10 Best One Scene Performances In Horror Movies

Back in 2020, Parker Finn put together the 11-minute short Laura Hasn't Slept about a young woman (Caitlyn Stasey) being haunted by a smiling entity, compelling her to seek counselling. When the counsellor transforms into the grinning creature, Laura is driven irreversibly insane.

Two years later, Finn got the chance to adapt his short into a full-length feature called Smile. This psychological flick opens by recreating the short film, with Stasey reprising her role. However, Smile centres around the counsellor, with Laura only featuring in the prologue.

Though Stasey was amazing in Laura Hasn't Slept, she takes it to a whole new level this time around, flawlessly depicting crippling trauma, hysterical desperation, abject terror, and a psychotic break from reality before ending her own life - all within six minutes. 

At first, the idea of being tormented by a leering demon might sound a bit silly, but in this scene the Australian demonstrates her predicament is anything but a laughing matter. Although all the actors in Smile are fantastic - especially the lead, Sosie Bacon - nobody holds a candle to Caitlin Stasey.