Fairuza Balk is one of our favorite actresses here at Horror Geek Life, and today, we’re celebrating her career with a look at ten of her very best roles. Of course, there are plenty of others that aren’t listed here, so tell us your own favorites that we might have missed in the comments below!
1. Dorothy Gale, Return to Oz (1985)
Fairuza Balk made her big screen debut as a child actress when she appeared in the 1985 film Return to Oz, the unofficial sequel to the cinema classic The Wizard of Oz. In the “sequel,” a young Balk stars in the lead role of Dorothy Gale, replacing Hollywood legend Judy Garland as the iconic character.
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The film has developed a strong cult following in the years since its release, with fans still fondly remembering Balk as the new Dorothy.
2. Caril Ann Fugate, Murder in the Heartland (1993)
In the early ’90s, Balk starred in the television mini-series Murder in the Heartland. The series tells the real-life story of Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate, the couple that embarked on an infamous murder spree in the 1950s. With Tim Roth as Charles, Balk co-starred as Caril, portraying the youngest female in American history to be tried for first-degree murder.
The role proved early on in Balk’s career that she had a particular knack for playing more dastardly characters.
3. Nancy Downs, The Craft (1996)
This one will certainly be a personal favorite for many of Balk’s fans. In 1996, Balk starred in the popular witch movie The Craft alongside Neve Campbell, Robin Tunney, and Rachel True. While all four are fantastic, it’s Balk’s Nancy Downs that many horror fans seem to remember the most fondly, given the unique and memorable way Balk totally owned that character.
Most often, you’ll find her near the top of any list ranking horror’s all-time greatest killer women.
4. Aissa, The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996)
Based on the H. G. Wells novel, The Island of Dr. Moreau is about a mad scientist who creates half-human beasts on his own private island. Balk has a very memorable role in this film as Aissa, a “daughter” of Dr. Moreau with cat-like features.
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While the production of the movie was certainly not without its problems, many people were intrigued by the result, and the film would go on to develop a cult following.
5. Stacey, American History X (1998)
Fairuza Balk plays the girlfriend of Edward Norton’s character in American History X, and this just might be her most detestable role of all. A white supremacist, Stacey even turns on her boyfriend once he realizes that he wants to step away from their lifestyle of hate and prejudice.
Viewers absolutely loved to hate this woman, and that’s thanks to the amazing way Balk had portrayed her so despicably.
6. Vicki Vallencourt, The Waterboy (1998)
The polar opposite of Stacey from American History X, Balk’s Vicki Vallencourt in The Waterboy is a person you can’t help but love. Despite the disapproval of his mother (Kathy Bates), football-playing waterboy Bobby Boucher (Adam Sandler) and Vicki, who was his childhood crush, enter a charming and amusing romantic relationship that makes for some of the comedy’s most hilarious moments.
Balk also has many memorable quotes, such as, “I find Deputy Dawg very, very sexy.”
7. Sapphire, Almost Famous (2000)
Set in the 1970s, Almost Famous follows a teenage journalist traveling on the road with a rock band, inspired by the real-life story of writer/director Cameron Crowe.
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In the movie, Fairuza Balk plays the groupie Sapphire, and as you would expect, she is a part of some of the most memorable moments of the film. And that includes an awkward scene where the lead character loses his virginity to Sapphire along with two other “band-aids.”
8. Annie, Deuces Wild (2002)
Featuring an ensemble cast, Deuces Wild stars Balk alongside other big names, including Stephen Dorff, Brad Renfro, James Franco, and Matt Dillon. Its story focuses on the rivalry between two street gangs called the Deuces and the Vipers.
The gang war becomes much more complicated when Balk’s Annie, the sister of a Viper, falls in love with one of the Deuces. Balk is particularly memorable in the film as the definitely has the best lines.
9. Heidi, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009)
Directed by Werner Herzog, the film Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans stars Nicolas Cage as a drug-addicted detective who has no qualms about breaking the law. Also appearing in the movie as a fellow police officer is Balk, and as it turns out, she can really rock a police officer’s uniform.
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Though Officer Heidi is not exactly totally above board either, it turns out Cage is just too bad of a Lieutenant for her.
10. Ginger, Ray Donovan (2015)
More recently, Balk took on a recurring role on television when she began appearing on the Showtime series Ray Donovan. This time, she portrayed the prostitute Ginger, a friend of Mickey (Jon Voight). Joining an already stellar cast, Balk made an excellent addition to the series and stands out among its best guest stars.
