Buckle up as we look at celebs that either hated their characters, hated the movie itself, or just hated the subsequent fame that came with their iconic roles. For some stars on this list, their famous characters were simply a way to get to the top. For others, however, they started out with great expectations, only to finish in plunging regret.
Kate Winslet - Rose (Titanic)
It was Kate Winslet's role in the box office record-shattering "Titanic" film that catapulted this star to the global celebrity status that she carries today. Of course, this does not mean that she looks back on it fondly. This 1997 film followed a doomed voyage and is still thought of as one of the best historical flicks ever made.
Despite that, she still feels like her acting was utter cringe. Seeing as she was in her 20s during the filming and that she has gone on to win an Oscar more than a decade later, it comes as no surprise that she looks back at some of her roles with regret. Since then, she has come a long way, and so has her acting.
Sally Field - Aunt May (The Amazing Spider-Man)
Nowadays, Tom Holland is wearing the famed Spider-Man suit, but it was Andrew Garfield's baby back in the day. In 2012, when Garfield was the center of "The Amazing Spider-Man" movies, Sally Field starred as his aunt, Aunt May. It was an iconic film that boasted a gross of almost $760 million, but regardless of that, Field did not enjoy her role as Aunt May.
Sally Field is a Hollywood legend who has been on the scene since the early '60s. Fortunately for her, she has done a lot of other work that she found enjoyable, like the famous "Forrest Gump," which was adored by everyone else too.
Adrien Brody - Władysław Szpilman (The Pianist)
"The Pianist" is not for the faint-hearted. In this historical film, Adrien Broday portrays Władysław Szpilman, a Jewish pianist who is hanging on by the thread as he moves around to safety during World War II in hopes of surviving. It's a somber film that is guaranteed to render tears, and perhaps this is why Brody found it emotionally draining to shoot this film.
Fortunately, the torture paid off, and Brody won an Oscar for his role. The actor revealed that beyond the four hours of piano practicing daily, he also had to starve himself in preparation for this role. Brody claimed that he struggled to get back to his normal life after the shooting ended. Talk about deep cuts!
Harrison Ford - Han Solo (Star Wars: The Force Awakens)
Harrison Ford has been a big name in Hollywood for quite some time now. The actor started out in the mid-'60s, and he managed to claw himself to the top and has stayed on top ever since. Besides his claim to fame in the famed adventure series "Indiana Jones," the star has also been a part of the "Star Wars" franchise.
Seeing as there were six episodes of the "Star Wars" saga, it's no wonder the star was apprehensive to return for a seventh. The "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" episode was released in 2015, but as it later emerged, it was one of Ford's least favorite projects. This is all despite the film making $2 billion at the box office.
Adam Brody - Seth Cohen (The O.C.)
"The O.C." was all the rage in the mid-2000s, and even if you hear the theme song today, it's bound to bring back all that nostalgia from that time. The series was a global phenomenon, as it was followed by millions of viewers around the world who loved to watch the lives of teenagers and adults play out in Orange County.
Sadly, Adam Brody, who portrayed Seth Cohen, has different opinions about this show and wishes to leave this role in the past forever. Much older now than he was back then, the star has always been associated with his emo teen character as Seth, which he outgrew many years ago. We guess the die-hard fans can't seem to let go of Seth.
Matthew Goode - Declan (Leap Year)
"Leap Year" is an excellent movie if you love terribly cheesy flicks. The film has been mocked as being so bad that it's good by some critics, and there's no denying this when you look at the 23% rating it got on Rotten Tomatoes. Apparently, one of the main protagonist actors, Matthew Goode, agrees with these notions.
Allegedly the Irish actor knew that the film would end in negative press and has admitted to being out for a paycheck, even though he knew the film didn't carry much substance. Talk about honesty! Since then, Goode has at least had some other redeemable roles, such as Tony Armstrong-Jones in "The Crown," for which he got an Emmy nomination.
Adrien Grenier - Vincent Chase (Entourage)
"Entourage" originally aired on HBO from the mid-2000s to 2011. Given the long airing time of the series and the six Emmys it won, it's safe to say that the show was a hot hit. The series chronicles the acting pursuits of a top-class movie star and his childhood buddies from New York as they try to make it in the entertainment industry.
Adrien Grenier portrayed Vincent Chase in the series and, like many actors, claimed that viewers struggled to separate the actor from the character. The phenomenon is nothing new and has happened to many other Hollywood icons before.
Will Smith - The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Will Smith starred as himself in "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" — a classic series from the '90s that is fondly remembered by millennials. It may come as a big surprise that the show's star, Smith, actually despised his role and the show so much that he couldn't even get himself to watch any of the episodes.
At the time of filming, Smith claims that he was so switched on for this role that he memorized everyone else's lines on top of his own, and sometimes the camera caught a glimpse of this. His humiliation about his excessive enthusiasm for this role is most likely why he can't stand the show that gave him the fame that he has today.
Jennifer Lawrence - Aurora Lane (Passengers)
Jennifer Lawrence climbed her way to the top for her brilliant performance in the blockbuster hit "The Hunger Games." Around the same time as this movie's first release, she also gained an Oscar for her striking performance in "Silver Linings Playbook." Slowly but surely, she became one of Hollywood's highest-paid actresses.
However, that does not correlate to her enjoying all the roles that she takes on. In 2016 "Passengers" was released, starring Lawrence alongside Chris Pratt. She has since claimed that she regrets saying yes to the part due to the bombardment of space-genre films at the time. We guess we can't have everything, huh?
Charlize Theron - Ashley (Reindeer Games)
Charlize Theron was 18 years old when she moved from South Africa to Hollywood with a single suitcase and $400 to her name. She managed to climb to the top swiftly as she got an Oscar for the leading role in the movie "Monster," which she produced as well, just ten years later.
Along the way, she has had many endearing projects, though some of which she didn't like all too much. In 2000 the star portrayed Ashley in the film "Reindeer Games." It may sound like a lighthearted Christmas flick, but it turns out it was a bit of a flop of an action film. The movie only grossed $32 million, resulting in a huge loss in total.
