10 Actors Who Just Gave Their Best Performance In A Horror Movie
5. Justice Smith - I Saw the TV Glow
Until last year, Justice Smith's career had never quite afforded him that One Role which allowed him to break out, but that all changed with Jane Schoenbrun's stunning horror-drama I Saw the TV Glow.
The role of protagonist Owen was a hugely challenging one, given that Smith is tasked with portraying a high-schooler for most of the movie despite being close to 30 years old at the time of shooting.
It sounds silly, yet the casting choice was clearly an intentional one, serving as both a nod to the over-aged casting tendencies of '90s teen drama shows, and the fact that Owen himself is unsure of his own personal identity throughout the film.
Moreover, Smith gives a devastatingly raw, vulnerable performance as Owen, offering up a depiction of trauma that, despite the film's surreal inclinations, feels distressingly real, solidified by an unforgettable outburst sequence at the very end.
Smith's efforts were rightly recognised by the Independent Spirit Awards, who nominated him for Best Lead Performance.