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Lin Shaye

Actor

Lin Shaye

Born October 12, 1943 in Detroit, Michigan, USA175 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 (2016), Tales of Halloween (2015), Abattoir (2016), The Final Wish (2018), Room for Rent (2019), The Grudge (2019), Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman (2021), and the Insidious film series (2010–2026).

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Shaye is also well known for her comedic roles in numerous films by the Farrelly brothers, including Dumb and Dumber (1994), Kingpin (1996), There's Something About Mary (1998), Detroit Rock City (1999), Me, Myself & Irene (2000), Stuck on You (2003), and The Three Stooges (2012).

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The best way into Lin Shaye's work
A Nightmare on Elm Street posterFirst watchA Nightmare on Elm Street19847.4as TeacherTeenagers in a small town are dropping like flies, apparently in the grip of mass hysteria causing their suicides. A cop's daughter, Nancy Thompson, traces the cause to child molester Fred…View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
Insidious poster7.0Insidious2011Dumb and Dumber poster6.7Dumb and Dumber1994My Sister's Keeper poster7.4My Sister's Keeper2009There's Something About Mary poster6.6There's Something About Mary1998Insidious: Chapter 2 poster6.7Insidious: Chapter 22013Me, Myself & Irene poster6.6Me, Myself & Irene2000A Cinderella Story poster6.6A Cinderella Story2004The Running Man poster6.5The Running Man1987

Filmography

175 films as actor
  1. TBAThe Old WorldThe Aunt (voice)
  2. TBACarrierJoan Pierson
  3. TBAThe Possession at Gladstone ManorNurse
  4. TBADead of Nowhere 3DMeemaw
  5. TBABefore Memory
  6. TBADevotedAunt Dottie
  7. TBAThe Bench
  8. TBAJackson's HoleNetter
  9. TBAMascotland
  10. 2026Insidious: Out of the FurtherElise Rainier
  11. 2026Scared to DeathMax
  12. 2025House of Abraham
  13. 2024The Last Stand of Ellen ColeEllen
  14. 2023Insidious: The Red DoorElise Rainier
  15. 2022RemoteKane
  16. 2022We Are Gathered Here TodayJean Cole
  17. 2022The Quarry: Movie ModeConstance Hackett
  18. 2022Frank and PenelopeOphelia
  19. 2022PinesJulie (voice)
  20. 2021Ted Bundy: American BoogeymanMrs. Bundy
  21. 2020The CallEdith Cranston
  22. 2020Max Reload and the Nether BlastersMrs. Wylder
  23. 2020The VoicesThe Vagabond
  24. 2020DreamkatcherRuth
  25. 2020Darkness FallsAngela Anderson
  26. 2019The GrudgeFaith Matheson
  27. 2019Gothic HarvestGriselda
  28. 2019AmbitionLady Bum
  29. 2019Get GoneMama
  30. 2019Room for RentJoyce
  31. 2019The Final WishKate Hammond
  32. 2018Herbert West: ReanimatorMeredith
  33. 2018Los Angeles OvernightCousins
  34. 2018Insidious: The Last KeyElise Rainier
  35. 2017All About the MoneyMrs. Womack
  36. 2017Buster's Mal HeartPauline
  37. 2017The Black RoomMiss Black
  38. 2017Grow HouseMrs. Gilliam
  39. 2017Mountain TopMuriel Miller
  40. 2016AbattoirAllie
  41. 2016Ouija: Origin of EvilOld Paulina Zander
  42. 2016The Midnight ManAnna
  43. 2016Director's CutCaptain Wheeler
  44. 2016Texas HeartMrs. Smith
  45. 2016Jack Goes HomeTeresa
  46. 2015Tales of HalloweenLynn's Mother
  47. 2015Helen Keller vs. NightwolvesHelen Keller
  48. 2015Insidious: Chapter 3Elise Rainier
  49. 2015Don Quixote: The Ingenious Gentleman of La ManchaThe Grand Lady
  50. 2014GraceHelen
  51. 2014OuijaPaulina Zander
  52. 2014Lost TimeMysterious Woman
  53. 2014The SignalMirabelle
  54. 2013All American Christmas CarolBarbara Belnap
  55. 2013Big Ass Spider!Mrs. Jefferson
  56. 2013Insidious: Chapter 2Elise Rainier
  57. 2013Crazy Kind of LoveDenise Mack
  58. 2013NoobzMrs. Theodore
  59. 2012Life's an ItchGloria
  60. 2012Matchmaker SantaDebbie
  61. 2012FDR: American Badass!Eleanor Roosevelt
  62. 20123 Days of NormalMay
  63. 2012JewtopiaDr. Sutton
  64. 2012The Three StoogesNurse Crotchet
  65. 2012Waffle HutJerrie Wolf
  66. 2011Rosewood LaneMrs. Hawthorne
  67. 2011ChilleramaBaglady / Nurse Maleva
  68. 2011A Good Old Fashioned OrgyDody
  69. 2011I Was a Teenage Werebear
  70. 2011InsidiousElise Rainier
  71. 2011Take Me HomeJill
  72. 2011SedonaClaire
  73. 2011Goldberg - P.I.Violet
  74. 2010Farewell Mr. KringleZelda
  75. 2010The Land of the Astronauts
  76. 2010Next Stop MurderDetective Reeson
  77. 2010The Accidental Death of Joey by SueMrs. Rawlings
  78. 2010Small Town Saturday NightPhyllis Ryan
  79. 2010Pickin' and Grinnin'Bonnie Johnson
  80. 20102001 Maniacs: Field of ScreamsGranny Boone
  81. 2010The PenthouseFrances
  82. 2010Killer by NatureLeona
  83. 2010VideoDome Rent-O-RamaThe Lush
  84. 2009Dark Moon RisingSunny
  85. 2009StuntmenBumble Jackson
  86. 2009American CowslipLou Anne
  87. 2009My Sister's KeeperNurse Adele
  88. 2008Doggie HeavenWoman
  89. 2008Chronic TownNurse
  90. 2008AsylumString's Mother
  91. 2008Killer PadMarge
  92. 2007Chasing RobertMartha the Bookie
  93. 2007The ElectionThe Wife
  94. 2007Homo ErectusMuseum Guide
  95. 2007Pledge This!Miss Prin
  96. 2006DriftwoodNancy Forrester
  97. 2006Surf SchoolLarry's Mom
  98. 2006Down the P.C.H.Wendy O'Hara
  99. 2006Snakes on a PlaneGrace
  100. 2006Snoop Dogg's Hood of HorrorClara
  101. 2006Bachelor Party VegasCassandra
  102. 2006Hoboken HollowMrs. Brodrick
  103. 2006Unbeatable HaroldJeannie
  104. 20052001 ManiacsGranny Boone
  105. 2005Drop Dead SexyMa Muzzy
  106. 2005Confessions of an Action StarSamantha Jones
  107. 2005Hate CrimeKathleen Slansky
  108. 2005Born KillersWillow
  109. 2004The Hillside StranglerJenny Buono
  110. 2004CellularExotic Car Driver
  111. 2004A Cinderella StoryMrs. Wells
  112. 2004The Almost GuysRepo Boss
  113. 2004Who's Your Daddy?Ms. Harding
  114. 2003Dead EndLaura Harrington
  115. 2003Stuck on YouMakeup Babe
  116. 2003Barely LegalTequlia
  117. 2003Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met LloydMargie
  118. 2003ManFastMarge
  119. 2002Boat TripSonya the Coach
  120. 2002Wish You Were DeadJinny Macintosh