Casting can make or break a movie. Sometimes, even the biggest and most talented names in Hollywood can end up in roles that don’t quite fit. There are many instances where famous actors were truly miscast in their roles, leaving audiences scratching their heads and wondering what could have been.
1. Chloë Grace Moretz in Carrie (2013)
Did the creators of the 2013 Carrie remake watch the original? Carrie White is a homely recluse with absolutely no charisma or charm. Sure, she’s nice, but intentionally written to not be someone that anyone in a high school setting would go out of their way to be friends with. Chloë Grace Moretz doesn’t even look the part, and the film touches on that awful trope where the supposedly nerdy, unattractive, friendless girl is played by an actress known for being the complete polar opposite.
2. Topher Grace in Spider-Man 3
Venom is one of Spider-Man’s most notable villains, but Sam Raimi struck out when he brought the character to life in Spider-Man 3. First and foremost, the casting choice was completely out of left field. Of all the people to play Eddie Brock, an otherwise burly character with the potential for being menacing, Topher Grace is nowhere on the potential list. He just plays a slightly miffed Topher Grace, even when he dons the iconic symbiote—which was an entirely different misstep in design.
The only thing Grace was able to do was match Parker in his completely cringeworthy nerdiness, which audiences were supposed to find threatening.
3. Tom Holland as Spider-Man
It may be a controversial take, but Tom Holland is just not the best Spider-Man. It’s a hard role to follow and he’s certainly hit his stride in the newer movies, but a few things were working against him from the start. Most prominently was his reliance on Tony Stark’s tech, which made him feel like the less-reliant web-slinger we had come to know and love.
4. Steven Seagal in Anything
No offense to them, but some viewers question any casting director’s choice to cast Steven Seagal in, well, pretty much any movie he’s ever been in. He became known for his martial arts skills and action movies in the ’80s and ’90s, but his acting abilities have been heavily criticized.
Seagal is often considered a lousy actor due to his wooden and monotone delivery, lack of emotional range, and overall unconvincing performances. On top of this, numerous reports allege he’s difficult to work with on set. My rule is you can be challenging to work with on set if you’re Daniel Day-Lewis in character. Otherwise, grow up.
5. Mark Wahlberg in Uncharted
Mark Wahlberg has seen plenty of success in his career thanks to films like Ted and The Departed. His appearance as Sully in Uncharted, based on the popular PlayStation video game, feels out of place.
One reason for this is how Sully mentors Uncharted protagonist Nathan Drake (Tom Holland). Wahlberg’s roles typically see him as a loose cannon and, in the case of The Departed, with a thick Boston accent. On the other hand, Sully is far more likely to be found on a tropical island than anywhere near Massachusetts.
6. Denise Richards in The World Is Not Enough
There are many things that Denise Richards can convincingly play, but a nuclear scientist in the James Bond universe (or any universe) is not one of them. Richards’ performance as Dr. Jones in the 1999 Bond film The World Is Not Enough was heavily criticized by fans and critics because she was not believable as a nuclear scientist.
Richards had limited roles that typecast her as the hot bombshell. The Bond film was no different as she played the desirable scientist dressed in skimpy clothing. Hey, some people love it, and some people hate it. It’s a Bond film, after all. At the end of the day, it’s not that serious.
7. Mark Wahlberg in Transformers: Age of Extinction
Wahlberg’s casting as Cade Yeager in the fourth installment of the Transformers franchise was met with disapproval for several reasons. His character was meant to be portrayed as an underdog. However, Wahlberg’s physical appearance and persona didn’t fit the part, making it hard for audiences to suspend their disbelief. Wahlberg’s acting style is also overly dramatic and out of place in the sci-fi action genre. His performance also lacked the charisma and chemistry with other cast members that the franchise had previously enjoyed.
8. Mickey Rooney in Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Controversially, Mick Rooney was cast as Mr. Yunioshi in the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Rooney, a White man cast to play an Asian character, was accused of committing “yellow face.” The film was ripped apart for contributing to racist stereotypes. In Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Rooney wore makeup to appear Asian, exaggerated his accent, and played the character for laughs. The character was not convincing, and it was very clearly a White man pretending to be Asian.
9. Everyone in Fifty Shades of Grey
When Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan stepped on-screen as Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey in the Fifty Shades of Grey film adaptation, there was quite a bit of backlash. The characters had no chemistry, making the relationship less believable. Even beyond the leading pair, some of the actors didn’t match the physical descriptions of the book, such as Dornan as Grey. The franchise was heavily criticized for many reasons, but the casting was one of its most significant downfalls.
