In Hollywood, not every film can be a classic, and some specific roles chase some of the stars. While stars are embracing movies from their past, some speak out on particular films, their regret, and frustration. Scripts, performances—these stars have distanced themselves publicly from some of their most infamous work. Some will feel they have been duped through the production process, while others simply feel the end product never quite fits what was envisioned. Below, we delve into 20 actors who hate their movies, revealing what went on behind the scenes that led them to despise it.
1) Halle Berry – Catwoman (2004)
Halle Berry's role in Catwoman is often considered one of the worst performances of her career. The film received significant negative criticism, and Berry expressed regret about working on it. Despite her proven talent and success in the past, she admitted that Catwoman needed a concise storyline and character development as she had anticipated. She soon learned that in any movie, one knows how to read the screenplay well, not to take just about everything and pick the piece that best fits one's artistic values.
2) Ben Affleck – Daredevil (2003)
Ben Affleck has said he would like to forget Daredevil as one of the superhero movies. In several interviews, Affleck admitted he was keenly disappointed with the way the film turned out, referring to it as "kind of silly." He explained the project was a lost possibility because the film did not live up to its full potential, not even close to the source material as good as it was. Affleck's experience with Daredevil even made him want to become Batman years later, to redeem himself in the superhero genre.
3) Ryan Reynolds – Green Lantern (2011)
Ryan Reynolds has openly expressed his frustration with the Green Lantern film, which received widespread criticism and is often considered a box office failure. Reynolds has made no qualms speaking out about regretting ever playing Green Lantern, even making jokes about the film in his latest outing, Deadpool.
4) Viola Davis – The Help (2011)
Although The Help was a successful film, Viola Davis has expressed regrets over taking the role, not due to its failure but for other personal reasons. Davis has openly shared her thoughts about this movie. She emphasizes that it did not give an appropriately panoramic view of things to say about the Black maids represented there. Davis's remarks about the film support her desire for more authentic parts and, above all, for films associated with social justice concerns.
5) Josh Brolin – Jonah Hex (2010)
Josh Brolin agreed to star in the poorly received bounty hunter movie Jonah Hex but soon regretted this decision. The film received harsh reviews, and Brolin expressed dissatisfaction with it. He felt let down by its direction and production, and he later called it a poorly conceptualized film. The experience with Jonah Hex made him more cautious in his choices, and he started looking for projects closer to his artistic vision.
6) Colin Farrell – Miami Vice (2006)
Colin Farrell was also seen in the remake of the popular 1980s television series, Miami Vice, although he later regretted his decision to participate in the film. The entire experience was painful for Farrell as he confessed that he was unsatisfied with the outcome. He says he wasn't ready for the film yet and had personal issues to keep his mind elsewhere. According to Farrell, Miami Vice's failure was a wake-up call for him and one in the future to take caution when choosing what to do.
7) Sarah Jessica Parker – Sex and the City 2 (2010)
Sarah Jessica Parker, who rose to fame as Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City, expressed her dissatisfaction with Sex and the City 2. The movie pursued the characters' lives before it, but Parker said it was different from what fans had expected it to be and acted from the themes of the first series. Parker described the film she would have rather had as a much more down-to-earth storyline that honored the characters' maturity and growth.
8) Jennifer Lawrence – Passengers (2016)
In the movie Passengers, Jennifer Lawrence starred alongside Chris Pratt. It was intended to be a sci-fi romantic comedy, but Lawrence expressed her disappointment after its release. Critics pointed out ethical issues in the storyline. Lawrence also admitted to her discomfort with some parts of it. As the pages of Lawrence's introspection on Passengers reveal, she digs deep into roles that reflect her values and portray depth in storytelling.
9) Alec Baldwin – Rock of Ages (2012)
Alec Baldwin, a man respected for his astute acting choices, would disagree that Rock of Ages, the musical comedy he starred in, was any good. Baldwin commented on his involvement in the film, describing it as a "misbegotten movie experience." This is an all-star musical, but for Baldwin, the final product was not to his satisfaction, and it stands out as the nail of his career. As one considers Rock of Ages, it speaks volumes about his care toward actual roles and quality productions.
10) Megan Fox – Transformers (2007)
Megan Fox became a household name after the movie Transformers, but she disowned it. The movie had too many visual effects and lacked meaning-making. She has been critical of her experience with doing Transformers, stating she had differing creative points with director Michael Bay. The frustration with the project drove her out of the franchise after the second film.
