20 worst casting in movies that we couldn't simply get over

A good plot, stellar direction, and beautiful cinematography are essential aspects of a film, but the right casting is most important. It might not seem like a lot of work, but a wrong casting can ruin a good movie. While most actors are skilled at their jobs, each character in a movie is novel, and not every actor can portray it correctly. Here are 20 times when even the most celebrated actors lost the mark due to miscasting.

Disclaimer: This list reflects the writer's opinion. Reader's discretion is advised.

1. Edward Norton, The Incredible Hulk

The MCU movies have always been great at casting their superheroes, whether it was the selection of Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man or Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Strange. However, the studio faltered when it chose Edward Norton to play the green mutant superhero, as his persona did not match that of a bulky superhero. Allegedly, there was even creative disagreement, and he was soon replaced by Mark Ruffalo, who got popular for his portrayal.

2. Johnny Depp, The Lone Ranger

Another controversial casting choice was when Depp was chosen to play a Native American in the movie. People were outraged as they wanted an actual Native to play the role, and Depp courted further controversy when he stated that he had Native American ancestry. Nonetheless, his portrayal has gone down as one of the worst castings in Hollywood history and has hampered the movie.

3. Angelina Jolie, Alexander

Even though there have been significant strides in women’s place in the film industry, the deep-rooted sexism of Hollywood is still present. People were surprised when Angelina Jolie played the role of Alexander’s mother because she was 29 at the time, and Colin Farrell, who plays the king, was 28. This one-year age gap did not make sense and felt regressive.

4. Scarlett Johansson, Ghost in the Shell

The film was already under hot water for unsuccessfully adapting the iconic anime movie into live-action, but the brunt had to be borne by Johansson as she was accused of whitewashing a character that was originally Asian. Critics and audiences were enraged by the offensive portrayal, and the movie is remembered for casting faux pas. Johansson’s performance was also panned by the viewers.

5. Cameron Diaz, Gangs of New York

While the movie has gained praise for Daniel Day-Lewis’s stellar performance, the audiences have not been so kind while evaluating Diaz’s portrayal of an Irish pickpocket. The aspect that drew the most criticism was the actress’s accent, which felt forced and unnatural. Therefore, the choice of casting her was wrong; even though she is a compelling actress, this movie could not bring out the best in her.

6. Jared Leto, Suicide Squad

The actor drew immense flak when he donned the avatar of the famous villain, the Joker, in the movie. Some of the reasons for the criticism drew from the fact that people could not forget the villainous portrayal by Heath Ledger, and Leto’s role felt immature in front of Ledger’s stellar performance. Viewers also criticized his appearance as Leto’s Joker had jewelry and tattoos on him, which felt inappropriate for the role.

7. Topher Grace, Spider-Man 3

The movie is already a divisive film due to its plotline, but what made it worse was the miscast of Grace as the villain Venom in the film. Viewers could not feel the seriousness of the character as they felt that a role as complex as Venom should not have been given to Grace, who did not feel threatening. Grace’s Venom came across as whiny, and even the actor himself had doubts in the first place.

8. Russell Crowe, Les Misérables

While the film has received positive reviews, Crowe's casting as the police inspector Javert has drawn flak from the audience. Crowe is a phenomenal actor, and it is not his acting that has been criticized but his singing prowess. The movie is a musical, and actors need to have a decent singing voice to deliver their characters, but fans did not enjoy Crowe’s singing, which hampered the seriousness of his role.

9. Kristen Stewart, Snow White and the Huntsman

Even though the movie is based on the classic fairy tale, this adaptation focuses more on the action aspect than the fantasy part. Therefore, as the huntsman, Chris Hemsworth was able to deliver the role because of his charisma, but Stewart’s casting was criticized. The actress was deemed too stoic for the role, and viewers did not appreciate her lack of expression.

