Top 20 Actors Who Regret Their Iconic Roles
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the entertainers who have regretted taking on popular roles– even if they led to fame and awards. Have any of your favorite actors regretted taking on a role? Let us know in the comments below!
#20: Shia LaBeouf
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“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” (2008)
Entering a huge franchise can be both exciting and terrifying for a performer. Not only are they being introduced to a broader audience, but expectations for them are immediately high– especially when the series is as well-loved as “Indiana Jones”. LaBeouf had already seen success as an actor, but appearing as Indy’s son would’ve cemented his movie star status. Unfortunately, both his performance and the film didn’t meet the fans’ standards, and most of their ire fell onto him. He’s faulted himself for the negative reception, and has been open about how he felt he didn’t do the series justice. This remorse kept him from appearing in the fifth installment which put an immediate end to a once compelling storyline.
#19: Miley Cyrus
“Hannah Montana” (2006-11)
While starring in a TV show can seem glamorous, the negative aspects can be all-consuming. Cyrus was only thirteen when she started playing the iconic Disney character– meaning she spent her whole adolescence being her. Given how important that phase of life is, it only makes sense that constantly being in character would have some adverse effects. The star has gone on to say that the sheer amount of public attention at that age was distressing, and was the onset of her anxiety. Additionally, she felt she had grown out of the role before the show ended and was itching to move on. While she has looked back on it recently with more favor, her success as an adult has vastly superseded her childhood stardom, which must feel incredible.
#18: Channing Tatum
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“G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” (2009)
When actors are first breaking out, they may sign deals with studios for future projects–with no way of backing out when they get called. Channing Tatum, who signed one early on, found this out the hard way after being chosen for “G.I. Joe”. He’s been candid about how he felt coerced into taking it, and how he wasn’t optimistic about it from the very beginning. He even turned it down several times before the studio stepped in to remind him of their deal. It’s clear from watching it that he wasn’t completely invested. This was further proven by him asking to be killed off early on in the sequel– which may be the only “G.I. Joe” choice he doesn’t regret.
#17: Mahershala Ali
“Green Book” (2018)
Even Academy Award winning roles can be regretted later on. This film, despite being a critical hit, was critiqued for misrepresenting the characters’ relationship in order to tell a more heartwarming story. The family of Don Shirley– the inspiration behind the plot– was said to be blindsided by the project, and barely consulted. They even apparently referred to the movie as “symphony of lies”. Mahershala Ali was so shaken by this that he reached out to Shirley’s relatives, explaining that he was not made aware of any close family members still living. While he could have just taken his award and moved on, he went out of his way to try making amends. The gesture was not only kind but genuine, and an indication of his true character.
#16: Zoe Saldaña
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“Nina” (2016)
Portraying one of America’s most iconic jazz singers is no small feat. Given Nina Simone’s legacy on music and society as a whole, it makes sense that people would be wary of how her biography was handled. Zoe Saldaña– known for her roles in “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Avatar”– was brought on to portray the musician. To do so, she had to wear a prosthetic nose and darken her complexion with makeup. This led to immediate backlash from both Simone’s fans and family. Saldaña has since apologized, saying that she should have insisted a Black woman be cast and that the musician’s story deserves to be told again by someone who can do the part justice.
#15: Eddie Redmayne
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“The Danish Girl” (2015)
Representation in film has come a long way, but there are some instances where it hasn’t been handled well. This was the case for Eddie Redmayne in “The Danish Girl”, a biography about one of the first people to receive gender-affirming care. It was criticized for both the inaccurate representation of transitioning, and for Redmayne’s portrayal as Lili. Activists felt that he had taken the opportunity from a trans actor. And to his credit, Redmayne completely agreed, acknowledging that the trans community has historically been overlooked by Hollywood and his casting only propagated that. Seeing him take accountability without centering himself was genuinely refreshing, which led to swift forgiveness.
#14: Paul Newman
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“The Silver Chalice” (1954)
When first starting out, actors don’t get to pick their jobs– meaning it’s easy to get put in a bad film even if you’re above it. Despite being known on television already, Paul Newman experienced this in “The Silver Chalice”– a historical piece about an Ancient Greek artist. It was lambasted across the board, from the direction to the tedious plot. Newman himself was candid about his contempt. From referring to it as “the worst motion picture produced during the 1950s” to putting out an ad asking people not to watch, he went out of his way to distance himself from the project. Despite his outward hatred, his appearance was the catalyst for the rest of his career– which must’ve been a tough pill to swallow.
