Love Them Or Loathe Them, I Present The 10 Most Iconic Villainesses In Film And TV History
10. Rachel Reilly from Big Brother and Traitors
"Floaters, you better grab a life vest."
Making her reality debut in Season 12 of Big Brother and going on to win Season 13, Rachel is most known for her explosive and constant arguments with fellow housemates Ragan Fox and Britney Haynes, proving her blatant disregard for public perception. If there ever was a "hero" of this show, you would find Rachel battling them on every step of their journey. Her unfiltered attitude remained when she entered the Traitors castle, famously feuding with Below Deck 's Kate Chastain in a rivalry where the insults did not stop. Although her castle stay was short, her iconic bright red hair and outrageous one-liners will live forever in our minds.
9. Jill Roberts from Scream
Paramount Pictures
"I don't need friends; I need fans."
Unlike her reveal as this movie's masked murderer, I'm sure you saw this coming. With her storyline reminiscent of her cousin and protagonist, Sidney Prescott, Jill is an immediate fan favorite and seems like the obvious choice to take over and lead this franchise. Well, at least until we find out she spent the past few days killing her friends and family. What a reveal! This unmasking is a true piece of cinematic history, a twist as shocking as the revelation of there being two men behind the mask back in the original. But what really cements Jill's place on this list is her master plan and how close she got to success. With audiences stunned by the crime scene staged to perfection and Jill's spot as the Final Girl all but secured, it was an innocent Freudian slip that brought down her whole charade.
8. Sue Sylvester from Glee
Ryan Murphy Television
"I am going to create an environment that is so toxic..."
Sue Sylvester appeared on the pilot episode of Glee sporting her iconic red tracksuit, and from her first scene, she was outstanding. There is no question that Sue is a villain. She has relentlessly abused the New Directions and committed an unspeakable amount of crimes. Still, she is considered by most to be the best character of this show — not somebody you love to hate, but somebody you love to love. Her insults and hatred are for anyone and everyone. That being said, she'll constantly make you laugh, and she'll ~occasionally~ show you her soft side.
7. Annalise Keating from How to Get Away with Murder
ABC Studios
"Well-behaved women rarely make history."
Starring Viola Davis, How to Get Away with Murder follows a tenacious professor and criminal defense attorney willing to go to any lengths for her clients and students. Although Annalise is not strictly a "villain" in this story, across the six seasons, we see her regularly destroying and faking evidence, framing individuals for murder, blackmailing, and disregarding courtroom procedures. Annalise presents a complicated narrative. For every evil deed, the overarching story provides somewhat of a justification, but so far as the law is concerned, Annalise is no heroine.
6. Catwoman from Batman
Warner Bros.
"You see, sometimes I'm good. Oh, I'm very good. But sometimes I'm bad. But only as bad as I wanna be."
Making her first appearance in the 1940s Batman comic book series, Selina Kyle, formerly known as "The Cat," made history by being the first female comic book supervillain. Sporting her iconic catsuit and black whip, this slick diamond thief has kept Batman on his toes for nearly a century and has no intention of stopping. Appearing in comics, animation, video games, live-action, and even Lego sets, Catwoman's reputation speaks for itself. She is the face of female supervillains, and despite her many adaptations, her spunky nature always shines through.
5. Madison Montgomery from American Horror Story: Coven
Ryan Murphy Productions
"Surprise, B***h. I bet you thought you'd seen the last of me."
If I had told you that Emma Roberts would appear twice on this list, who else would you expect besides Madison Montgomery? Madison appeared on American Horror Story: Coven as a young Hollywood starlet with telekinetic powers and a bad attitude. By the end of the series and three deaths later, Madison is a young adult with a range of powers and an even worse attitude. Throughout the show, she torments everyone she comes across, casts a few less-than-ethical spells, kills some of our favorite characters, and dabbles in arson and necrophilia. Yet Madison is the star of the season and a true fan favorite.
4. Mystique from X-Men
Marvel Entertainment
"What's the matter, baby? Don't you think I look pretty like this?"
With blue skin and slicked red hair, Mystique, formerly known as Raven, is an acrobatic shapeshifter ready to cause chaos. Her fight for mutant rights is noble, but with each adaptation of this character, we regularly see the misguided path she follows and the ruthless lengths she believes necessary for her cause. As a core member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in the comics, it's hard to defend her villain status. Mystique is clever, cunning, and an integral part of the X-Men universe. We love to see on our screen in whoever's form she may take.
3. Parvati Shallow from Survivor
CBS
"Like, all the girls are coming together and we're just spinning the guys around. Just spinning 'em and spinning 'em until they don't know which way is up...and then we're devouring them, one at a time."
If you're a Survivor fan, you ought to have known Parvati would be on this list, winning her second season and being three votes short of becoming the first person to ever win two seasons. Parvati is the face of the franchise. This icon flirted her way through her first season, scoring the nickname femme fatal. In her second season, entering as a fan favorite, she forms the Black Widow Brigade, the strongest alliance in the show's history. She masterminds the plan to pick off the boys one by one, resulting in the show's best blindsides. In her third season, she is fittingly placed on the villain's tribe and, as true to her character, deceives her way to the final tribal council. With her intelligence and remarkable wit, Parvati is a beloved castaway, but it's her strategic plans that earn her third place on this list.
2. Regina George from Mean Girls
Paramount Pictures
"They say you're a homeschooled jungle freak who's a less hot version of me."
Has there ever been an antagonist as chic as Regina George? This mean girl graced our screens dressed in heels, a mini skirt, and a fabulous slogan top. While we love to hate her, Regina is undoubtedly the villain of this cult classic, and she plays the part without mistake. Her character is a chilling reminder of the worst people we have ever met. Cunning, intelligent, a master of manipulation, and THE Queen Bee, Regina dominates the social hierarchy and steps on anyone and everyone to do so. Long live the plastics.
1. Cersei Lannister from Game of Thrones
HBO
"I do things because they feel good. I drink because it feels good. I killed my husband because it felt good to be rid of him."
Queen of the seven kingdoms, protector of the realm, and the most deserving of my number one spot. Cersei Lannister is — without question — the worst person on this list. Throughout the Game of Thrones series, Cersei is a constant antagonist to our heroes and the realm. Her insatiable lust for power and approval is essentially the driving force behind the political plot of the show. Her crimes (and fashion moments) are endless and unjustifiable, committing incest, torture, murder, and blowing up the religious capital of Westeros — she truly has no limits. But Cersei is pivotal to the show. Whether she is skulking around Kings Landing or drinking "a" glass of wine, one sight of her golden locks has you on edge. Where Cersei goes, a dark red gown and entertainment follow, which is why she is the most iconic villainess in TV history.
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