Lin Shaye (born October 12, 1943) is an American actress. She is best known for her work in horror franchises, including Nightmare on Elm Street, Ouija, and Insidious.
Shaye attended the University of Michigan, where she was an Art History major, although acting in as many University productions as possible, including "Bye Bye Birdie" and "On The Town". After U of M, she attended Columbia University School of the Arts, and acquired a Master of Fine Arts degree in Acting. She stayed in New York upon graduation and worked in numerous off- and off-off- Broadway productions, as well as Lincoln Center and Broadway.
Known For
House of Abraham
2025
Common Side Effects
Sonia (voice) · (3 episodes)
2025
The Last Stand of Ellen Cole
Ellen
2024
Insidious: The Red Door
Elise Rainier
2023
Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story
Self
2022
Frank and Penelope
Ophelia
2022
Pines
Julie (voice)
2022
Behind the Monsters
Self · (6 episodes)
2021
Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman
Mrs. Bundy
2021
The Call
Edith Cranston
2020
The Horror Crowd
Herself
2020
Max Reload and the Nether Blasters
Mrs. Wylder
2020
The Voices
The Vagabond
2020
Dreamkatcher
Ruth
2020
Penny Dreadful: City of Angels
Dottie Minter · (6 episodes)
2020
Dead Talk Live
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2020
Darkness Falls
Angela Anderson
2020
The Grudge
Faith Matheson
2019
Gothic Harvest
Griselda
2019
Ambition
Lady Bum
2019
Get Gone
Mama
2019
Room for Rent
Joyce
2019
The Final Wish
Kate Hammond
2019
Herbert West: Reanimator
Meredith
2018
They Bite!: The Making of Critters
Self
2018
Eli Roth's History of Horror
Self · (1 episode)
2018
Los Angeles Overnight
Cousins
2018
All About the Money
Mrs. Womack
2017
The Black Room
Miss Black
2017
Mountain Top
Muriel Miller
2017
The Midnight Man
Anna
2016
Don Quixote: The Ingenious Gentleman of La Mancha
The Grand Lady
2015
The Signal
Mirabelle
2014
All American Christmas Carol
Barbara Belnap
2013
Big Ass Spider!
Mrs. Jefferson
2013
Insidious: Chapter 2
Elise Rainier
2013
Crazy Kind of Love
Denise Mack
2013
EastSiders
Diane · (1 episode)
2012
Matchmaker Santa
Debbie
2012
FDR: American Badass!
Eleanor Roosevelt
2012
3 Days of Normal
May
2012
Jewtopia
Dr. Sutton
2012
The Three Stooges
Nurse Crotchet
2012
Waffle Hut
Jerrie Wolf
2012
Insidious
Elise Rainier
2011
Take Me Home
Jill
2011
Sedona
Claire
2011
Goldberg - P.I.
Violet
2011
Farewell Mr. Kringle
Zelda
2010
Black Limousine
2010
Next Stop Murder
Detective Reeson
2010
2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams
Granny Boone
2010
Small Town Saturday Night
Phyllis Ryan
2010
Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy
Self
2010
Killer by Nature
Leona
2010
VideoDome Rent-O-Rama
The Lush
2010
Dark Moon Rising
Sunny
2009
American Cowslip
Lou Anne
2009
My Sister's Keeper
Nurse Adele
2009
Doggie Heaven
Woman
2008
Starz Inside: In the Gutter
Self
2008
Chronic Town
Nurse
2008
Asylum
String's Mother
2008
Killer Pad
Marge
2008
Private Practice
Mrs. Taylor · (1 episode)
2007
Chasing Robert
Martha the Bookie
2007
The Election
The Wife
2007
Pledge This!
Miss Prin
2007
Driftwood
Nancy Forrester
2006
Surf School
Larry's Mom
2006
Surf School
Larry's mom
2006
Down the P.C.H.
Wendy O'Hara
2006
Snakes on a Plane
Grace
2006
Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror
Clara
2006
Hoboken Hollow
Mrs. Brodrick
2006
Made in Hollywood
Self · (1 episode)
2005
My Name Is Earl
Paul's Mom · (1 episode)
2005
2001 Maniacs
Granny Boone
2005
Confessions of an Action Star
Samantha Jones
2005
Hate Crime
Kathleen Slansky
2005
Who's Your Daddy?
