64 Embarrassing Movie Roles Famous Actors Would Rather You Forget
If an actor is lucky, he or she will make dozens of movies over the course of their career. There is, however, no guarantee that every role will be a hit or even remotely good (remember Glitter?!?!). Some of Hollywood's biggest names—from Denzel Washington to Julia Roberts—have at some point been involved in a project that turned out to be...a lil meh. Here are 65 roles that those in the Hollywood elite would probably rather you forget forever.
Gal Gadot: Natalie, Keeping Up With the Joneses
With a star-studded cast—including Jon Hamm, Isla Fisher, and Zach Galifianakis—Gal Gadot wasn't the only celebrity to sign up for this box office stinker.
Leighton Meester: Jamie, That's My Boy
After her rise to fame on Gossip Girl, Leighton Meester moved on to movies. Unfortunately one of those films was Adam Sandler's flop of a movie called That's My Boy.
Seth Rogen: Aaron, The Interview
When political satire comedy The Interview was released, it not only stirred up the critics, but it also caused an international incident between the United States and North Korea. NBD.
Julia Roberts: Daryle, Satisfaction
This 1988 musical drama failed to earn $1 million at the box office. Even though the movie wasn't a hit, it *was* Julia Roberts' first credited acting role, so she gets a pass.
Harrison Ford: Allie, The Mosquito Coast
In the 1986 film, Harrison Ford played a character whose idea of moving his family to a utopian island doesn't pan out. In reality, it was the Star Wars actor's film that didn't pan out. Ouch.
Kate Hudson: Marley, A Little Bit of Heaven
It was anything but heaven for Kate Hudson when the actress appeared in the flop A Little Bit of Heaven. The filmed was panned by critics and moviegoers alike.
Will Ferrell: Nick, Everything Must Go
Will Ferrell strayed away from his go-to comedy genre when he starred in the drama Everything Must Go. Something tells us he won't be doing that again.
Matthew McConaughey: Dirk, Sahara
Matthew McConaughey has been in his fair share of flops (ahem, Failure to Launch), but his 2005 action film Sahara took things to a whole new level when it failed to make up for its $160 million budget at the box office.
Kelly Clarkson: Kelly, From Justin to Kelly
Fresh off of her American Idol success, Kelly Clarkson and the show's runner-up, Justin Guarini, were named winners of another competition: a Razzie for worst musical for their film From Justin to Kelly.
Terrence Howard: Timothy, Glitter
The Empire actor announced he was retiring from acting in 2019. We shouldn't assume it has anything to do with his role in Glitter, right?
Kevin James: Paul, Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2
Kevin James made audiences everywhere laugh to tears on his segway in Paul Blart: Mall Cop, but he lost us when Paul Blart returned for a sequel.
Anna Faris: Samantha, Just Friends
Anna Faris has been cast in some of the biggest comedy hits of the decade, but Just Friends was not one of them. This movie has since gone on to earn a special place in our hearts though.
Amanda Peet: Mia, Whipped
The 1999 comedy was panned by reviewers and hated by audiences. Thankfully, Peet righted her movie karma by starring in the 2003 hit Something's Gotta Give.
Anne Hathaway: Josephine, The Hustle
We had high hopes for Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson's collaboration in The Hustle. But all hope was lost when the Oscar winner appeared on-screen with a bad British accent. It went downhill from there.
Dan Stevens: Charles Dickens, The Man Who Invented Christmas
Sure, everyone loves Christmas, but not everyone was a fan of Dan Stevens in The Man Who Invented Christmas. The Downton Abbey actor starred as Charles Dickens in the December release, which performed...how do we put this...horribly in the box office.
Tessa Thompson: Esme, The Initiation of Sarah
Critics did not love this made-for-TV movie where Thompson played a sorority vice-president.
Robert De Niro: Fearless Leader, The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle
De Niro voiced a cartoon dictator in this opposite-of-beloved movie version of the classic cartoon series.
