Women in Horror: Top 30 Female Horror Movie Characters

Gale Weathers in Scream 4 – From Dimension Films

25. Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox-Arquette, Scream series)

Gale Weathers might not technically be the “final girl” of the Scream movies. You would have to give that title to the main protagonist, Sidney. But amazingly enough, Gale is another character to appear in every movie in the series, starting with the original. Although she has some close calls, Gale always manages to survive her encounters with the various Ghostface killers.

A bullheaded journalist, Gale is one of the series’ most entertaining characters. Although survival is always a priority, Gale is always looking to get a piece of the story. Initially, she is somewhat of an antagonist for the main characters. Ultimately, though, she sides with Sidney and Dewey to bring down Ghostface, and then do it again, and again, and again.

At first, Courtney Cox-Arquette was not a serious contender for the role. The studio wanted to go with either Janeane Garofalo or Brooke Shields. There were concerns nobody could take Courtney seriously, considering the “soft” role she plays as Monica on Friends. However, Cox-Arquette lobbied very hard for the role, interested in playing a “bitch” character. Fortunately, Wes Craven saw something in her and cast her in the role, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.