Stephen King’s IT has terrified horror fans for almost forty years. Since it was first released in 1986, the 1000-plus page tome has kept the terrifying fear of clowns alive across the world. The book not only inspired nightmares on its own but became the basis for a variety of adaptations that continue to be released, including a classic TV adaptation that still shocks fans. Though IT, the evil entity that haunts Derry, Maine and eats its residents every 27 years, is best known for putting on the face of Pennywise the Dancing Clown, the monster takes on multiple forms in all of its appearances.
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As a result, though two actors are the best known for playing IT, they’re far from the only ones. By our count, at least 44 different actors have played Stephen King‘s IT across the many live-action adaptations of the novel, and here they are
Tim Curry as Pennywise in IT (1990)
Prior to the new versions of the character that have been the focus of the billion-dollar movie reboot and its spinoff series, one man was the only name ever really associated with Pennywise the Dancing Clown: Tim Curry. Fresh off his terrifying portrayal of the devil in Legend, Curry embodied every facet of Pennywise from King’s text, from the version that masked itself as the actual clown to try and disarm its victims with a laugh to the terrifying otherworldly version that needed to feed.
Captain Hanscom and Georgie in IT (1990)
As in the book, IT takes some human forms in the 1990 miniseries as well. The first of these is maybe one of the most terrifying in the entire thing, with Steve Makaj playing Ben’s father, Captain Hanscom, in a hallucination not long after he moves to Derry. The other is Tony Dakota as Georgie, the first victim of Pennywise, who becomes a recurring motif for the beast.
Werewolf and Mummy in IT (1990)
Like in the book, the IT miniseries has the creature take the form of monsters from movies that have terrified the Losers. The miniseries has two of these, with a teenage werewolf that attacks Richie in the school basement, played by Jim Dunn, and a Mummy that descends the stairs and approaches Stan. Unfortunately, no one is credited as The Mummy in the credits for IT (1990), so it’s possible that Dunn or Curry were under the wraps, but it’s unclear.
The Adults in IT (1990)
IT (1990) naturally has Beverly Marsh confront and be terrified by none other than Mrs. Kersh, just like in the book, with Florence Paterson playing the role. In the same scene, actor Frank C. Turner briefly reprises his part as her father, Alvin Marsh, for a vocal scare. In true form to IT (1990) the scene is really only scary after Pennywise himself appears at the end to taunt Beverly.
The Undead in IT (1990)
IT continues to torment his victims in the form of those who have already died throughout the miniseries. One of these is actor Chris Eastman as the zombified Belch Huggins, who appears to the adult Henry Bowers in Juniper Hill to trick him into doing IT’s bidding. The other is Richard Masur as the adult Stanley Uris, appearing as his severed head in a refrigerator after Stanley takes his own life upon hearing about IT’s return.
The Surprises in IT (1990)
After the adult side of the IT story really takes over the miniseries there are two surprise fakeouts that reveal themselves to actually be Pennywise in disguise. The first is a gas station attendant played by Boyd Norman, IT utilises the form to kidnap Bill’s wife, Audra (Olivia Hussey). The second is when Annette O’Toole, as the adult Beverly Marsh enters Ben’s room and professes her love for him, only for him to discover after the smooch that she’s wearing those big yellow parachute pants.
Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise
Curry’s legacy as Pennywise was a strong one, to the point that when talk of a new version of IT began to circulate in Hollywood, it was considered a bad idea based on just trying to match Curry’s performance alone. Enter Bill Skarsgard, who was a surprising choice when the first movie was in development, but who managed to tap into the primordial elements of Pennywise that the material called for. In addition to major aesthetic differences between the two, Skarsgard‘s entire performance is completely different from Curry’s in every way, digging into an animal instinct that’s absent from the miniseries.
Georgie in IT (2017)
Once again, Pennywise’s first on-screen victim, Georgie Denbrough, becomes one of his recurring nightmare forms, with young actor Jackson Robert Scott continuing to wear his yellow rain slicker in one of the scariest moments that doesn’t involve Pennywise the clown.
