If I Had a Dollar for Every Time Christina Ricci Played a Creepy, Dark Character…

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Ignacio Weil

Entertainment - October 8th 2025, 19:00 GMT+2

Cropped Christina Ricci Wednesday 2022 2025 — Wednesday (2022–2025)

What started as skepticism (“another Addams Family reboot, really?”) quickly turned into obsession. Jenna Ortega’s deadpan delivery made Wednesday a TikTok dance icon overnight, while Christina Ricci’s return added a nostalgic twist fans didn’t see coming. By the second episode, the internet wasn’t rolling its eyes anymore; it was cosplaying, theorizing, and streaming that cello cover on repeat. The character that risked being dismissed as a reboot gimmick instead became the core of Netflix’s goth empire. It’s rare for a show to nail both teen drama and gothic mystery, but this one somehow pulled it off. Wednesday went from “don’t ruin her legacy” to “give us another season right now.” | © Netflix / MGM Television

Cropped Christina Ricci Monstrous 2022 — Monstrous (2022)

A 1950s-set indie horror about a woman fleeing abuse sounded like the kind of project that might vanish into streaming limbo, but Christina Ricci made sure it stuck. The story begins as a domestic drama and swerves into supernatural territory, with Ricci carrying every frame in a mix of fragility and menace. Her haunted expressions and emotional weight gave the film a gravity that surprised viewers who expected something forgettable. Instead of fading, it turned into one of those under-the-radar finds horror fans love recommending. The retro setting adds a strange elegance to the scares, giving it personality beyond the typical ghost tale. It may not have gone mainstream, but for Ricci devotees, it became essential viewing. | © Screen Media Films

Cropped Christina Ricci Yellowjackets 2021 2025 — Yellowjackets (2021–2025)

Misty Quigley wasn’t meant to be anyone’s favorite; she’s manipulative, awkward, and disturbingly okay with crossing moral lines. Yet somehow, audiences couldn’t get enough of her. Christina Ricci leaned into the dark comedy, making Misty both terrifying and hilarious, sometimes in the same scene. Instead of fading into ensemble status, she hijacked the spotlight, turning even minor subplots into watercooler moments. By season two, she was no longer just part of the survival horror; she was the reason fans kept coming back. The show’s blend of gore, mystery, and dark humor found its perfect mascot in Misty, transforming her into a cult icon. | © Showtime Networks

Cropped Christina Ricci 50 States of Fright 2020 — 50 States of Fright (2020)

Anthology horror lives or dies on how fast a story hooks you, and when Ricci appeared in *50 States of Fright*, she didn’t waste a second. With limited runtime, her character had to be sharp, magnetic, and creepy all at once, and she delivered. Fans who tuned in just for her episode often left declaring it the highlight of the entire series. Short-form horror rarely leaves much of a mark, but Ricci made her presence linger. Even people who weren’t sold on Quibi as a platform admitted her turn was worth the watch. It proved once again that even in bite-sized doses, she knows how to own the horror spotlight. | © Quibi / Gunpowder & Sky

Cropped Escaping the Madhouse The Nellie Bly Story 2019 — Escaping the Madhouse: The Nellie Bly Story (2019)

Lifetime movies don’t usually scream “haunting,” but Ricci’s take on *Escaping the Madhouse* brought unexpected bite. Playing within the grim walls of an asylum, she leaned into the gothic tension of the real-life Nellie Bly story, giving it a dark, almost horror-tinged atmosphere. What could have been brushed off as just another TV drama became unsettling, even claustrophobic. Audiences found themselves drawn in by the sharpness of her performance, which elevated the whole production. Instead of playing it safe, Ricci turned the role into one more chapter in her legacy of unsettling characters. It was proof that even in a made-for-TV format, she can leave a lasting chill. | © Lifetime Television

Cropped Lizzie Borden Took an Ax 2014 — Lizzie Borden Took an Ax (2014)

Christina Ricci wielding a hatchet? It sounded like pulp TV at its cheesiest, but it ended up being far more delicious than fans expected. Taking on the infamous role of Lizzie Borden, Ricci balanced charm with menace, leaving viewers constantly questioning whether Lizzie was victim, monster, or both. Her gleeful, sinister energy gave the movie an addictive camp quality, the kind that makes people rewatch it just for her performance. Fans who started out skeptical ended up praising how much fun she had with the role. Instead of feeling like stunt casting, it cemented her as a natural fit for true-crime horror. This wasn’t just a TV movie; it was a guilty pleasure phenomenon. | © Lifetime Television

Cropped Christina Ricci After Life 2009 — After.Life (2009)

A woman who might be dead, trapped in limbo, or manipulated into believing it. *After.Life* thrives on that eerie ambiguity. Christina Ricci brought a haunting vulnerability to the role, her performance pulling viewers into the unsettling in-between space the film created. Instead of offering easy answers, the movie left fans debating its ending long after the credits rolled. Ricci’s presence made the ambiguity work, because every expression hinted at something you weren’t sure you could trust. What could have been forgettable B-movie horror turned into a cult curiosity among genre fans. The atmosphere, paired with her commitment, gave the film its strange staying power. | © Anchor Bay Films

Cropped Christina Ricci Cursed 2005 — Cursed (2005)

