Hollywood's hall of shame awaits! We're diving into the most cringe-worthy performances that made audiences squirm. From musicians turned actors to athletes and reality stars, these performers prove that star power doesn't always translate to acting talent.
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00:00You know, people don't have to say it.
00:03They can feel it.
00:05Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at actors who have stunk up the big screen more often than not.
00:10We're only considering film performances here, so TV appearances don't count.
00:14June and I don't get much action, so we take what we can get.
00:19Number 30, Jessica Simpson.
00:21Known for her breakthrough as a teen singer and her much-publicized marriage to Nick Lachey,
00:25Jessica Simpson tried her hand at acting in The Odds.
00:28While the Dukes of Hazzard film is no critical darling, reviewers gave Simpson's turn as Daisy Duke a particular lashing.
00:50Following up with equally lackluster films like Employee of the Month and Blonde Ambition did her no favors.
00:55Many critics found that Simpson had a one-note delivery and limited range.
00:58It shouldn't come as a surprise that she hasn't appeared in any movie since 2008's direct-to-video film Private Valentine, Blonde and Dangerous.
01:15To be clear, we aren't going after Katie Holmes' performance in Dawson's Creek, which made her a household name.
01:20But the actress majorly missed the mark on the big screen.
01:22Although a role in Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins looks solid on paper,
01:25Holmes ended up with a Golden Raspberry nomination for Worst Supporting Actress.
01:41Giving up her role in its sequel, The Dark Knight, to be in the critical flop Mad Money wasn't one of Holmes' best decisions.
01:47If you think that's bad, she also starred in even more terribly received films like Jack and Jill and Days and Nights.
01:59While Holmes' acting isn't the worst thing about these movies, we can't call her a bright spot in them either.
02:05Number 28, Megan Fox
02:13Talk about being typecast.
02:15Hollywood seems to have only two roles for Megan Fox.
02:17The mean rival to the likable protagonist or the sexy love interest who doesn't do much else.
02:34Even movies like Jennifer's Body feature Fox in a combination of the two.
02:37Over a decades long career, Fox hasn't really succeeded in breaking out from the stereotype.
02:41Instead, the actress doubled down on it with films like Subservience and Expendables 4.
02:46The latter winning Fox her third Golden Raspberry award.
02:58To her credit, sticking to what works for her has led to mainstream success.
03:02Number 27, Jennifer Lopez
03:04It isn't every day you see a multi-time Golden Globe nominee on a worst list.
03:08But you also don't usually see said actor making turkey noises in a 75 million dollar movie.
03:22Plus, J.Lo has a lot more misses than hits in her filmography.
03:25From history making flops like Gigli to critical duds like Monster in Law,
03:29Lopez's film choices have been far from perfect.
03:31Given her prominence in the music scene, it's easy to forget she began her career as an actress.
03:50Her rom-com ventures have connected with audiences, but critical praise remains a distant dream.
03:54With all this in mind, J.Lo's ten Razzie award nominations make a lot of sense.
03:59Number 26, Kate Upton
04:01Remember when Kate Upton was all the rage in the 2010s?
04:04Channeling her appeal to the big screen was a smart move on the supermodel's part.
04:07There was only one problem, her acting.
04:10After a couple of bit parts, Upton made her leading debut in the 2014 film The Other Woman.
04:19Considering she plays a swimsuit supermodel in the film,
04:22Upton didn't really need to flex her acting muscles with this role.
04:25Still, the film's commercial success managed to cover up any shortcomings.
04:28Her follow-up feature, The Layover, wasn't so fortunate.
04:31With a 0% Rotten Tomatoes rating, the only funny thing about this comedy is how hilariously bad it is.
04:37Upton's since phased acting out of her repertoire, which we don't blame her for.
04:59Number 25, Curtis 50 Cent Jackson
05:02Mainly known for his music industry success, this rapper has also maintained an acting career since the aughts.
05:07Then again, he's stuck to films with ensemble casts, so 50 Cent's presence can sometimes be forgotten.
05:21With action franchises like Escape Plan or the occasional drama film,
05:25it's a safe bet that Jackson will be playing some variation of a guy who doesn't play by the rules.
05:29He seldom stands out in the cast, and more often than not feels like he's there to make up the numbers.
05:34While you can admire his tenacity, he's gone decades without delivering any particularly memorable role.
05:48A lack of evolution and depth means Jackson's film career remains largely forgettable.
05:52Number 24, Justin Timberlake
06:10Another singer-turned-actor, Timberlake's filmography is riddled with hits and misses.
