Lin Shaye
Biography
Lin Shaye (born October 12, 1943) is an American actress. In a career spanning over fifty years, Shaye has appeared in more than a hundred feature films. She is regarded as a scream queen due to her roles in various horror productions, which include the films Alone in the Dark (1982), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), Critters (1986) and its sequel Critters 2: The Main Course (1988), Amityville: A New Generation (1993), Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994), Dead End (2003), 2001 Maniacs (2005) and its sequel 2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams (2010), Ouija (2014) and its prequel Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016), Tales of Halloween (2015), Abattoir (2016), The Final Wish (2018), Room for Rent (2019), The Grudge (2019), Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman (2021), and the Insidious film series (2010–2026). Shaye is also well known for her comedic roles in numerous films by the Farrelly brothers, including Dumb and Dumber (1994), Kingpin (1996), There's Something About Mary (1998), Detroit Rock City (1999), Me, Myself & Irene (2000), Stuck on You (2003), and The Three Stooges (2012). Description above from the Wikipedia article Lin Shaye, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For

Private Practice

ER

Frasier

Falcon Crest

Crossing Jordan

The Last Stand of Ellen Cole

My Name Is Earl

Life Goes On
All Movies (189)
- Insidious: Out of the Further2026 · as Elise Rainier
- Scared to Death2026 · as Max
- 1000 Women in Horror2025 · as Self
- House of Abraham2025
- The Last Stand of Ellen Cole2024 · as Ellen
- Insidious: The Red Door2023 · as Elise Rainier
- Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story2022 · as Self
- Remote2022 · as Kane
- We Are Gathered Here Today2022 · as Jean Cole
- Living with Chucky2022 · as Self
- The Quarry: Movie Mode2022 · as Lou/The Hag of Hackett's Quarry
- Frank and Penelope2022 · as Ophelia
- Pines2022 · as Julie (voice)
- Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman2021 · as Mrs. Bundy
- The Call2020 · as Edith Cranston
- The Horror Crowd2020 · as Self
- Max Reload and the Nether Blasters2020 · as Mrs. Wylder
- The Voices2020 · as The Vagabond
- Dreamkatcher2020 · as Ruth
- Darkness Falls2020 · as Angela Anderson
- The Grudge2019 · as Faith Matheson
- Gothic Harvest2019 · as Griselda
- Ambition2019 · as Lady Bum
- Get Gone2019 · as Mama
- Room for Rent2019 · as Joyce
- The Final Wish2019 · as Kate Hammond
- Herbert West: Reanimator2018 · as Meredith
- The Main Course: The Making of Critters 22018 · as Self
- They Bite!: The Making of Critters2018 · as Self
- Los Angeles Overnight2018 · as Cousins
- Insidious: The Last Key2018 · as Elise Rainier
- All About the Money2017 · as Mrs. Womack
- Buster's Mal Heart2017 · as Pauline
- The Black Room2017 · as Miss Black
- Grow House2017 · as Mrs. Gilliam
- Mountain Top2017 · as Muriel Miller
- Abattoir2016 · as Allie
- Ouija: Origin of Evil2016 · as Old Paulina Zander
- The Midnight Man2016 · as Anna
- Director's Cut2016 · as Captain Wheeler
- Texas Heart2016 · as Mrs. Smith
- Jack Goes Home2016 · as Teresa
- Tales of Halloween2015 · as Lynn's Mother
- Helen Keller vs. Nightwolves2015 · as Helen Keller
- Insidious: Chapter 32015 · as Elise Rainier