Penn Badgley - Joe Goldberg (You)
The Netflix crime-drama series "You" has been a massive hit over the last few years. It gave Penn Badgley the opportunity to make a comeback after a relatively dry spell following his instant fame from his role as Dan Humphrey in "Gossip Girl." However, most people who have watched "You" will agree that Joe Goldberg is a complicated character and playing him cannot be an easy task.
Badgely has been quite open about how this character has taken a massive toll on his mental well-being and how exhausting it has been to get through Joe Goldberg's layers. Lucky for "You" fans, Badgley has done a stellar job at bringing the complicated Joe to life!
Ben Affleck - Daredevil
Ben Affleck has starred as a number of superheroes in comic book flicks over the years, but he only recently handed over the "Batman" torch to Robert Pattinson. In 2003 he suited up in Daredevil attire for the superhero banger "Daredevil." It racked in a respectable $179 million, but despite the film's success, Affleck claims that this wasn't his favorite job.
He even went as far as saying that one of the main reasons he took the "Batman" role was to clean up his act from the "Daredevil" discontent. Affleck wanted another shot at doing a superhero movie, as he was certain that his first attempt was a failure. It sounds a little self-indulgent, but we guess that actors tend to be highly self-critical.
Daniel Radcliffe - Harry Potter (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince)
The "Harry Potter" franchise spanned over eight films with a huge cast, so there are bound to be some actors who aren't the biggest fans of all the movies. Daniel Radcliffe was just a little boy when he started shooting the series and basically grew up playing the iconic character.
Radcliffe has been open about his favorite "Harry Potter" film being the fifth one ("Order of the Phoenix"), and also about the fact that he hated the following one "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." Allegedly, the star feels that his acting was too bland. At least this is not what the fans thought, as this movie grossed almost $1 billion at the box office.
Daniel Craig - James Bond (Quantum of Solace)
All in all, "James Bond" movies have managed to gross box office takings to almost $15 billion — that's impressive. 2008's "Quantum of Solace" starring Daniel Craig as James Bond grossed over $600 million. But sadly, critics felt that the story lacked something special. Consequently, it was not a massive turning point for Craig's career.
Fortunately, he got another chance to redeem himself a few years later in "Skyfall." Since then, Craig has been pretty verbal about his delight in leaving 007 behind to undertake other projects. Dedicating so much of his time to Bond over the years was no doubt great for his publicity, but the commitment was perhaps a hindrance when trying to consider other roles.
Carrie Fisher - Princess Leia (Star Wars)
Carrie Fisher got her American icon status thanks to her beloved Princess Leia role in the multi-billion dollar franchise "Star Wars." Despite the mighty success of all the fantasy episodes, the star later confessed that certain aspects of her role as the famous princess gave her a lot of trouble, including the scene in which she is wearing the skimpy gold bikini with the scoundrel Jabba the Hutt.
Apparently, the bikini was ultra uncomfortable, not only because she had to sit with a rigidly straight back at all times while filming with it on but also because it placed more focus on her body than the epic Princess Leia character.
Sharon Stone - Catherine Tramell (Basic Instinct)
During the '90s, Sharon Stone was Hollywood's 'it' girl. She even got a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 1995. She also went on to get an Emmy award for portraying Sheila Carlisle in "The Practice." According to the website IMDb, she has been involved in more than 150 productions in which she acted and/or produced. That's no mean feat!
In 1992 she performed in the erotic thriller movie "Basic Instinct" as the main protagonist Catherine Tramell. According to the star, this role took a toll on all the parties involved in the making of it, including herself. It also came out later that the filmmakers convinced her that there wouldn't be any of her nude bits in the movie. They lied!
Mark Wahlberg - Dirk Diggler (Boogie Nights)
Before Mark Wahlberg entered Hollywood's acting scene, he gained fame as a member of the rap group Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. After that, he went on to become a Calvin Klein model, and it was only after this endeavor that the star entered the acting arena.
In the late '90s, Wahlberg got his breakout role in the drama "Boogie Nights." Despite the film's sound ratings and the fact that the movie made Wahlberg famous, the star later admitted that he had a hard time with this movie. Wahlberg felt that the film was unsuited to him and proclaimed that as a father today, he would never take on such a risky role ever again.
Mischa Barton - Marissa Cooper (The O.C.)
Mischa Barton started hitting Hollywood at the age of 17, and it was all thanks to her role in the series "The O.C." She's had other more minor roles in her acting career, but it was her role as Marissa Cooper in "The O.C." that she's best known for.
This show was a massive success and was aired in over 50 countries worldwide, but Barton has been quite open about her disdain for her role in this show. She also detested the fame that this role brought on and even went on to walk away during the third season. We guess she was probably unprepared for all the attention and resented this series for bringing that on.
Jake Gleeson - Joffrey Baratheon (Game of Thrones)
Jake Gleeson is an Irish actor who portrayed Joffrey Baratheon in the iconic "Game of Thrones" series. He was brilliant at playing his role as the evil smirky guy, so much so that he started receiving hate mail from the fans of the series who couldn't separate the character from Gleeson.
Some critics called the Joffrey character the most hated TV villain of all time. After the show ended, Gleeson retired, stating that the attention he got from this role was too tough to handle. Gleeson also claimed that he stopped enjoying acting as much as he did before all the fame, and he, therefore, chose to end the acting chapter altogether.
Matthew McConaughey - Dirk Pitt (Sahara)
Matthew McConaughey is a highly admired star with a long-standing acting history in Hollywood. Over the years, he has made a massive name for himself, playing mostly rom-com roles. In 1993, he starred in the cult classic "Dazed and Confused," which to this day gets reminisced about for its accurate representation of the high school experience.
It's difficult to imagine that this star could be involved in a poorly performing flick, but in 2005 the unimaginable happened when he starred as Dirk Pitt in the film "Sahara." The movie failed at the box office and got a lot of mixed reviews. At least McConaughey has had a lot of other roles to make up for this one.