06:14For every solid effort, like The Social Network, there's an embarrassing entry like The Love Guru.
06:23Timberlake gets by when surrounded by stronger actors.
06:26When he's the main star, though, his weaknesses are harder to ignore.
06:29Films like Bad Teacher and In Time may have done well, but you can't really credit Timberlake's acting for their success.
06:53It doesn't help that he seems to act the same way in different genres.
06:56Timberlake has arguably fared better as a voice actor since the 2010s.
07:08Number 23, Tyler Perry
07:10If there is one actor who's constantly defied bad reviews, it's Tyler Perry.
07:14By now, it's clear that the trade-off for his commercial success is starring in less-than-stellar productions.
07:19As of 2024, only one film featuring Perry's Madea character has ever earned a fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
07:38Aside from a few exceptions, like 2014's Gone Girl, most of Perry's other films have drawn criticism.
07:43Sure, the actor's willingness to remain in a one-note performance bubble has translated to box office numbers,
07:48but he's also experienced a simultaneous hit to his reputation as an actor.
08:13Number 22, Cara Delevingne
08:15You can't say Cara Delevingne hasn't tried to work her way around the cinematic landscape.
08:19From big-budget action films to indie dramas, the model-turned-actress has tried a range of roles,
08:23but instead of making a major impact, the most she's managed is a slight tremor.
08:37Whether she's playing the manic pixie dream girl in Paper Towns or the otherworldly villain Enchantress in Suicide Squad,
08:42many critics find that she lacks believability.
08:44Without a spicy supporting part or a lead role that captivates audiences,
08:48she's built up a list of credits with little in terms of acclaim to show for it.
08:58Delevingne has focused her attention on TV ventures, and only time will tell if she reinvents herself on the big screen.
09:03Number 21, Larry the Cable Guy
09:05Hey everybody folks, my name's Larry and I'm your server.
09:09We might be playing fast and loose by referring to this comedian as an actor,
09:13given that he almost always plays himself on screen.
09:16Even his best-known role as Mater in Cars is basically Larry the Cable Guy if he were an automobile.
09:21While you might argue that Larry the Cable Guy is a persona that Daniel Lawrence Whitney plays,
09:25it still shows his range is limited.
09:27The character took him farther than what many probably expected.
09:30He appeared in several films during the 2000s and 2010s,
09:33but if his southern blue-collar gimmick isn't your thing,
09:35then watching him on screen can feel like a really long joke with no punchline.
09:39I think you guys forgot what our orders are.
09:42We're supposed to bring freedom and democracy to people that need it.
09:46I think these people need it.
09:48Number 20, Dane Cook
09:50Comedian Dane Cook took the world by storm in the 2000s,
09:54as one of the first performers to use MySpace to gain fame.
09:57He had some chances before that to act opposite Dennis Rodman in the movie Simon Says,
10:01which showed off his habit of overacting.
10:03Great, then all we have to do is come up with a plan.
10:06No, I will work on the plan.
10:08With increased attention for his comedy specials,
10:10Cook naturally received more opportunities to star in films.
10:13These included comedies such as Employee of the Month and Good Luck Chuck,
10:17which largely were considered lackluster rom-coms.
10:20The actor didn't attract the same attention as his stage performances
10:23and was somewhat constrained by the scripts he was given.
10:26Controversies, including accusations of joke theft, followed him into the 2010s,
10:30when his screen parts started to slow down.
10:32Grandma, I think it's time that you invest in something a little less speculative.
10:37You really think I should take financial advice from you?
10:41One nothing, Grandma.
10:42Number 19, Kim Kardashian
10:45Kim Kardashian and her family have spent over a decade on the cover of tabloids,
10:49often earning the title Famous for Being Famous.
10:52Sometimes people forget that there was a time when she was more involved with making films.
10:56These might not have been substantial,
10:58but projects like Disaster Movie didn't inspire confidence in her as a commanding screen presence.
11:03Ow!
11:05Come on, crackhead White House, crystal skull.
11:08You sound like a crazy man.
11:10She's also worked with Tyler Perry in Temptation, Confessions of a Marriage Counselor.
11:14It's another supporting role that doesn't sell the celebrity as a natural actor,
11:17instead proving she's more uninterested in her performance style.
11:21Kardashian largely focuses on her business ventures these days
11:24and steers clear of cinematic pursuits.
11:26No, I don't. I have a degree.
11:28A degree?
11:29Yes.
11:30A degree on the wall without labels on your back is nothing.