The Library Forms in IT (2017)
As Ben does research on Derry’s history in the public library, he encounters two pretty terrifying forms of IT. The first is the librarian herself, who is uncredited in the film despite having a dialogue exchange with Ben before her creepy scene in the background. The other is when IT takes the form of a headless, burned child from the Derry Ironworks Explosion from 1908, played by Carter Musselman.
The Terrifying Forms in IT (2017) & IT: Chapter Two (2019)
IT takes on some pretty terrifying monstrous forms beyond Pennywise in the two movies from director Andy Muschietti. The first is the painting of Judith, the Flute Lady, that terrifies Stanley, played by Tatum Lee in the film. The other most famous actor to play IT in the feature films is the performer Javier Botet, who plays both the infected leper in both movies and The Witch in IT: Chapter Two.
Creepy Kids in IT (2017)
As IT reaches its fever pitch, the monster takes on the form of both Katie Lunman as the early Pennywise victim Betty Ripsom and even Jack Dylan Grazer as Eddie. These two moments are quick, more like jump scares in the grand scheme of IT (2017), but they do count as two more actors who have technically played IT.
On the TV in IT (2017)
IT manages to successfully hypnotise Henry Bowers after presenting him with his thought lost switch blade. Then it takes the form of a TV Show host and the audience in attendance of the show that’s on the screen, prompting Bowers to murder his father and setting the stage for him to confront the losers. Unfortunately, no one is credited as the woman on the TV or the kids in attendance, though they are clearly a part of IT’s larger plan. That said, Katie Lunman can be seen as Betty Ripsom, along with other decomposing victims of IT
Beverly’s Dad in IT (2017)
In a last-ditch effort to scare some of the Losers at the end of IT (2017), IT takes the form of Beverly’s Father, with actor Stephen Bogaert reprising his role. Bogaert is one of the most terrifying adults in the film that isn’t Pennywise, manifesting the terrifying reality of Beverly’s dad from the book in subtle ways.
The Memories in IT: Chapter Two (2019)
IT: Chapter Two is set 27 years later means that IT has to take the forms of both former victims and other dead characters to play on the memory of those that live on. Among them seen in the film are Owen Teague, reprising his role of fellow bully Patrick Hockstetter (now a zombie travelling alongside Henry Bowers) and Molly Atkinson as Eddie’s mother, Sonia Kapsbrak.
Mrs. Kersh in IT: Chapter Two (2019)
One of the other areas where the IT movies clearly outdo the IT miniseries is in how the second film brings the terrifying Mrs. Kersh to life. Played by Joan Gregson, the actress embodies the character in two ways, first by playing the sweet, kind old lady who makes nice with Beverly and second in the terrifying movements that the character twists herself into in the background, unbknownst to Beverly.
The Hallucinations in IT: Chapter Two (2019)
IT takes the form of some hallucinations in IT: Chapter Two, the first is when IT assumes the form of Adrian Mellon, the first victim of IT in the sequel. Xavier Dolan returns as the zombified version of his character, who hands a grown-up Richie (Bill Hader) a flyer for his own funeral. The other is Sophia Lillis, who appears as young Beverly in a flashback with young Ben, only to take on a demonic form as the scene ends.
Stanley’s Return in IT: Chapter Two (2019)
Another Loser’s Club cast member who briefly plays IT in the film, in addition to their own character, is Wyatt Oleff, who appears as Stanley’s severed head. In the original book and IT miniseries, Stanley’s severed head makes an appearance, but it’s the adult version. Considering Andy Bean plays the adult Stanley for just a brief scene in the film, this change in IT: Chapter Two makes the most sense as the audience is far more familiar with Oleff in the role.
Beverly’s Tormenters in IT: Chapter Two (2019)
As Pennywise separates the Losers in IT: Chapter Two, he torments them with visions of their most terrifying nightmares. For Beverly, he flashes her back to being in the bathroom stall at school, where kids gossip about her just outside. In the IT-created vision, though, several notable actors appear as their characters, albeit through a Pennwyise lens. Among them are Megan Charpentier as Greta Keene, Joe Bostick as Mr. Keene, and Nicholas Hamilton as the young Henry Bowers. Though he doesn’t appear, actor Will Beinbrink‘s voice can be heard, taunting Bev as her husband, Tom Rogan.
