Evan Peters skyrocketed to fame after his portrayal of Tate in the first season of American horror storydubbed Murder House. Playing the sadistic character with a sweet edge, he became a sensation, becoming the face of the franchise and graced Tumblr feeds around the world. Before that, he had only played small roles in films like Super awesome and quickly canceled TV series like Phil of the future and Invasion. Still, his acting talents were evident and his career would soon flourish.
Updated October 24, 2022: If you’re a long-time fan of Evan Peters or just discovering his talents in the new Netflix series about Jeffrey Dahmer, you’ll be happy to know that we’ve read this article about his best performances with additional content and even higher quality.
Peters continued his success in multiple seasons of AHSand was cast as Quicksilver in the recent X-Men franchisee. This took his career to a new level and moved his success from the small screen to the big screen. His career has only blossomed since then, winning an Emmy for his role alongside Kate Winslet in Mare by Easttown, and shows no signs of slowing down, especially as his chilling portrayal of Jeffrey Dahmer in a new Netflix series has taken the world by storm. Here’s a rundown of the best Evan Peters performances, ranked.
8/8 Super awesome
Before his big break American horror storyPeters had a role in director Matthew Vaughn’s black comedy superhero film Super awesome. His co-stars were Aaron Johnson and Chloë Grace Moretz, and the story follows Dave Lizewski (Johnson) as he aspires to become a real-life superhero known as “Kick-Ass.” Peters plays Dave’s friend Todd Haynes (oddly named after the great film director), who later also becomes a superhero. It’s nice to see Peters in a role just before he became a household name.
7/8 Adult world
Scott Coffees Adult world with Emma Roberts and Evan Peters, who would later star together on american horror story, as well as the great John Cusack. The story follows Amy (played by Emma Roberts) an aspiring poet who aspires to be like Cusack’s character Rat Billings. Peters plays Alex, a colleague of Amy, who later became a love interest. The film had a limited release as a low-budget indie, and it’s one that would slip under a lot of people’s radar. That’s a shame, because it’s a fun watch, one that feels quite fluid and is carefully constructed at the same time.
6/8 Elvis & Nixon
Bleecker Street
Elvis & Nixon is a comedy-drama directed by Liza Johnson with a cast that includes Michael Shannon as Elvis, Kevin Spacey as Nixon, Alex Pettyfer, Johnny Knoxville, and Colin Hanks. Depicting the White House meeting between President Nixon and Elvis, the film offers an insight into two men who are iconic American figures who no longer feel they understand the culture. Peters plays Dwight Chapin, and even delivers a strong performance as a side character.
5/8 Attitude
Ryan Murphy’s Attitude has been hugely successful and one of the most monumental shows of recent years. The series focuses on the New York City ballroom scene in the 80s and 90s, and features a large ensemble cast, including MJ Rodriguez, Dominique Jackson, Billy Porter and Indya Moore.
Attitudemade history with Rodriquez as the first transgender woman to win a Golden Globe, and the show broke many equality barriers. For his part in AttitudePeters played Stan Bowes, a Trump Tower employee who was a lover of Angel (Moore). The relationship is heartbreaking and unfair, highlighting the inequalities that the community often faces.
4/8 X-Men: Days of Future Past
After his appearance in American horror storyPeters secured Quciksilver’s role in the X-Men franchise, which would familiarize him with the world of blockbusters. Quicksilver is a mutant who has the ability of super speed. Peters played in X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: Apocalypseand X-Men: Dark Phoenixreceived strong reviews and secured itself a place in the franchise’s history.
3/8 Mare by Easttown
Mare by Easttown follows Detective Mare Sheehan as she investigates a murder in a small town. The series was acclaimed by critics and received 16 Emmy nominations. Kate Winslet plays Mare Sheehan, and an Emmy-winning Peters plays Detective Colin Zabel, who helps Mare with her investigation.
Peters and Winslet have great chemistry together, and Peters even commented on how a great opportunity to work with Winslet. He seems more mature and mature here than in most of his other roles, with a melancholic seriousness that he has slowly internalized over the years. Mare by Easttown is brilliant, one of the best TV series of 2021, thanks in large part to the performances by Peters and Winslet.
2/8 Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
Almost unrecognizable, Peters undergoes an astonishing transformation to become infamous serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer in the controversial hit Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. The Netflix series has been discussed and debated endlessly, creating critical divisions. Some say the series succumbs to a glorification of true crime, rather than an exploration of it, with many friends and family of Dahmer’s victims claiming it traumatized and insulted them endlessly.
Still, in 2022 it has become a hugely popular cultural touchstone, with people even dressing up as Jeffrey Dahmer for Halloween. Regardless of what one thinks of the show ethically, it is almost universally agreed that Peter is absolutely phenomenal. Peters reunites with Ryan Murphy and sinks into a very dark, disturbing place for… Sampleand whether you hate or love the show, its performance just can’t be ignored.
1/8 American horror story
American horror story has entered its 11th season and Peters has starred in nine of them. The horror anthology series presents a new story each season with a new set of characters (with occasional connections), making it a fun challenge for the cast to constantly take on new roles; However, Peters does this very easily and successfully, and is almost always a standout member of the cast, contested only by the endlessly brilliant Sarah Paulson and Jessica Lange.
After his first rendition of Tate In American Horror Story: Murder House, Peters has managed a variety of roles in his time on the show. Perhaps his best work was in season two called Asylumwhere he ironically played a really good man who was supposed to be a psychopathic killer. Peters has noted: about how playing dark characters has taken a toll on his mental health, which is partly why he’s taken a hiatus, though he plans to return at some point depending on how long the show is. Hopefully it will be soon as his performances were outstanding and an essential part of why American horror story is so great.
Peters’ next big role will be in the movie snow ponies alongside Jon Bernthal, Josh Gad and Charlie Plummer. The mysterious film, the directorial debut of famed stunt coordinator Darrin Prescott, follows a group of men who must deliver a package through a treacherous landscape filled with obstacles and enemies. snow ponies will likely be released by the end of 2023 or early 2024, and with Peters in the lead, we can’t wait.