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Top 20 Actors Who Hated Their Characters

Top 20 Actors Who Hated Their Characters
VOICE OVER: Sophia Franklin WRITTEN BY: Cassondra Feltus
You can't always get what you want! Welcome to MsMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the actors who loathed the personalities, behaviors, and/or story arcs of the characters they portrayed in film and television. Since some of these detail important plot points and character development, a spoiler warning is now in effect. Our countdown includes actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Imelda Staunton, Blake Lively and more!

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the actors who loathed the personalities, behaviors, and/or story arcs of the characters they portrayed in film and television. Since some of these detail important plot points and character development, a spoiler warning is now in effect. Did you hate any of these characters as much as the actors did? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

#20: Jacob Elordi as Noah Flynn


“The Kissing Booth” trilogy (2018-21)

2023 was a big year for Jacob Elordi, the rising star who was a part of two critically acclaimed films — “Saltburn” and “Priscilla.” Most became familiar with Elordi as Nate in “Euphoria.” But before that, he played Noah Flynn in Netflix’s “Kissing Booth” franchise. While he’s remained grateful for the early work, he hasn’t been shy about calling the movies “ridiculous” and his character “awful.” When preparing for the role, the actor was frustrated that his character wouldn’t smoke like he does in the book, a habit Elordi felt was a part of Noah’s “bad boy” persona. He also didn’t love the daily workout regimen he had to do, or the attention on his body which made him extremely uncomfortable.

#19: Ed Harris as The Man in Black

“Westworld” (2016-22)

As we’ll discuss in many entries on this list, actors sometimes don’t like the direction of their characters. They usually remain professional but it’s still frustrating. Ed Harris experienced this in the third season of “Westworld” when his mysterious Man in Black character became the Man in White, going from a deadly gunslinger to a “good guy.” The actor stuck it out and played the part, or parts, but he admitted that filming scenes as a new virtuous character was “aggravating.” However, Harris’ personal feelings about the unpleasant shift helped influence his performance. So… silver lining?

#18: George Reeves as Superman

“Superman and the Mole Men” (1951) & “Adventures of Superman” (1952-58)

In 1951, George Reeves, desperate for an acting gig, signed on to be Superman in “Adventures of Superman,” beginning with the pilot/movie “Superman and the Mole Men.” But after he became the Man of Steel, he struggled to find any other work. Being Superman brought him fame but seemingly hurt his chances for other opportunities. Reeves told the Akron Beacon Journal, “Most movie producers feel I’m too closely identified with Superman, so they won’t use me.” It’s common for an actor to get bored with a role when they no longer feel challenged, which appears to be the case with Reeves. According to actor Ben Welden, the star once said, “Here I am, wasting my life.”

#17: Matthew Modine as Dr. Martin Brenner


“Stranger Things” (2016-)

There are multiple antagonists throughout “Stranger Things,” most of which are supernatural. But one very real human with nefarious intentions is Dr. Martin Brenner, aka “Papa,” played by Matthew Modine. While he doesn’t seem to hate playing the role, like the audience, he hates the character’s actions. Speaking about filming Season 4’s scene where he tortures 001/Henry Creel/Vecna, Modine said, “It made me sick to my stomach.” Portraying the monstrous doctor was physically and mentally exhausting. But behind the scenes, Matthew Modine is nothing like Brenner and has such a great kinship with Millie Bobby Brown that she asked him to officiate her wedding.

#16: Harrison Ford as Han Solo

“Star Wars” franchise (1977-)

With an impressive decades-long filmography, Harrison Ford has played many memorable characters. But one role he’ll always be associated with is Han Solo from the original “Star Wars” trilogy from 1977 to 1983, plus the infamously awful “Star Wars Holiday Special.” Ford has expressed in interviews that he felt done after three films and that Han Solo was not so interesting to him. For years, he wanted the character killed off, which ultimately didn’t happen until 2015’s “The Force Awakens.” Others argue that believing Han should have a meaningful death doesn’t mean he hates the character. But one thing’s for sure, he despises hypotheticals like who would win in a fight between Han Solo and his other iconic character, Indiana Jones.

#15: Christopher Plummer as Captain Georg von Trapp

“The Sound of Music” (1965)

1965’s “The Sound of Music” is considered one of the most beloved musicals of all time. But over the years, Christopher Plummer, who starred as family patriarch Captain Georg von Trapp, has had few nice things to say. In a 1982 interview, he called it a “lousy part” and that he had to “use every trick you know to fill the empty carcass of the role.” As for the film itself, Plummer found the classic too “sentimental and gooey.” But by the time the 50th anniversary came around in 2015, the actor had a change of tune and came to appreciate the film’s legacy.