10. Tom Cruise, Jack Reacher

The revered actor has always nailed every role, but sometimes, even he can fall short. Cruise is noted for his oeuvre of action movies, so the studios chose him as the perfect Jack Reacher. However, fans of the character were unimpressed, as Jack Reacher was supposed to be tall, have a subtle presence, and have a different style of fighting. Cruise could not encapsulate all of these.

11. Jesse Eisenberg, Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice

The superhero movie has a dark tone, and Superman’s primary antagonist, Lex Luthor, is an iconic and complicated character. Fans wanted a more somber portrayal of the character but were disappointed when Eisenberg stepped into the shoes. The actor was criticized for being goofy and inconsistent in his scenes, which contradicted the character's nature and the movie's tone.

12. Jai Courtney, Terminator: Genisys

Another questionable casting happened when Courtney was cast as Kyle Reese in the sci-fi franchise. The character of Kyle Reese is supposed to be lean during the times of an apocalypse and is a character who uses his brains more than his brawn. However, Courtney was criticized for his muscular persona and action-heavy personality. He also drew flak for delivering lines flatly and was unable to form chemistry with Emilia Clarke’s Sarah Connor.

13. Jim Carrey, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events

Jim Carrey is another actor who rarely gets criticism for his acting, but his miscast in the movie as Count Olaf drew displeasure from audiences. Fans of the character wanted a menacing and evil Olaf but were disappointed by Carrey’s goofy portrayal that took away the weight of the character. Viewers opined that Carrey could not translate the character’s persona into his portrayal and was therefore criticized.

14. Saoirse Ronan, Little Women

People were excitedly awaiting this movie adaptation of their favorite book but were disappointed by the casting of Ronan as the protagonist, Jo March. While Ronan is a strong actor and gave her all to the role, viewers judged her casting as the character of Jo is supposed to be boyish, tall, and clumsy. However, Ronan did not fit those physical aspects and came across as a delicate Jo, which fans did not approve of.

15. Austin Butler, Elvis

The enigma of the popular singer has always enamored pop culture and has tried to showcase his story through movies. This film adaptation got mixed reviews because it chose to cast Butler in the titular role of Elvis. Fans were quick to strike down the casting as the real-life singer was bulky, manly, and broad. But Butler’s lanky physicality and awkward delivery of lines led to a massive criticism.

16. Harry Styles, My Policeman

While the singer is known across the globe for his looks and chart-topping songs, he could not covert that fandom in his acting career. Viewers were unimpressed when Style was cast alongside the likes of Emma Corrin and David Dawson, who are established actors. The singer felt like a weak link in the movie, and it was noted that he dragged the film along with his performance.

17. Emma Watson, Beauty and the Beast

Another live-action remake of a popular fairytale, the movie was a musical, and as such, the actors needed to have a decent singing voice. While Watson is a highly beloved actress among fans, this is one of the few times when she was miscast for the role. The character of Belle knows how to sing and is melodic, but Watson cannot sing, and autotune had to be used. This dampened the people’s viewing experience.

18. John Travolta, Battlefield Earth

The famous actor heavily backed the movie and even produced and starred in it. His casting as the menacing and evil Terl was reduced to a farce as Travolta was criticized for being unable to lend gravity to the character. Viewers also opined that because the actor was also the producer, this added aspect hampered his performance. The sci-fi movie was ultimately a flop.

19. Emma Stone, Aloha

The famous actress is known for her acting prowess, but sometimes the demands of a character do not fit even the most talented actor, which is the first step towards a wrong miscast. The movie started controversy because Emma’s character, Allison, is quarter Hawaiian and quarter Chinese. The actress and the director have since stated that they regret the decision.

20. Mark Wahlberg, The Truth About Charlie

The movie is a remake of a hit movie by Cary Grant, and people, therefore, had high expectations of the get-go from Wahlberg. However, his casting was another example of a long list of wrong castings, as the actor was criticized for being lackluster compared to Grant’s enigmatic portrayal. Wahlberg failed to give justice to the thriller movie, leading to a flop.