10 Times Actors Failed to Live Up to the Audience Expectations

Sometimes actors and actresses fail to live up to what is expected of them when playing a character, and neither the critics nor the public can let it go. Some are even nominated for worst performance or fail to fill the shoes of the character they played. Here is a list of performances that were not well received by the public at large.

1. Ana de Armas — Blonde

Ana de Armas said from the start that having a Cuban playing the legendary Marilyn Monroe was controversial. Although she had months of dialect training sessions to reproduce Monroe’s accent, the result wasn’t compelling according to the audience. Many people said they could hear her Cuban accent and Marilyn’s voice come and go.

Generally speaking, Blonde was controversial because of the fictitious portrayal of Monroe’s life. But while many consider that the role was too big for Ana de Armas, her performance also earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

2. Tom Hanks — Elvis

Tom Hanks’ performance as Colonel Tom Parker in the Elvis Presley biopic caused a polarized reaction from critics. While some considered it a success, others thought it was a “baffling, even catastrophic” performance. They also criticized his pseudo-Dutch accent for being inaccurate concerning the real-life Tom Parker, and some more daring said it was the worst work of the actor’s career.

3. Anne Hathaway — The Witches

Hiring big names won’t automatically turn a movie into a blockbuster, and The Witches is a perfect example. Although people like Octavia Spencer and Guillermo del Toro helped produce the film, the audience didn’t find it compelling. The same goes for Anne Hathaway’s performance of the Great Witch. People accused her of having “high school drama club overtones,” with an over-the-top style and unrealistic accent.

4. Jared Leto — Morbius

Morbius came to theaters with low expectations, yet many fans were merciless in calling it one of the worst movies Marvel has ever made. Jared’s performance wasn’t spared either: fans deemed it “subdued” and said it lacked punch.

Although Jared Leto already proved his acting chops in movies like Dallas Buyer’s Club, this was not the first time he faced negative reviews in the superhero genre. Something similar happened when he played the Joker in Suicide Squad.

5. LeBron James — Space Jam: A New Legacy

In addition to his NBA championship trophies, basketball player LeBron James also has his Razzie Award for worst actor. He won this thanks to his performance in the movie Space Jam: A New Legacy. He looked “as flat and stiff as a backboard,” some critics said.

6. Halle Berry — Catwoman

For Halle Berry, becoming Catwoman in 2004 meant being the target of a lot of criticism for the disappointing outcome of the film. Although she worked hard for the role and even learned capoeira, she was not spared from negative reviews.

In fact, Halle won a Razzie for worst actress and made history by attending the ceremony to collect her award and giving a speech, proving that you have to know how to win but also how to lose.

7. Robert Downey Jr. — Dolittle

Playing the eccentric Dr. Dolittle brought a lot of criticism for Robert Downey Jr. People said that he showed no personality whatsoever, with a vaguely English accent that seemed to have been overdubbed in post-production. Overall, the film was also not well received.

8. Kellan Lutz — The Legend of Hercules

This version of Hercules’ adventures did flop. The timing didn’t help either: it was released shortly before Hercules starring Dwayne Johnson. Kellan Lutz’s version, best remembered as Emmett in the Twilight saga, turned out to be a fiasco in which people missed charisma.

9. Maria Bello — The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

The change of location, mythology, and leading actress seems to have taken a toll on the third installment of the franchise. In fact, this was also the last in the saga after it failed to deliver the expected results. The plot no longer took place in Egypt, Imhotep was gone, as was Rachel Weisz, and fans didn’t like that. Despite her efforts to play the same character, Maria Bello failed to win over the audience.

10. Ruby Rose — Vanquish

According to the critics, not even the actors could hide their indifference to Vanquish’s script. The movie was merely a succession of action sequences in which the protagonist, Ruby Rose, failed to convince viewers that she was a relentless avenger. The character wasn’t great either, so there was not much to work with in the first place.