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Who is Sophie Thatcher, the new scream queen to watch closely?
With her rock, glamorous, and gothic looks, Sophie Thatcher, 24, is emerging as one of most promising rising stars in horror cinema. The actress and singer born in a Mormon family from Chicago demonstrates rare virtuosity in horrific narratives, from the survivalist series Yellowjackets to the terrifying features Heretic and Companion. The latter is airing on Canal+ at the moment. Portrait of a scream queen to watch (very) closely.
Published on 15 August 2025. Updated on 18 August 2025.
Sophie Thatcher: breakout star of the series Yellowjackets
It was in 2021 that the charismatic Sophie Thatcher first drew our attention. Coming from a Mormon background, the 24-year-old American actress made her TV debuts as a teenager. Not long after, she made a stunning impression in the brillant series Yellowjackets.
Produced by Showtime and broadcast on Canal+ France, the show follows a young girls’ soccer team that survives a devastating plane crash. They are left for dead in the heart of the Canadian forest. Somewhere between Lost and Lord of the Flies, this critically acclaimed series owes much of its success to its cast.
Yellowjackets, whose third season premiered last June on Canal+, allows Sophie Thatcher to prove herself in the thriller genre. She plays one of the protagonists and crash survivors, the rebellious Natalie – portrayed in her adult version by Juliette Lewis. She shares the spotlight with other rising young actresses. Among them are Ella Purnell, recently seen in Prime Video’s series Fallout, and Jasmin Savoy Brown, who appeared in Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023).
MaXXXine, Heretic… Sophie Thatcher shines as a scream queen
Since her performance in Yellowjackets, Sophie Thatcher seems to have developed a real affinity for the horror genre. Shortly after the first season of the series aired, she took the lead in The Boogeyman, a film adaptation of Stephen King’s 1978 short story.
Last summer, she joined Ti West’s sexy and terrifying trilogy starring in the horror film MaXXXine (2024). Although this third instalment boasts a high-profile cast – Elizabeth Debicki, Lily Collins, Kevin Bacon, Halsey – it is above all a chance for the actress to act alongside Mia Goth, another captivating scream queen. Next to actresses Jenna Ortega (Scream, X) and Maika Monroe (Longlegs, It Follows), Sophie Thatcher firmly established herself as one of horror cinema’s leading figures.
Not long afterward, she landed one of the main roles in Heretic, starring Chloe East (The Fabelmans). As a young missionary from a Mormon church, Sophie Thatcher plays opposite to the brilliant British actor Hugh Grant, who terrifies us in this A24 horror production.
Sophie Thatcher takes the lead in the suspenseful sci-fi romance Companion
With Companion, one of the latest films from Warner Bros Studios airing on Canal+ on August 15th, 2025, Sophie Thatcher further proves she is one of the most promising new talents in horror cinema. The story takes place in the near future and chilling atmosphere with science-fiction narrative.
The actress embodies Iris, a humanoid designed to accompany and fulfill her host’s desires, here portrayed by Jack Quaid, the son of Dennis Quaid. As if being unaware she is a robot wasn’t unsettling enough, Iris and her partner are invited to spend a weekend in a remote villa. An idyllic getaway that will eventually turn into chaos.
A perfect mix between M3GAN (2022) and Wes Craven’s Scream (1996), Companion offers Sophie Thatcher a rich emotional palette to experiment with. She has to appear both robotic and deeply human. This role could open doors to even more ambitious projects. In fact, she stars in Nicolas Winding Refn’s upcoming film Her Private Hell, alongside Charles Melton (May December). Plus, fans frequently name her as their top pick to play Rogue in the X-Men universe for the new Marvel adaptation.
Pivot & Scrape, Sophie Thatcher’s debut EP
But our fascination for Sophie Thatcher goes beyond her acting skills. In addition to her consistently bold aesthetic, somewhere between glamour and gothic, the rising star is also making her mark in music. While still in high school, she secluded herself in her mother’s basement to compose songs on an omnichord. Influenced by Radiohead and Elliott Smith, the 24-year-old artist released her debut EP, Pivot & Scrape, in October 2024. The record features five lo-fi and haunted indie rock tracks, all recorded in just a week.
With her husky, raw voice and ethereal melodies, the actress follows in the footsteps of Mazzy Star, PJ Harvey, and Ethel Cain. Speaking to the American media Hero, she declared: “Every character I play is to some extent an extension of myself, but music is closer to who I am. It’s insane to have control and feel like you’re a conductor in this crazy experiment.” Whether it’s in music or cinema, the actress clearly intends to leave a lasting impression on her audience.
Companion (2025) by Drew Hancock, airing on Canal+ on August 15th, 2025. The season 3 of Yellowjackets is available now on Canal+.
