Top 10 British Actors Who Hated Their Own Roles

He’s celebrated for his chameleonic ability to step into almost any character’s shoes, but it was Dr. Frank N. Furter’s stilettos that made Tim Curry an icon – first on stage and then on the big screen. “The Rocky Horror” is what made him famous but, out of fear of being typecast, the actor rarely wanted to discuss his part, or even the film itself, in interviews. In fact, Curry avoided going to fan conventions or appearing in any promotional material, and even said there would never be a sequel with him in it.

Before donning the mantle of Vision, Paul Bettany, or at least his voice, was one of the first to take part in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Yet he has regularly admitted to never having watched any of the “Iron Man” movies, even though many find his performance as the A.I. Jarvis to be one of the series’ highlights. Sure, Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark takes most of the attention, but where would he be without Bettany’s reassuring voice in his ear?? Paul’s assessment of the role was fairly matter-of-fact, though. He reportedly said that he’d just turn up, read some lines, and get paid. Not bad.

It’s the role that made him famous, and created the archetype for any depiction of vampires in the decades to follow. But by the time he’d done it several times, Christopher Lee had well and truly had enough of Count Dracula. While pleased with the result of Terence Fisher’s first Hammer adaptation of Bram Stoker’s gothic classic, the esteemed actor wasn’t as satisfied with the quality of its sequels’ scripts, turning them down each time. And each time, Hammer would call him and beg him to take the part. Obviously, it worked.

No need to panic, Radcliffe wasn’t trying to criticize the film itself or destroy anyone’s childhood memories. The only thing he doesn’t like about the sixth instalment to the series that brought him worldwide fame, is himself. He revealed in a Daily Mail interview that, while generally not liking to watch himself act, he really hates his performance in “The Half-Blood Prince.” Radcliffe feels by then he had become too complacent in the role, and that what he was trying to do didn’t come across. As a result, his whole performance as the boy wizard felt “very one-note” – according to Daniel, anyway.

From a gangster in the drug-addled streets of Baltimore to a Norse god in the Marvel movies, Idris Elba is versatile if nothing else. But when he reprised his role as Heimdall in the “Thor” sequel – after coming back from South Africa, where he played Nelson Mandela – Elba told the Telegraph that the experience "ripped [his] heart out." Compared to his turn as the anti-apartheid revolutionary, Heimdall’s wig, make-up, the harness and the sword all seemed a bit over-the-top to the London actor. That hasn’t stopped Heimdall from becoming a fan favourite MCU character, though.

Let's be clear, Sir Anthony likes "The Silence of the Lambs,” no matter the fact that nobody’ll let him eat a plate of fava beans or drink a nice chianti in peace anymore. He thinks Jonathan Demme’s classic thriller, which also earned him an Oscar, is “a good film.” However, the actor isn’t anywhere near as positive about the sequel or prequel. When asked by The Wrap if he’d ever reprise the role, he didn’t limit himself to a simple “no”, either. Instead, he revealed that he thinks playing Hannibal three times was a mistake, and he regrets that decision.

Who remembers the “Super Mario Bros.” movie? If you don’t, then we’re very happy for you. A straight-up disaster no matter how you look at it, the film based on the beloved Nintendo character left a bad taste in the mouth for all involved – but especially in that of its protagonist. Whenever he was asked about any regrets he might have, Bob Hoskins would always say "Super Mario Bros." He hated that film with a passion, going so far as to calling the directors who worked on it ‘talentless’. And, well, can anyone blame him?

Fans of “Star Wars” might remember Sir Alec Guinness chiefly as Jedi master Obi-wan Kenobi, but he'd much rather they didn’t. Though he was introduced to a whole new generation of movie-goers by the original “Star Wars” movie, Guinness was already a veteran of stage and screen way before the sci-fi saga. And he held his earlier work in much higher regard. Sir Alec’s dislike for “Star Wars”, from concept to dialogue, is well documented. In some interviews, he even claimed that the only reason he did the films was because he liked the food that was served on set.

Before he became Bond, most movie-goers didn’t know who Sean Connery was. But the super-spy role singlehandedly shot him (and his unmistakable accent) to worldwide stardom. However, after only a few outings as 007, Connery’s liking for the iconic action hero dramatically waned. According to reports, Sir Sean believed the character had become a parody of itself, and had tried to quit the series on multiple occasions. Perhaps the rising paychecks kept him coming back, but eventually he couldn't stand it anymore… so, he just gave up and made “Zardoz”. It was a better option than slashing his wrists, which is what Daniel Craig threatened to do after “Spectre”.

Say what you will about Pattinson and how dreadful you may (or may not) think “Twilight” is, but one thing is certain: the actor himself hates Edward and that series more than you ever could. And it’s perhaps not all that surprising, when he’s had to do it for so many years. Nowadays, R-Patz never misses an opportunity to diss Stephanie Meyer’s books or their movie adaptations, which also saw the rise and fall of his rocky romance with co-star Kristen Stewart. Pattinson has since then put some distance between himself and the sparkling vampire saga, and now often acts in indie and arthouse productions, instead.