Blake Lively - Serena van der Woodsen (Gossip Girl)
"Gossip Girl" was adored by tons of viewers worldwide as it followed the lives of Upper East Side teenagers. It was juicy, it was scandalous, and it sprawled across six seasons (121 episodes). Serena van der Woodsen and the other members of the socialite tribe became household names, but that does not mean that all the actors enjoyed everything about it.
Blake Lively, who portrayed Serena, has been open about the fact that she didn't like everything that her character stood for. She also claimed that she didn't deem the content suitable for viewers of certain age groups. There's no denying, though, that this role gave her the stardom ranking she has today.
Idris Elba - Stringer Bell (The Wire)
In the early 2000s, the crime drama show "The Wire" made waves in Hollywood and all around the world, for that matter. The series hooked viewers by unveiling the intricacies of the American city of Baltimore by highlighting the different perspectives of the law and the lawbreakers. It was a pretty successful production, considering it got a whopping 9.3 rating on IMDb.
Idris Elba starred as Stringer Bell, one of the show's main guys. Fans loved his character, but sadly, Elba did not share that love with his fans. Elba has openly stated that he loathed portraying this villain of a character and that Bell should not be anyone's role model. Elba has had a lot of other occasions to redeem himself in more exemplary roles and has even been nominated for 5 Primetime Emmy Awards.
Allison Williams - Marnie Michaels (Girls)
Allison Williams got her reason for recognition in the comedy-drama series "Girls." The show was a brilliant masterpiece that Lena Dunham pieced together at the young age of 26. Williams had the "annoying girl" role that everybody loved to hate, but luckily it came out later that the show wasn't made for everyone to adore the characters. Good save!
In the end, it turned out that Williams didn't mind being the annoying character as much as she regretted not getting enough screen time. Beggars can't be choosers! Following the "Girls" season finale, Williams was lucky to land a leading role in the hair-raising "Get Out."
Mariah Carey - Herself (Glitter)
Mariah Carey has been writing songs since she was 15 years old. It didn't take much time for her to reach the celebrity status that she carries today. In 1990, when she was 20 years old, she released her first album called "Mariah Carey," and the rest, as they say, was history.
In 2001, she went on to star in the film "Glitter," which was sort of like her life story, revealing her rise to fame. Sadly, the movie tanked and received a lot of harsh criticism from the critics, and was therefore not Carey's favorite career move. Luckily, the singer found a lot of success in her music career and has given most of her time to that department.
Sarah-Jessica Parker - Carrie Bradshaw (Sex and the City 2)
Carrie Bradshaw was a hot icon on our screens in the early '00s. The "Sex and the City" series lasted six seasons and was followed by two movies. Both movies were box office hits, but not all the fans loved the second film. Even Sarah Jessica Parker, who played the main protagonist Carrie, admitted that the second movie fell short.
Parker was not the only cast member who had trouble with the franchise. Allegedly, Kim Cattrall, who portrayed Samantha Jones in the show, has stated that she did not see eye to eye with Parker and has therefore vowed never to return to the show.
Jamie Dornan - Christian Grey (50 Shades of Grey)
Jamie Dornan is an Irish actor who got some minor roles in the mid-2000s but his real claim to fame happened with "Fifty Shades of Grey," when he starred as the main protagonist. The suggestive movie was the talk of the town when it came out in 2015, and rightfully so, as it was based on one of the first books that allowed women to explore erotic fantasy.
The book that the movie is based on was empowering, but sadly Dornan was not such a fanatic about his role in this controversial movie. Though he didn't claim to regret it altogether, he did note that it was a "mad thing" to get involved with this movie, and understandably so!
Jason Segel - Marshall Eriksen (How I Met Your Mother)
Jason Segel portrayed Marshall in the famed series "How I Met Your Mother," which ran for a mighty nine seasons. Marshall was adored by many of the series' followers, but unfortunately, Segel admitted to feeling a bit lost when the show was done.
Many years after the show had finished airing, the star revealed that he asked himself a lot of questions like, "So what do I do now? Who am I without this stuff?" Luckily, the star went on to achieve other great things. In 2015, he played the novelist David Foster Wallace in "The End of the Tour," which earned him a nomination at the Film Independent Spirit Awards for best male lead.
Jennifer Garner - Elektra
Jennifer Garner was launched into the Hollywood arena when she took the lead role in the series "Alias." The show was an instant hit and sprawled over five seasons and 105 episodes — a lot of screen time for a main character like Garner and probably the reason that she got the stardom status that she carries today. In 2005, she starred as the main protagonist in "Elektra," which she apparently was not the biggest fan of.
Some critics have also dubbed this the worst Marvel movie out there. The film's failure was a rare loss for Marvel Studios as it grossed a measly $57 million, which is low compared to some of their highest-grossing movies like "Avengers", grossing a mighty $2.7 billion. Perhaps it was the film's financial failure that put her off.
Jamie Foxx - Lt. Purcell (Stealth)
Jamie Foxx is one of Hollywood's most respected actors. He started his acting career in the early '90s but only got his breakout role in 1999 when he portrayed Willie Beaman in "Any Given Sunday." In 2005, he broke everybody's heart in the drama "Ray," which is the role that gained him an Oscar.
This was also around the same time that he portrayed Lt. Purcell in "Stealth," which was notably one of his least favorite roles, according to the star. Sadly the movie fell short of its $135 million budget, as it only raked in about $80 million. At least Foxx had other brilliant roles around this time to redeem himself.
Macaulay Culkin - Kevin McAllister (Home Alone)
In 1990, Macaulay Culkin starred as Kevin McAllister in the humorous flick "Home Alone." The movie gradually became a Christmas classic thanks to the quotable phrases, morals, comedy scenes, and, of course, the main character. Some even say that it's the best Christmas movie that's ever been made, and it's still watched by millions today around the festive season time.
