Top 23 Worst Acting Performances of Each Year (2000 - 2022)
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 23 Worst Performances of Each Year. For this list, we’ll be looking at the cringiest, blandest, or just plain awful displays of acting in 21st-century films. Animation is excluded, but everything else is fair game.To balance things out, what’s your all-time favorite acting performance? Let us know in the comments below!
2000: John Travolta
Top 10 John Travolta Performances
“Battlefield Earth”
Suffering through this sci-fi dud feels like its own kind of battlefield. Except, in the end, the real casualty here is John Travolta’s career. His misguided monologuing doesn’t sell the Psychlos’ menace as much as it makes the whole movie feel like a bad parody. To be fair, not even Forest Whitaker could make these cringey lines sound convincing. But, Travolta takes the crown since he has no one to blame but himself. “Battlefield Earth” was his passion project for years, so it’s fittingly ironic that it single-handedly flipped his reputation from an Academy Award nominee to a Razzie winner. Clearly, this pipe dream was better left on the drawing board.
2001: Mariah Carey
“Glitter”
All we want for Christmas is an actress who can actually, well, act. Sure, the Songbird Supreme can strut a stage like no other, but that didn’t translate to a committed film performance at all. In fact, calling Carey’s acting chops “amateur” is a major insult to all the aspiring thespians out there. She basically has one facial expression in her repertoire, and since she’s the film’s star, you’ll be seeing a lot of it. The fact that the movie’s soundtrack is genuinely great just speaks “Glitter’s” fundamental flaw: it’s not a film at all, it’s a glorified music video, and Carey’s lifeless acting failed to convince critics or audiences otherwise.
2002: Madonna
“Swept Away”
The Queen of Pop chose quite the starring vehicle for this big-screen excursion. The entirety of the film hinges upon the emotional growth of Madonna’s Amber, and without a trained actress at the helm, the entire thing completely sinks. She comes across as unlikable, unconvincing, and completely out of water. In a way, Madonna’s lackluster acting does accomplish something: it provides yet another reason to check out the 1974 original instead. As a matter of fact, after “Swept Away” was verifiably washed by just about everyone, Madonna vowed to never act again. While that wouldn’t be the case, given the results of this film, that probably would’ve been for the best.
2003: Tommy Wiseau
“The Room”
This infamous 2003 flick has some highly questionable creative choices, none more so than Tommy Wiseau casting himself in the lead role. Although, to call what he does “acting” might be a stretch. He certainly does a lot of screaming, but the incomprehensible mumbling never amounts to anything resembling real pathos. At the very least, it’s entertainingly awful - except, the jury’s still out if that was intentional or not. For literal decades, scholars have asked, is Wiseau’s horrid performance self-aware satire? Is it a pitch-black comedy? Or is it just a laughable attempt at acting from someone with no experience? The world may never know for sure, but the end result definitely points towards the latter.
2004: Colin Farrell
Top 10 Colin Farrell Performances
“Alexander”
The Great King’s biopic completely failed to live up to its character’s nickname, and that’s putting it lightly. The movie is overly serious, emotionally distant, and lacks any of the depth it so desperately feigns. Unfortunately, all of that criticism also applies to leading man Colin Farrell. Even though the film has been officially recut four separate times, no amount of editing can hide the fact that he’s woefully miscast here. As a result, all his attempts at drama come across about as convincing as his absurd wig. At least Halle Berry’s fellow Razzie-winning turn in “Catwoman” was so bad it’s good. This one is just plain bad, full stop.
2005: Jamie Kennedy
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“Son of the Mask”
No one was ever going to live up to Jim Carrey’s star-making turn in 1994’s “The Mask.” But, surely they could’ve found someone better than Jamie Kennedy. All of Carrey’s original wit is lost in this soulless reinterpretation, where Kennedy reduces the brand’s irreverent humor to its lowest common denominator. The jokes come off as cringey and mean-spirited, and that’s if they land at all. Most of the time, Kennedy’s delivery just falls completely flat, to the point you aren’t sure if you’re supposed to be laughing in the first place. In the end, “Son of the Mask” fails because its leading man can’t seem to decide if he’s in on the joke or not.
2006: Nicolas Cage
Top 20 Greatest Nicolas Cage Moments
“The Wicker Man”
An actor can only do so much with the material they’re given. Though, it’s hard to say if even a good script could’ve saved this absurd central performance. Cage looks, feels, and acts completely lost in this movie, and not in a good way. To compensate, he makes some rather bold creative choices, including lots of aimless staring and even a stint in a bear costume. But, in the end, it was the bees that buzzed his overblown acting all the way to pop-culture infamy and beyond. At least Cage can take solace that his performance is definitely memorable - just not for the reason he probably wanted.
2007: Eddie Murphy
Top 10 Eddie Murphy Performances
“Norbit”
This takes the idea of a one-man show to new heights. In a big push for the actor, “Norbit” stars Eddie Murphy, