Top 10 Movies With Terrible Acting by Great Actors

Top 10 Movies With Surprisingly Terrible Acting by Great Actors

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the worst performances from the best actors.

#10: Jared Leto

“Suicide Squad” (2016)


Since the early 90s, Jared Leto has been well-known for method acting. He took the technique to a whole new level for “Suicide Squad,” and it didn’t work in his favor. Giving gifts like bullets, live rats, and dead pigs to his co-stars garnered a lot of media attention during filming. On top of that, co-stars Viola Davis and Will Smith did not have nice things to say about working with him. When “Suicide Squad” finally came out, after $22 million in reshoots, many noted that Leto’s Joker was hardly in the film. It’s not like it was a well-received movie anyway, but Leto only gained notoriety for it. 2022 wasn’t too kind to him either, with all the negative “Morbius” reviews and memes.

#9: Eddie Redmayne

“Jupiter Ascending” (2015)

Eddie Redmayne followed up his Academy Award-winning performance with a Razzie. His Oscar-winning portrayal of Stephen Hawking was brilliantly nuanced, but his Razzie-winning turn in “Jupiter Ascending” was stunningly absurd. Redmayne turned on the camp in all his scenes, making the film an unintentional comedy. His over-the-top performance didn’t resonate with audiences or with critics. His lines were all delivered either in gravelly whispers or jarringly loud screeches. He was also criticized for being too silly, which didn’t go with the rest of the movie’s self-serious tone.

#8: Colin Farrell

“Alexander” (2004)


Since the early 2000s, Colin Farrell has been a well-loved leading man in blockbusters and indie projects. There was a huge misstep in 2004 when he played Alexander the Great. The theatrical cut of the film ran for nearly 3 hours, with little payoff to earn high praise. Farrell’s performance lacked emotional depth and appeal, failing to engage audiences for the long run time. Interestingly, three additional cuts of the movie have been released for home viewing. The shortest of these has only 8 minutes less footage. All of them keep Farrell’s dry performance firmly in the spotlight.

#7: Russell Crowe

“Les Misérables” (2012)


Despite winning many acting awards since the 1990s and having a background in theater and music, Russell Crowe just wasn’t up to snuff when he played Javert in “Les Misérables.” As the film’s primary antagonist, Javert needs to be intense, nuanced, and a strong baritone. Crowe may have proved intensity and nuance in movies like 2000’s “Gladiator” and 2001’s “A Beautiful Mind,” but something was lacking in “Les Mis.” His voice, more suited to rock music like his band 30 Odd Foot of Grunts played, simply couldn’t hold up to the dramatic score. He paled in comparison to Hugh Jackman, who has extensive experience in many musical theater classics.

#6: Johnny Depp

“Mortdecai” (2015)


Johnny Depp is known for being a huge box office draw and for taking on a variety of eccentric roles. His well-loved characters range from Edward Scissorhands to Captain Jack Sparrow. Much less appreciated is his performance as the title character in the unsuccessful 2015 comedy “Mortdecai.” With an unconvincing British accent, a stilted script, and a particularly unappealing mustache, Depp did not endear himself to any fans or critics with this one. He was even nominated for two Razzie Awards: one for Worst Actor and one for Worst Screen Combo, featuring his mustache.

#5: Kevin Costner

“Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” (1991)


Although this adaptation of Robin Hood was technically a box office success, Kevin Costner’s performance was generally received as half-hearted and subpar. Part of the criticism came from Costner’s quasi-Transatlantic accent. Robin Hood is a classic British story, but Costner noticeably lacked a British inflection. When paired on-screen with talented Brits such as Alan Rickman, a vaguely American-sounding Robin Hood felt out of place. Moreover, the accent sounded forced, inconsistent, and unconvincing. Costner was clearly the weakest link in this otherwise average big-budget movie. He even won the notorious Golden Raspberry for Worst Actor for this role.

#4: Robert De Niro

“Dirty Grandpa” (2016)


Robert De Niro has been a big name since the 1970s, impressing critics from the start and winning plenty of awards. Many of his films have been inducted into the US National Film Registry, and several are on the AFI’s list of 100 Greatest American Movies. Starring in “Dirty Grandpa” was not the way to show that he still had immense talent after 40 years. Heavy on gross-outs, jokes that mock minorities, and shock humor, the movie placed on many critics’ lists of the worst of 2016. De Niro playing a crude, raunchy old man with a lousy script and lazy direction seemed like a huge waste of potential.

#3: Al Pacino

“Jack and Jill” (2011)


Adam Sandler has made his share of bad movies, but he managed to rope Al Pacino into what is possibly his worst: “Jack and Jill.” Pacino’s performance as himself is forced, unnatural, and not at all funny. Rapping for a Dunkin’ Donuts commercial, the usually talented actor seems to degrade himself in such a terrible movie. Unsurprisingly, Pacino didn’t sign on for “Jack and Jill” because he thought the script was good. According to his autobiography, he just took the gig because he needed the money. Pacino enjoyed working with Sandler, but was winning two Razzies really worth the paycheck?

#2: Judi Dench

“Cats” (2019)

An acclaimed actress since the late 1950s, Judi Dench must have seen potential in this film adaptation of one of the most successful Broadway shows of all time. However, when the movie was released, critics and audiences were blown away by the terrible quality. “Cats” had a large ensemble cast of A-list actors and singers, including Idris Elba, Ian McKellen, and Taylor Swift. No one could save it from poor direction, disturbing special effects, and muddled aesthetics. As Old Deuteronomy, the leader of the cats, Dench seems lackluster and even confused by the script. At least she was pleased by the novelty of her Razzie nomination!

#1: Marlon Brando

“The Island of Dr. Moreau” (1996)


Legendary method actor Marlon Brando gives a bizarrely half-hearted performance in this adaptation of H. G. Wells’ classic science fiction novel. As the titular Dr. Moreau, you’d expect a barely contained mad scientist, but Brando seemed uninterested in the story. He even used an earpiece to have his lines read to him while filming. The troubled production of the film couldn’t have helped. With changing directors, constant script changes, lead actors dropping out, and personal tragedy for Brando himself, “The Island of Dr. Moreau” is infamous for being a production nightmare.

Have any of your favorite actors shocked you with appalling performances? Let us know in the comments!