Lin Shaye
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 (2020), Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman (2021), and the Insidious film series (2010–2023). 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). Description above from the Wikipedia article Lin Shaye, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
Credits
- 2026 · Insidious: The Bleeding World as Elise Rainier
- 2026 · Scared to Death as Max
- 2025 · Common Side Effects as Sonia (voice)
- 2024 · The Last Stand of Ellen Cole as Ellen
- 2023 · Insidious: The Red Door as Elise Rainier
- 2022 · Living with Chucky as Self
- 2022 · Frank and Penelope as Ophelia
- 2021 · Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman as Mrs. Bundy
- 2020 · The Call as Edith Cranston
- 2020 · The Voices as The Vagabond
- 2020 · Dreamkatcher as Ruth
- 2020 · Penny Dreadful: City of Angels as Dottie Minter
- 2019 · The Grudge as Faith Matheson
- 2019 · Gothic Harvest as Griselda
- 2018 · They Bite!: The Making of Critters as Self
- 2018 · Eli Roth's History of Horror as Self
- 2018 · Insidious: The Last Key as Elise Rainier
- 2017 · Grow House as Mrs. Gilliam
- 2017 · Mountain Top as Muriel Miller
- 2016 · Abattoir as Allie
- 2016 · Ouija: Origin of Evil as Old Paulina Zander
- 2016 · Texas Heart as Mrs. Smith
- 2015 · Insidious: Chapter 3 as Elise Rainier
- 2014 · Ouija as Paulina Zander
- 2014 · Lost Time as Mysterious Woman
- 2014 · The Signal as Mirabelle
- 2013 · Insidious: Chapter 2 as Elise Rainier
- 2013 · Crazy Kind of Love as Denise Mack
- 2012 · EastSiders as Diane
- 2012 · Matchmaker Santa as Debbie
- 2012 · FDR: American Badass! as Eleanor Roosevelt
- 2012 · Jewtopia as Dr. Sutton
- 2012 · The Three Stooges as Nurse Crotchet
- 2011 · Rosewood Lane as Mrs. Hawthorne
- 2011 · Chillerama as Baglady / Nurse Maleva
- 2011 · Insidious as Elise Rainier
- 2011 · Take Me Home as Jill
- 2011 · Sedona as Claire
- 2010 · The Accidental Death of Joey by Sue as Mrs. Rawlings
- 2009 · Stuntmen as Bumble Jackson
- 2009 · My Sister's Keeper as Nurse Adele
- 2008 · Starz Inside: In the Gutter as Self
- 2008 · Asylum as String's Mother
- 2008 · Killer Pad as Marge
- 2007 · Private Practice as Mrs. Taylor
- 2007 · Chasing Robert as Martha the Bookie
- 2007 · The Election as The Wife
- 2007 · Homo Erectus as Museum Guide
- 2007 · Pledge This! as Miss Prin
- 2006 · Driftwood as Nancy Forrester
- 2006 · Surf School as Larry's Mom
- 2006 · Surf School as Larry's mom
- 2006 · Snakes on a Plane as Grace
- 2006 · Hoboken Hollow as Mrs. Brodrick
- 2005 · Made in Hollywood as Self
- 2005 · My Name Is Earl as Paul's Mom
- 2005 · 2001 Maniacs as Granny Boone
- 2005 · Drop Dead Sexy as Ma Muzzy
- 2004 · Cellular as Exotic Car Driver
- 2004 · A Cinderella Story as Mrs. Wells
- 2003 · Barely Legal as Tequlia
- 2003 · Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd as Margie
- 2002 · Boat Trip as Sonya the Coach
- 2002 · Wish You Were Dead as Jinny Macintosh
- 2002 · Contagion as Laura Crowley
- 2001 · Crossing Jordan as Leather Lauren
- 2000 · Me, Myself & Irene as Mrs. Caleron
- 1998 · Becker as Mrs. Cooper
- 1998 · There's Something About Mary as Magda
- 1998 · Breakfast with Einstein as Miss Desmond
- 1997 · Perversions of Science as Nurse
- 1997 · Trading Favors as Darla
- 1996 · Last Man Standing as The Madame
- 1996 · Kingpin as Landlady
- 1996 · Project: ALF as Waitress
- 1994 · Dumb and Dumber as Mrs. Neugeboren
- 1994 · New Nightmare as Nurse with Pills
- 1994 · ER as Margaret
- 1994 · My So-Called Life as Parent #2
- 1994 · Corrina, Corrina as Repeat Nanny
- 1993 · Brain Smasher... A Love Story as Make up Artist
- 1993 · Frasier as Anne
- 1992 · Roadside Prophets as Celeste
- 1991 · Critters 3 as Sal (archive footage)
- 1989 · Life Goes On as Parent #2
- 1988 · Lucky Stiff as Bratty Kid's Mom
- 1988 · Critters 2 as Sal
- 1987 · The Running Man as Propaganda Officer
- 1987 · Slam Dance as Librarian
- 1986 · Critters as Sally
- 1985 · The Twilight Zone as Kate Simmons (segment "Chameleon")
- 1985 · Brewster's Millions as Journalist at Rally
- 1984 · A Nightmare on Elm Street as Teacher
- 1984 · Who's the Boss? as Mrs. Padnick
- 1984 · Highway to Heaven as Lila Barnes
- 1984 · Summer Fantasy as Woman on Beach
- 1982 · Cagney & Lacey as Secretary
- 1981 · Falcon Crest as Smoking Female Prisoner
- 1979 · The Seeding of Sarah Burns as 2nd Nurse
- 1978 · Goin' South as Parasol Lady
- 1977 · Eight Is Enough as Band Member