Ms. Harding
2004
Dead End
Laura Harrington
2003
Barely Legal
Tequlia
2003
ManFast
Marge
2003
Contagion
Laura Crowley
2002
A Letter from My Father
Elise
2001
Crossing Jordan
Leather Lauren · (1 episode)
2001
Say It Isn't So
Nurse Bautista
2001
Detroit Rock City
Mrs. Bruce
1999
Becker
Mrs. Cooper · (1 episode)
1998
There's Something About Mary
Magda
1998
Perversions of Science
Nurse · (1 episode)
1997
Trading Favors
Darla
1997
Last Man Standing
The Madame
1996
Kingpin
Landlady
1996
New Nightmare
Nurse with Pills
1994
ER
Margaret · (1 episode)
1994
My So-Called Life
Parent #2 · (1 episode)
1994
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
Rubber Rose Maid
1994
Brain Smasher... A Love Story
Make up Artist
1993
Amityville: A New Generation
Nurse Turner
1993
Frasier
Anne · (1 episode)
1993
Three of Hearts
Operator
1993
The Temp
Rosemary
1993
Critters 3
Sal (archive footage)
1991
Pump Up the Volume
PTA Parent #3
1990
Critters 2
Sal
1988
The Hidden
Carol Miller
1987
Critters
Sally
1986
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Teacher
1984
The Old World
The Aunt (voice)
Carrier
Joan Pierson
Scared to Death
Max
2024
Remote
Kane
2022
We Are Gathered Here Today
Jean Cole
2022
Living with Chucky
Self
2022
The Main Course: The Making of Critters 2
Self
2018
Insidious: The Last Key
Elise Rainier
2018
Buster's Mal Heart
Pauline
2017
Grow House
Mrs. Gilliam
2017
Abattoir
Allie
2016
Ouija: Origin of Evil
Old Paulina Zander
2016
Director's Cut
Captain Wheeler
2016
Texas Heart
Mrs. Smith
2016
Jack Goes Home
Teresa
2016
Tales of Halloween
Lynn's Mother
2015
Helen Keller vs. Nightwolves
Helen Keller
2015
Insidious: Chapter 3
Elise Rainier
2015
Grace
Helen
2014
Ouija
Paulina Zander
2014
Lost Time
Mysterious Woman
2014
Noobz
Mrs. Theodore
2013
Life's an Itch
Gloria
2012
Rosewood Lane
Mrs. Hawthorne
2011
Chillerama
Baglady / Nurse Maleva
2011
A Good Old Fashioned Orgy
Dody
2011
I Was a Teenage Werebear
2011
Pickin' and Grinnin'
Bonnie Johnson
2010
The Penthouse
Frances
2010
Stuntmen
Bumble Jackson
2009
Homo Erectus
Museum Guide
2007
Bachelor Party Vegas
Cassandra
2006
Unbeatable Harold
Jeannie
2006
Drop Dead Sexy
Ma Muzzy
2005
The Almost Guys
Repo Boss
2004
Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd
Margie
2003
Boat Trip
Sonya the Coach
2002
Without Charlie
2001
Attention Shoppers
Libby
2000
Breakfast with Einstein
Miss Desmond
1998
Nature of the Beast
Carol Powell
1995
Her Final Fury: Betty Broderick, the Last Chapter
Inmate
1994
Roadside Prophets
Celeste
1992
Stillwatch
1987
Brewster's Millions
Journalist at Rally
1985
Summer Fantasy
Woman on Beach
1984
Alone in the Dark
Receptionist at Haven
1982
Jekyll and Hyde... Together Again
Nurse with Telegram
1982
A Cry for Love
1980
The Seeding of Sarah Burns
2nd Nurse
1979
The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal
Freida
1979
Goin' South
Parasol Lady
1978
The Possession at Gladstone Manor
Nurse
Hester Street
Whore
1975
Dead of Nowhere 3D
Meemaw
Before Memory
Born Killers
Willow
2005
The Hillside Strangler
Jenny Buono
2004
Cellular
Exotic Car Driver
2004
A Cinderella Story
Mrs. Wells
2004
Stuck on You
Makeup Babe
2003
Wish You Were Dead
Jinny Macintosh
2002
Me, Myself & Irene
Mrs. Caleron
2000
Living Out Loud
Lisa's Nurse
1998
Project: ALF
Waitress
1996
Trial by Fire
Phyliis Cardell
1995
Sketch Artist II: Hands That See
Bonnie
1995
Dumb and Dumber
Mrs. Neugeboren
1994
Corrina, Corrina
Repeat Nanny
1994
In the Line of Duty: The Price of Vengeance
Foreman #2
1994
National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1
Witness
1993
Book of Love
Mrs. Flynn
1990
Life Goes On
Parent #2 · (1 episode)
1989
Lucky Stiff
Bratty Kid's Mom
1988
The Running Man
Propaganda Officer
1987
Mistress
Woman Customer
1987
Slam Dance
Librarian
1987
My Demon Lover
Anemic Counter Girl
1987
Extreme Prejudice
Employment Office Clerk
1987
The Twilight Zone
Kate Simmons (segment "Chameleon") · (1 episode)
1985
Who's the Boss?
Mrs. Padnick · (1 episode)
1984
Highway to Heaven
Lila Barnes · (1 episode)
1984
Why Me?
1984
Cagney & Lacey
Secretary · (1 episode)
1982
Falcon Crest
Smoking Female Prisoner · (1 episode)
1981
The Long Riders
Kate
1980
A Secret Space
Amy
1977
Sex and the Married Woman
Sandra
1977
Devoted
Aunt Dottie
Eight Is Enough
Band Member · (1 episode)
1977