8 Actors Who Absolutely Love Their Iconic Roles And 8 Who Really Hate Them

Many great actors have become synonymous with the characters they played. Some of them loved their iconic roles despite the critics. Some absolutely detest those roles even if they helped make them famous. With that being said, read on and find out who adores their most famous characters and who can’t stand the thought of them. These actors who absolutely love iconic roles are unexpected. You might be familiar with these actors who love their iconic roles.

1. Loved: Emma Watson - Hermione Granger, Harry Potter

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There is no doubt that Emma Watson is a true match for the role of Hermione Granger. She really wanted to play the smart and hard-working wizard girl as Hermione was her role model. Watson got her chance when the crew came to her school for casting. She was cast at the young age of nine.
“I could be one hundred years old and in my rocker, but I’ll still be very proud that I was part of the Harry Potter films," said Watson.

2. Hated: Robert Pattinson - Edward Cullen, Twilight

Source: Lionsgate

Edward Cullen and Twilight are what most people think of when talking about Robert Pattinson. But surprisingly, Edward's most notorious hater is actually the actor that played him. Oh, the irony!
Robert Pattinson didn’t even try to hide his loathing of the glittering vampire. The actor even went as far as brutally roasting both the films and the books, as well as poking fun at his character. He once famously stated: "The more I read the script, the more I hated this guy, so that’s how I played him, as a manic-depressive who hates himself.” Pattinson also said if Edward was a real person then he would be an axe murderer.

3. Loved: Nathalie Emmanuel - Game Of Thrones

Source: HBO

Many hardcore fans of GOT loved Missandei, the right-hand woman of Daenerys Targaryen. And the actress behind the role did too. Nathalie Emmanuel was a huge fan of the show long before she was cast. She felt it was such a blessing to be a part of the show and really thankful for the chances it had given her. Her love for the character and the show helped her get through the audition - the one thing that she used to struggle with.

4. Hated: Jason Segel - Marshall, How I Met Your Mother

Source: 20th Century Fox Television

On the other hand, Jason Segel got really tired of playing Marshall in the legendary TV series How I Met Your Mother. His reason is perfectly understandable, especially when you realize that How I Met Your Mother lasted nine seasons and had more than 200 episodes. “When your idol is Peter Sellers, playing one character for eight years isn’t what you’re trying to do,” Segel said in 2010. The actor also admitted that he didn’t feel like he had “much more to offer” as Marshall.

5. Loved: Chadwick Boseman - T'Challa, Black Panther

Source: DISNEY/MARVEL STUDIOS

Black Panther is a breakthrough for Hollywood as it told the story of an African hero. The movie was a huge success thanks to Chadwick Boseman’s amazing performance as T'Challa. Every Marvel fan loves the king of Wakanda, and so did Boseman.
The actor often shared how important Black Panther was for the representation of black people. He felt proud that kids of African descent have another superhero to look up to.

6. Hated: Zac Efron - Troy Bolton, High School Musical

Source: Disney

Love it or hate it, you gotta admit that High School Musical is a part of many people’s childhood. We all remember the main cast, especially Troy Bolton. But there is one person who desperately wants to forget him, and that is no other than the actor who played the role - Zac Efron.
Efron believes that his role in the film made him look like a "jacka--" and he regrets it every day. The actor even wishes he could go back in time to beat his teenage self up. “I try not to look at all of it,” he answered when asked about his fame from the movie, “You can’t enjoy or celebrate it, it’s not a real thing.”

7. Loved: Keanu Reeves - John Constantine, Constantine

Source: Warner Bros

Surprisingly, Keanu Reeves’s most favorite character to play isn’t the iconic Matrix hero Neo Anderson or the infamous assassin John Wick. Nope. Despite the fame and the money those roles brought him, Reeves claimed that his most adored role is John Constantine in "Constantine."
The actor was a huge fan of the comic book, so when he got the chance to play the cynical superhero, he immediately took it. Despite the movie’s criticism, Keanu Reeves still enjoyed his part to the fullest.