#13: Ryan Reynolds
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“Green Lantern” (2012)
Appearing in one of the most adored yet simultaneously disliked action movies in recent history is a feat that only someone like Reynolds could pull off. While he may be known now for playing Deadpool, his first starring role in a superhero flick was as Green Lantern. The film was heavily panned, leading to a critical and commercial failure. He’s admitted that both he and the studio completely missed the mark on bringing the hero to life. He’s continued to be self-aware about his past choices, and has even referenced them in his more recent work. Between his willingness to laugh at himself and the popularity of the “Deadpool” series, he has definitely redeemed himself in the eyes of comic book fans.
#12: Dakota Johnson & Jamie Dornan
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“Fifty Shades of Grey” (2015-18)
Some roles make you famous. Others make you infamous. With Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey, it was a bit of both. Given the popularity of E. L. James’ novels, whoever booked these coveted roles would be the talk of the town. Yet, the subject matter and not-so-hot writing would also lead to numerous jokes. Johnson and Dornan seemed to be in on the joke, but these roles still came with a level of embarrassment for them. While Johnson’s regret “comes in waves,” she’s happy that the trilogy led to more opportunities. Dornan was also grateful for the benefits of playing Mr. Grey, although he stated, “I probably won’t ever take a job with this much attention and scrutiny and public opinion directed at it again.”
#11: Robert Reed
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“The Brady Bunch” (1969-74)
“The Brady Bunch” is a perennial comfort food sitcom where any conflict could be resolved in roughly 25 minutes. In reality, Robert Reed wasn’t as chipper as family patriarch Mike Brady. The Shakespearean-trained thespian thought a lighthearted sitcom was beneath him, but the money was too good to pass up. Reed tried taking the series in a more grounded direction, frequently clashing with creator Sherwood Schwartz to no avail. Things got so confrontational between them that Schwartz likely would’ve replaced Reed had the show gotten a sixth season. While Reed wasn’t a fan of the character or show, he would develop close bonds with his Brady co-stars, which might explain why he kept returning for the reunion specials and films.
#10: George Reeves
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“Superman” (1952-58)
Nowadays, almost every A-lister embraces the opportunity to play a superhero. At one point, though, this was considered a potential career killer. Not everyone could bounce back from “Batman & Robin” like George Clooney, who still makes fun of that film. Even when an actor found success playing a superhero, they risked being typecast. The most tragic example is George Reeves as Superman. This American actor rose to fame playing the Man of Steel, a title that one young fan took too literally when he showed up to an appearance with a loaded gun. Nobody was harmed, but Reeves regretted depicting the character as bulletproof. Reeves’ life sadly ended from a gunshot wound. Some believe this was self-inflicted with Reeves’ struggling career contributing to his depression.
#9: George Clooney
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“Batman & Robin” (1997)
Getting to play a popular superhero should be the experience of a lifetime. However, some renditions aren’t as loved as others. Batman has been done many times since the 1960s, with each interpretation having a somewhat different take on personality and aesthetic. George Clooney drew the short straw, and portrayed one of the most ridiculous versions. His performance– and the movie in general– was so goofy that he was convinced they had killed the franchise. He even apologized to the original actor, Adam West– which is hilarious considering he had also had a campy portrayal. Luckily, Clooney has proven his acting chops in other work– but he came close to being forever known as the guy who ruined the Caped Crusader.
#8: Katherine Heigl
“Knocked Up” (2007)
One of the major drawbacks to being a performer is having to sometimes ignore your values to portray someone you don’t like. This was the case for Katherine Heigl, who left “Grey’s Anatomy” to pursue the silver screen among other reasons. She found work in romantic comedies like “Knocked Up”, which saw immediate success in the box office and with critics. Despite that, she wasn’t completely happy. She expressed that while she didn’t hate the film, the way the different characters were portrayed sometimes came across as sexist. Her comments were met with backlash, and she was branded as being hard to work with. While more people have come to agree with her in recent years, her honesty came close to killing her entire career.
#7: Kate Winslet
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“Titanic” (1997)
“Titanic” became the highest-grossing movie of its time and tied the record for the most Oscar nominations, which included Kate Winslet’s Best Actress nod for playing Rose DeWitt Bukater. Like Rose, however, Winslet faced some struggles behind all the glamor. It’s not so much that she regrets accepting the role. Rather, Winslet regrets how she played Rose. Revisiting her performance, Winslet rolled her eyes at many of her decisions. She was especially critical of her American accent, which she described as “awful.” While Winslet wishes that she could do a retake, she acknowledges a lot of good came from “Titanic,” including her enduring friendship with Leonardo DiCaprio. It also established a working relationship with James Cameron, who’d reteam with Winslet for another water movie.
