Top 10 Movie Characters With Main Character Syndrome
Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Movie Characters With Main Character Syndrome. For this list, we’ll be looking at our favorite self-absorbed film characters who are just looking out for number one. Watch out for spoilers, and let us know if we missed any of your faves in the comments below.
#10: Gilderoy Lockhart
“Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” (2002)
It’s not called “Gilderoy Lockhard and the Chamber of Secrets.” But you’d be forgiven for thinking that was the name of the second installment in the “Harry Potter” franchise. Professor Lockhart comes in to take over the Defense Against the Dark Arts teaching position and makes a huge splash. Instead of actually teaching his students, he spends classes waxing poetic about his various exploits and adventures. Oh, and we later learn they’re pretty much all made up. It’s probably not all his fault he’s that self-involved. When you get that much fan mail, it’s bound to go a bit to your head. But honestly, maybe it’s not such a bad thing he lost his memory; it’s like a fresh start!
#9: Commodus
“Gladiator” (2000)
In the movie “Gladiator,” Maximus is everyone’s favorite guy. His men love him, Emperor Marcus Aurelius loves him, and all the people of Rome love him. But there’s one guy who doesn’t love him, and in fact wishes he could be the star of the show. And that’s Commodus. When your own emperor father passes you up as an option for succession and picks Maximus? That’s bound to give you a bit of a complex. Besides that, Commodus has absolutely no use for anyone and no cares about anyone else’s problems but his own. It’s probably part of what leads to his demise.
#8: Gil Pender
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“Midnight in Paris” (2011)
In all honesty, we could have put the main characters in most Woody Allen movies on this list. But none are as bad an offender as Gil Pender in “Midnight in Paris.” With the number of famous characters in this movie, you’d think Gil would be able to get a hold of himself. When Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald are around, you’re probably not the smartest or more interesting person in the room. Yet Gil spends the entirety of the movie lamenting his inability to finish writing a novel while simultaneously acting like everyone around him is an idiot, including his fiancée.
#7: Frances Halladay
“Frances Ha” (2012)
It’s that age-old tale of the girl who wants to stay young forever. Frances Halladay is a 20-something year old woman living in New York City, content to not have to deal with real adult problems for as long as humanly possible. When her best friend tells her that she’s moving out, the reveal causes a chain of events that force Frances to grow up. Though she definitely has a satisfying arc throughout the movie, she also lives in a world where nothing matters except her. When faced with change, she begins to freak out. She’s one of the more relatable characters we’ll see on this list, but with major main character energy no less.
#6: Vizzini
“The Princess Bride” (1987)
Now here’s a guy who loves being the center of attention. “The Princess Bride” is memorable for quite a few reasons, but one of the biggest ones is Wallace Shawn’s performance as Vizzini. The Sicilian leads a small crew of thieves who are hired to take Princess Buttercup and start a war. While that might sound harrowing, Vizzini makes it quite entertaining. Not because he’s particularly smart or funny, but because he so earnestly thinks that he is both of those things. He’s a textbook narcissist who finds it “inconceivable” that anyone could ever best him. That’s big main character energy.
#5: Scar
“The Lion King” (1994)
When it comes to Disney villains, we all have our favorites. Indisputably, one of the best and most nefarious is Scar from “The Lion King.” We think one of the things that makes him so deliciously evil is his selfish streak, which is also what gives him his main character energy. Scar has always longed for Mufasa’s throne and all the power that comes with it. His main character syndrome has consumed him so badly that he’s willing to kill his own brother to get what he wants. If that’s not a textbook narcissist, we don’t know what is.
#4: Mark Zuckerberg
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“The Social Network” (2010)
A true to life main character. “The Social Network” is based on Mark Zuckerberg and the rise of Facebook. For this entry, however, we’ll be focusing on the fictional Zuckerberg, not the real one. In the film, he does quite a few main character-esque things. He insults his girlfriend’s intelligence, screws his business partner over and creates a website dedicated to comparing women because he is angry at, you guessed it, a woman. Yet despite all the terrible behaviors he exhibits, he still has a streak of melancholy to him. At the end of the movie, he sits there refreshing the page, waiting to see if someone accepts his friend request. It’s main character syndrome at its worst.
#3: Loki
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“Thor” (2011) & “The Avengers” (2012)
Honestly, maybe Loki should be the main character of “The Avengers” movies. If the “Loki” series taught us anything, it’s that he’s definitely interesting enough. In the early “Thor” and “Avengers” films, his jealousy and feelings of inadequacy cause him to try and insert himself as the main character in various ways. Most of those involve taking over the world or trying to prove himself better than his brother Thor. Envy is a big part of what makes main character energy so potent, and that paired with Loki’s selfish charm make him the perfect candidate.
#2: Miranda Priestly
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“The Devil Wears Prada” (2006)
Sometimes, someone is so magnetic they barely have to speak to command a room. Miranda Priestly certainly fits that description, but she’s even more interesting than that. Her main character syndrome doesn’t just come from her mysterious allure, but her cutthroat nature and willingness to do anything to get to the top. Miranda has learned to put herself first. It’s what allows her to so easily ask the impossible of others. For real, how did she expect Andy to get an early copy of the new “Harry Potter” book? Somehow, Andy does. But that’s setting someone else up to fail if we’ve ever seen it.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Steve Stifler, “American Pie” franchise (1999-)
He’s Not as Hot as He Thinks He Is
Roxie Hart, “Chicago” (2002)
The Name on Everybody’s Lips Is Gonna Be Roxie
Gretchen Wieners, “Mean Girls” (2004)
Her Father, The Inventor of Toaster Strudel, Will Be Very Happy to Hear About This
Melvin Udall, “As Good as It Gets” (1997)
The Meanest Main Character
Lord Voldemort, “Harry Potter” franchise (2001-11)
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#1: Mavis Gary
“Young Adult” (2011)
Arguably no one is more precious about their time than a writer on deadline. But in “Young Adult,” Mavis Gary is quite precious about a lot of things, including how important she must be to the people left in her hometown. In the film, Mavis decides to return home to try and win back her high school sweetheart. He’s married with a child, but that’s not gonna stop her! She’s so obsessed with her own narrative, she doesn’t even entertain the idea that her ex might not want her back. That’s what happens when you can’t get over yourself.