11) Robert Pattinson – Twilight (2008)
Robert Pattinson became a global icon through the Twilight series, but he has publicly criticized the project, describing it as a difficult job. Pattinson often jokes about the plot and has even blamed his character, Edward Cullen, for his actions. He expressed he could not relate to the character because some parts of the story sounded weird. Despite the acclaim that the film received, Pattinson's experience shooting Twilight led him to opt for more challenging roles in independent films afterward.
12) Oscar Isaac – X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
Oscar Isaac portrayed the villain Apocalypse in X-Men: Apocalypse, and it was a challenging experience for him. He revealed that the heavy prosthetics and costume made it difficult for him to act physically. The tight costume restrictions left him uneasy during all of his performances in the film. In addition, he said that the depth of the character needed to be expanded, and thus, he remained unsatisfied with the movie role. After X-Men: Apocalypse, Isaac wanted more tremendous freedom of expression opportunities, as in Inside Llewyn Davis and Dune.
13) Mark Wahlberg - The Happening (2008)
Mark Wahlberg has never been a bashful man regarding his apology toward The Happening, a thriller by M. Night Shyamalan. Topped off with misshapen environmental calamity, the film proved to be one of the most widely mocked ones due to cringe-making words and an unintentionally comical mood. Wahlberg has acknowledged that he accepted the role because he wanted to work with Shyamalan but has since denounced the film as a "bad idea." He made light of playing a high school science teacher in interviews, professing this was out of his comfort zone. This added to his overall dissatisfaction with the film.
14) Sam Worthington - Clash of the Titans (2010)
Sam Worthington, known for films like Avatar and Terminator Salvation, felt disappointed with the movie Clash of the Titans. Though the visual effects in the film are filmed, Worthington says that the storyline failed to impress and has confessed that it was not what he thought it would be. He even criticized the script, which he referred to as weak, and felt that the character he was supposed to portray could have been explored better. His thoughts on Clash of the Titans reveal that he wants to pursue meaningful, layered films instead of CGI-driven fantasy.
15) Jim Carrey - Kick-Ass 2 (2013)
Jim Carrey agreed to star in Kick-Ass 2, believing it was a funny action movie. After seeing the footage, he changed his mind and said he did not want his name in the trailer. Ever since a very real shooting rampage occurred and resulted in the tragic deaths of so many innocent children, Carrey publicly put on record that he could no longer be a part of the movie owing to its violently dramatic theme. He also expressed regret over acting in it because his very beliefs on non-violence were being compromised.
16) Katherine Heigl - Knocked Up (2007)
Katherine Heigl gained fame from Knocked Up, a successful comedy, but later criticized its poor portrayal of women. Heigl complained about how her character was written, saying the film portrays women as uptight and men as free-spirited. Critics attacked her for her candid remarks because the film was just so popular with audiences.
17) Channing Tatum - G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra (2009)
Channing Tatum expressed regret about his role in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, explaining that he was contractually obligated to accept the part. Tatum said he was not satisfied with the plot and direction of the movie because it didn't align with his acting ambitions. He later mentioned that his interest in the film waned and that he wanted to focus on roles with more meaningful substance. For Tatum, the experience of working on G.I. Joe became a learning process, making him more discerning about future projects and more focused on developing strong characters within the script.
18) Zac Efron - High School Musical franchise (2006)
While High School Musical catapulted Zac Efron to fame, he doesn't hold the franchise in high regard. He admitted that although he appreciated the success the High School Musical movies brought him, he doesn't identify with the "goofy" character of Troy Bolton. In the words of Efron, he was "hard-pressed" to clear off the teen heartthrob image at large that was mainly derived from High School Musical.
19) Shia LaBeouf & Megan Fox - Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox starred in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Both actors have expressed mixed feelings about the film's reviews. LaBeouf was not a fan of the film's plot and had issues with how much CGI made up the movie, weighing over some of the character development. Fox has similar qualms, citing problems with how much action went beyond the plot. After Revenge of the Fallen, the two gravitated away from blockbuster franchises toward projects that offered more creative intensity and character development.
20) Jessica Alba – Fantastic Four (2005)
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Jessica Alba portrayed Sue Storm in Fantastic Four, a role that established her as a prominent figure in the superhero genre. Although the film performed well at the box office, it did not meet the high expectations set for Fantastic Four. However, this film signaled Alba's entry into a wider audience. The final overall output was far from her expectations for the portrayals of characters. She also began exploring different projects after Fantastic Four, and eventually, she changed her track to focus more on her business ventures.
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