Theresa Tilly is an American actress who has appeared in over 100 films, television shows, plays, and TV commercials in just over 40 years of professional acting. She made her debut in the landmark horror film The Evil Dead back in 1981 (under the pseudonym Sarah York), playing Shelly. She reprised the role in 2009 for a well-received spin-off mini-series called Dangerous Women and again for the Evil Dead video game that was released in 2022. Her film credits include Back in the Day, American Fable, and The Prototype. She has also just wrapped on a film called Abigail where she plays the title character.
Born in Detroit in November 1953, Tilly took her first steps in the entertainment industry by working as a stand-up comedian in Motor City — a tough gig by anyone’s standards. From there, she joined the legendary Second City improv troupe in Chicago, and her work there led to her co-starring in a Steve Allen pilot called YouTV. Sadly, the show wasn’t picked up, but it gave Tilly a a taste of the acting industry, and she duly relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film and television.
Tilly’s signature role is that of Shelly in The Evil Dead, a low-budget horror movie so gruesome that it wasn’t available in all of its uncut glory for nearly 20 years. Despite this, it has long been recognised as a titan of its genre — and one of the best horror films ever made.