11:33Number 18, Neil Breen
11:36He doesn't quite fit into the mainstream,
11:38but Neil Breen has amassed a fan base all his own for some outrageous acting.
11:42Breen is actually an architect,
11:44and his film work represents a passionate hobby that's been realized over the course of several movies.
11:48Oh, my God.
11:52Ugh.
11:55Ugh.
11:57His efforts have garnered terrible reviews,
11:59and that's putting it mildly.
12:01The performer certainly shows that he's an amateur,
12:03never able to sell any script or direct himself in a proper fashion.
12:07This doesn't even count his productions,
12:09which feature a wide array of ineffective elements,
12:11such as poor editing, sound, and casting choices.
12:15All this is to say, the artist needs to be seen to be believed.
12:19I've got so much to do, I'll never get done.
12:24I'm going to continue hacking into these government systems
12:28to see what I can find out.
12:30Number 17, Quentin Tarantino
12:33Quentin Tarantino is arguably the most famous writer-director working today,
12:37creating cinema that blends entertaining dialogue with exciting genre elements.
12:41His talents as a filmmaker don't necessarily carry over into the acting realm.
12:45She comes home from work in about an hour and a half.
12:48Graveyard shift at the hospital.
12:51While he has a history of performing in some of his movies,
12:54they're largely supporting roles that distract audiences.
12:57He doesn't fit in with the tough guys in Reservoir Dogs,
12:59or add much to his masterpiece Pulp Fiction,
13:02other than some awkward line deliveries.
13:04His turn as an Australian in Django Unchained
13:06is definitely his least effective performance,
13:08taking away from the enjoyable film's final act.
13:11After completing the 2012 Western,
13:13he's avoided spending much time in front of the camera.
13:16Shut up, Black. You ain't got nothing to say I want to hear.
13:19Number 16, Tara Reid
13:22Following roles in movies like The Big Lebowski,
13:24Tara Reid first established herself as a star
13:27in the first entry of the American Pie series.
13:29When he's ready and I'm ready, it's got to be completely perfect.
13:32I want the right time, the right moment, the right place.
13:35She often finds herself in shallow parts
13:37that fail to set her apart from any number of actresses in her generation.
13:40Reid's appearance in the Sharknado series
13:44provides some laughs at her expense,
13:46especially when she gets the chance to fumble her way through an action sequence.
13:49Her film career did receive a small boost
13:51from the return of her Vicky character in American Reunion.
13:54There doesn't seem to be a significant comeback in her immediate future,
13:57but she's taken to lower-budget movies in the meantime.
14:00I'm glad you think so highly of me.
14:02Number 15, Jessica Alba
14:05Jessica Alba was almost everywhere in the 2000s,
14:08appearing in films that spanned multiple genres
14:10and put her on Hollywood's A-list.
14:12The actress was part of two Fantastic Four entries that received mixed reviews,
14:16with her work as Susan Storm being an example of her blander than engaging efforts.
14:20It has to be the cloud. It's fundamentally altered our DNA.
14:23Let's not jump to conclusions.
14:25We need a massive amount of evidence before making that leap.
14:28Her role in the comedy The Love Guru
14:30might have been a critical low point for her career.
14:32It was a notable misfire all around,
14:34including the fact that Alba isn't really known for her comedic abilities.
14:38The actress finally looked beyond her film work
14:40and started a massively successful business called The Honest Company.
14:44I mean, I didn't even ask for this job.
14:46I guess it's just my fate.
14:48Fate is a joke.
14:49Number 14, Rob Schneider
14:52Following his exit from Saturday Night Live,
14:54Rob Schneider has often appeared in many supporting roles in Adam Sandler comedies.
14:58He often plays goofy characters that don't necessarily deserve their own film.
15:02With Schneider's solo efforts,
15:04he's attempted leading parts that feel unsubstantial
15:06and lacking in the hilarity department.
15:08Now that's good badger milk.
15:10The animal taps into his primal side,
15:12but doesn't give him much of a chance to shine.
15:14His other films, like The Hot Chick and Deuce Bigalow Male Gigolo,
15:18have aged poorly and feature the performer in mediocre scripts.
15:22Contemporaries like Sandler find a way to play characters for an entire movie,
15:26but Schneider has largely been unable to provide
15:28a compelling or truly likable performance on his own.
15:32How'd you get that job?
15:34I just kinda fell into it.
15:37I'm gonna kill my guidance counselor.