- Don Quixote: The Ingenious Gentleman of La Mancha2015 · as The Grand Lady
- Grace2014 · as Helen
- Ouija2014 · as Paulina Zander
- Lost Time2014 · as Mysterious Woman
- The Signal2014 · as Mirabelle
- All American Christmas Carol2013 · as Barbara Belnap
- Big Ass Spider!2013 · as Mrs. Jefferson
- Insidious: Chapter 22013 · as Elise Rainier
- Crazy Kind of Love2013 · as Denise Mack
- Noobz2013 · as Mrs. Theodore
- Life's an Itch2012 · as Gloria
- Matchmaker Santa2012 · as Debbie
- FDR: American Badass!2012 · as Eleanor Roosevelt
- 3 Days of Normal2012 · as May
- Jewtopia2012 · as Dr. Sutton
- The Three Stooges2012 · as Nurse Crotchet
- Waffle Hut2012 · as Jerrie Wolf
- Rosewood Lane2011 · as Mrs. Hawthorne
- Chillerama2011 · as Baglady / Nurse Maleva
- A Good Old Fashioned Orgy2011 · as Dody
- I Was a Teenage Werebear2011
- Insidious2011 · as Elise Rainier
- Take Me Home2011 · as Jill
- Sedona2011 · as Claire
- Goldberg - P.I.2011 · as Violet
- Farewell Mr. Kringle2010 · as Zelda
- The Land of the Astronauts2010
- Next Stop Murder2010 · as Detective Reeson
- The Accidental Death of Joey by Sue2010 · as Mrs. Rawlings
- Small Town Saturday Night2010 · as Phyllis Ryan
- Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy2010 · as Self
- Pickin' and Grinnin'2010 · as Bonnie Johnson
- 2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams2010 · as Granny Boone
- The Penthouse2010 · as Frances
- Killer by Nature2010 · as Leona
- VideoDome Rent-O-Rama2010 · as The Lush
- Dark Moon Rising2009 · as Sunny
- Stuntmen2009 · as Bumble Jackson
- American Cowslip2009 · as Lou Anne
- My Sister's Keeper2009 · as Nurse Adele
- Doggie Heaven2008 · as Woman
- Starz Inside: In the Gutter2008 · as Self
- Chronic Town2008 · as Nurse
- Asylum2008 · as String's Mother
- Killer Pad2008 · as Marge
- Chasing Robert2007 · as Martha the Bookie
- The Election2007 · as The Wife
- Homo Erectus2007 · as Museum Guide
- Pledge This!2007 · as Miss Prin
- Snakes on a Plane: Meet the Reptiles2007 · as Self
- Snakes on a Set: Behind the Scenes2007 · as Self
- The Snake Pit: On the Set of 'Snakes on a Plane'2007 · as Self
- Driftwood2006 · as Nancy Forrester
- Surf School2006 · as Larry's Mom
- Down the P.C.H.2006 · as Wendy O'Hara
- Snakes on a Plane2006 · as Grace
- Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror2006 · as Clara
- Bachelor Party Vegas2006 · as Cassandra
- Hoboken Hollow2006 · as Mrs. Brodrick
- Pure Venom: The Making of Snakes on a Plane2006 · as Self
- Unbeatable Harold2006 · as Jeannie
- 2001 Maniacs2005 · as Granny Boone
- Drop Dead Sexy2005 · as Ma Muzzy
- Confessions of an Action Star2005 · as Samantha Jones
- Hate Crime2005 · as Kathleen Slansky
- Born Killers2005 · as Willow
- The Hillside Strangler2004 · as Jenny Buono
- Cellular2004 · as Exotic Car Driver
- A Cinderella Story2004 · as Mrs. Wells
- The Almost Guys2004 · as Repo Boss
- Who's Your Daddy?2004 · as Ms. Harding
- Dead End2003 · as Laura Harrington
- Stuck on You2003 · as Makeup Babe
- Barely Legal2003 · as Tequlia
- Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd2003 · as Margie
- ManFast2003 · as Marge
- Boat Trip2002 · as Sonya the Coach
- Wish You Were Dead2002 · as Jinny Macintosh
- Contagion2002 · as Laura Crowley
- A Letter from My Father2001 · as Elise
- Say It Isn't So2001 · as Nurse Bautista
- Without Charlie2001
- Attention Shoppers2000 · as Libby
