How to Do an Evil Laugh

Perfecting Your Body Language

Crack a maniacal smile. The best villains seem to enjoy their cruelty. To embrace your most evil laugh, make like them and try on a crooked smile. The less this looks like your normal smile the better: It can be unnervingly big, small or toothy. The point is to look a little demented and crazy. Practice in front of a mirror to find out what crazy smile you like best.

Furrow your eyebrows. Furrowed brows make you look calculating and sinister. For the best look to go with your evil laugh, lower your brow as if you are hatching an evil plot. You can also lower one brow and raise the other to make yourself look a little off. The more you can unnerve others the better.

Gesticulate wildly or try calculated hands. Try gesturing with your hands to enhance your evil laugh. Depending on the character of your laugh, you can try a calculating gesture, such as palms facing one another with your fingers drumming together, or go really crazy and just reach up to the sky madly with outstretched fingers. Either way, incorporate your arms to enhance your evil aura.

Manipulating Your Voice

Try high-pitched sounds. A high pitched evil laugh comes off as crazed and hysterical. Try shooting for the highest pitch you can make with your voice and sliding down into your normal range, laughing all the way. This kind of laugh might be good if you were trying to channel a witch or other mischievous spirit.

Try low-pitched sounds. A very low gravely laugh that grows bigger and bigger is the stereotypical “Muahahahaha” style. This is often employed when you have a secret evil plot that only you know about. Start this laugh in your throat and make it as deep and hearty as possible. This type of laugh can build nicely in momentum if you start slow and increase the speed of your cackling, as if overcome by pure evil.

Embrace volume. Whatever kind of evil laugh you try, pump up the volume. There was never a shy evil laugh. Try to make your voice big and loud to match your gestures and facial expressions. You could even try breathing loudly to frighten onlookers. Villains aren’t shrinking violets. Embrace your inner evil!

Getting in an Evil Mood

Think cruel things. To let out a truly evil laugh, you must connect with your inner malevolence. Think about things you hate, pet peeves, or evil plots. If you’re having trouble, try to think of someone you want to seek revenge on. (Do not actually seek revenge; you’re just getting some inspiration!). Perhaps try thinking of a prank or trick you’ve pulled on someone in the past. If you get stuck, try to think of the most vindictive thing you’ve ever done. Did something about it feel good? Try to connect with this part of yourself.

Channel your favorite super villain. If you don’t have a particularly evil life experience to draw upon, think of your favorite movie super villains. Cruella De Vil, The Joker, and Hannibal Lector are all good choices. Make a list of the characteristics that makes their evil laughs so memorable and good. Try to emulate these qualities in your laugh.

Wear something that makes you feel evil or mysterious. Lots of villains with evil laughs have unusual looks. The more you feel like a villain and the less you feel like you, the more otherworldly and successful your evil laugh will be. You could don deathly, dark-colored clothes or try an unhinged wardrobe that’s layered and mismatched. Make up is a fun way to get in touch with your dark side, too. Try Halloween make up with fake blood for a super scary look. Jenna Fischer Jenna Fischer, Actress Acting is a craft, and like any craft, it requires practice and patience. You have to be willing to put in the work and keep at it, even when it's hard.