Career
Lin Shaye began her acting career by appearing in local theatre productions in New York. She subsequently moved to Los Angeles in 1977 to try her luck in films and TV. She started off with small roles in movies, including ‘Goin South’, ‘The Triangle Factory Scandal’, and ‘Eight is Enough’.
She continued making minor appearances in hit movies, such as ‘The Long Riders’ (1980), ‘Alone in the Dark’ (1982), ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ (1984), ‘Brewster’s Millionaire’ (1985), ‘Critters’ (1986), ‘Slam Dance’ (1987) and ‘Book of Love’ (1990).
Shayne became famous in 1994 after starring in the popular comedy ‘Dumb and Dumber’ as Mrs. Neugeboren. The movie and her character became cult favorites, and she was cast in similar roles in comedies like ‘Kingpin’ (1996) and ‘Last Man Standing’ (1996).
In 1998, she starred as Magda in ‘There’s Something about Mary’ alongside Cameron Diaz. Her performance fetched her a nomination at the Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actress in Comedy.
Her success as a supporting actress landed her more roles in the 2000s. She was seen in ‘Wish You Were Dead’ (2002), ‘Dumb and Dumberer’ (2003), ‘Dead End’ (2003), ‘Cellular’ (2004), ‘Unbeatable Harold’ (2006), ‘Snakes on a Plane’ (2006), and My Sister’s Keeper’, among other movies.
While Shaye has worked in more movies than TV series, she has done some notable TV roles as a guest star, including ‘Who’s the Boss?’, ‘Sisters’, ‘Frasier’, ‘Becker’, ‘ER’, and ‘Still the King’.
In 2010, she starred in ‘Small Town Saturday Night’ and ‘Killer by Nature’ before she finally received her first lead role as Elise Rainer in ‘Insidious’. The horror movie was a hit, and she won a Fangoria Chainsaw award and was also nominated for a Saturn award.
After ‘Insidious’, Shaye began appearing in more prominent roles. She was seen playing Dody in ‘A Good Old Fashioned Orgy’ (2011), Jill in ‘Take Me Home’, and Mrs. Hawthorne in ‘Rosewood Lane’. In the second instalment of ‘Insidious’ titled ‘Insidious: Chapter 2’, she returned to play the role of Elise in 2012. The movie also became a hit.
In 2013, she was cast as Denise Mack in ‘Crazy Kind of Love’. When Shaye’s popularity grew in the horror genre, she started choosing similar roles. Her horror movies from that period include ‘Ouija’ (2014) and ‘Tales of Halloween’ (2015).
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In 2015, she returned as Elise for the third instalment of ‘Insidious’ titled ‘Insidious: Chapter 3’. The film opened with mixed reviews, but Shaye’s performance was praised by many. She played the same role in ‘Insidious: The Last Key’ in 2018.
Since 2016, Shaye has been part of many forgettable movies of the horror genre. She was seen in ‘Ouija: Origin of Evil’ (2016), The Black Room’ (2017), and ‘Grow House’ (2017). She also appeared as Glenda in four episodes of the series ‘Grip and Electric’. Her latest releases include ‘Gothic Harvest’ and ‘Killing Winston Jones’ in 2018.
Despite not being a lead actor, Shaye’s love for acting and her powerful performances have kept her relevant in the film industry since her debut in 1997. Her upcoming releases include ‘Jackson’s Hole’, ‘Grudge’, ‘Room for Rent’, and ‘Bayou Tales’.
Facts About Lin Shaye
Lin Shaye is known for her love of animals and has been a longtime advocate for animal rights and welfare.
She is a talented painter and has showcased her artwork in galleries.
Lin Shaye is a dedicated yoga practitioner and credits the practice for helping her maintain her physical and mental well-being.
She has a passion for gardening and finds solace in tending to her plants and flowers.
Lin Shaye is a collector of vintage clothing and enjoys hunting for unique pieces in thrift stores and vintage shops.
