Why Meredith Blake Is One Of The Best Movie Villains Ever!

It takes a lot for a movie villain to stand the test of time. As years pass and new big bads are introduced, it gets harder and harder to stand out in the minds of viewers. But among the Jokers and the Siths and the Mad Titans of the world, there’s one person who has carved out an unexpected legacy. She’s not an anonymous agent of chaos, or someone with supernatural powers – she’s just a publicist.

To this day, her name triggers a physical response from movie fans: Meredith Blake.

Played to perfection by Elaine Hendrix, Meredith is a femme fatale for the ages. Let’s just talk about her entrance, shall we? Like any good Disney villain, we know to be put off by her before we even see her face. Hendrix carries the character with a regality that is fabulous, and chilling. And it’s that dichotomy that makes Meredith so iconic.

How many other movie villains are both hated but also considered #GOALS? Because, at 26, Meredith Blake was thriving. She was a successful publicist – at least, we assume so, but come to think of it, we never actually saw any real return for Nick Parker’s vineyard – and had confidence for miles. She had very clear sense of self-worth, even if it was a bit bloated, and went after what she wanted. Hendrix herself even makes a good case for Meredith as the movie’s victim.

And that’s what a good villain should be, right? Someone we can sympathize with on some level. But at the end of the day, it’s the outcomes of choices they make that really matter.

Like any good movie villain, Meredith was subtle in her ways. Hendrix utilized the little moments – and honestly, her eyebrows – to let her deviousness shine through. Meredith had a plan, and she executed it to near perfection. She roped Nick Parker in while his daughter was away at camp, making sure to get his full attention. She makes it seem like she wants to bond with Hallie, even if it’s transparent to everyone but Nick. She knew exactly what she was up against.

At least, until Nick’s daughter turned into two daughters, and his ex-wife resurfaced. But even when things got complicated, Meredith stayed committed to her goals and stuck to her strengths. Meredith adapted, even going so far as to try camping so she could stay in her fiancé’s good graces.

For what it’s worth, Elaine Hendrix deserves an award for those camping scenes alone. She kicked that metal water canteen into oblivion, and no horror star will ever be able to top Hendrix’s scream on the lake. It takes a lot for Meredith Blake to finally break, and odds are, no adult could’ve been the one to bring her down (though Chessy probably could’ve made a good run if she really wanted to).

Meredith Blake was a lethal combo of cunning, charm, and hidden crazy, and in the 22 years since The Parent Trap came out, her legend has only grown. She may not have been Avengers-caliber, or even all that threatening to the world at large, but in her dominion of San Francisco, Meredith Blake was no minor player.

So here’s the 4-1-1: love her or hate her, we need to put respect on Meredith Blake’s name in the movie villain pantheon.