Despite the film's immense success, Culkin does not feel very cheery about this film which made him a star. Reportedly the celeb felt that the film got way too much attention than it deserved and called all the fuss over the film "creepy and flattering." Come on, KEVIN!
Alec Baldwin - Dennis Dupree (Rock of Ages)
Alec Baldwin has graced Hollywood with his presence for an incessantly long time. He made his acting debut in 1987 with a minor role in the movies "Forever, Lulu," and "Beetlejuice" the following year. He got his breakout role when he portrayed the main protagonist in 1990 in the film "The Hunt for Red October."
Somewhere after he starred in the successful series "30 Rock," he got a role in the movie "Rock of Ages." Sadly, according to Baldwin, this movie turned out to be a complete disaster, and it's clear why he would say that if you see the film's ratings. After the movie grossed under $40 million in the States, it was proclaimed a box office letdown.
Nicole Kidman - Lady Sarah Ashley (Australia)
Nicole Kidman is an Australian actress who's been doing the acting thing since the early '80s. She even went on to win 2 Emmy awards and an Oscar for best actress in a lead role in 2003 when she featured in the movie "The Hours." In 2008, the star was one of the main characters besides another Aussie actor, Hugh Jackman, in the film "Australia."
The two blockbuster celebs had high expectations for the movie but only ended up being disappointed in the end. Kidman especially felt disappointed when she went to the premiere of the film and later stated that it was tough to watch her own performance without cringing.
James Franco - Fabious (Your Highness)
In 2011, the witty James Franco starred in the leading role in the movie "Your Highness." The film was a colossal flop as it only grossed a meager $28 million at the box office, which did not even cover the budget. Franco's leading role is Prince Fabious, who is on a hunt to rescue his abducted lover.
Coincidently this is no new storyline, as we've all seen a movie with a similar sort of plot. If the movie is done well, then it can work, but that was not the case here. Despite the big names in this movie, like Natalie Portman and Danny McBride, the movie failed to get a large audience. Uh-oh!
Angus T. Jones - Jake Harper (Two and a Half Men)
"Two and a Half Men" was a hit sitcom that aired for a whopping 12 seasons. It was a raunchy comedy, and it also had a lot of controversial scenes. The show had a lot of fans and obviously episodes too, but many people still found it to be offensive.
Angus T. Jones, who portrayed the boy, Jake, later exited the show as he converted to Christianity and deemed the show offensive. He even went on to describe the show as filth, alleging that it had conflicted with his newfound religious views, and even asked people not to watch the show. Yikes!
Natalie Portman - Nina Sayers (Black Swan)
Natalie Portman got everyone's attention in 2011 when she portrayed Nina Sayers in the psychological drama film "Black Swan." Nina is a talented but somewhat unstable ballerina on the brink of stardom. Like most in this profession, her life as a ballerina is consumed by ballet and dance.
Portman had to drop a whopping 20 pounds from her already slender frame for this role and claimed that this film took a massive toll on her mental well-being. It all paid off, though, as she received an Oscar for Best Actress for her role in this movie. This award checked the box for the first actress born in the '80s to have won an Oscar. Go, Natalie!
Jim Carrey - Colonel Stars and Stripes (Kick-Ass 2)
Jim Carrey will always be one of Hollywood's favorites. He is known for his enthusiastic performances that come out in most of his work. He got his real moment of glory when he starred as the leading protagonist in the 1994 film "Ace Ventura." Since that iconic flick, he has done a ton of other notable and also not-so-notable performances.
In 2013 he portrayed Colonel Stars and Stripes in "Kick-Ass 2." After filming was done, it came out that Carrey felt that the movie contained too much gun violence, and he, therefore, felt a bit of regret for signing up for this project. At least Carrey has since then had many opportunities to redeem himself in more comedic roles.
Cara Delevigne - Margo Roth Spiegelman (Paper Towns)
Cara Delevigne is a British supermodel that ever so often dips her tattooed toes in acting. In 2015, the star took on the role of the popular girl Margo Roth Spiegelman in the movie "Paper Towns." According to the star, she didn't even read the book that the film was based on.
She also went on to state that she hated portraying the popular high school girl. The overall reception of the movie was mixed. It got a 6 out of 10 rating on IMDb, and though some critics say that the film was terrible, most will agree that Delevigne's performance was not too shabby.
Regé Jean Page - Simon Basset (Bridgerton)
If you love period dramas, then you probably know Regé Jean Page. He was one of the main characters in the first season of the Netflix series "Bridgerton." His character Simon was the hunky protagonist, and it was this role that shot this actor into fame. Sadly, the actor shared differences with the creative department, so he did not return for season 2.
Allegedly, the star was not happy with the plans for his character in the following season, and so he consequently exited the famed Shonda Rhimes series. Page has confirmed that he would like to pursue various characters in future productions, but only time will tell if this was a good move for the actor's career.
Florence Pugh - Alice Chambers (Don't Worry Darling)
Florence Pugh is a British actress who's risen to fame in recent years. It was her performance in "Little Women," a 2019 drama, that definitely accelerated her fame, as she received an Oscar nomination, as well as a Golden Globe one. She has also had other remarkable roles in productions like "Midsommar" and a part in one of the most anticipated films of all time, "Oppenheimer."
In 2022, she collaborated with Harry Styles in a drama mystery, "Don't Worry Darling." Despite the fact that this role that was adored by many and gained a lot of awards, she claimed that she did not enjoy the experience of shooting this movie as much as she would have liked to. The backstage drama on this one has spiked numerous fan theories about what went on during production.
Dev Patel - Zuko (The Last Airbender)
Dev Patel is a British actor who got his claim to fame in 2008 for his role in the Oscar-winning film "Slumdog Millionaire." In 2010 the star felt that he had made a rookie error by being cast in the film "The Last Airbender." The star alleged that he couldn't even recognize the stranger that he was when he watched the film.
In his defense, the film was a rather massive flop since it got a meager 5% rating on "Rotten Tomatoes" and a heap of negative reviews from critics and fans alike. Thanks to other redeeming roles since this movie's release, the star can hopefully look back on this film as a minor bump in the road.
