Iconic 80s bombshell horror icon looks unrecognizable during rare LA outing... can you guess who it is?

Fans of vintage horror were buzzing by a recent sighting of a beloved 80s cult icon, whose ghoulish, sexy charm has bewitched audiences for decades.

The 73-year-old actress, who began her career as a Las Vegas showgirl, conjured a hint of her signature goth style with an all-black ensemble as she arrived at LAX on Tuesday. 

Though still striking in a turtleneck, leggings, and bucket hat, her look was a far cry from the vampy style that made her famous as the witty host of Movie Macabre, which debuted on LA's KHJ-TV in 1981. 

The iconic look—jet-black hair, porcelain skin, a plunging black dress, and bold black eyeliner—was born during her time training as an improv actress at LA's renowned Groundlings Theatre. 

The comedic school came after she had tried a few other avenues - including lead singer of an Italian rock band and a Playboy Club hostess – before landing the role of Mistress of the Dark.

Can you guess who this timeless star is?

If you guessed Cassandra Peterson aka Elvira, you’re right!   

Peterson kicked off her career as a Las Vegas showgirl and a member of the comedy troupe The Groundlings, before transforming into the legendary horror hostess Elvira in 1981.

She debuted Elvira's Movie Macabre on KHJ-TV, rapidly gaining a dedicated fanbase thanks to her signature gothic style, form-fitting black dresses, and sharp, humorous commentary on classic horror films.

Her Elvira persona reached even greater fame with the release of Elvira: Mistress of the Dark in 1988, a film she co-wrote and helped propel her into pop culture stardom.

Later on, she also starred in the 1993's iconic sitcom The Elvira Show, where her character moved to Manhattan, Kansas, alongside her wacky aunt Minerva and their talking cat, while working as a fortune teller and selling love potions.

The iconic witch was quick to become a fan's favourite and came back to the screens in Elvira's Haunted Hills in 2001.

Elvira, who is told to bring to life scary movies while 'providing sarcastic, campy commentary' is also seen in the 2010's series Elvira's Movie Macabre, which features 5 seasons.

The eccentric Mistress of the Dark came back for 13 Night Of Elvira in 2014, where she takes on movies like Puppet Master, Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death, and Evil Bong and 'skewers them in the sexy, spooky way that only she can', according to its synopsis.

Cassandra donned her black wig and slipped once again into her plunging black dress for Elvira's 40th Anniversary, Very Scary, Very Special, Special - a 2021's TV mini series that celebrated her legendary role.  

The horror alum previously revealed she's been in a relationship with her assistant for the past two decades.

The performer opened up about her personal life in the pages of her memoir, Yours Cruelly, Elvira, which was published in 2021.

Though the horror hostess had never dated women before, something clicked when she and Wierson met decades ago at a Gold's Gym in Hollywood.

In an excerpt from The Advocate, she recalled that 'when I was doing my preworkout warm-up on the treadmill, I couldn't help noticing one particular trainer...stalking across the gym floor, knit cap pulled so low over his long brown hair that it nearly covered his eyes.'

The TV star spared no details when describing the first impression that her now-partner made on everyone in the fitness centre.

'Dark and brooding, he gave off such intense energy that when he crossed the enormous gym floor, the waters parted and people stopped in their tracks to stare,' she wrote.

However, the two later encountered each other in one of the workout centre's restrooms, where the actress realised that her 'bad boy' was in actuality a 'bad girl.' 

At the time, the actress was married to signer-turned-manager Mark Pierson, who she wed in 1981 and shares a daughter named Sadie with. 

When their relationship came to a close in 2003, it was Teresa who was there to comfort Cassandra. 

Things became romantic after Teresa - who the star affectionately calls 'T' - split with her own partner.

'There on the doorstep stood my trainer, T, holding a trash bag full of her belongings, looking sad and bedraggled. 

'She'd split from her longtime partner, spent some time in rehab, and now had no place to go,' Cassandra recalled.

They began living together when things started to get romantic.

Noticing her urge to kiss T, Cassandra said she was 'surprised.' 

'What the hell was I doing? I'd never been interested in women as anything other than friends...I was stunned that I'd been friends with her for so many years and never noticed our chemistry,' she said.

Though they found love, the actress said they decided to keep their relationship private in order to protect the Elvira brand, which has a huge male fanbase.

'Could my fans hate me for not being what they expected me to be? 

'I'm very aware that there will be some who will be disappointed and maybe even angry, but...at this point in my life, I've got to be truthful about who I am,' she said.

Teresa has since served as Cassandra's assistant, and the actress noted that she could not be happier with regard to her love life. 

'For the first time in my life, I'm with someone who makes me feel safe, blessed, and truly loved,' she wrote in the memoir.