The Goth aesthetic has become more mainstream over time, and there is no shortage of beautiful women in Hollywood who embrace the style. From their roles to their red carpet appearances or their real-life hobbies and interests, here are 15 female goth celebrities we adore.
Winona Ryder has been a Hollywood favorite since the ’80s. She has starred in several Tim Burton films (the king of gothic movies), from playing the “strange and unusual’ goth teenager Lydia Deetz in Beetlejuice to her role Edward Scissorhands, and giving voicework in Frankenweenie.
Aside from her work in Burton’s films, Winona has made several red carpet appearances over the years showcasing beautiful black gowns, and dark smoky makeup that accentuate her big brown eyes. She is goth goals, and all us baby bats want to be her when we grow up.
Christina Ricci’s portrayal of Wednesday Addams in the Addams Family (1991) and Addams Family Values (1993) is just as iconic today as it was then. She nailed the character with dry, morose humor that we can all relate too. In addition to her roles as Wednesday, Christina went on to star in Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow, once again showcasing her pale skin, big longing eyes, and adorned in beautiful Victorian dresses.
Over the years Ricci has also starred as Lizzie Borden and has made several red carpet appearances that suggest like her characters, she enjoys the darker side of things.
Eva Green has starred in films such as Dark Shadows, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Sin City and Kingdom of Heaven. When you become notorious for playing witches, princesses and are in a movie about a vampire, you become Goth by association. However, not only have Eva Green’s roles earned her title of goth celebrity but she is quirky in a real-life too as she is quoted in a Telegraph interview for shopping at an odd collectibles store, buying bones and beetles that are displayed on her wall. Oh, and she bought her director Tim Burton a rainbow beetle for his birthday.
Her public attire could also be considered Gothic as she often adorns gowns with long trains, wraps herself in clothing during warm weather, and in 2007 when she accepted her Bafta award, referred to her hairstyle as “quite The Cure.”
Another leading lady in Tim Burton films, Helena Bonham Carter is real-life quirky and just plain weird from her fashion sense to her sense of humor, and we love it all! She has played iconic roles such as Bellatrix Lestrange in Harry Potter, Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and her less Gothic-character, but still in a Tim Burton movie, Dr. Hoffman in Dark Shadows (which is a vampire movie after all).
Johnette Napolitano is best-known as being the vocalist for goth-rock (among the many ways to categorize this band) Concrete Blonde. The band is known for having a hard, heavy sound paired with poetic, introspective and often brooding lyrics. Their most commercially successful album Bloodletting, features the title track a song this is all about vampirism, but in such an upbeat way.
While in the ’80s and ’90s rock performances were something of monumental reverence we wish we could get back to, and Napolitano’s edgy, dark style paired with her unique voice is nostalgic. Over the years though, she has maintained a darker aesthetic, whether that’s simply parallel to being a musician or she is truly is goth goals with her hippie-goth style.
Most well-known for her role as Nancy, the “bad witch”, in The Craft, Fairuza Balk put on an incredible performance as a witch gone bad, and as the goth teenagers, we all aspired to be. Her other movie credentials that are considered “gothic” are The Island of Dr. Moreau, and Masters of Horror. In real life though, Balk is also a musician whose music sounds like an experimental industrial-folk: dark, slow and sexy. Fairuza is also known for being interested in the occult.
Pauley has made herself most well-known for playing the loveable, alternatively dressed forensic scientists Abby on the hit TV show NCIS. When asked if she would label her character Abby as Goth, Pauley said “Who cares? Abby wouldn’t call herself anything but Abby. What she represents is a smart, capable chick that cannot be reduced to any stereotype.”
We all adore Abby and appreciated seeing this unique character portrayed in mainstream television as an intelligent, capable woman, regardless of her spiderweb neck tattoo or combat boots. Pauley herself in real-life is a musician, published writer of poems and short stories, and a compassionate activist. She is pretty hardcore all the way around and we adore her for it!
