now the lead staff writer when it comes to all things frightening. A FL native, Michael is passionate about pop culture, and earned an AS degree in film production in 2012. He also loves both Marvel and DC movies, and wishes every superhero fan could just get along. When not writing, Michael enjoys going to concerts, taking in live professional wrestling, and debating pop culture. A long-term member of the Screen Rant family, Michael looks forward to continuing on creating new content for the site for many more years to come.

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Every Horror Icon on The X-Files | Screen Rant - Screen Rant

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