15:39Number 13, M. Night Shyamalan
15:42M. Night Shyamalan is known as one of the more gifted
15:45and imaginative filmmakers of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
15:49He's made a wide array of horror films and thrillers
15:52that have been greatly acclaimed and or successful.
15:54I see dead people.
15:57Shyamalan also starred in a number of his projects
15:59in roles that many people find distracting or downright bad.
16:03If there is a definitive part of his movies that people don't love,
16:06it ends up being one of his cameos that feel somewhat self-aggrandizing
16:10and take away from the larger production.
16:12The director keeps the small roles coming without an end in sight,
16:15but at least he avoids playing the main character.
16:17I guess if this is the end of the world, I'm screwed, right?
16:22People who kill reverend's wives
16:24aren't exactly ushered in the front of the line in heaven.
16:27Number 12, Jean-Claude Van Damme
16:30Nobody would argue that Jean-Claude Van Damme isn't tough.
16:33The Belgian fighter clearly proved himself as an entertaining brawler in many films,
16:37although he never really established himself as a serious actor.
16:40Aren't you a little young for full contact?
16:42Aren't you a little old for video games?
16:46There's nothing wrong with this fact,
16:48but it has produced some mediocre acting work from him.
16:51Movies such as Bloodsport don't exactly contain an award-winning performance.
16:55In over-the-top adventures such as Street Fighter,
16:57Van Damme feels right at home as a guy who is not bound by the method or technique of any kind.
17:02His projects might be exciting,
17:04but they never convince the audience that the star is all that emotionally invested in the story.
17:08Now, who wants to go home?
17:11And who wants to go with me?
17:15Number 11, Jaden Smith
17:17Jaden Smith started acting at a young age,
17:20starring alongside his father Will in films of all kinds.
17:23It's fair to say that he was much younger
17:25than other actors on this list.
17:27This doesn't necessarily mean that he's off the hook either,
17:30but he does enter into the nepotism debate.
17:42He's playing a regular kid without any kind of spark in various movies
17:45that include the remake of The Karate Kid.
17:47Some of the efforts with his dad seem as if he was dragged along,
17:50not necessarily invested in the experience.
17:53Later work such as After Earth captures him as an awkward teenager in a project that asks too much of him.
18:12Starring as Jacob in the Twilight films,
18:14Taylor Lautner went from a working actor to a teen heartthrob almost overnight.
18:19Lautner's turn as the werewolf spanned several sequels that didn't receive great reviews.
18:33He was essentially just a pawn in a soap opera,
18:36never taken seriously as an actor during the height of his success.
18:39The performer spent the remaining 2010s trying to break out from the stigma of the series
18:43with a mix of rom-coms and action flicks.
18:46In Abduction, he attempted to break out of the teen idol status
18:49and mostly felt out of place in a more of a thrilling setting.
18:52His place in Hollywood was uncertain after he was dubbed as a physical presence
18:56rather than a nuanced artist.
19:11Rising through the 1980s as a certified pop star,
19:14Madonna was a force to be reckoned with on the Billboard charts.
19:17She's tried different roles in movies over the years,
19:20from concerts to fictional films.
19:22The singer even played a performer in Dick Tracy,
19:24in a part that wasn't a huge stretch for her.
19:32It's especially difficult to be hugely famous in one medium
19:35and then be convincing in another.
19:37Projects like Swept Away are hard to watch without being painfully aware
19:40that the vocalist is super famous and trying to become a character.
19:43Even her cameo in Die Another Day functions more as a parody
19:47than any sort of serious film appearance.
19:59Shaquille O'Neal spent the 1990s and 2000s dominating in the NBA,
20:04winning multiple championship rings for teams like the Los Angeles Lakers.
20:08He also ventured into music and movies that received ridicule at the time.
20:12With few exceptions, his star vehicles like Kazam felt like a poor showcase of his charisma.
20:26O'Neal has a natural ability and showmanship on the court
20:29that never translated to the screen.
20:31Regardless of the genre, the player felt out of place
20:34in everything from superhero films to Adam Sandler comedies.
20:38He makes occasional appearances to this day,
20:40but usually at his own expense in a self-aware parody of his acting abilities.
20:53Taking a wide range of supporting roles in the 1990s,
20:56Jamie Kennedy came to prominence as a comedian and comic relief character in many films.
21:01His most popular role arrived with his appearances in the Scream series.
21:11After leaving the horror franchise,
21:13Kennedy spent the 2000s exploring comedy with mixed results.
21:16It could be argued that his stock in Hollywood dropped with Son of the Mask.
