Top 20 Hated Actors

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 20 Hated Actors. For this list, we’ll be looking at the most deplorable actors based on their poor performance skills and despicable onscreen personas. And while we may discuss their professional reputations within the industry, we will not be factoring in criminal activity. Do you actually enjoy any of these performers? Let us know in the comments below!

#20: Jared Leto

Now, don’t get us wrong - Jared Leto has done some great stuff. That Academy Award for “Dallas Buyers Club” didn’t win itself! But at the same time, he remains a bit of a laughingstock. Leto has made some baffling career decisions in recent years, like doing his best Mario impression for “House of Gucci.” He’s also batting 0 for 2 in the superhero business, with his performances completely derailing both “Suicide Squad” and “Morbius.” In fact, the latter film was one of the most memed things of the early decade and was widely hated, even earning Leto a Razzie to go with his Oscar. Leto is an interesting guy, and he has had a very interesting career.

#19: Tom Green

If there’s one name that takes us right back to the late ‘90s and early 2000s, it’s Tom Green. He was the emcee of “The Tom Green Show,” which proved a huge influence on later pop culture cornerstones like “Jackass.” But his movie choices have been, shall we say, a little spotty. Green is the recipient of numerous Stinkers Bad Movie Awards, winning for “Road Trip,” “Charlie’s Angels,” and “Stealing Harvard.” Oh, and also one little movie we forgot to mention. It’s called “Freddy Got Fingered,” and it’s generally regarded as one of the worst films ever made. Green had a penchant for shock and gross-out humor, but even in its heyday, that particular brand proved incredibly divisive.

#18: Jason Biggs

If you just stick to “American Pie,” you may grow to love Jason Biggs. The problem starts when you venture to his other works and take a quick glance at his Twitter page. Many people hated his character in “Orange Is the New Black,” and while it gave Biggs some welcome post-“American Pie” acting work, it didn’t do much to bolster his reputation. This reputation began earlier in the decade when Biggs made a number of questionable jokes on Twitter. The targets ranged from inappropriate sexual quips to mocking the death of “Bachelorette” contestant Eric Hill. There’s also the whole Malaysian Flight 17 fiasco, which saw Biggs making a joke after the plane crashed and receiving a number of death threats in response.

#17: Kevin James

The career of Kevin James started off well, with his sitcom “The King of Queens” earning positive reviews - not to mention an Emmy nomination for its lead actor. The problem occurs whenever he gets near his good buddy Adam Sandler. Sandler and his Happy Madison Productions have undoubtedly brought James fame and fortune, but it has come at the expense of his reputation. Films like “Paul Blart: Mall Cop,” “I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry,” and “Grown Ups” are widely reviled, and James is a lead in all three. As of 2023, James has received seven Razzie nominations, two of which are shared with Sandler.

#16: Ashton Kutcher

By all accounts, Ashton Kutcher is a great guy. He is happily married to Mila Kunis, and the couple live in a sustainable farmhouse with their two children. He is also a successful venture capitalist, investing in the likes of Skype and Airbnb. It’s just his darn movies! Kutcher has received a number of Razzie nominations for a slew of crappy films, including “Just Married,” “My Boss's Daughter,” and “Valentine’s Day.” The latter actually won him the Worst Actor award, alongside the 2010 film “Killers.” Ever heard of it? Exactly. Let’s just say, he makes way better investing choices than he does acting.

#15: Lea Michele

There’s no denying that Lea Michele is talented. She’s an Emmy-nominated actress and was singing on Broadway before her age reached double digits. Really, her reputation didn’t crumble until 2020, when actress Samantha Marie Ware accused Michele of treating her poorly on the set of “Glee.” Some of Michele’s other co-workers came to Ware’s defense and accused Michele of being difficult to work with. Aside from being generally rude to others, they also accused her of being a diva. In other words, the often haughty and arrogant character of Rachel Berry doesn’t sound that far off from Michele herself.