Katherine Heigl - Alison (Knocked Up)
Katherine Heigl wasn't really a big name in Hollywood in the early 2000s and only encountered widespread acclaim after her role in "Grey's Anatomy." Somewhere during the filming of this series, she landed her first role in the comedy hit "Knocked Up," where she portrayed Alison alongside Seth Rogan.
The film was a massive hit, grossing just under $220 million, but Heigl feels otherwise when she looks back on it now. She criticized the film's lopsided portrayal of women as uptight and highly strung. Despite her distaste for her role in this flick, there's no denying that it opened a lot of other doors for her acting career in the years to follow.
Ewan McGregor - Obi-Wan Kenobi (Star Wars)
Ewan McGregor is an Oscar-winning Scottish actor who made his acting debut more than three decades ago. In the early noughties, he starred in the Star Wars prequels, which was already a household name by that point. Even if you have never watched it, you have most definitely heard of it because it was making massive waves back in the day when it was first released.
There are also tons of die-hard "Star Wars" fans out there, and this was something that did not sit so well with the Kenobi character, Ewan McGregor. According to McGregor, the movies are pretty good, but he just couldn't seem to wrap his head around the staunch fanatics that have followed this prequel over the years.
Arnold Schwarzenegger - Lord Kalidor (Red Sonja)
Arnold Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-born actor who has probed into a myriad of things in his life, but it was his blockbuster roles that got the star the celebrity status that he carries today. Besides trying out the political side of the world, he has also been heavily involved in bodybuilding.
Back in 1985, the star was the leading protagonist in the film "Red Sonja." To his dismay, the film was a total disaster and only grossed about $7 million at the box office, which, let's face it, did not even meet the budget. Schwarzenegger's opinion about the film being the worst ever made was mirrored by critics too.
Molly Ringwald - Claire Standish (The Breakfast Club)
"The Breakfast Club" is undoubtedly a cult classic from the mid-'80s that follows five distinct high school characters who are in detention on a Saturday. It most definitely put the actors in the spotlight, including Molly Ringwald, who portrayed Claire Standish. It later came to light that the star felt that her role conflicted with her sentiments.
Ringwald has been an eager and verbal proponent for the #MeToo movement, and as she looks back on this role, she feels it was unsettling and problematic. In a 2018 essay, Ringwald put forward her notions that certain intimate scenes from the film need to be revisited and re-evaluated, as they carry a lot more weight than just "lighthearted teenage pranks."
Emma Watson - Hermione Granger
The Harry Potter franchise has managed to become as popular as it did thanks to the characters, its backdrop, and eight remarkably made movies. The movies were undoubtedly responsible for catapulting the leading trio into stardom, and that includes Emma Watson. She portrayed Hermoine Granger stellarly in this series, which earned her great respect and notoriety.
Since the series spanned over eight films, there were bound to be challenges, with the cast facing at least some of them. Watson claims to have struggled with the last two films as they turned out to be rather dark and contained fragments of death and torture. The shooting was allegedly also physically demanding and put a lot of strain on her.
Michelle Pfeiffer - Stephanie (Grease 2)
"Grease" is an iconic film that will forever be remembered as a cult classic. It's mostly thanks to all the chemistry and fun vibes between the characters in this musical romance from the late '70s. Even now, more than 40 years later, people are still reminiscing about this film.
A lot of great things can be said about the first "Grease" movie, but sadly, the narrative was a lot different when it came to "Grease 2." Everybody knows that sequels can be risky business as they can turn out to be total flops (which is what happened with "Grease 2"). At least this was just a minor bump in Michelle Pfeiffer's career, who had the leading role as Stephanie.
Emily Blunt - Princess Mary (Gulliver's Travels)
Emily Blunt is a British actress who got her claim to fame in 2006 in the iconic movie "The Devil Wears Prada." The movie was brilliant as it set the stage for kindling and showcasing a passion for fashion in an era of aspiring fashion creatives.
The star was also obligated to do a role in "Gulliver's Travels" in 2010 thanks to a contractual agreement she had with 20th Century Fox studios. Because of this constraint, the star had to pass up the chance to portray Black Widow in "Iron Man 2," a role that went to Scarlet Johansson. Blunt would have much rather taken on the latter role, but hey, a deal is a deal!
Gwyneth Paltrow - Rosemary (Shallow Hal)
"Shallow Hal" was created by Jack Black to illuminate prejudice against people based solely on their looks. Black took the titular role, while Gwyneth Paltrow portrayed the character Rosemary. The flick turned out to be a great success and was adored by most audiences. But did Paltrow enjoy her role as the big girl?
She admitted that wearing a fat suit for this role was one of the most humiliating things she'd ever done in her acting career. Despite it not being Paltrow's favorite blockbuster moment, viewers still love this movie — even though it could be seen as slightly unsettling. Perhaps it's this role that inspired Paltrow's wellness brand Goop, which she established in the years following this flick.
Christain Bale - Jack Kelly (Newsies)
Millions around the world have followed the Batman franchise's happenings, and it also inspired tons of Halloween costumes and other themed parties. Most people know Christian Bale for his contributing roles to the series, and that comes as no surprise considering the franchise's fame.
But before Bale dipped his toes in the D.C. universe, he was involved in some other projects that he wasn't exactly too proud of. In 1992, the star played Jack Kelly in the film "Newsies." The Disney movie was based on a Broadway musical which was a great triumph, but somehow the movie could not live up to the same success and turned out to be a box office disaster.
Jared Leto - Paul Gardener (Urban Legend)
Jared Leto has had quite an impressive career both in Hollywood, as well as in the music arena. He started out by giving acting a go several decades ago, and after that, in the late 90s he formed the rock band called "30 Seconds to Mars". Both of these endeavors have been a great success.
However, along the way, he stumbled upon some minor humps that he would've rather skipped if he could turn the clock back. In 1998 Leto starred as Paul Gardener in the slasher movie "Urban Legend." Despite the terrible ratings for this flick, it still got a whopping two prequels for some reason. Leto did not return for another round as he severed ties with the movie after the first one.
