Linda Blair

Linda Blair is an American actress and animal rights activist, known for her roles in film and television while dedicating her life to animal welfare. After being selected from 600 applicants for the iconic role of Regan MacNeil in William Friedkin’s horror film The Exorcist (1973), Linda Blair achieved international acclaim, earning a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress and an Academy Award nomination for her transformative performance. Prior to this breakthrough, Blair established herself as a child model, appearing in catalogs for Sears, JCPenney, and Macy’s, and featuring in over 70 commercials, including Welch’s grape jams. She secured a contract for print advertisements in The New York Times and made her acting debut with a regular role in the daytime soap opera Hidden Faces (1968–69), followed by minor film appearances in The Way We Live Now (1970) and The Sporting Club (1971).

Following her initial success, Blair continued to secure lead roles, notably starring in television films such as Born Innocent (1974), which became the #1 TV movie of its year, and Sarah T. – Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic (1975). She reprised her groundbreaking role in Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977), for which she received a Saturn Award nomination. Later, she embraced genre films, leading cult classics like Chained Heat (1983) and Savage Streets (1984), and starred in the Exorcist spoof Repossessed (1990).

Most recently, Blair showcased her talent on The Masked Singer in 2022, competing as ‘Scarecrow.’ In 2023, she made a highly anticipated cameo appearance in The Exorcist: Believer, connecting with her iconic legacy. Beyond her acting work, Blair remains a prominent animal rights activist, passionately advocating for animal welfare through the Linda Blair WorldHeart Foundation. She continues to engage with her dedicated fanbase through frequent appearances at horror fan conventions globally.