21:20The sequel received terrible reviews,
21:22and the actor seemed to be miscast in a poor continuation of The Mask,
21:25unable to match Jim Carrey's original energy or likability.
21:28Some people enjoy his work in Malibu's Most Wanted,
21:31but the performer never quite had the comedic gravitas of a leading man.
21:41For most wrestling fans,
21:43Hulk Hogan represents an entire era of entertainment with his wild personality.
21:53His appearances in movies are definitely not held to the same standard.
21:56Next to his brief role in Rocky III,
21:58most of his other work attempts to either put him up as an actor
22:01or make him look like an actor.
22:03In the case of Rocky III,
22:06Next to his brief role in Rocky III,
22:08most of his other work attempts to either put him up as an action hero
22:11or as a friend to small children.
22:13Unsurprisingly, his chaotic persona in The Ring
22:16doesn't always make for the greatest use on screen.
22:18It also doesn't quite work when he plays some kind of unconventional babysitter.
22:22Hogan's roles in Mr. Nanny and other 1990s movies
22:25come off as an attempt to pander to younger audiences.
22:36Number 5 – Tom Green
22:38Tom Green is a unique comedy figure
22:40that defies normal exclamation points
22:42with some believing him to be a genius
22:44that inspired all kinds of alternate and anti-comedy icons in the 2000s.
23:00Others feel that he's a bizarre and off-putting presence in any of his films.
23:04Many of his harshest critics cite Freddy Got Fingered
23:07as the nail in the coffin for his viable film career.
23:10While it wasn't the end for Green,
23:11the gross-out comedy defies the limits of good taste
23:14and was provocative in a way that many people found to be negative.
23:17His particular brand of humor and aggressive techniques
23:20have made some friends and enemies out of many audience members.
23:24Number 4 – Pauly Shore
23:26Pauly Shore splashed onto the comedy scene in the early 1990s
23:29with a string of hit films.
23:31His entire persona revolved around a stoner-slash-surfer motif
23:35that many people found to be one note.
23:54Movies like Bio-Dome and Encino Man saw success in their day
23:57but haven't really made much of an impact past their initial release.
24:00Shore has a personality that can be grating to some and hilarious to others.
24:04The performer uses a unique vocal cry and delivery
24:07which he employs for every single one of his projects,
24:10never veering too far from a similar setup of playing dumb characters.
24:24Number 3 – Paris Hilton
24:26In the 2000s, hotel heiress Paris Hilton became a widely known celebrity.
24:31This led to her near-ubiquitous presence in the entertainment industry,
24:34including a somewhat unconventional film career.
24:37Hilton starred in the horror remake House of Wax,
24:40playing one of the many victims in a largely forgettable role.
24:54The main problem with her acting
24:56is that she has a monotone quality and doesn't seem very interested in the material.
25:00She also starred in one of the worst movies of the decade,
25:03entitled The Hottie and the Naughtie.
25:05It tried to present her as a version of the blonde stereotype
25:08with some offensive jokes thrown into the mix.
25:10Most people would argue that her singing career
25:12was much more engaging than anything she did on film.
25:16Number 2 – Steven Seagal
25:18Along with some questionable connections to Vladimir Putin,
25:21actor Steven Seagal has made a handful of mistakes in his cinematic career.
25:25He might just beat us up for writing this,
25:27but we're pretty sure he's been eclipsed by much better action stars at every turn.
25:46Some of his acting sounds like whispering in several scenes
25:49that will make you turn up the volume.
25:51When he's trying to fight,
25:52he doesn't seem to bring much energy to the sequences themselves.
25:55His arrogance allegedly extended to behind-the-scenes stories
25:58as many people have acknowledged him as a difficult collaborator.
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26:28Number 1 – Tommy Wiseau
26:30Tommy Wiseau is the director, writer, and lead actor in The Room.
26:35He's also become a cult figure for his work on the film,
26:38which remains a midnight movie staple around the US.
26:41Wiseau plays Johnny in a role that's full of eccentric acting choices.
26:52His line deliveries are the stuff of legend,
26:54making viewers question their own sanity during some scenes.
26:57He famously walks out onto the roof in a legendary line
27:00that includes an unbelievable non-sequitur.
27:03The entire experience inspired a book by co-star Greg Sestero,
27:07which describes the bizarre tale of working with a performer.
27:10It's clear from each individual set piece
27:12that the man is making the most unique choice he can at any given moment.
27:22Is there a bad actor who makes you want to walk out?
27:24Let us know in the comments.
27:32You are bad actors!