Sidney Prescott

Sidney Prescott is the central survivor of the *Scream* film series, first portrayed by Neve Campbell in the 1996 film directed by Wes Craven. In Woodsboro, California, Sidney faces the anniversary of her mother Maureen’s murder while a masked killer begins targeting her friends. She believes Cotton Weary killed Maureen, but her boyfriend Billy Loomis and his friend Stu Macher reveal themselves as the killers behind the new attacks. Billy admits that Maureen had an affair with his father, which broke up his family. Sidney survives their assault and kills Billy with a final shot after Gale Weathers shoots him.

At Windsor College in *Scream 2*, Sidney tries to rebuild her life as the Woodsboro murders become the basis for the film *Stab*. Her new boyfriend, Derek Feldman, is murdered in front of her by Mickey Altieri, one of two new Ghostface killers. The other is Billy’s mother, who has posed as reporter Debbie Salt and wants revenge for her son’s death. Sidney also discovers that Cotton Weary, once wrongly blamed for Maureen’s murder, is pursuing publicity from their shared ordeal. In the theater confrontation, Sidney fights Mickey and Billy’s mother, eventually surviving with Gale and Cotton’s help.

In *Scream 3*, Sidney lives in seclusion and works as a crisis counselor over the telephone. The killings surrounding production of *Stab 3* draw her to Hollywood. She learns that director Roman Bridger is her half brother and the latest killer. Roman says he showed Billy evidence of Maureen’s affair with Billy’s father, setting the earlier murder plot in motion. Sidney confronts Roman at the mansion, and Dewey shoots him in the head after he lunges at her. By the end, Sidney leaves her front door open rather than locking herself away.

In *Scream 4*, Sidney returns to Woodsboro to promote her memoir, *Out of Darkness*. Her cousin Jill Roberts and Jill’s accomplice Charlie Walker stage another murder spree; Jill intends to become famous as its apparent survivor. Sidney exposes Jill during a final struggle at the hospital. In the 2022 *Scream* film, Sidney is married to detective Mark Kincaid and has children. After Dewey Riley is killed, she returns to Woodsboro and joins Gale Weathers in confronting the new Ghostface killers. Their pursuit brings her back to Stu Macher’s former house, where the original 1996 climax took place. Sidney survives the attack and helps protect sisters Sam and Tara Carpenter.