Sigourney Weaver: Vicky, Crazy on the Outside
Tim Allen must have called in a favor to get Weaver to star as his sister in Crazy on the Outside, his panned directorial debut.
Paul Rudd: Ian, Gen-Y Cops
If you've ever wanted to see Paul Rudd in a 2000-era sci-fi cop movie from Hong Kong, look up his role in Gen-Y Cops. Or don't.
Viola Davis: Grandma, Get Rich or Die Tryin'
First of all, how dare anyone cast Viola Davis as a grandmother. Second of all...she was really in 50 Cent's 8 Mile knockoff.
Chris Evans: Johnny Storm, Fantastic Four (2005)
Before he was Captain America, Chris Evans played another Marvel hero in a less successful franchise.
Kerry Washington: Alicia, Fantastic Four (2005)
That's right, Fantastic Four gets two entries on the list because what on earth was Kerry Washington doing there?
Eva Mendes: Roxanne, Ghost Rider
This comic book adaptation came out one year before Iron Man made comic adaptations cool, and as a result, most of its actors, including Eva, have likely erased it from their memory.
Colin Farrell: Bullseye, Daredevil
Similar to Ghost Rider, this comic adaptation fell flat, hitting theaters before the current golden age of comic book movies.
Jamie Chung: Chi Chi, Dragonball Z Evolution
This Hollywood version of Japanese anime managed to disappoint both fans for being untrue to the source material *as well as* novices who just thought the movie stank.
Eva Longoria: Detective Martinez, Señorita Justice
This revenge flick (starring a pre-Desperate Housewives Longoria) had a super tiny budget, which probably contributed to its overwhelmingly negative reviews.
Lucy Liu: Sever, Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever
You'd think Lucy Liu facing off against Antonio Banderas would at least be good enough to merit a 1% Rotten Tomatoes rating...but Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever manages to score a rare 0%.
SofÃa Vergara: Lydia, The Three Stooges
Vergara flexed her comedic chops in The Three Stooges, but the audience wasn't exactly laughing *with* this unnecessary remake.
Will Smith: Lucifer, A Winter's Tale
Smith had a cameo as Satan (?) in this bizarre Colin Farrell vehicle, and his giant CGI fang-mouth wasn't even the weirdest part of his two-minute role.
Cate Blanchett: Irina, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
It's better for everyone not to mention the last Indiana Jones movie, which not even the grace of Cate Blanchett could save from itself.
Jamie Foxx: Bunz, Booty Call
Booty Call is a comedy caper about a young Jamie Foxx trying to find condoms. No, really. That's it. That's the plot.
John Leguizamo: Mario, Super Mario Bros.
Do you remember a Super Mario Bros. movie? Well, it existed. Don't bother looking it up. Surely John Leguizamo would prefer you to not look it up.
Matt Damon: Will, The Brothers Grimm
This fantasy movie about the inspiration for fairy tales wasn't fantastical...or very much fun at all.
Kate Winslet: Beth, Movie 43
Movie 43 was an anthology film like New York, I Love You, but critics were considerably less kind to it (for good reason).
Jason Momoa: Jason, Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding
Back in the annals of history when the original Baywatch was still making end-of-series movies, Jason Momoa had a role alongside David Hasselhoff. It's not as fun as it sounds.
Blake Lively: Jenny, Simon Says
The only cool part of this movie was the abstract concept of Crispin Glover as Simon terrorizing Serena Van der Woodsen.
Channing Tatum: Duke, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
Channing was in both The Rise of Cobra and Retaliation, and has been very vocal about being "forced" to make the films and how much he hates them. Hmm.
Kit Harington: Milo, Pompeii
The critically panned Pompeii was Harington's first role after being cast as Jon Snow in Game of Thrones and while the movie is not well-reviewed, his shirtless scenes from the film are both very impressive and also on YouTube.
Mila Kunis: Michelle, Moving McAllister
This 2007 comedy didn't make waves anywhere and will likely be no more than a footnote in Kunis's career.
