Black Horror 101: A Brief History of African Americans in Horror Cinema
Black Is Boo-Tiful
When Jordan Peeele’s Get Out became a breakout success in 2017, earning him the first Original Screenplay Oscar awarded to an African-American, "black horror movies" suddenly became the new hot property in Hollywood, with many people seeming to believe that this was an entirely new subset of the horror genre.
As landmark of a film as Get Out...
The 40 Best Horror Movies Starring Black Actors and Actresses
It goes without saying that over the years, Hollywood has had some issues with adequate racial representation in starring roles, and horror is certainly not immune to that problem. However, that doesn't mean there haven't been some excellent "mainstream" (for lack of a better word) fright flicks starring black folk. For this list, I'm excluding all-black films (e.g., Blaxploitation, "urban,"...
Snakes on the Brain: Racial Representation in Snakes on a Plane
Like every other Internet gnome trolling the Web for treasure, I traced the progress of the film Snakes on a Plane for months, drinking in the online parodies and speculating on the possibility of sequels (Giraffes on a Speedboat) or even prequels (Dodos on a Frigate). I cheered when New Line Studios ordered five days of re-shoots to bump...
Before They Were Stars: Black Actors and Actresses Who Got Their Starts in Horror Movies
Most actors and actresses have to pay their dues before they become famous, and one genre well versed in due-paying is horror. Popular with producers out to make a quick buck yet reviled by critics, horror movies are both high in number and low in esteem, making them perfect entry-level fare for aspiring thespians. In fact, some of the...
Bad Boys (and Girls): Black Horror’s Most Wanted Villains
Black people originated the slang of bad meaning good, but that doesn't mean they can't also be bad meaning bad. They've played some of the more memorable baddies in horror history. Here are some of the baddest black villains to grace a horror movie screen. Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?
Blacula, Blacula and Scream, Blacula, Scream
The poster child...
Don’t I Know You…? Black Horror Character Actors
These actors and actresses aren't usually the leads in horror movies, but they keep busy in supporting roles as the best friends, the partners, the safari guides and other assorted capacities that probably ensure death. You know their faces, but you don't know their names or even where you know them from. Before you walk up and ask them, "Do...
22 “Heroic Deaths” by Black Characters in Horror Movies
Everyone knows that the "black guy" (or gal) usually dies in horror movies -- so much so, in some instances, the characters themselves seem to be aware of their inevitable fate. Thus, we have the phenomenon of black "heroic death," in which black characters (usually peripheral) voluntarily sacrifice themselves -- or at least, volunteer for tasks that mean certain...
If Horror Movies Had Black Casts
Re-imagining your favorite horror movies with black casts.
Best Black Horror Movies of 2022
There was a time not too long ago that it would be difficult to create a “best of” list of horror movies featuring black leads in any given year, since there were so few of them, and the ones that did exist were of such dubious quality. But thankfully, things have changed in both quantity and quality over the...
The Black Death: A Brief History of Black People Dying in Horror Movies
"No way. I've seen this movie. The black dude dies first."
- Professor Harry Phineas Block (Orlando Jones), Evolution
"Ooh, I'm done! Brothers never make it out of situations like this!"
- Sherman "Preacher" Dudley (LL Cool J), Deep Blue Sea
"Did you know that the black guy doesn't always die first?"
- sinister email, The Mangler 2
"Everybody knows black guys get it...





