#14: Charlie Sheen

Few actors are as difficult to digest as Charlie Sheen. Many people love his on-screen work, and he has remained a staple in movies and television for decades. But there are some major and undeniable problems. Sheen’s private life has often been the source of much contention, with much of the problem stemming from drugs and alcohol. And while he has always been a controversial figure, people grew really worried about Sheen following his termination from “Two and a Half Men.” Not only were the reasons for his firing problematic, but his subsequent behavior made him the subject of critical headlines and ironic internet memes. Sheen was doing many things, but “winning” was not one of them.

#13: Russell Brand

You could say that many people don’t like Russell Brand’s brand. His fast-talking, smart-alecky schtick can certainly be grating, and he plays this character in pretty much every single movie that he’s in. If you didn’t like Russell Brand in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” chances are you don’t like him in anything else, either. His personal life has also garnered much negative attention, whether from his known promiscuity or the annoying look-at-me behavior that he often conducts in public. Finally, Brand’s controversial COVID views made him a public enemy, like the time he actively encouraged his fans to ignore safety measures.

#12: John Travolta

When it comes to Hollywood stock, few have fallen as far as John Travolta. Travolta was one of the biggest names in the industry back in the day, but unfortunately, he is no longer taken very seriously. In fact, many people actively hate him. His work throughout the last two decades has been mostly atrocious, and he has earned Razzie nominations for the likes of “Battlefield Earth,” “The Fanatic,” and the widely maligned “Gotti.” We don’t know what happened, but this isn’t the John Travolta that the world grew to love.

#11: Jamie Kennedy

When it comes to the filmography of Jamie Kennedy, “Scream” is a notable outlier. His performance as movie nerd Randy Meeks is widely acclaimed, and his character is easily one of the most popular of the long-running franchise. And then there’s everything else. Kennedy was in some real stinkers throughout the 2000s. There was “Malibu's Most Wanted,” which saw the actor speaking in an unfortunate dialect and mirroring both the fashion and personality of early Eminem. There was also “Son of the Mask,” which earned Kennedy a Razzie nomination for Worst Actor. The less said about that disaster, the better. And let’s not forget “First Night 2013 with Jamie Kennedy,” which brought the actor much criticism for being the shoddiest New Year’s special ever broadcast.

#10: Tyler Perry

This actor is personally worth over $1 billion, so he’s obviously doing something right. And even though that “something right” is “crafting a media empire,” said media is not very good. In fact, it’s often downright offensive. Perry has appeared in a wide variety of films and television shows, but he’s most known for playing Madea in her eponymous movies. The “Madea” films are almost universally derided, and Perry has received dozens of Razzie nominations for his writing, acting, and directing. He has also been accused of stereotyping Black females, most prominently by longtime critic Spike Lee, who has even compared the “Madea” films to minstrel shows.

#9: Gwyneth Paltrow

Unlike many celebrities on this list, Gwyneth Paltrow isn’t really hated for her movie choices. She’s in a good variety of films, ranging from period rom-coms to blockbusters, she’s a very good actress, and none of her characters are particularly deplorable. Nope, this one comes all in the personal life. Of course, there’s Goop. With ridiculous and borderline dangerous health products like jade eggs, “Body Vibes,” and coffee enemas, the company has made Paltrow a national laughingstock. She is also a vocal pusher of pseudoscience, with her cookbooks, anti-GMO stance, and bizarre lifestyle choices drawing criticism from health experts. Basically, don’t listen to a thing Paltrow has to say about food or health. Just enjoy her movies.

#8: Steven Seagal

This man knows a thing or two about martial arts, but not about movies. Or, for that matter, being a good person. Seagal has been in a number of terrible films, including “On Deadly Ground,” “Fire Down Below,” and “Half Past Dead,” all of which resulted in Razzie nominations for Worst Actor. He’s even a sore spot in otherwise decent action flicks, like Stuart Baird’s “Executive Decision.” There’s also the fact that Seagal is a bit of a jerk. He has long been accused of inappropriate behavior towards women, and many stuntmen have called out Seagal for being unprofessional and needlessly violent. It sounds like no one much likes him - not those working on his movies, and not the people watching them.

