We all know that, as an actor, you must be able to take on a variety of personalities and motivations, as well as audition for different roles. Certain celebrities are known for playing iconic parts. After that iconic role, they earn millions of dollars, have fame, and have a huge fanbase.
But being a star in an acclaimed film doesn’t necessarily mean they have a positive attitude towards their performances. These 35 celebrities have expressed their regret over their well-known roles. These are the most regrettable movie and television roles that performers still cringe about today, whether it's a hit character they can't get away from or an awkward scene. Continue reading to learn more!
#1 Elizabeth Olsen didn't find her performance in the "WandaVision" pilot impressive. Olsen admitted that the first time she shot, she was confused as she didn't know how to play with the camera.
Source: Disney+/Marvel Studios / Courtesy Everett Collection
Although she was used to being on stage, she still felt frustrated when she saw the first episode because she thought she had seen her 10-year-old theater kid self playing out to the audience instead of the camera. She was nominated for an Emmy for her work on the series.
Source: Francis Specker / CBS via Getty Images
You can watch her work in the first episode here:
#2 Pierce Brosnan's portrayal of James Bond was heavily criticized. His performance was not just panned by fans. Brosnan himself admitted that he was stuck between playing Roger Moore and Sean Connery. And he adored both men like James Bond. But it never felt real to him.
Source: United Artists / courtesy Everett Collection
He had the impression that he was in a period piece at moments because he could hear echoes or sensations of Connery or Roger, which he didn't try to control; instead, he just let them in. He also stated that he had no desire to see himself in the role of James Bond. He never got it good enough. It's a terrible sensation for him but he wouldn't change anything about the performances.
Source: Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
Watch a bit of his performance here:
#3 Meryl Streep, who was nominated for an Oscar for her role as Sarah and Anna in "The French Lieutenant's Woman," had similar criticisms. She shared: "I was young and new at this, I wasn't as pleased as I could...I didn't feel like I was living it."
Source: United Artists / Courtesy Everett Collection
Watch a bit of her performance here:
#4 In the "High School Musical" movie, Zac Efron said he didn't know how to dance, mocking a particular move from the song "The Boys Are Back" in "High School Musical 3: Senior Year."
Source: Adam Orchon/Everett Collection
Check out Efron's dancing in "The Boys Are Back" here:
#5 Helena Bonham Carter was said to be dissatisfied with her performance in "Les Misérables." She went through a lot of voice training for the film, but she didn't improve as much as she had hoped. She wished she could have a much louder voice.
Source: Universal Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
She continued: "I would do another singing (film) role if someone else was foolish enough to employ me but I wouldn't do a stage musical. I don't have a strong enough voice."
Source: Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images
Listen to her singing here:
#6 Even though her performance in "The Misfits" was critically appreciated, Marilyn Monroe supposedly disliked it and refused to promote it.
Source: United Artists / Courtesy Everett Collection
Watch a bit of her performance here:
#7 Brosnan has admitted that hearing himself sing in "Mamma Mia" made him uncomfortable. He admitted that singing was not his strength; he enjoyed singing but wasn't sure if other people did as well. He did say, though, that if he had an option, he would sing again, whether people liked it or not.
Source: Universal / courtesy Everett Collection
Check out his singing here:
#8 Adam Driver sang briefly in the film "Inside Llewyn Davis," though it wasn't necessarily a singing role. He despised the sequence so severely that he resolved to never see another of his films again.
Source: CBS Films
Watch the scene here:
#9 Amanda Seyfried disliked her work on "Les Misérables" as well. She even expressed her desire to redo the movie. She felt dissatisfied with her singing from a technical aspect.
Source: Universal Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection / Via youtube.com
Listen to her singing here:
#10 After only one season on "Saturday Night Live," comedian Sarah Silverman was famously dismissed. While she claimed she had done nothing wrong, she did admit that she was fired in part because she wasn't humorous on the show.
Source: NBC
Silverman claimed that if she had another chance, she would have been much fun. She said, "Lorne Michaels saw anything in me at that age, and at that time for me where I don't think I was close to where I would become is impressive for him."
Source: Derek Storm/Everett Collection
Watch a clip of her performance here:
#11 Emily Blunt also admitted that, despite receiving voice training, she was embarrassed by her performance in "Into the Woods." She did not, however, say whether she was ultimately dissatisfied with her performance.
Source: Peter Mountain/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection
Listen to her sing here:
#12 Nicole Kidman admits to wriggling in her seat during a screening of her film "Australia," and says she left Australia (as in the country) immediately afterward.
Source: 20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection
Nicole said of the film, "I can't look at this movie and be proud of what I've done. I sat there and I looked at Keith [Urban] and went, 'Am I any good in this movie?' ... It's just impossible for me to connect to it emotionally at all."
Source: James Devaney / WireImage via Getty Images
Watch some of her performance here (there is animal death in this clip, so be warned!):
#13 Eddie Murphy cringes as he recalls his 1987 standup set, "Raw". "A little too much," he said of his remarks, which included homophobic comments. He's also previously apologized for his homophobic jokes, claiming he was "misinformed" (especially in his Delirious set).
Source: Paramount/ Courtesy: Everett Collection
Watch a clip of his performance here:
#14 When a clip from his earlier part in "City Slickers" was played on "Good Morning America," Jake Gyllenhaal also covered his face.
Source: ABC
Check out his performance here:
#15 "Batman & Robin" was another infamously poor movie, with star George Clooney having to carry a significant amount of the blame. Clooney has admitted that he was "awful" in the film, calling it a disaster and highlighting some of the cheesier lines.
Source: Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection
Watch a clip of his performance here:
#16 "I'm just...not very good at it," Ewan McGregor said of his performance as Frank Churchill in the film "Emma."
Source: Miramax / Courtesy Everett Collection
Watch a clip of his performance here:
#17 Emma Watson's first major non-Harry Potter role was in "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," in which she was required to use an American accent. She was dissatisfied with the outcome. She told MTV before the film's debut, "I think it sounded terrible!"
Source: John Bramley / Summit Entertainment / Courtesy Everett Collection
Watch a piece of Watson's performance here:
#18 During a clip of Charlie Hunnam's first acting part in "Byker Grove," he cringed and described it as humiliating to broadcast before it even started.
Source: BBC One
You can watch Hunnam reacting to the clip here:
#19 Kate Winslet also expressed her dissatisfaction with her performance in "Titanic" to CNN, calling her American accent "awful" and wishing she could remake it; yet, she still enjoys the film and remembers it fondly.
Source: 20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection
Watch a piece of her performance here:
#20 Eddie Redmayne's performance in "Jupiter Ascending" was one of the few positive aspects of the picture. For the character, he used a strange accent and voice.
Source: Murray Close / Warner Bros. Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection
Eddie said, “My character had had his larynx ripped out by this wolf man, and so I made the slightly bold choice — which I thought was right. I won a prize for it for the Worst Performance of the Year. So, yeah, it was a pretty bad performance on my account.”
Source: Dee Cercone/Everett Collection