Cassandra Peterson & Teresa Wierson

In the acting business, it often takes just one role for a celebrity to garner a skyrocketing degree of fame. Well, such was the case for Cassandra Peterson. Already a huge fan of horror when she was a child, she started her career in the entertainment industry as a dancer. After a couple of small roles for movies and shows, she finally received widespread recognition around 1981, thanks to her now-iconic vampire persona Elvira, Mistress of the Dark.

Since then, Peterson has portrayed the character in numerous projects, ranging from movies, TV shows, and even video games. While this may be her greatest success under the spotlight, it’s safe to say the actress’ most notable achievement lies elsewhere. After almost two decades of secrecy, the Elvira star finally revealed to the world that she’s been in a loving relationship with Teresa Wierson. A former bodybuilder turned gym trainer, the two first met around 2002, and from then on, their bond grew stronger and stronger.