10 Unexpectedly Intense Performances In Horror Movies

The antagonist of Misery, Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) perfectly encapsulates the phrase, "Never judge a book by its cover". 

When respected novelist Paul Sheldon (James Caan) gets involved in a car crash, Annie brings him back to her house to care for him. Annie is initially viewed as a guardian angel since she goes out of her way to save Sheldon and personally nurse him back to health, but while discussing Sheldon's books, she loses her temper, revealing her unstable side to the author for the first time. And when she bursts into his room hysterically during the night, Sheldon realises Annie isn't just odd, but dangerous.

Although many actresses were considered for the Annie Wilkes role, it's hard to picture anyone playing the demented nurse as effectively as Kathy Bates, who won an Academy Award for her performance. She flips from endearingly tender to chaotically deranged with zero effort, as if she's portraying two different characters.

However, Annie is just as frightening when she's calm. During the infamous hobbling sequence, Annie's behaviour should be erratic and aggressive. Instead, she speaks to her captive with reassurance and tenderness while walloping Paul's ankles with a sledgehammer. As unsettling as this scene is, there's nothing as hair-raising as hearing Annie saying, "God, I love you" to Sheldon with complete sincerity while he's howling in pain.