From Yellowjackets to Companion, Sophie Thatcher Is Becoming This Generation’s Newest Scream Queen

Every generation has their scream queen. In the past, that has included final girls like Jamie Lee Curtis (Halloween), Heather Langenkamp (A Nightmare on Elm Street), Neve Campbell (Scream), and Marilyn Burns (Texas Chainsaw Massacre). More recently, actors like Mia Goth (X, Infinity Pool) and Jenna Ortega (Wednesday, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, X) have also carved out their place in horror. Another name to remember is Sophie Thatcher, who is proving to be the scream queen of this generation. Her acting career is only ten years old at this time, with her first credited project being a short from 2015 called “Growing Strong,” and shortly after, her work with genre commenced, portraying a young Regan in 2016’s The Exorcist TV series and acting alongside Pedro Pascal in the sci-fi thriller Prospect.

However, the series that made her one of the biggest rising stars in horror today is perhaps Yellowjackets, which is set to return on February 14th of this year.

2025 Is Sophie Thatcher’s Year Between Yellowjackets and Companion

Yellowjackets took the television world by storm with its first season back in 2021. Following the survival of a girls’ soccer team in the woods, Yellowjackets explores the dark, extreme lengths these teen girls will go to in order to survive, as well as some bizarre, possibly supernatural mysteries still unfolding. Along with that, the series explores what the survivors go through as adults back in society; although, their pasts are coming back to haunt them.

In Yellowjackets, Thatcher portrays the teenage version of Natalie, who is often a voice of reason and the realist in the group, as well as the group’s main source of food at times, as she is the hunter. While she is often a realist, that doesn’t stop her from partaking in some of the darker elements of the series, like cannibalism. Thatcher’s performance as Natalie is one of the best among the teenage characters, and it’s a relief she will remain a part of the series even though her adult counterpart was killed off in Season 2.

The hype behind Season 3 of the series is massive, and what certainly helped it is Thatcher being in the public eye as the star of Companion, which has been critically well-received at 94% on Rotten Tomatoes. The film has a lot going for it — quick wit, biting criticism on gender and relationships, a stand-out ensemble, a good balance of thrills and comedy — but the true star of this film is Thatcher, who portrays Iris, a woman who realizes her relationship is not what she initially thought it was. This is a powerhouse of a performance and Thatcher delivers on all cylinders. It’s impossible not to root for Iris with a performance like this.

Before Companion, Sophie Thatcher Was No Stranger to Horror Films

Along with Companion, Thatcher had another horror film recently hit theaters only three months ago at the time of this writing. Heretic also came out to a positive reception, with Thatcher being the co-lead alongside Chloe East. The two portray missionaries who visit Hugh Grant’s Mr. Reed in an attempt to spread the word of their religion; however, Mr. Reed is ready to put their faith to the test in horrific ways. Grant delivers a fun, captivating performance as the villain, but Thatcher is able to go toe to toe with him.

Also in 2024, Thatcher had a small role in MaXXXine, the climactic final film in Ti West’s X trilogy. While Thatcher plays a small role as a special effects makeup artist, she still shines in her few moments on screen. She’s also hard to miss, as she already made a name for herself in Yellowjackets at that point. Plus, she had another horror movie under her belt prior to MaXXXine with The Boogeyman, where she plays one of two sisters dealing with the loss of their mother along with a supernatural force threatening what remains of their family.

In such a short amount of time, Thatcher has taken the horror world by storm, and there’s no doubt she will continue to steal the show as her career progresses.