- Me, Myself & Irene2000 · as Mrs. Caleron
- Detroit Rock City1999 · as Mrs. Bruce
- Living Out Loud1998 · as Lisa's Nurse
- There's Something About Mary1998 · as Magda
- Breakfast with Einstein1998 · as Miss Desmond
- Trading Favors1997 · as Darla
- Last Man Standing1996 · as The Madame
- Kingpin1996 · as Landlady
- Project: ALF1996 · as Waitress
- Nature of the Beast1995 · as Carol Powell
- Trial by Fire1995 · as Phyliis Cardell
- Sketch Artist II: Hands That See1995 · as Bonnie
- Dumb and Dumber1994 · as Mrs. Neugeboren
- Her Final Fury: Betty Broderick, the Last Chapter1994 · as Inmate
- Wes Craven's New Nightmare1994 · as Nurse with Pills
- Corrina, Corrina1994 · as Repeat Nanny
- Even Cowgirls Get the Blues1994 · as Rubber Rose Maid
- In the Line of Duty: The Price of Vengeance1994 · as Foreman #2
- Brain Smasher... A Love Story1993 · as Make up Artist
- Amityville: A New Generation1993 · as Nurse Turner
- Three of Hearts1993 · as Operator
- The Temp1993 · as Rosemary
- National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 11993 · as Witness
- Roadside Prophets1992 · as Celeste
- Critters 31991 · as Sal (archive footage)
- Pump Up the Volume1990 · as PTA Parent #3
- Book of Love1990 · as Mrs. Flynn
- Lucky Stiff1988 · as Bratty Kid's Mom
- Critters 21988 · as Sal
- The Running Man1987 · as Propaganda Officer
- The Hidden1987 · as Carol Miller
- Mistress1987 · as Woman Customer
- Slam Dance1987 · as Librarian
- My Demon Lover1987 · as Anemic Counter Girl
- Extreme Prejudice1987 · as Employment Office Clerk
- Stillwatch1987
- Critters1986 · as Sally
- Brewster's Millions1985 · as Journalist at Rally
- A Nightmare on Elm Street1984 · as Teacher
- Summer Fantasy1984 · as Woman on Beach
- Why Me?1984
- Alone in the Dark1982 · as Receptionist at Haven
- Jekyll and Hyde... Together Again1982 · as Nurse with Telegram
- A Cry for Love1980
- The Long Riders1980 · as Kate
- The Seeding of Sarah Burns1979 · as 2nd Nurse
- The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal1979 · as Freida
- Goin' South1978 · as Parasol Lady
- A Secret Space1977 · as Amy
- Sex and the Married Woman1977 · as Sandra
- Hester Street1975 · as Whore
- The Old World— · as The Aunt (voice)
- Carrier— · as Joan Pierson
- The Possession at Gladstone Manor— · as Nurse
- Dead of Nowhere 3D— · as Meemaw
- Before Memory—
- Devoted— · as Aunt Dottie
- The Bench—
- Jackson's Hole— · as Netter
- Mascotland—
- Thread: An Insidious Tale— · as Elise Rainier
All TV Shows (23)
- Common Side Effects2025 · as Sonia (voice)
- Behind the Monsters2021 · as Self
- Penny Dreadful: City of Angels2020 · as Dottie Minter
- Dead Talk Live2020 · as Self - Guest
- Eli Roth's History of Horror2018 · as Self
- EastSiders2012 · as Diane
- Private Practice2007 · as Mrs. Taylor
- Made in Hollywood2005 · as Self
- My Name Is Earl2005 · as Paul's Mom
- Crossing Jordan2001 · as Leather Lauren
- Becker1998 · as Mrs. Cooper
- Perversions of Science1997 · as Nurse
- Arli$$1996 · as Shurja
- ER1994 · as Margaret
- My So-Called Life1994 · as Parent #2
- Frasier1993 · as Anne
- Life Goes On1989 · as Parent #2
- The Twilight Zone1985 · as Kate Simmons (segment "Chameleon")
- Who's the Boss?1984 · as Mrs. Padnick
- Highway to Heaven1984 · as Lila Barnes
- Cagney & Lacey1982 · as Secretary
- Falcon Crest1981 · as Smoking Female Prisoner
- Eight Is Enough1977 · as Band Member