How Actress Kathryn Newton Became The Newest Scream Queen

There’s no escaping this scream queen. Kathryn Newton’s starring roles in Freaky (2020), Abigail (2023) and Lisa Frankenstein (2024) have cemented her as one of Gen Z’s leading horror stars—bringing in an estimated $2 million in earnings between acting gigs and brand partnerships this year. Her breakout role was as a 15-year-old star in Paranormal Activity 4, which she says set the trajectory of her career: “I find horror is somewhere I keep returning to because the roles allow me to go places that are really risky,” she says. Outside the realm of the supernatural, Newton has also booked roles in Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023) and TV shows The Society and Big Little Lies alongside Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep. Off-screen, Newton is an avid golfer, boasting a better-than-scratch handicap. “I’ve never been told that you can’t do more than one thing to be super successful,” she says. Now she’s turning her golf prowess into business opportunities: She has partnered with Ralph Lauren as the face of its women’s golf category and is an ambassador for youth golf non-profit First Tee and the R&A, the sole organizer of the British Open.

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