It’s quite possible that any romantic associations you have with Marilyn Manson will get you labeled as Goth. But Rose McGowan has her own, hard-earned credentials were going to focus on that don’t solely include her famous partners. McGowan has starred in films such as Deathproof, Grindhouse, The Doom Generation, The Black Dahlia and pretty much anything really, really dark. Her acting roles aren’t the only things that make her darkly-inclined though.
McGowan isn’t a typical Hollywood celebrity, as she has been very outspoken during the Me Too movement and opens up about her other past struggles. She seems to openly discuss the phoniness of Hollywood and recently stated “Hollywood needed to be blown apart”, in referring to using social media to raise awareness about the Me Too campaign. We love McGowan’s edgy style, and outspoken, opinions.
Cassandra Peterson is literally Elvira. Need I say more? She has been playing the horror hostess, Mistress of the Dark since 1981 starting out in Movie Macabre and has gone on to do several other films and productions as her alter-ego, Elvira. Her character is known for pale skin, big, long black hair and a long black swanky gown that emphasizes her ample cleavage. She is the sexy Goth bombshell we all needed and love.
While not inherently Goth in real-life, we felt Diane Wiest deserved a spot on this list. Her roles in Edward Scissorhands as the normal, friendly suburban mom and local Avon representative, and completely normal mom in The Lost Boys felt deserving of the title “female goth celebrity.” She doesn’t play gothic characters in those films, but she does a play spooky witch in Practical Magic and that seems pretty fitting.
Although, looking back, was she really that normal beneath all the pastel in Edward Scissorhands? Breaking into someone’s spooky, decrepit mansion, finding a man whose hands consist entirely of knives and inviting him to leave with your family? She might be the most Goth out of all of us.
Another former girlfriend (or fiancé) of Marilyn Manson’s, but again Evan Rachel Wood has other gothic attributes. Her formal attire is often black and sleek. In her younger days, we saw the blonde-haired girl next door type, but over the years Wood has altered her style choices to be commanding and sophisticated with dark, muted colors, bold eye makeup, and some pretty cool hairstyles.
Her gothic movie roles include American Gothic, a vampire in True Blood, and a half-witch in Practical Magic.
The original Morticia Addams played by Carolyn Jones in the 1960’s black and white Addams Family sitcom, has become an iconic staple and is still enjoyed by many today. Jones’ portrayal of Morticia is a more sweet-natured and good-humored one, but dresses in long black dresses and a long coal-black wig.
Also having appeared in the 1953 horror film House of Wax. Starring Vincent Price, House of Wax was the first color film in 3-D. While horror movies alone, don’t grant the title of female goth celebrity, it’s worth noting Jones’ other acting credentials that are seemingly dark.
Theda Bara was a silent movie actress from 1908-1926. Her persona, created by Fox Studios to boost her image in films, was known as “The Vamp” (short for vampire), which skyrocketed her to popularity during her career. Many of her roles were that of a mysterious, alluring and seductive woman who could turn good, faithful men into scoundrels. She also often adorned elaborate, revealing costumes and seeing as how all her films were in black and white, her makeup always appeared dark, heavy, smoky and Gothic. Her dark hair and slanted, come hitherto” eyes lent themselves to her dark, sultry appearance. She is often credited as being one of the first Goths and first sex symbol.
While Theda tried to steer away from this mistress of the night persona, she never appeared in a talking film, as she retired before having the opportunity to do so. It is also unfortunate that while she made over 40 films in her life, all but eight survived.
Angelica Huston’s portrayal of Morticia Addams in the 1990’s Addams Family movies, mentioned above, earn her a spot on this list. We’re all striving to become Morticia Addams, and we can’t deny Huston’s remarkable way of bringing the character to life, with perfect timing on humor, her witty nature, and her oh so alluring appearance.
Starting our list with Tim Burton actresses, it seems only fitting to end our list with yet another. He really knows how to pick them. Catherine O’Hara’s gothic accolades include Beetlejuice as basically Lydia Deetz all grown-up looking fabulous black leather and perpetually trying to perfect her environment’s aesthetic, and The Nightmare Before Christmas as Sally herself. She has also been in Lemony Snickett’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, which has a hardcore steampunk vibe.
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