Brad Pitt - Rory Devaney (The Devil's Own)
Brad Pitt has starred in so many good movies, but perhaps his role as Rory Devaney in "The Devil's Own" won't be the one he is best remembered for. Pitt's character Rory is an IRA partner who seeks to buy missiles and haul them to Ireland. The film was mostly slammed by critics for its terrible historical inaccuracy, and it seems that Pitt felt the same notions.
Despite these claims, Pitt was most likely happy to walk away with his $10 million paycheck for this role. Since wisdom comes with age, Pitt has most likely done some deep contemplation since then and would probably not engage in historically inaccurate films like this one ever again.
Colin Farrel - James Crockett (Miami Vice)
The "Miami Vice" action series aired from the mid to late 80s and was quite a hit series back in those good old days. It went on to win a number of awards, including bringing a mighty fine Oscar home. In the mid-2000s, the series was brought back to life with a movie of the same name. There were a lot of high hopes for the movie since it dropped big names like Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell.
Sadly, though, it did not live up to its original series' expectations. Farrell later went on to apologize for the film's poor ratings and openly confessed that shooting the thing wasn't even any fun. He kind of blamed it on the notion of "style over substance." We guess some good series are better left untouched.
Christina Applegate - Jen Harding (Dead to Me)
"Dead to Me" first premiered on Netflix in 2019 and turned out to be quite the hit series. The dark-comedy show won three awards and got a sweet 8/10 rating on IMDb. Despite the success of the show, one of the main actors, Christina Applegate, alleged that this role opened a lot of mental struggles for her.
It comes as no surprise, though, as this show deals with death and grief. Of course, this may bring up personal experiences that relate to these morbid topics for the cast that act in it. The star even went on to admit that she started going to therapy due to the themes that this role tapped into.
Jessica Alba - Susan Storm (Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer)
The superhero flick "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" was a great success and grossed over $300 million at the box office. Fans were delighted, but sadly not everyone shared the same enthusiasm. Jessica Alba, who starred as Susan Storm, said that this movie was a particularly low point in her career and that it almost led her to the point of quitting acting entirely.
These feelings of resentment were apparently rooted in the script and its supposed poor quality. Another reason that Alba did not like this film was that she and the director Tim Story were not on the same page regarding a lot of things. Guess we can't always be on the same page for everything.
Jean Yoon - Umma (Kim's Convenience)
"Kim's Convenience" was charming and wholesome, airing from 2016 to 2021 for five seasons. The show depicts the life of a Canadian Korean family in the most comedic and refreshing way. The show was raved about by critics, and it even has an 8.2/10 rating on IMDd.
Sadly, not everyone enjoyed the show that much, and that includes Jean Yoon, who played Umma, the family matriarch. Reportedly, the star felt that the show had ethnically stereotypical storylines and also an issue with gender equality. Overall, Yoon claimed that this was a painful role to undertake and a position she would never take on ever again.
Channing Tatum - G.I. Joe (G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra)
Channing Tatum got his breakout role in 2006 when he portrayed Tyler Gage in the drama dance movie "Step Up." Since then, he has stepped his way across Hollywood's stage and made a lot of studios some weighty, cold, hard cash. Despite all his success, Tatum didn't always love the roles that he played.
In 2009, Tatum starred as GI Joe in the action movie "G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra." The movie was a great success, considering it stacked in over $300 million, but that doesn't mean the main guy, Tatum, was mad about it. Allegedly, he felt that the script wasn't exactly his cup of tea, but that didn't stop the masses from flocking to the movie houses.
Michael Caine - Hoagie Newcombe (Jaws: The Revenge)
Out of all the Jaws movie's installments, the fourth one has time and time again been rated the worst, and that's all thanks to what some say is a stupidly terrible plot. In the movie, a big shark becomes not merely aware but also vindictive against humans.
Michael Caine, who portrayed Hoagie Newcombe, could not agree more with the critics and claimed that he had never even watched the movie. The legendary actor has had a tremendous career in Hollywood, but this movie is most certainly not part of his list of honors. He does at least have two Oscars under his belt that will hopefully cloud his memory from this terrible movie.
Julia Roberts - Sabrina Peterson (I Love Trouble)
Julia Roberts has been the queen of rom-com movies for a while now. She made her claim to fame in the 1990 cult classic "Pretty Woman," in which she was the main protagonist. Four years later, the star went on to do the film "I Love Trouble," and boy, oh boy, did it bring on the trouble.
The actress didn't hate the flick as much as she hated her alleged beloved significant other from the film, Nick Nolte. Apparently, the pair did not see eye to eye, and during the filming of certain scenes, they'd shoot separately, using substitutes to create some sort of on-screen chemistry (which was obviously lacking). You can't force chemistry, huh?
Robert De Niro - Turk (Righteous Kill)
Robert De Niro is a legend of a star with a long-standing acting history and is most famously known for all his uncompromising portrayals of fierce and abrasive men or, more recently, comic characters like grumpy old men. He is a Hollywood legend but has not been too fond of all his contributions to the scene.
In 2008, he starred in "Righteous Kill" alongside Al Pacino, but he later revealed that he wished the film had a better end result. It was not all doom and gloom, though, as the two actors did another film together in 2019 on the crime drama "The Irishman." This film was met with a much better reception.
Anne Hathaway - Fantine (Les Miserables)
Anne Hathaway started her acting career at the turn of the century and has since then made a big name for herself in Hollywood. It was her role in "The Princess Dairies" that really placed her on Hollywood's radar. In 2012 she performed in the epic period musical "Les Miserables," which was a great success at the box office, considering it grossed over $441 million.
Regardless of the success of the film, Hathaway claimed that she found it really challenging to portray Fantine in this flick. Besides having to shed some pounds for this role, Hathaway admitted that she experienced a lot of emotional deprivation and felt really overwhelmed even after the movie was done shooting.
