Top 10 Best Performances by HATED Actors

“West Side Story” (2021)


In 2022, Rachel Zegler caught some flack in the media for her comments surrounding the live-action adaptation of “Snow White.” This caused many to view the actress as overly woke and dismissive of the classic Disney source material. While these comments harmed Zegler’s image in the eyes of many, it’s hard to forget the appeal of her truly stunning debut performance as Maria in the 2021 remake of “West Side Story.” The film was well received by critics, especially Zegler’s performance, which earned her the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy at the young age of 20. Perhaps she could consider her words more carefully in interviews, but her talent definitely shows promise.

“Room” (2015)


Larson is pretty unpopular among Marvel fans for her portrayal of Captain Marvel. Her comments during press interviews came across as arrogant and misandristic, which didn’t do much to hype people up for what was ultimately considered a middling performance and film. While this was a setback in Larson’s career, it was far from a typical performance from the actress. Her leading role in the drama “Room” earned Larson an Academy Award for Best Actress, among several other accolades. Her performance was incredibly raw and inspired by her own experience growing up with a single mother. She truly deserved the praise her performance received. That said, maybe it’s time Larson took a break from Marvel and gave us more indies.

“The Town” (2010)


The controversy surrounding “It Ends with Us” deserves its own dedicated deep dive, but Blake Lively has been a divisive figure since long before her downplaying of domestic violence. Ever since her time on “Gossip Girl,” she’s given some people the vibe of a pretty but entitled mean girl. Those are the vibes, at least. Her acting skills haven’t always received much praise either, with one notable exception. Ben Affleck’s crime thriller “The Town” features Lively in a much grittier role as a substance-using single mom with a pretty convincing Boston accent. Less stereotypically attractive than her usual roles, this gave viewers the chance to see a messier, less polished side of Lively that showcased some serious and surprising talent.

“Call Me By Your Name” (2017)


Out of all the ways an actor has fallen from grace in the past, Armie Hammer’s is definitely one of the strangest. Known first for his roles in “The Social Network” and “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.,” Hammer gained critical acclaim for his portrayal of Oliver in the Luca Guadagnino film “Call Me by Your Name.” Hammer’s sensitive portrayal of a romantic relationship with his costar, Timothée Chalamet, earned him a Golden Globe nomination and a horde of new fans. However, in 2021, disturbing text messages from Hammer to various women began coming out, with some even expressing cannibalistic desires. Former partners have also come out alleging physical abuse by Hammer, totally souring whatever praise he’s received throughout his career.

“Aquaman” (2018)
After her infamously messy divorce from actor Johnny Depp, in which both parties accused the other of abuse, it’s hard to find any diehard Amber Heard fans. Depp’s highly publicized defamation lawsuit against Heard turned even more people against her. Heard’s acting career never reached the heights of her ex-husband’s, but by far her biggest and most positively received role was her portrayal of Mera in “Aquaman.” Heard showed genuine promise as the strong, independent superheroine, but her reputation’s swift nosedive led to her being all but cut from the film’s sequel… supposedly. In any case, we don’t think her limited screen time was a coincidence.

“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” (2012)
In recent years, Ezra Miller has been the subject of significant controversy regarding several incidents of dangerous behavior, including several allegations of inappropriate conduct with minors. These events shocked fans who were first introduced to Miller in their breakout role as Patrick in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” based on the popular young adult novel of the same name. Miller’s character in the coming-of-age film resonated with many young fans, as Patrick struggles with coming to terms with his sexuality. Their performance was strong and faithful to the original source material, showing promise of a bright career. Miller’s behavior in the years since has disappointed fans, but a representative of Miller has stated they are receiving help for their mental health issues.

“Dallas Buyers Club” (2013)
Although Jared Leto primarily built his following as the frontman of Thirty Seconds to Mars, a widely popular and famously experimental rock band, he’s also had a successful run as an actor. His roles have received mixed reviews, however. He’s particularly notorious for method acting, committing hardcore to every role, from “Suicide Squad’s” Joker to “Dallas Buyers Club’s” Rayon. While his antics as the former earned eye rolls from castmates and fans alike, the latter earned Leto an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. While members of the LGBTQ+ community rightfully pointed out the role should have gone to an actual trans woman, Leto’s performance was inspired by extensive research that involved meeting and talking with transgender people.

“Hustlers” (2019)
Few stars have received as much love and hate as Jennifer Lopez. Especially since her recent album and film, “This Is Me… Now,” public opinion has been pretty anti-J.Lo. The album, film, and related documentary all came across as quite self-absorbed. At times, they were downright weird, making the internet meme her cringe-worthy Bronx stories into oblivion. It’s hard to believe that just a few years ago in 2019, Lopez was receiving praise for what critics called a “career-best” performance in “Hustlers.” Lopez has demonstrated some serious acting chops before, notably her 1997 portrayal of Selena Quintanilla in “Selena.” She left an even stronger impression as Ramona in “Hustlers,” proving she should maybe stick to scripts she didn’t write.

“Under Siege” (1992)
Getting into all of Steven Seagal’s controversies would take far too long, but they include his rubbing elbows with multiple dictators, sexual harassment allegations, and mistreatment of stunt performers. While these actions are completely inexcusable, his performance as former Navy SEAL Casey Ryback in “Under Siege” was genuinely good. “Under Siege” is one of the only films Seagal starred in to receive a fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Considering most of Seagal’s films were panned for his wooden acting that doesn’t demonstrate much emotional range beyond being a tough action movie guy, his strong performance in “Under Siege” feels like either a total fluke or some seriously miraculous directing work.

“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (1989)
This 80s comedy giant has been exposed in recent years for being a total nightmare to work with, from crude and offensive remarks[a] to entitled behavior that would put most divas to shame. From his “SNL” co-star Bill Murray to “Community” showrunner Dan Harmon, Chase has made enemies on nearly every project he’s worked on. That being said, come the holidays, it’s hard to imagine not sitting down for the traditional viewing of “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” Knowing the lead isn’t the nicest guy sours the experience a bit, but the film evokes such strong memories of the holidays and captures the insanity of having family visiting so well. Not even Chase’s behavior could kill this holiday tradition.


Does seeing these actors onscreen make your blood boil, or do you give credit where credit is due? Let us know in the comments!


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