#14: Evangeline Lilly as Kate Austen

“Lost” (2004-10)

In the early seasons of ABC’s hit drama “Lost,” Kate Austen, one of the island-bound plane crash survivors, was her own person. But as the show progressed, her personality and storylines weren’t as compelling. Evangeline Lilly, who starred as Kate for all six seasons, felt her character became too focused on the love triangle between Jack and Sawyer and started to lack agency. In 2018, Lilly told “The Lost Boys” podcast that she’d get so irritated that her “kind of cool” character became “obnoxious” that she’d “throw scripts across rooms.” She wasn’t alone in her frustration, though. Many fans and critics had similar complaints with the increasingly side-lined Kate.

#13: David Harewood as Hank Henshaw [aka Cyborg Superman]

“Supergirl” (2015-21)

David Harewood was tasked with two dual roles on the CW’s “Supergirl.” In the first season, he played J’onn J’onzz, aka Martian Manhunter, impersonating Hank Henshaw, ex-CIA agent and the head of the Department of Extra-Normal Operation. But Harewood also played the real Henshaw, who later became Cyborg Superman. When the star was asked to choose which character was the most fun to play, he gave an honest answer. Although he was excited to play Cyborg Superman, Harewood’s enthusiasm waned as he felt the character was “boring” and underdeveloped. He also criticized the villain’s “cheap-looking” getup. However, Harewood stuck around for all six seasons.

#12: Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson [aka Weapon XI/Deadpool]

“X-Men Origins: Wolverine” (2009)

We know what you’re thinking. Obviously, Ryan Reynolds loves playing Deadpool. But before he got the 2016 solo film off the ground, he had to play a version of the character that fans, including himself, absolutely hated. In 2009’s “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” Wade Wilson was introduced as a member of William Stryker’s Team X. By the end, he’s been transformed into Weapon XI, a “mutant killer” complete with laser eyes, retractable katanas, and his mouth sewn shut. Reynolds stated that the studio insisted on this unfaithful take on the “Merc with a Mouth,” an experience he’s described as “frustrating.” However, it turned into more meta jokes for the subsequent and future “Deadpool” films, so maybe it wasn’t all bad.

#11: Allison Williams as Marnie Michaels


“Girls” (2012-17)

From the point of its initial release, Lena Dunham’s show “Girls” received plenty of criticism for its portrayal of spoiled and entitled millennial women - even though that was obviously the point. One of the most reprehensible characters on the show is Marnie, Hannah’s friend who makes many questionable decisions throughout her story arc. Actress Allison Williams, who portrays her, said to Buzzfeed, “Marnie would drive me crazy if we were friends in real life”. She went on to detail all of the missteps that Marnie made during the show’s run, stating that it was difficult to be there with her through it all.

#10: Blake Lively as Serena Van Der Woodsen


“Gossip Girl” (2007-12)

Now, Blake Lively is undeniably a Hollywood A-lister, and while she had acted before “Gossip Girl”, most would agree that it was her big break. She has since worried about viewers relating her to her character, mainly because of the dubious behavior that Serena often engaged in. In 2015, she told Allure, “it always felt a little personally compromising — you want to be putting a better message out there”. Getting into the specifics, she added, “I would not be proud to be the person who gave someone the cocaine that made them overdose and then shot someone and slept with someone else’s boyfriend.”

#9: Katherine Heigl as Alison Scott

“Knocked Up” (2007)

Katherine Heigl was once a rom-com staple but her popularity dwindled after she publicly criticized some of her work in a 2008 Vanity Fair interview. The actress was unhappy with Izzie Stevens’ uncharacteristic decisions in the fourth season of “Grey’s Anatomy,” and therefore opted out of Emmy consideration. In this case, Heigl was displeased with the writing. However, her issue with “Knocked Up” was a different story. She played Alison Scott, the woman who had a one-night stand with Seth Rogen’s Ben Stone and became pregnant. She believed the portrayal of Alison was sexist, saying the character was always a “killjoy” and a “shrew” while the male characters got to be “lovable, goofy, fun-loving guys.” The media attention around her opinions ultimately hurt her career.

#8: Sir Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi

“Star Wars” trilogy (1977-83)

Sir Alec Guinness seemed to have a love/hate relationship with playing Obi-Wan Kenobi, first appearing in 1977’s “Star Wars.” He reluctantly reprised the role in “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi,” only after negotiating a higher salary and a percentage of the box office earnings. Publicly and privately, the late actor frequently referred to George Lucas’ dialogue as “bloody awful, banal” and “excruciating.” In a letter written to his friend Anne Kauffman, Guinness didn’t have the most positive things to say about his experience filming or the lines for Obi-Wan Kenobi. As an award-winning actor on stage and screen, Guinness wasn’t thrilled with the sudden recognition for this one role. However, this didn’t stop him from collecting millions in royalties.