8. Hated: Amanda Seyfried - Karen Smith, Mean Girls

Source: Paramount Pictures

Mean Girls is one of the most popular chick flicks of all time, and there is no denying that its success is thanks to the well-written characters. However, Amanda Seyfried isn’t the biggest fan of her most iconic role Karen Smith. In the movie, Karen has an unusual talent: She can predict the weather when she holds her breasts. While this was just a joke to make viewers laugh, Seyfried actually felt very uncomfortable.
The actress shared her upsetting experience when boys approached her to ask her to predict the weather for them. "I always felt really grossed out by that. I was like 18 years old. It was just gross," she told Marie Claire.

9. Loved: Morgan Freeman - Street Smart

Source: Cannon Films

Freeman’s acting career started all the way back in 1964, but his big break happened much later in 1987's "Street Smart." In the movie, he played Fast Black the pimp. His amazing performance brought him an Oscar nomination. Freeman claimed that this is his breakthrough role. Soon after this role, he got more mainstream, snagging above-the-title parts in movies like "Glory" and "Driving Miss Daisy."

10. Hated: Christopher Plummer - The Sound of Music

Source: 20th Century Fox

Some might say that Christopher Plummer’s performance in The Sound of Music is what brought him to the spotlight, and they’re not wrong. The movie does make Plummer’s name become household, but he doesn’t have to like it. When asked about his role in the movie, the actor admitted it was one of his toughest roles, namely because “it was so awful and sentimental and gooey. You had to work terribly hard to try and infuse some minuscule bit of humor into it.”

11. Loved: Samuel L. Jackson - The Long Kiss Goodnight

Source: New Line Cinema

Not Ray Arnold in Jurassic Park, not Jules in Pulp Fiction nor Nick Fury in The Avengers, Samuel L. Jackson’s favorite character is Mitch Hennessey, in The Long Kiss Goodnight. The actor even went as far as saying it was on the top of his 150-plus films on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon." It might not be the most well-known Samuel L. Jackson movie, but The Long Kiss Goodnight is awesome and everybody should watch it at least once.

12. Hated: Kate Winslet - Titanic

Source: Alamy

While many people regard Titanic as one of the greatest romantic movies of all time and can watch it over and over, the leading lady Kate Winslet can only see it once and it was enough for her. She found it hard for her to bear watching her own performance. Winslet’s self-criticism focused on her American accent during the movie, claiming “I have a hard time watching any of my performances, but watching Titanic I was just like ‘'Ah, I want to do that bit again. Can't we go again? Please? One more take?'”

13. Loved: James McAvoy - Mr. Tumnus, The Chronicles Of Narnia

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Not Charles Xavier or the protagonist in Split, James McAvoy’s most adored role is Mr. Tumnus in the Chronicles of Narnia franchise. The actor was happy that he got the chance to play his favorite character in children’s literature. “You don’t get the chance to do that in other jobs," said McAvoy.

14. Hated: Miley Cyrus - Hannah Montana

Source: Disney

Although Miley Cyrus’s career started with her role as the protagonist in Disney Channel's "Hannah Montana," she didn’t enjoy it as much as viewers did. The singer has opened up about how her role on the show has had negative impacts on her mental and emotional states. She shared the experiences she had on the "Hannah Montana" set, including anxiety attacks and the struggle she had with unrealistic beauty standards.
"I was told for so long what a girl is supposed to be from being on that show," Cyrus shared. "I was made to look like someone that I wasn't.”

15. Loved: Joseph Quinn - Stranger Things

Source: Netflix

Stranger Things is a huge hit for Netflix. People adore the series, and so does Joseph Quinn. His love for his character Eddie Munson is very well-known. The actor claimed that he loved the response Eddie got from fans and felt touched that people are missing him. Like his fans, Quinn also wanted to return to the show.

16. Hated: Jamie Dornan - 50 Shades Of Grey

Source: Universal

Nowadays everybody thinks of Jamie Dornan when talking about 50 Shades Of Grey. But this is not what Dornan wants. He doesn’t like his character and he doesn't think he could be friends with Mr. Grey.
"[He's] not the sort of bloke I'd get along with," Dornan said. "All my mates are easygoing and quick to laugh — I wouldn't imagine myself sitting in a pub with him. I don't think he would be my type when it comes to choosing mates."