Jason Bateman - Nick Hendricks (Horrible Bosses 2)
"Horrible Bosses 2" was the type of sequel that made you forget that the first one was good. The first "Horrible Bosses" that was released in 2011 was a smash hit, and it's no surprise that the creators would have thought it was a brilliant idea to make a follow-up.
Sadly though, the bosses made a horrible mistake, and the second one turned out to be horrendous. Consequently, Jason Bateman, who portrayed Nick Hendricks had no shame in calling it absolute garbage. He openly went on to state that the film was no good and that it did not make any money. Yikes!
Megan Fox - Mikaela Banes (Transformers)
Megan Fox's role as Mikaela Banes in the first two "Transformers" movies probably got her the Hollywood status she has today. However, she made a rookie error in an interview when she compared the director Michael Bay to a 20th-century dictator (who we shall not name) because we're guessing she probably did not enjoy working with him. Sadly, this unfiltered move was followed by a shallow point in her career.
Her comment containing a terrible dictator and Michael Bay in the same sentence got her fired from the franchise and swiftly replaced with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Luckily, she learned from her mistake and somehow managed to claw herself back to the top again, as she has starred in a number of notable productions since then.
Edward Norton - Steve Frazelli (The Italian Job)
Edward Norton has been on the Hollywood block for a long time now. He has starred in a number of cult classics, like "Fight Club," for example. According to IMDb, he has over 50 acting credits and more than 10 producing credits. It's safe to say that he knows a thing or two about movies and making them.
At a young age, the star signed a deal with Paramount Studios and somehow got entangled into portraying the villain in "The Italian Job." He was not keen on this role, but they had a deal. Some fans alleged that this was one of Norton's worst performances, which came as no surprise considering he would've never taken the role if it weren't for the contract.
Jude Law - Alfie
Jude Law has been roaming the Hollywood scene for a while now. He got his breakout role in "The Talented Mr. Ripley" back in 1999 and went on to star in a bunch of other productions since, including "Alfie" in 2004. Law openly admitted that this film was a total flop.
The "Alfie" movie was first released in 1966 and was quite a great success, but it turns out that doing a remake 40-odd years later will not always turn out for the better. According to Law, it sounded like a brilliant idea at first because of the first movie's success, but things didn't turn out that way in the end.
Matt Damon - Jason Bourne (The Bourne Ultimatum)
"The Bourne Ultimatum" was a critically acclaimed action flick that came out in 2007. According to critics, the movie had a great plot, writing, and suspense, and the main character, portrayed by Matt Damon, gave a stellar performance. The movie even grossed nearly half a billion dollars at the box office, so all in all, it was a great success.
Sadly though, Damon had some disagreements with the film's writer. Allegedly he found that the script was poorly written, but hey! The fans of the film must have thought otherwise because this movie was a champ at the Oscars and won a mighty three awards at the ceremony in 2008.
Rowan Atkinson - Mr. Bean
Mr. Bean is by far Rowan Atkinson's most famed role. On the show, the British actor's character was an expert in quiet comedy. He was silent and never uttered a word, yet his facial expressions and actions brought on so many giggles and made it the iconic comedy show that it was.
Even though it seems like Mr. Bean was having fun, it later came out that Atkinson was not enjoying himself much. The comic claimed that playing this role was stressful, and he even swore never to play such a silly character again. Though this series made Atkinson the star that he is today, he seems to have closed that comedic chapter of his life completely.
Ryan Reynolds - Hal Jordan (Green Lantern)
Ryan Reynolds has been a Hollywood hotshot for a long time, with his acting career sprawling over 30 years. He started his acting career in the early '90s with Nickelodeon studios and has since reached the point where he has been part of a number of Hollywood's giant smashers.
The "Deadpool" series, "Blade: Trinity," "The Proposal" and, much to his regret, "Green Lantern" are all part of his list of accolades. He claims that the "Green Lantern" film was hampered by the over-the-top special effects and the inadequately developed storyline. Despite the faults he finds here, he will never cease to make the best of the situation and always manages to make jokes about the ludicrousness of the whole thing.
Christopher Plummer - Captain von Trapp (The Sound of Music)
The hills were alive in 1965 when the classic film "The Sound of Music" was released. This movie reigned as the highest-grossing film for five years straight thanks to the awe-inspiring plot and setting of this musical. Besides that, the film also won a hefty five Oscars and was nominated for ten. Despite the film's tremendous success, not all the cast members loved everything about it.
Christopher Plummer, who portrayed Captain von Trapp, got his claim to fame thanks to this character, but that does not mean that he liked playing it. Allegedly, the star felt that this was one of the most challenging characters he had to portray because it was all very cheesy, sentimental, and soppy. Oh boo!
Meryl Streep - Sarah (The French Lieutenant's Woman)
Given Meryl Streep's extensive acting career, it is no surprise that she did a couple of roles that she wasn't too fond of. In 1981 the star portrayed Sarah, an independent governess in Victorian society, in the movie "The French Lieutenant's Woman." It may have possibly been this role that shot Streep into Hollywood's field of fame as she received an Oscar nomination for this role.
Despite Streep's success in this film, she did not find joy in performing this role. According to sources, Streep felt that the structure of the movie was too artificial, and so she found it challenging to act out her character as gracefully as she would have liked to.
George Clooney - Bruce Wayne (Batman & Robin)
In 1996, George Clooney got his breakout role in "Dusk Till Dawn". The star was in his early days of fame, and just one year later, he signed a deal to portray Bruce Wayne in the 1997 classic film "Batman & Robin." The movie grossed a colossal $240 million at the box office, but despite the movie's success, Clooney did not give the same feedback as the fans of the franchise did.
He's even openly admitted that his performance as the Dark Knight in this movie still haunts him to this day. On the plus side, it did seem to help Clooney realize that perhaps he was more suited to take on comedy roles, seeing as ever since then, it's been his main genre of films to act in.