10. Cameron Diaz in Gangs of New York
Martin Scorsese admitted he cast Diaz as Jenny in the film because the studio sought a more bankable star. However, this was a huge mistake for an otherwise revered movie. Diaz was not believable as an Irish woman in the film’s period, nor was she appropriate for the film’s dramatic tone.
Her performance lacked depth and complexity for a character in such a historical and intense setting. Her modern mannerisms and accent clashed with the period and setting of the film, taking away from the immersion and realism of the story. Additionally, her romantic subplot with DiCaprio detracted from the overall narrative and theme of the film.
11. George Clooney in Batman & Robin
Let me add a caveat to this with the disclaimer that everyone has their preferences regarding Batman. We all have a Batman we love and a Batman we hate. However, a considerable amount of people can’t stand Clooney’s portrayal of the iconic superhero in 1997’s Batman & Robin.
Many fans and critics felt that Clooney’s performance was lacking in the intensity and brooding nature that the character is known for and that his portrayal of Bruce Wayne was too light-hearted and comedic. Clooney himself has also expressed regret over his portrayal of the character, acknowledging that the film was not well-received and apologizing to fans for his performance.
12. Kristen Stewart in Snow White and the Huntsman
Stewart has since redeemed herself as a serious actress, earning herself an Oscar nomination, but years back, people struggled to take Stewart seriously post-Twilight. Perhaps her representation as a Twilight star partially put people off, but she lacked the strength and charisma necessary for the role, at least at the time.
There was also a lack of chemistry between herself and Chris Hemsworth, who played her love interest in Snow White and the Huntsman. Some argue that the real problem isn’t that Stewart did a poor job. Rather, Charlize Theron, who played the queen, outshone her. Theron makes it difficult to accept the premise that Snow White threatens the evil stepmother.
13. Jared Leto in Suicide Squad
Leto was attacked for his flashier portrayal of the Joker in Suicide Squad. His Joker was overly flashy and lacked the dark, menacing nature that the character is known for. His performance was seen as heavily influenced by previous portrayals, and the character’s limited screen time and lack of development made it hard to invest in Leto’s performance fully.
14. Tom Hanks in Elvis
It may be shocking to see the legendary Tom Hanks on a list about miscasting, but alas, it has happened. Hanks has met a role that just wasn’t his match. While Austin Butler was praised for his portrayal of the title role of Elvis, Hanks’ portrayal of Col. Tom Parker was riddled with goofiness. He did a dodgy accent and came off as a cartoon character rather than a genuine person.
15. Russell Crowe in Les Misérables
Crowe has proven himself as one of the most talented actors in the business. However, what he’s not is one of the best singers in the industry. When he was cast as Javert in the 2012 film adaptation of Les Misérables, many questioned his singing ability considering he was playing in a musical. Worse than that, his performance felt restrained and lacked the passion necessary for the character. People were even critical of his physical appearance, such as his modern haircut not fitting with the period.
16. Tom Cruise in Jack Reacher
According to the source material, Jack Reacher is supposed to be 6’5″, so it’s quite funny that they cast Tom Cruise, an actor who is only 5’7″. Cruise wound up being too charismatic and charming for a character who was supposed to be stoic and reserved.
17. Sofia Coppola in The Godfather Part III
Fans of The Godfather hate Sofia Coppola’s performance in the franchise’s third film so much that numerous video essays online make the case that she ruined the film entirely. One central point of contention was her inexperience as an actress at the time of filming, which was seen as a factor in her lackluster performance.
Her character, Mary Corleone, was seen as underdeveloped and poorly written, which further detracted from the quality of her performance. Some also felt that her casting was an example of nepotism, as she is the daughter of the film’s director, Francis Ford Coppola.
18. Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
Hayden Christensen, who played Anakin Skywalker, and Natalie Portman, who played Padmé Amidala, were criticized for their Star Wars acting in the prequel movies. However, people were particularly unconvinced by their forbidden romance in Episode II – Attack of the Clones.
The two lacked on-screen chemistry, making the romance feel forced and unconvincing. Some fans felt that their dialogue and character development were poorly written, which further detracted from the believability of their relationship.
19. Chris Pratt in The Super Mario Bros. Movie
The most recent casting misstep in cinema would be the choice of Mario in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Mario, who is depicted as flamboyantly Italian in the video games, lacks that same on-screen persona in the film adaptation thanks to Pratt’s casting. The voice and accent were mismatched and lacked Mario’s distinct cheerfulness.
