11 Movies Where the Good Guys Were Actually Selfish and Toxic

Considering the insane number of fans that iconic characters like the Joker have, it is no surprise that viewers adore characters that look pleasant, but actually aren’t. Just like in real life, people in movies and TV series often try to pretend to be someone they aren’t, hiding their flaws in their charm and sense of humor. Even among the characters we really love, there are a lot of people whose bad behavior we ignore.

We, at Bright Side, have tried to figure out which movie characters were able to trick viewers and win their hearts.

1. Kate Austen, Lost

It is very easy to feel empathy for this character in the beginning, but it gets harder and harder over time. She always acts as if she’s better than everyone else. Austen is a selfish and arrogant person, who’s not ready to be responsible for her actions. Also, she couldn’t choose between Jack and Sawyer (and her choice often depended on who was the most profitable for her at the moment).

2. Albus Dumbledore, the Harry Potter series

In the beginning, Dumbledore seemed like a great wizard, a strategist, and a good mentor. But he is still a controversial character. Over time, you realize that Harry was just his pawn. For example, Dumbledore clearly realized that Harry had to destroy the Horcrux inside him. And Dumbledore was ready to do anything to achieve this goal.

3. Ally Hamilton, The Notebook

Nick Cassavetes’s film is of the best dramas of the 21st century, but the relationship between the main characters is actually pretty toxic, mostly because of Ally’s behavior. She had a terrible personality. She often acted childishly. Besides, Ally cheated on her husband with a guy she hadn’t seen for several years. If you think about all these things, it is hard to empathize with Ally Hamilton.

4. Sheldon Cooper, The Big Bang Theory

Sheldon has lots of fans and, of course, the series wouldn’t be as interesting if Sheldon didn’t exist. But in real life, very few people would like to have a friend like Cooper — who’s selfish and rude. He often made Amy cry and did bad things to his relatives without even realizing it.

5. Robin Scherbatsky, How I Met Your Mother

Robin didn’t plan to get married or have children but she knew it was Ted’s dream. Still, she agreed to date him even though their relationship wasn’t going anywhere. And finally, Robin had a relationship with Barney, Ted’s friend, which was quite painful for Ted. But it didn’t stop there. Then, Robin manipulated Barney to break up with his girlfriend Nora when she realized she still had feelings for him. That’s selfish, don’t you think?

6. Jerry, Tom and Jerry

When we’re children, we think that the mouse is smart and funny. But when we grow up, we realize that he made the cat’s life unbearable for no good reason. A typical episode: Tom lives a happy life with his owner and then Jerry shows up in the kitchen and steals food. The owner tells Tom she’ll throw him out if he doesn’t catch Jerry and Tom is always in trouble because of him. So which of them is the real bad guy?

7. Jack Shephard, Lost

At first sight, Jack seems to be the most positive character of the show, but he has some flaws. He constantly puts himself in danger to look fearless and feel like a hero. And he was the only doctor on the island. This is vain, don’t you think? Besides, he always wanted to be a leader and control everything, even the things he couldn’t control.

8. Cristina Yang, Grey’s Anatomy

Sandra Oh’s character quickly won viewers over with her quick wit, her energy, and her ambition. But as a character, Cristina didn’t really develop. She was still as career-driven as she was in the beginning. Also, she was very vain — she always reminded others about what a great doctor she was.

9. J.D., Scrubs

Even though J.D. is the heart of the show and he is a fun and charming character, he’s a flawed person. He goes crazy every time he fails to achieve a goal. And how many times did he do something reckless without thinking about others! Do you remember when he kissed Carla, his best friend’s girlfriend?

10. Rose, Titanic

This is another iconic drama where the amazing love story between the main characters made the viewers turn a blind eye to their morally-grey actions. Don’t forget that in the beginning, Rose was very arrogant because she thought that she was better than others. Also, she cheated on her fiancé and when the Titanic sank and she and Jack were in the water, she didn’t even suggest for Jack to climb onto the door (and there is an experiment proving that 2 people could have easily fit on that door.)

11. Barney Stinson, How I Met Your Mother

Barney is probably the most interesting character of the series, obviously, thanks to the charismatic and charming Neil Patrick Harris. But it’s hard to deny the fact that he was a liar and a selfish person. In most cases, Barney only thought about himself. And the lengths he went to win another girl... He also cheated on Nora even though he could’ve broken up with her before dating Robin.

Which other movie and TV series characters are not as positive as they seem at first sight? Tell us in the comment section below!