Though Victoria Pedretti’s horror roles have been limited to only a few series, she’s proven to have the skills to convincingly terrify a viewer.
From the haunting series on Netflix to the sadistic nature of YOU, Pedretti has proven she has all the makings of a true Scream Queen. While her roles in The Haunting of Hill House and Bly Manor conjure mixed feelings of sadness and despair, her portrayal of a severely terrified and damaged person is unmatched. Add in the absolutely chilling role of the sadistic Love and Pedretti’s ability to scare an audience are shockingly amazing.
Dani In the Closet – The Haunting of Bly Manor
The Haunting of Bly Manor is one of the most intense horror series available to stream on Netflix, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats right up to the end.
One of the most intense moments is when the children lock Dani (Pedretti), their new governess, in the closet. Though she at first thinks it’s a game the Miles and Flora are playing, she quickly panics when they don’t let her out. The audience learns that the kids did it to protect Dani from the spirit that lurks in the halls of Bly at night, but the panic Pedretti portrays is one truly consumed by anxiety and fear.
The Mirror Man – The Haunting of Bly Manor
Throughout this series, the audience jumps at each turn, waiting for the mysterious mirror man that shows up over Dani’s shoulder and in reflections throughout the story. Though viewers finally learn of the tragic backstory behind this spirit that stalks Dani, his presence is unnerving up until that point. More intensely, it’s clear Dani knows who he is, throwing blankets over mirrors and avoiding reflections, avoiding seeing him. In this way, Pedretti is able to not only portray someone afflicted by ghosts but one who has adapted her life around the appearance of one.
Nell In the Backseat – The Haunting of Hill House
While Nell’s death is the saddest moment in The Haunting of Hill House, she’s also a recurring ghost that leaves the other characters (and perhaps the audience) startled. In this sudden jump scene, Nell appears suddenly from the backseat to quiet her bickering older sisters. In this way, Nell (Pedretti) continues to have a role even after death, emphasizing no moment in the show is free of suspense. Pedretti is able to play a sweet girl as well as a terrifying ghost in this series.
Natalie Gets Axed – YOU
In Netflix’s YOU, Pedretti plays the serial killer wife of the main character (who is also a serial killer) Joe. Though Love is a complex character, determined to have a happy family, she’s also known for making some rash decisions. Her impulsiveness, one of Love’s worst personality traits, leads her to suddenly kill their neighbor, Natalie, with an ax. Pedretti’s role as a violent woman driven by jealousy is truly chilling, especially when she wields an ax during a seemingly innocent realtor showing.
Sherry and Cary – YOU
While Love is an exceptionally horrifying character by herself, the team between her and Joe is a powerhouse of rage and lunacy.
When Love and Joe fight while they have a couple upstairs, and Love accidentally brings up Natalie’s murder, they’re forced to savagely attack this couple, eventually locking them in a cage under Love’s bakery. Though Joe is the killer focused on in this series, Pedretti’s character is no mouse when it comes to their duo of nightmares, often taking the reins when they decide whether to let Sherry and Cary live.
Viola’s Reflection – Bly Manor
The show reveals the ghost that haunts Bly Manor is Viola Lloyd, who became the Lady of the Lake in her eternal quest to reunite with her lost family. Though Dani eventually gets to leave the manor and live over a decade happily with her partner Jamie, she is constantly followed by Viola’s presence. Most fans agree Dani deserved a better ending when she ends up drowned at the bottom of the lake at the estate. However, Pedretti’s portrayal of a woman slowly growing mad from the haunting she can’t shake is eery and painfully sad, allowing viewers to feel her dread up until the end.
Nell’s Ghost – The Haunting of Hill House
Just as fans thought Dani in Bly Manor deserved better, Pedretti’s character Nell in Hill House also didn’t receive a fitting ending. Nell is haunted by the Bent-Neck Lady for most of her life, even after she leaves the house before returning as an adult, only for it to be shockingly revealed that the ghost is her future tormented self. Though Pedretti’s role as dead Nell is terrifying, the dread and sadness of Nell’s ghost are also one of the most disturbing aspects of this role.
Love Paralyzes Joe – YOU
Love is scary. That’s an aspect of Pedretti’s role in YOU that is undeniable as the audience learns who she is and what the woman is really capable of. Throughout the show, right up until Joe ends her life, Love is determined to have a happy family (even at the expense of her husband’s own happiness). When Joe is suddenly paralyzed by Love’s hand, and it’s clear she’s going to get what she wants or simply end his life in sheer spite, the character has proven to be the most diabolical role Pedretti portrays.