Werewolf horror and teen drama don’t always mix well, but *Cursed* leaned into the camp with unapologetic energy. Christina Ricci anchored the chaos as Ellie, caught between family struggles and a sudden supernatural curse that changed everything. The film is messy, sure, but it has that early-2000s charm that horror fans secretly love to revisit. Watching Ricci face off against werewolves while balancing a very Hollywood version of “normal life” gave the movie its pulpy appeal. Over time, what started as a critical miss found cult appreciation, with Ricci’s performance standing out as one of its saving graces. It may not have reinvented the genre, but it added another spooky notch in her horror résumé. | © Dimension Films

Cropped Christina Ricci Monster 2003 — Monster (2003)

Christina Ricci’s role in *Monster* wasn’t the spotlight (Charlize Theron’s transformation as serial killer Aileen Wuornos took center stage) but her performance was essential. Playing Selby, Wuornos’s lover, Ricci added a heartbreaking mix of naivety and complicity to the story. It was a part that could have easily been overlooked, yet her chemistry with Theron gave the film its emotional backbone. The character isn’t creepy in a supernatural sense, but being entangled in a real-life murder spree gave Ricci’s career another dark, unsettling role. Fans and critics alike praised the dynamic between the two leads, which made the tragedy all the more gripping. It’s a quieter performance, but one that still fits her long list of haunting characters. | © Media 8 Entertainment

Cropped Bless the Child 2000 — Bless the Child (2000)

Supernatural thrillers were everywhere in the late ’90s and early 2000s, and *Bless the Child* jumped right into the trend. Christina Ricci appeared as the troubled mother of a child who may or may not be the Antichrist, giving the movie its spark of eerie unpredictability. Her performance was brief but impactful, adding to the unsettling, apocalyptic atmosphere that drives the story. While the film itself didn’t exactly become a classic, Ricci’s presence made it memorable for horror fans digging through the genre’s darker corners. The mix of religious horror and supernatural suspense fits right into her wheelhouse of creepy roles. Even in a supporting turn, she left an impression that outshined the script. | © Paramount Pictures

Cropped Christina Ricci Sleepy Hollow 1999 — Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Gothic horror has rarely looked this stylish, and Christina Ricci’s role as Katrina Van Tassel was right at the center of Tim Burton’s vision. Alongside Johnny Depp’s Ichabod Crane, she brought a soft, ethereal quality that contrasted beautifully with the violence and dread surrounding the Headless Horseman. Her wide-eyed innocence and mysterious charm added layers of ambiguity; was she trustworthy, or part of the nightmare? Audiences fell in love with her portrayal, which helped turn the film into a modern horror classic. The mix of fairytale romance and gruesome murder created a perfect playground for Ricci’s gothic sensibilities. It’s one of those roles people instantly recall when they think “classic Christina Ricci.” | © Paramount Pictures

Cropped Casper 1995 — Casper (1995)

Long before her darkest roles, Christina Ricci was already hanging out with the supernatural, this time in the family-friendly world of *Casper*. Playing Kat, she managed to balance the lighthearted charm of befriending a ghost with just enough edge to make her stand out. The movie might be remembered as a kids’ classic, but Ricci’s performance gave it emotional weight. She turned what could have been a simple “girl meets ghost” story into something sweet and memorable. For many fans, this was the gateway role that made Ricci a familiar face in spooky storytelling. It’s not scary, but it laid the groundwork for her reputation as Hollywood’s go-to “creepy girl.” | © Universal Pictures

Cropped Christina Ricci The Gathering 1993 — The Gathering (1993)

This made-for-TV horror drama doesn’t get the spotlight often, but Ricci’s role in *The Gathering* is a key stepping stone in her creepy career. The story surrounds a mysterious girl tied to supernatural forces, and Ricci delivered the kind of performance that made you believe something unsettling was always just around the corner. Though the production itself isn’t widely remembered, her eerie presence left an impression on anyone who caught it. Even at a young age, she showed the ability to carry dark, strange material with ease. It’s one of those hidden gems that die-hard fans point to as proof she was always destined for horror royalty. Sometimes the small projects say the most about an actor’s path. | © CBS

Cropped Christina Ricci addams family — Addams Family (1991–1993)

Before all the gothic heroines and supernatural thrillers, there was Wednesday Addams; the role that defined Christina Ricci’s career. Deadpan, witty, and unnervingly self-possessed, she stole every scene in *The Addams Family* and its sequel. Audiences instantly connected with her morbid humor and eerie confidence, turning her into a cult icon before she even hit her teens. Those performances cemented Ricci’s place as Hollywood’s “creepy girl,” a label she would lean into for decades to come. It wasn’t just child-actor charm; it was a performance with staying power that redefined an iconic character. Without Wednesday, none of her later horror or thriller roles would have landed quite the same way. | © Paramount Pictures

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Christina Ricci has carved out a reputation as Hollywood’s queen of the creepy, the gothic, and the downright unsettling. From her unforgettable turn as Wednesday Addams in the early ’90s to her more recent roles in Yellowjackets and Wednesday, she has a knack for playing characters who live in the shadows – sometimes literally. Whether it’s supernatural horror, psychological thrillers, or true-crime dramatizations, Ricci has spent decades perfecting the art of being delightfully eerie.

In this list, we’re looking at Christina Ricci’s most iconic dark roles in movies and TV. Expect murder, ghosts, haunted houses, and a few characters who blur the line between victim and villain. If you’ve ever wondered why Ricci remains such a cult favorite in the world of horror and thrillers, these performances are all the proof you need.