#7: Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge

“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” (2007) & “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1” (2010)

From being tormented by Draco Malfoy to repeatedly almost getting killed by Voldemort, Harry Potter has dealt with his fair share of evil villains. But fans would argue that Dolores Umbridge, one of the many Defence Against the Dark Arts professors, ranks high on the lost list of Wizarding World antagonists. Imelda Staunton, who played the pink-clad authoritarian in two “Harry Potter” films, definitely agrees. In 2016, she told Entertainment Weekly’s Binge podcast that the deceivingly soft Umbridge was a “bloody monster” whom she didn’t sympathize with at all. Although Staunton enjoyed the experience as an actor, she cited the most challenging scene to film was torturing Harry in detention, a moment that’s still painful to watch just as a viewer.

#6: Stanley Tucci as George Harvey

“The Lovely Bones” (2009)

Playing a villain may have its fun moments but embodying serial killers is often a taxing job for an actor. Stanley Tucci, well-known for being funny and likable, struggled with his character in Peter Jackson’s film adaptation of “The Lovely Bones.” The supernatural thriller centered on Susie Salmon, a girl stuck in the “in-between,” watching over her grief-stricken family and the man who took her life. Tucci’s George Harvey appears as a normal guy but commits horrible acts, requiring the actor to research similar real-life criminals like Dennis Rader, aka the BTK Killer. As a parent, the dark subject matter took such a toll on the actor that he almost left the film. Tucci’s chilling performance earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

#5: Sean Connery as James Bond

“James Bond” franchise (1962-)

Scottish actor Sean Connery brought the titular British spy in Ian Fleming’s “James Bond” series to the big screen in 1962’s “Dr. No.” However, as with many actors who become forever linked to a certain character, he was over it by the fifth film, “You Only Live Twice.” Connery worried about being typecast and didn’t enjoy the fame that came with playing the iconic 007. He briefly left the role behind but returned for 1971’s “Diamonds Are Forever.” And a decade later, agreed to a final appearance in 1983’s “Never Say Never Again.” Though much of his resentment stems from issues with the producers and salary disputes, he told The Observer in 2004, that he “always hated” James Bond and would “like to kill him.”

#4: Marlon Brando as Stanley Kowalski

“A Streetcar Named Desire” (1951)

The role of Stanley Kowalski in 1951’s “A Streetcar Named Desire” is widely considered as one of Marlon Brando’s best performances, and that’s saying something. He first played the brutish character in Tennessee Williams’ play then joined Elia Kazan’s film adaptation. While the performance earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, Brando didn’t like that critics and audiences believed he must be a lot like Stanley. Considering the character was a cruel, egotistical, abusive man, it’s understandable why he wanted people to know that he was “the antithesis of Stanley Kowalski.” In David Richard Jones’s 1986 book “Great Directors at Work,” Brando said, “I detest the character.”

#3: Leonardo DiCaprio as “Monsieur” Calvin J. Candie

“Django Unchained” (2012)

Throughout his legendary filmography, Quentin Tarantino has created plenty of villainous characters that are easy to hate. But many can agree that “Monsieur” Calvin J. Candie in “Django Unchained,” the plantation owner who enslaved Django’s wife Broomhilda, was among the worst. Tarantino himself hated the character he created, as did Leonardo DiCaprio who was tasked with inhabiting someone he described as “deplorable, indulgent, horrendous,” and racist. The actor understandably found the cruel and twisted Calvin Candie a difficult person to portray and even struggled to say racial slurs, of which there were many. DiCaprio always delivers stellar performances and with a character so abhorrent as Candie, it was all the more effective.

#2: Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen


“The Twilight Saga” (2008-12)

Robert Pattinson is known for his work in eclectic films like “Good Time,” “The Lighthouse,” and “The Batman.” But nearly everyone remembers him as immortal heartthrob Edward Cullen in “Twilight” and remembers just how much he hated the sparkly vampire. You’ll find many interviews of the actor calling out the nonsensical aspects of the character and his stalker behavior, but also the story itself. Pattinson once told Empire, “The more I read the script, the more I hated this guy, so that’s how I played him, as a manic-depressive who hates himself.” These days, he still likes to poke fun at the phenomenon but has been more positive about the role. While doing press for “The Batman”, Pattinson even defended the franchise… well, sort of.

#1: Penn Badgley as Joe Goldberg


“You” (2018-)

From the beginning, Penn Badgley was very vocal about his disdain for Joe Goldberg, the serial stalker and murderer at the center of “You.” When people online began romanticizing and even defending Joe’s disturbing behavior, the actor was quick to remind everyone that his character was a manipulative sociopath. It didn’t take long before fans made comparisons to Badgley’s Dan Humphrey on “Gossip Girl,” another character he found problematic. To be fair, it would be concerning if Badgley didn’t hate Joe, or Dan for that matter. He even believes the characters would equally dislike each other. By now, he’s made it clear that no one hates Joe Goldberg more than him.

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