#6: Viola Davis
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“The Help” (2011)
Tackling racism on screen is a balancing act– and one that needs to be thought out carefully. “The Help”, while receiving plenty of accolades, has also been criticized for essentially being a white savior narrative. Viola Davis in particular has expressed that she regretted taking part in it. While she acknowledged that the film succeeded in entertainment value, she felt it was at the cost of an honest representation of a Black maid’s experience during the Civil Rights movement. This led her to feel that she had done her own history a disservice. While speaking out couldn’t have been easy, her comments have helped shed light on why viewers have had a hard time connecting with it today.
#5: Jennette McCurdy
“iCarly (2007-12)
McCurdy stole the show on “iCarly” as rebellious best friend Sam Puckett. Behind the scenes, though, she knew at a young age that she didn’t want to act anymore. It was her mother who was determined to make her a star. For McCurdy, the best thing to come out of “iCarly” was probably her friendship with co-star Miranda Cosgrove, which lasted beyond the show’s conclusion. She wasn’t as close with Ariana Grande on the spinoff “Sam & Cat,” which McCurdy was glad to see end after a season. The actress was also glad when her mom died, inspiring the title of her memoir. When Cosgrove asked her if she’d like to appear on the “iCarly” revival, McCurdy said she’d rather leave her acting career in the past.
#4: Robert Pattinson
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“Twilight” Film Series (2008-12)
“Twilight” is a franchise that people either love or hate with a passion. Leading up to the release of “Breaking Dawn – Part 1,” Robert Pattinson opened up about his true feelings regarding playing Edward Cullen. In one interview, Pattinson candidly said that if he was just a casual viewer watching “Twilight,” he’d “mindlessly hate” it. And Pattinson wasn’t the only one to express regret. Other castmates of his, such as Anna Kendrick, have mentioned a few negative experiences on set, and Kristen Stewart has openly questioned the story and characters. Still, each actor has outgrown their role, with Pattinson taking on parts in other blockbusters and critical darlings. Although he doesn’t seem eager to ever play Edward again, he did defend the franchise in 2022. It wasn’t the highest praise, but Pattinson said that making fun of “Twilight” was “so 2010.”
#3: Marlon Brando
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“A Streetcar Named Desire” (1951)
Before he was a silver screen star, the stage was Marlon Brando’s stomping ground and nobody could play Stanley Kowalski with the raw intensity he brought to the role. So much so that when the play was adapted to film in 1951, Brando reprised his role. Although Stanley marked an essential turning point in Brando’s career, he’d come to detest the character. Brando described Stanley as “the Neanderthal man” and “a blue-jeaned slobber mouth.” As acclaimed as Brando’s performance was, scoring him an Oscar nomination, some people scoffed at the idea of sloppy Stanley Kowalski playing Mark Antony in “Julius Caesar” years later. Brando proved his range, but it was difficult to disassociate him from Mr. Kowalski, especially since he shared some similarities to the character.
#2: Alec Guinness
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“Star Wars” (1977-)
Alec Guinness was among his generation’s finest actors, winning the Academy Award for “The Bridge on the River Kwai.” For younger generations, however, he’s best known for playing Obi-Wan Kenobi. We’re not sure how Guinness would feel about that if he were alive today, but he made his thoughts on “Star Wars” clear during his life. Not a huge fan. During the filming, Guinness recalled telling George Lucas that he “couldn’t go on speaking those bloody awful, banal lines.” Guinness accepted the role under the condition that he wouldn’t have to do any promotions for the film, although the fandom became inescapable. While Guinness had reservations about “Star Wars” and the publicity that followed, he couldn’t deny that the income was a blessing.
#1: Christopher Plummer
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“The Sound of Music” (1965)
“The Sound of Music” is one of the most joyous films ever made. We can’t imagine anyone not being charmed by this timeless musical, except maybe Captain von Trapp himself. Well, not the real-life Captain von Trapp. We mean actor Christopher Plummer, who notoriously called the film “so awful and sentimental and gooey.” Plummer didn’t think highly of his character either, finding him boring and even comparing him to a dead horse. He’d skip the film’s 40th reunion, although he agreed to the 45th on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” The Canadian actor did take pride in being in a film that brought so many people happiness. He just didn’t understand the appeal. In his eyes, “The Sound of Mucus” would’ve been a more appropriate title.