Gwyneth Paltrow: Carol, Deadly Relations
Deadly Relations was a TV movie starring a very young Paltrow. Don't worry if you don't remember it. No one else does.
Mandy Moore: Evangeline, Hotel Noir
This 2012 movie had a great cast, a noir concept, and 13% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Milo Ventimiglia: Rick Rape, Gamer
Milo's character's disgusting name wasn't even the worst part of this video game-themed movie.
Beyoncé: Foxxy Cleopatra, Goldmember
Beyoncé's first movie was an Austin Powers joint. Many have wondered if she regrets doing the movie, but at least her costumes were great!
Leonardo DiCaprio: Josh, Critters 3
Another 0% on Rotten Tomatoes, another career mistake.
Jennifer Lawrence: Norah, The Beaver
Mel Gibson + a beaver puppet = a misstep for the Oscar-winning Ms. Lawrence.
Denzel Washington: Napoleon, Heart Condition
Heart Condition was a wacky race-swapping comedy that was rightfully forgotten in the history of Hollywood.
Jennifer Aniston: Tory, Leprechaun
Jennifer Aniston is better remembered for her Friends role than for her turn in the Warwick Davis-starring Leprechaun.
Emma Stone: Alison, Ghost of Girlfriends Past
Everyone has to start somewhere, and Emma Stone started by playing the ghost of Matthew McConaughey's high school girlfriend.
Michael Caine: Hoagie, Jaws: The Revenge
Anyone who casts Michael Caine to play a character called Hoagie does not understand the appeal of Michael Caine.
Scarlett Johannson: Molly, Home Alone 3
Ah, Home Alone 3. The least beloved installment of Home Alone. And yet, there was a very young Scarlett, primed for fame as long as no one recognized her in this particular role.
Dwayne Johnson: Derek, Tooth Fairy
We can give ol' Dwayne a break, this was his first feature film and it primed him for his current role as the king of Hollywood.
Michelle Pfeiffer: Stephanie, Grease 2
Luckily Grease 2 was early enough in Pfeiffer's career that it was easily overshadowed by her later, better work.
Charlize Theron: Aeon, Aeon Flux
Remember when Charlize Theron headed up her own sci-fi...assassin...movie thing? What was this movie about? If you don't recall, that's probably because you didn't bother to see it.
Ryan Reynolds: Hal, Green Lantern
Reynolds couldn't resist taking a pot shot at Green Lantern's bad animation in his vastly more successful superhero movie Deadpool.
Ryan Gosling: Julian, Only God Forgives
While this movie competed at Cannes, most audiences weren't into the Bangkok-set thriller.
George Clooney: Bruce Wayne, Batman & Robin
Three words: Batsuit. With. Nipples.
Uma Thurman: Jenny, My Super Ex-Girlfriend
Audiences were split on Thurman's role in this comedy, but its detractors pointed to the film's reliance on sexist stereotypes. No, thank you.
Meryl Streep: Mary, She-Devil
Let the record stand that Meryl Streep has made exactly one mistake in her life and that mistake was She-Devil.
Chris Hemsworth: Jed, Red Dawn
This Korean invasion action film didn't do well domestically or abroad. Chris Hemsworth is currently crying into the buckets of gold he earned playing Thor.
Benicio del Toro: Duke the Dog-Faced Boy, Big Top Pee Wee
This was del Toro's first role and required extensive facial hair prosthetics. Go ahead, Google it.
Robert Downey Jr.: Dr. Kozack, The Shaggy Dog
RDJ's charm couldn't rescue a film starring a dog with haunting human eyes. It's quite possible that nothing could.
Angelina Jolie: Casella, Cyborg 2
Even though this movie was called Cyborg 2, it was largely unrelated to the movie Cyborg. That should give you an idea of how coherent it was.
Nicole Kidman: Judy, BMX Bandits
While this movie was nominated for a few awards in the '80s, its stylization has not held up in later years.
Cole Sprouse: Justin, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Both Cole and his twin brother, Dylan, played Justin in this saccharine Christmas movie.
From: Cosmopolitan US