- Future · Dead of Nowhere 3D as Meemaw
- 1975 · Hester Street as Whore
- Future · The Bench as
- 2022 · Pines as Julie (voice)
- 2021 · Behind the Monsters as Self
- 2020 · The Horror Crowd as Self
- 2020 · Max Reload and the Nether Blasters as Mrs. Wylder
- 2020 · Dead Talk Live as Self - Guest
- 2020 · Darkness Falls as Angela Anderson
- 2019 · Ambition as Lady Bum
- 2019 · Room for Rent as Joyce
- 2019 · The Final Wish as Kate Hammond
- 2017 · The Black Room as Miss Black
- 2016 · The Midnight Man as Anna
- 2016 · Jack Goes Home as Teresa
- 2015 · Tales of Halloween as Lynn's Mother
- 2014 · Grace as Helen
- 2013 · Big Ass Spider! as Mrs. Jefferson
- 2012 · Waffle Hut as Jerrie Wolf
- 2011 · A Good Old Fashioned Orgy as Dody
- 2010 · Farewell Mr. Kringle as Zelda
- 2010 · 2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams as Granny Boone
- 2010 · Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy as Self
- 2010 · Pickin' and Grinnin' as Bonnie Johnson
- 2010 · VideoDome Rent-O-Rama as The Lush
- 2009 · Dark Moon Rising as Sunny
- 2008 · Doggie Heaven as Woman
- 2008 · Chronic Town as Nurse
- 2006 · Bachelor Party Vegas as Cassandra
- 2006 · Unbeatable Harold as Jeannie
- 2005 · Hate Crime as Kathleen Slansky
- 2004 · The Hillside Strangler as Jenny Buono
- 2004 · The Almost Guys as Repo Boss
- 2004 · Who's Your Daddy? as Ms. Harding
- 2003 · Dead End as Laura Harrington
- 2003 · Stuck on You as Makeup Babe
- 2001 · Say It Isn't So as Nurse Bautista
- 1993 · National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1 as Witness
- 1990 · Pump Up the Volume as PTA Parent #3
- Future · Carrier as Joan Pierson
- 1999 · Detroit Rock City as Mrs. Bruce
- 1998 · Living Out Loud as Lisa's Nurse
- 1993 · Amityville: A New Generation as Nurse Turner
- 1993 · The Temp as Rosemary
- 1990 · Book of Love as Mrs. Flynn
- 1987 · The Hidden as Carol Miller
- 1987 · Mistress as Woman Customer
- 1987 · My Demon Lover as Anemic Counter Girl
- 1987 · Extreme Prejudice as Employment Office Clerk
- 1987 · Stillwatch as
- 1982 · Alone in the Dark as Receptionist at Haven
- 1980 · A Cry for Love as
- 1980 · The Long Riders as Kate
- 1977 · Sex and the Married Woman as Sandra
- Future · The Possession at Gladstone Manor as Nurse
- 2025 · Legacy of Screams: The Evolution of Horror Movies as Self - (archive footage)
- 2025 · 1000 Women in Horror as Self
- 2025 · House of Abraham as
- 2022 · Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story as Self
- 2022 · Remote as Kane
- 2022 · We Are Gathered Here Today as Jean Cole
- 2019 · Get Gone as Mama
- 2018 · Herbert West: Reanimator as Meredith
- 2018 · The Main Course: The Making of Critters 2 as Self
- 2018 · Los Angeles Overnight as Cousins
- 2017 · All About the Money as Mrs. Womack
- 2017 · Buster's Mal Heart as Pauline
- 2016 · Director's Cut as Captain Wheeler
- 2015 · Helen Keller vs. Nightwolves as Helen Keller
- 2015 · Don Quixote: The Ingenious Gentleman of La Mancha as The Grand Lady
- 2013 · All American Christmas Carol as Barbara Belnap
- 2013 · Noobz as Mrs. Theodore
- 2012 · Life's an Itch as Gloria
- 2012 · 3 Days of Normal as May
- 2011 · I Was a Teenage Werebear as
- 2011 · Goldberg - P.I. as Violet
- 2010 · The Land of the Astronauts as
- 2010 · Next Stop Murder as Detective Reeson
- 2010 · Small Town Saturday Night as Phyllis Ryan
- 2010 · The Penthouse as Frances
- 2010 · Killer by Nature as Leona
- 2009 · American Cowslip as Lou Anne
- 2006 · Down the P.C.H. as Wendy O'Hara
- 2006 · Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror as Clara
- 2005 · Confessions of an Action Star as Samantha Jones
- 2005 · Born Killers as Willow
- 2003 · ManFast as Marge
- 2001 · A Letter from My Father as Elise
- 2001 · Without Charlie as
- 2000 · Attention Shoppers as Libby
- 1995 · Nature of the Beast as Carol Powell
- 1995 · Trial by Fire as Phyliis Cardell
- 1995 · Sketch Artist II: Hands That See as Bonnie
- 1994 · Her Final Fury: Betty Broderick, the Last Chapter as Inmate
- 1994 · Even Cowgirls Get the Blues as Rubber Rose Maid
- 1994 · In the Line of Duty: The Price of Vengeance as Foreman #2
- 1993 · Three of Hearts as Operator
- 1984 · Why Me? as
- 1982 · Jekyll and Hyde... Together Again as Nurse with Telegram
- Future · The Old World as The Aunt (voice)
- 1979 · The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal as Freida
- 1977 · A Secret Space as Amy
- Future · Devoted as Aunt Dottie
- Future · Before Memory as