#7: Roseanne Barr

For a long time there, Roseanne Barr was the voice of a generation. Her sitcom was unlike anything else on tv, earning heaps of acclaim and winning its lead actress an Emmy. If she had just stopped there, Barr would have gone down in the annals of TV legends. But she didn’t stop there. Barr has been a hotspot of controversy throughout the late 2000s and early 2010s, whether it’s posting as Hitler in a Jewish magazine, spreading fake news, or tweeting out baseless conspiracy theories. There’s also the racist tweet that Barr made against politician Valerie Jarrett that got the “Roseanne” reboot canceled. This is a strong case of “never meet your heroes.”

#6: Andy Dick

It’d be easy to make a joke about this actor’s name, but we’re not going to. Suffice it to say, it’s pretty accurate. For as long as he’s been around, Andy Dick has been a thorn in the side of Hollywood. Even without going into his countless arrests, Dick has continuously performed in inappropriate manners and has made numerous enemies across the industry. He has been fired from projects, kicked out of awards shows, literally dragged off stages, and even punched by random strangers. He also has a long-standing feud with comedian Jon Lovitz, as Lovitz blames Dick for the death of Phil Hartman.

#5: Amy Schumer

We’re going to majorly pivot here for Amy Schumer. Unlike the last couple of entries, Schumer is not a bad or disagreeable person, and she has never been the subject of any career-ending controversy. But people just do not like her. Most of the hate stems from Schumer’s brand of comedy, as she loves to utilize gross-out, weirdly-personal sexual humor in her stand-up. To many, the jokes that Schumer tells are not funny at best, disgusting and inappropriate at worst. To make matters even worse, Schumer has been accused of stealing jokes on numerous occasions, which is perhaps the biggest no-no you can make in the comedy business.

#4: Rob Schneider

This comedian enjoyed great success on “Saturday Night Live” back in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. But, like Kevin James, his reputation took a major hit once he started collaborating with Adam Sandler. His work with Sandler’s Happy Madison has been widely criticized, from “The Hot Chick” to “The Benchwarmers” and the two “Deuce Bigalow” films. The second, 2005’s “Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo,” even earned Schneider a Razzie award for Worst Actor. He has also garnered much criticism for being an outspoken anti-vaxxer, believing that childhood vaccinations are toxic, that they are not scientifically effective, and that they cause autism. It’s not a great look for an actor whose standing is already in the toilet.

#3: Pauly Shore

This name is the very definition of throwback. Pauly Shore was kind of like the Rob Schneider of his day, starring in low-effort, crude, and wildly unfunny comedies that appealed to few. His heyday occurred throughout the ‘90s, starring in some abhorrent comedies like “Encino Man,” “Jury Duty,” and “Bio-Dome.” With his whiny surfer bro voice and complete lack of comedic talent, Shore soon found himself with few fans and many detractors. The Razzies have even recognized Shore with some special nominations, including Worst New Star of the ‘90s and Worst Actor of the Century. So, you know, that can’t feel too good.

#2: Chevy Chase

The man is a comedic legend, there’s no denying that. From “Saturday Night Live” and “Community” to all-time comedy movies like “Caddyshack” and “Vacation,” Chevy Chase had the career that dreams are made of. But, by all accounts, absolutely everybody hates him. Many people on the set of “SNL” did not get along with Chase, including Bill Murray, who at one point got into a fistfight with Chase after Chase made fun of his looks. Many filmmakers have also spoken negatively about their time with Chase, including directors Joe and Anthony Russo and “Community” creator Dan Harmon. In fact, Chase became so difficult to work with that he left “Community” in the middle of its fourth season.

#1: James Corden

While widely known for his talk show, James Corden is also a prominent actor, having found success in both his native Britain and the United States. Unfortunately, it seems like neither side of the Atlantic enjoys his company. While he puts on a nice guy veneer, many people in the industry have spoken negatively about Corden. Just ask Patrick Stewart, who got into a very awkward fight with the comedian at the Glamour Awards. By all accounts, he is an incredibly rude person behind the scenes, often acting discourteous to staff and openly disrespectful of others’ work. But it also extends beyond the Hollywood sphere. In 2022, Corden was banned from a restaurant called Balthazar after acting in an “abusive” manner towards the staff.