Young Bill in IT: Chapter Two (2019)
One of the final forms that IT takes in the movie is when Bill is being tormented by his own vision, with young stars Jackson Robert Scott appearing as Georgie and Jaeden Martell appearing as the young Bill. At first Martell’s appearance in the scene feels just like Bill confronting his younger self in a moment of catharsis, but after the older Bill (James McAvoy) shoots the younger Bill with the Bolt Pistol, it becomes clear he’s IT in disguise.
Pennywise in Space Jam: A New Legacy
After IT: Chapter Two, when the Skarsgård version of Pennywise had cemented its place in Hollywood history, the character made a surprising appearance in a non-IT movie. Space Jam: A New Legacy features a wild variety of characters from the Warner Bros. vault, including Voldemort, Mr. Freeze, Matrix Agents, and, yes, Pennywise. Skarsgård does not reprise the role, which is a background appearance and not a major player, but IMDB reveals that actor Chuck Lines played hte part in the film.
The Nuclear Family in IT: Welcome to Derry: Episode 1
The first episode of IT: Welcome to Derry, set 27 years before the events of IT (2017), Young Matty Clements (Miles Ekhardt) attempts to hitchhike his way out of Derry only to be picked up a seemingly friendly family of four. This group very quickly begins to do odd stuff before taking off into bizarre territory as the mother gives birth to a demonic baby that rips Matty apart (and later comes for his friends). In the series, the family are played by Mark MacRae, Zoë Barrett-Wood, Audrey Wellington, and Lochlan Miller.
It’s worth noting that later in the episode, Miles Ekhardt briefly reprises his role of Matty Clements for a vocal cameo as IT terrorizes Lilly Bainbridge (Clara Stack). All told, five different people play IT in the first episode (and that’s if we don’t count the puppeteers for the demon baby, Sean Sansom and Shane Zander).
IT: Welcome to Derry: Episode 2 Forms
The second episode of IT: Welcome to Derry has perhaps the scariest forms of IT in the entire series, with the monster first taking the form of Ronnie’s mother Ida Grogan, with actress Tenika Davis playing the part. Davis’ takes on a twisted version of the dead character in one of the most terrifying versions of IT found in the series or the feature films.
The end of the episode brings another amazing set piece as Lilly Bainbridge is hunted by IT in the grocery store, with Chadwick Gendron credited as the “Supermarket Creep” that stalks her in the aisles. There are a handful of other shoppers that are clearly part of IT’s game, but none are credited. At the end of the scen,e Lilly is confronted by her dead father’s head and body parts in, where else, the pickle aisle, with Liam Seamus Murphy credited as Lilly’s Dad and Andrew Morgado credited with the voice of Lilly’s Dad.
IT: Welcome to Derry: Episode 3 Forms
Episode 3 of IT: Welcome to Derry is bookended with actors playing IT, with Peter Schoelier credited as “Skeleton Man” who chases a young Francis Shaw through the forest in 1908. The ending of the episode has the 1960s Losers Club trying to capture photographic evidence of IT in the cemetery, where IT takes the form of Rich Santo’s Tio, played by Jose de Freitas and two of its victims from the first episode, with Mikkal Karim Fidler and Matilda Legault reprising their roles of Teddy Uris and Susie Malkin, respectively, albeit zombified.
IT: Welcome to Derry: Episode 4 Forms
The latest episode of IT: Welcome to Derry presents some equally terrifying takes on IT, including one surprising actor who plays the part briefly. Jovan Adepo briefly appears as a burned, demonic Leroy Hanlon in a vision to Will Hanlon during their fishing trip. At the end of the episode, when Dick Hallorann (Chris Chalk) enters the mind of Taniel (Joshua Odjick) and discovers the history of IT with the Shokopiwah people. In the scene, Eric Trask appears as the Priest in the scene while a few uncredited stunt players can be seen as zombie European settlers.
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