Which Actors Played The Evil Queen In Live-Action Films?

Quick list from a longtime movie geek: Julia Roberts plays the scheming queen in 'Mirror Mirror'; Charlize Theron embodies Queen Ravenna in 'Snow White and the Huntsman'; Angelina Jolie is the powerful dark figure in 'Maleficent'; Susan Sarandon goes full villainous monarch in 'Enchanted'; Emily Blunt is a cold, icy queen in 'The Huntsman: Winter's War'; and Sigourney Weaver takes a gothic turn in 'Snow White: A Tale of Terror'.

Beyond strict ‘evil queen’ labels, movies often mix in witches and wicked stepmothers who serve the same role, so actresses like Meryl Streep in 'Into the Woods' (as a fearsome witch-figure) or Anjelica Huston in 'The Witches' come to mind if you’re thinking of female cinematic villains with royal or ruler-like presence. I love comparing how each performer makes the role their own — some terrifying, some deliciously campy — and that’s my immediate roundup.

I get a weird little thrill tracing the different flavors of the wicked queen across live-action movies — some are icy and aloof, others are gleefully campy, and a few are downright monstrous.

If you're thinking of the classic Snow White vein, the big names are easy to spot: Charlize Theron plays Ravenna in 'Snow White and the Huntsman' (and returns in 'The Huntsman: Winter's War'), bringing icy glamour and a terrifying hunger for beauty. Julia Roberts goes more theatrical and mischievous as the vain, scheming queen in 'Mirror Mirror'. For a darker, gothic take, Sigourney Weaver portrays the cruel stepmother/queen in 'Snow White: A Tale of Terror' (1997), which leans into horror melodrama instead of fairy-tale sparkle.

I also like to stretch the definition of 'evil queen' to include regal antagonists from other fantasy films: Tilda Swinton is unforgettable as Jadis, the White Witch in 'The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe', with that frosty, absolute menace. Helena Bonham Carter chews scenery deliciously as the tyrannical Red Queen in 'Alice in Wonderland'. And Susan Sarandon has fun as the scheming Queen Narissa in 'Enchanted' — she mixes live-action bite with storybook villainy. Each actress brings a distinct tone, which is why I keep revisiting these films; the role is a playground for dramatic flair and costume design, and I love how differently each performer makes the archetype feel.

My eyes lit up whenever I spot a live-action take on the classic evil queen — there are some very memorable performances. The big, obvious ones include Julia Roberts as the vainglorious queen in 'Mirror Mirror' and Charlize Theron as Queen Ravenna in 'Snow White and the Huntsman'. Both play the same archetype but in totally different keys: Roberts goes campy and theatrical, while Theron leans icy and terrifying. Then there's Angelina Jolie, who carries the dark majesty of 'Maleficent' with real gravitas — technically a villainous sovereign figure in a fairy-tale film.

I also love the curveballs directors throw: Susan Sarandon chews scenery deliciously as Queen Narissa in 'Enchanted', an outrageous, villainous monarch with a modern, comic spin. Emily Blunt plays an ice-hearted queen in 'The Huntsman: Winter's War', bringing a militaristic, cold discipline to the role. Sigourney Weaver gave a chilling performance in 'Snow White: A Tale of Terror' as a wicked stepmother-turned-queen figure, proving the trope can be grim and gothic as well.

All of these actresses make the role their own — some go glam and poisonous, others cold and commanding — and I still find myself picking favorites depending on my mood.

Back in my movie-binge phase I lined up a few fairy-tale films just to see how different actresses would play the same archetype. It surprised me how personality and costume change everything.

The contemporary, big-budget takes are obvious: Charlize Theron as Ravenna in 'Snow White and the Huntsman' is a regal, poisonous presence; Julia Roberts in 'Mirror Mirror' goes for a glossy, candy-coated villainy; Sigourney Weaver in 'Snow White: A Tale of Terror' turns the role into something raw and gothic. Those three alone show how the same character bones can be dressed as thriller, comedy, or dark drama.

If you expand beyond strict Snow White adaptations, you get other memorable 'evil queens' or queenlike villains: Tilda Swinton's Jadis in 'The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' is a chilling, mythic ruler, while Helena Bonham Carter's Red Queen in 'Alice in Wonderland' is cartoonish and terrifying in equal parts. Susan Sarandon as Queen Narissa in 'Enchanted' pulls off campy, Disney-meets-reality villainy. And even characters like Angelina Jolie's Maleficent (in 'Maleficent' and its sequel) recast the royal-villain role into a tragic, powerful ruler. Those performances stayed with me because each actress finds a different emotional center for power and cruelty.

I’ve always been drawn to how filmmakers recast the evil-queen template, so I notice the small choices. For instance, Julia Roberts in 'Mirror Mirror' plays with theatricality and fashion, turning vanity into weaponized comedy. Charlize Theron in 'Snow White and the Huntsman' weaponizes beauty itself, making Ravenna both regal and monstrous. Angelina Jolie’s turn in 'Maleficent' reframed the figure as an antiheroic queen-like presence; it complicates the simple ‘evil queen’ label and makes the role emotionally richer.

Then you get Susan Sarandon in 'Enchanted', whose Queen Narissa is deliberately cartoonish and deliciously theatrical, a loving homage to classic Disney baddies. Emily Blunt’s queen in 'The Huntsman: Winter's War' is more militaristic and tragic, while Sigourney Weaver’s performance in 'Snow White: A Tale of Terror' tilts toward gothic horror. Beyond those, films often swap in witches, stepmothers, or corrupted monarchs who carry the same core — power, jealousy, and spectacle — and watching different actresses interpret that core is half the fun. Personally, I tend to root for the queen when she’s written with complexity rather than flat malice.

I enjoy spotting every live-action version of the wicked queen, especially when actresses take such different approaches. Charlize Theron gives a cold, predatory elegance as Ravenna in 'Snow White and the Huntsman' (and its follow-up), while Julia Roberts opts for witty, glossy villainy in 'Mirror Mirror'. Sigourney Weaver turns the stepmother role into a truly dark, horror-tinged figure in 'Snow White: A Tale of Terror'.

Beyond Snow White adaptations, Tilda Swinton’s Jadis in 'The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' and Helena Bonham Carter’s monstrous Red Queen in 'Alice in Wonderland' are both commanding, queenly antagonists. Susan Sarandon’s Queen Narissa in 'Enchanted' brings theatrical camp and a modern sting. Even Angelina Jolie’s 'Maleficent' movies rework the archetype into a regal, morally complicated villain. I like how each actress makes the role feel new, whether through costume, cruelty, or a surprising emotional core.

I keep a running list in my head of actresses who embodied that ‘evil queen’ energy on film, because the role lets performers show a lot of range. Charlize Theron’s Ravenna in 'Snow White and the Huntsman' is memorable for a blend of seductive power and ruthless insecurity. Julia Roberts in 'Mirror Mirror' turned the queen into a comedic, almost operatic villain, leaning into style and camp. Then AngelIna Jolie in 'Maleficent' reimagined the villain as a wounded, complex ruler — not purely evil, but undeniably sovereign.

Susan Sarandon as Queen Narissa in 'Enchanted' is an over-the-top, villainous monarch with a wink to classic Disney villainy, while Emily Blunt’s icy queen in 'The Huntsman: Winter's War' shows a colder, militarized sovereignty. For darker period horror, Sigourney Weaver in 'Snow White: A Tale of Terror' gave that bitter-stepparent/queen figure a grim, gothic twist. I enjoy how each actress reframes the archetype — sometimes regal and terrifying, sometimes campy and fun — and it’s fascinating to see the differences in costume, makeup, and performance choices.