Even some of the most famous actors in Hollywood get it wrong, and you might be surprised by some of the big names who made this list of the worst acting performances in film history.
Vince Vaughn, Psycho
Whoever tried to fill the shoes of the lead character in this iconic piece of cinema was always going to be reaching for some intangible goal. That’s precisely what we see with Vince Vaugh’s performance in the 1998 remake of the famous movie Psycho; he is always reaching, but his acting never quite gets there.
Uma Thurman, Kill Bill
This was a great movie, but Uma Thurman’s acting was so wooden that she could have given a tree a run for its money.
Halle Berry, Catwoman
Halle Berry was criticized for her performance in Catwoman and even won a Razzie award for worst actress, which she famously decided to collect in person, much to everyone’s surprise.
Everything about this movie was criticized, including the directing, the plot, the script, and most notably Berry’s acting. The film is currently only rated a measly 8% on Rotten Tomatoes. Ouch.
Nicolas Cage, The Wicker Man
Nicolas Cage is a good actor, just not in this movie. His performance feels cheesy and unbelievable, but so does the entire film.
Cameron Diaz, Gangs of New York,
Fans criticized Cameron Diaz’s performance as Jenny Everdeane, Leonardo DiCaprio’s love interest in the movie. Diaz’s performance was called flat, and some claimed that the character Jenny was superfluous to the plot and that the only reason Diaz was even cast was because she was a massive box office draw at the time.
Nicole Kidman, The Moulin Rouge
The Moulin Rouge is a compelling, aesthetically stunning film, but Kidman’s acting lets the film down as her performance just didn’t connect with audiences.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Batman & Robin
Playing the very corny role of Mr. Freeze, Arnie looks like a giant ice cube in this film, and it just doesn’t work.
Hayden Christensen, Star Wars: Episode II
Hayden’s acting performance in this movie left much to be desired, but then again, so did most of the Star Wars prequel films.
Tom Hanks as Tom Parks in Elvis
Many criticized Hanks for being miscast in such a villainous role, claiming that he just wasn’t convincing enough to play such a baddie. The Los Angeles Times even called it his “worst performance,” claiming that Hanks’ delivery was “grating.”
Mark Wahlberg, The Happening
Critics panned this movie and Wahlberg’s acting, with many claiming that, ironically, it just felt like nothing was happening.
John Travolta, Battlefield Earth
Everything about this film was awful: the script, the costumes, and the entire premise. Sadly, the worst part was John Travolta’s acting.
Uma Thurman, My Super Ex-Girlfriend
Uma Thurman plays a geek-turned-jilted superwoman in this attempt at a comedy/superhero movie. Unfortunately, everything about this movie misses the mark, particularly Thurman’s acting. Plus, the jokes are corny, and it’s full of clichéd, sexist jibes.
Tobey Maguire, Spiderman
Tobey Maguire can act; we only need to look at his stellar performances in movies like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Seabiscuit. Unfortunately, this was not his finest hour, with fans likening his performance in this movie to more of a parody of Spider-Man than the real deal.
Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained
This man is a great Director, but his cameo in this film made us all feel sure that he really should stay behind the camera.
Rihanna, Battleship
Like many big music stars who appear in movies, this one did not gel well. Rihanna wasn’t believable as an actress, and it was clear that she was cast as a money-grabbing tactic.
Mariah Carey, Glitter
Mariah Carey got a Golden Raspberry for her performance in this movie, and we probably don’t need to know more.
Shaquille O’Neal, Kazaam
Kazaam is one of the worst movies of all time, and Shaq’s performance was abysmal in this film. His acting was criticized for being so flat that audiences couldn’t tell when he was trying to act angrily.
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Beach
Everything about this film was a bit off-center, including DiCaprio’s acting. Audiences claimed his acting was erratic and out of sync with the movie’s pace. Critics even nominated DiCaprio for a Razzie because his performance was so bad.
Colin Farrell, Daredevil
This movie failed in many areas; the writing, the costumes, and the production could have been better. But Farrell gave a particularly cringy performance in this film, which was not his usual caliber of acting.
Michael Jordan, Space Jam
Criticized for delivering an expressionless performance, everything except Michael Jordan’s flat, wooden acting was pretty good about this movie.
Jared Leto, Suicide Squad
Leto’s role as The Joker in Suicide Squad has been criticized as an epic miscast for several reasons. One of the main criticisms is that Leto tried to play too many different versions of The Joker, and this eclipsed any genuine attempt to demonstrate the damaged psyche that notoriously lies behind the character.
George Clooney, Batman and Robin
Clooney’s acting was so bad in this movie he even apologized for it. There were many things wrong with this film, and Clooney’s acting was one of them. Criticized for being flat, wooden, and lacking emotional depth, this one is not his finest hour.
Russell Crowe, Les Misérables
Russell Crowe sang in this film. The Director wanted the actors playing the roles to sing every single part of the movie, even the dialogue, and this did not work well. Crowe does not have the best singing voice, and watching Crowe try to act by singing for almost three hours was pretty painful.