Andrew Lincoln - Mark (Love Actually)
Since "Love Actually" was released in 2003, it has pretty much become a go-to Christmas movie for many Christmas movie watchers around the world. This festive film highlights how important it is to spend Christmas with loved ones, and it deals largely with love and all the lovely forms it comes in. An absolute heart warmer around the festive season.
Sadly, not everyone shares these sentiments, and by that, we mean Andrew Lincoln, who portrayed Mark in this merry movie. The star felt like his character was borderline stalker-ish, a streak that did not sit well with him. Luckily, fans did not notice this, and fortunately so, otherwise, the movie may not have done as well as it did.
Elizabeth Taylor - Gloria Wandrous (BUtterfield 8)
It's no secret that Elizabeth Taylor is one of the classic Hollywood celebrities who played a big part in shaping the golden age of films. Besides her contributions to Hollywood, she did a lot of brave things during the time that the HIV epidemic emerged.
She had a pure heart and was even ordained as a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to society. In 1960 she starred in "BUtterfield 8" in a role that she would always look back on with disdain. Reportedly, she hated the character she portrayed quite a lot, but funny enough, she ended up winning an Oscar for this role. Gotta love Hollywood!
Sean Connery - James Bond
Sean Connery was the first lucky guy to portray James Bond in the multi-billion dollar (over $7 billion) franchise. The first movie of the franchise was released in 1962, after which the actor played the same role an additional five times in the sequels that followed. According to Hollywood campers, though, the star eventually started to despise this role for various reasons.
Pay disagreements, creative differences, and, not surprisingly, paparazzi attention were all part of the reasons that Connery eventually walked away from 007. The star admitted that he always hated this character and that he just grew tired of all the special camera effects. Perhaps eight Bond films were one too many for him to star in.
Johnny Depp - Tom Hanson (21 Jump Street)
Johnny Depp has been a part of the Hollywood rodeo for a really long time. Thanks to his good old pal Nicholas Cage, he got his first shot at acting in 1983, and the rest was history. Of course, with such a long acting account, there are bound to be some acting jobs that he was not too keen on.
From 1987 to 1991, Depp starred in the series "21 Jump Street," but it wasn't all hunky dory. Depp has openly stated that he hated this production so much that he was trying to get himself fired. He felt that his beliefs did not agree with those of his character Tim Hanson. Luckily Jack Sparrow has outshone roles like this one.
Sylvester Stallone - Joe (Stop, or My Mom Will Shoot)
Sylvester Stallone has been a big name in Hollywood since the dawn of time. He started acting in the late '60s and has since gone on to get 3 Oscar nominations. Besides the acting side of his career, he has also been a part of several writing projects on the side. He got his moment of glory in the 1976 sports hit "Rocky," in which he portrayed Rocky Balboa, a big boxer.
Despite the actor's many victories, there were also a few instances of regret. By that we mean the time when the star took on a role in the abominable "Stop, or My Mom Will Shoot." According to him, this movie was one of the worst films that Hollywood has ever seen. Yikes! It wasn't a complete catastrophe, though, since the film did at least meet its budget with a bit of change to spare.
Alan Ruck - Cameron (Ferris Bueller's Day Off)
In 1986, Alan Ruck played a leading role in the movie "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." Allegedly, it was his role as Cameron that he found to be a complete nuisance. The movie received good reviews from critics and viewers alike, but Ruck did not agree with these notions.
Poor Ruck even tried to make himself invisible for a few months after and did so by working at Sears so that no one would notice him from the film and hopefully forget Cameron altogether. In 1994, he eventually landed a role in the action movie "Speed," after which he joined "Spin City" which ran for six years. More recently, Alan Ruck starred as Connor Roy in the Emmy-winning HBO series "Succession."
Zac Efron - Troy Bolton (The High School Musical)
Zac Efron is a big name in Hollywood today, and it's all thanks to the characters he portrayed during his childhood. Little did he know that these roles would give him the stardom status he carries today and open many other doors for him in Hollywood. It started with humble beginnings, though.
In 2006 the star had a leading role in the teen/kids movie "High School Musical." Despite the success of the franchise, Efron struggled to shake the character off and move on to different roles. Nowadays, the star has his own docuseries, "Down to Earth with Zac Efron," in which he travels to various destinations, and we all know that anything is possible with a name like that.
Robert Pattinson - Edward Cullen (Twilight)
In the late 2000s, "Twilight" was all the rage for teenagers and adults alike. The movie was based on Stephanie Meyer's books and became a massive sensation overnight. Of course, this also meant that the actors in this film got placed into Hollywood's spotlight, including Robert Pattinson, who portrayed the main protagonist Edward Cullen.
Pattinson stayed on board for all four of the installments, so it came as a bit of a shock years down the line when he claimed that he felt embarrassed about his role. Allegedly, Pattinson felt that Edward was a ridiculous character. We guess that movie stars aren't always going to love the roles that make them famous.
Miley Cyrus - Hannah Montana
Miley Cyrus became famous at a very young age, and it was all thanks to the Disney kids show "Hannah Montana," in which she portrayed the character of the same name. Cyrus later grew up to have a wilder public persona, and it turned out that she slowly but surely outgrew the sweet kiddo character that once defined her.
The star alleged that at 18 years old, she was over this role and really wanted to break away from the whole thing. Though she did admit that a lot of good things came out of the earlier seasons, she just came to a point where she simply wanted to leave childhood behind, and the show was not helping this hunger.
Evangeline Lilly - Kate Austen (Lost)
In 2004, the series "Lost" dropped and carried on for a mighty 120 episodes and even managed to win a staggering ten Emmy awards. Some critics even say that this show will go down in history as one of the best and most frustrating shows of all time. Perhaps a little over-exaggerated, but you can't deny that this show was a great success thanks to the combination of humor, drama, and science fiction.
Evangeline Lilly, who portrayed the character Kate Austen, was sadly not the most excited for this role. She felt as though Kate was too predictable and obnoxious and that she lacked depth. Probably not the first or the last time someone had these feelings about their character.