Off-screen, Evan Peters is known for his good looks, boyish charm, and undeniable talent. But on-screen, Peters is no stranger to the dark and twisted, often cast in roles that range from somewhat discomforting to downright terrifying.
Whether he's playing a deranged psychopath or bringing a serial killer story to life, Peters' ability to both captivate and petrify audiences is present throughout his work. From multiple American Horror Story appearances to Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, we rank every Evan Peters villain by how much they creep us out.
9 Warren Lipka - American Animals
We start the list with American Animals which tells the story of four boys who plot an art heist against their university. Here, Evan Peters is cast as Warren Lipka, who is the unspoken leader of the heist, orchestrating the elaborate plan and convincing the others to join. In the end, the boys are caught and ultimately sent to jail, but Warren Lipka isn't so much a villain as he is a stupid kid.
8 Jimmy Darling - American Horror Story: Freak Show
In the fourth installment of American Horror Story, Peters plays Jimmy Darling, a troubled man with a physical deformity. Jimmy is exploited for money and entertainment his entire life, but still has a soft heart and decent nature. Though he does at one point kill a police officer, he does so only to protect other characters. And despite his transgression, he clearly lacks the overt sadism and desire to cause harm that other characters have further down the list.
7 Jeff Pfister - American Horror Story: Apocalypse
Jeff Pfister is a zany evil scientist who creates robots for a living. Sporting a goofy strawberry blonde bowl-cut, he seems most interested in soft rock music and hanging with his friend and fellow scientist Mutt Nutter. Don't get it twisted, he's still hell-bent on causing the end of the world, but he definitely seems less threatening than some of the later entries on this list.
6 Kyle Spencer - American Horror Story: Coven
Before Kyle Spencer was murdered, he was your average run-of-the-mill frat brother. Yet, when he was brought back to life by the witches in American Horror Story: Coven, he was overcome by primitive instinct. Though he slowly is taught to function in society throughout the season, Kyle still murders multiple people in fits of violent rage. However, he is shown to have a heart and cares deeply for Zoe, making him one of the few villains we actually feel sorry for.
5 Austin Sommers - American Horror Story: Double Feature
Here's where the list goes from bad to worse. Austin Sommers starts out as a struggling artist, desperate to find his creative spark. Yet, Austin chooses to dance with the devil by taking a pill called Muse that not only supercharges his ability to write but also causes him to become addicted to consuming human blood. In this instance, Sommers is a victim of both greed and addiction; when he tries to stop himself from using Muse, he continues knowing he cannot write without it. In the end, innocent victims had to die to fuel his passion, making him a less-than-favorable character.
4 James Patrick March - American Horror Story: Hotel
The next killer on the list is James Patrick March, the owner of an intricately constructed murder hotel. The hotel is equipped with passageways and secret rooms for James to carry out various murders and feed his desire to kill. What's perhaps most disturbing about this character is that not only did he have an innate desire to kill, but he also enjoyed it, seeing it as a sick game.
3 Tate Langdon - American Horror Story: Murder House
As the true villain of American Horror Story's first season, Tate Langdon certainly had a troubled upbringing that helped to create the monster he became. However, it's hard to have any sympathy for a character who not only murders his step-father and brother but 15 classmates as well. Throughout the season, he torments his love interest, Violet, and looks to self-harm, homicide, and destruction as solutions to his problems. He's unpredictably violent with an urge to hurt people, making him one of the scariest and most dangerous characters on AHS to date.
2 Kai Anderson - American Horror Story: Cult
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Kai Anderson is anything but tolerant. As a racist, misogynistic cult leader with a hunger to kill, Kai is a horrifying characterization of what can happen to everyday internet trolls who go unchecked. Not only does his cult target and slay innocent minority groups, but his massive ego leads him to run for office and ultimately, eradicate the people he deems unworthy. He targets other candidates, who are notably women, to assert his dominance. In the end, Kai is defeated, but his actions throughout the season certainly cement his place as a top villain.
1 Jeffrey Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
It's no surprise that Peters' portrayal of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer is number one on the list. The despicable nature of the crimes alone is enough to send shivers down the spine, but Peters' ability to perfectly imitate Dahmer's emotionless demeanor nearly blurred the line between fact and fiction. With scenes that featured Dahmer luring, torturing, and eventually killing his victims, the series certainly did not shy away from tackling the true horror of Dahmer's crimes. The performance was so spot-on that many audiences felt as though they had been watching the real Dahmer.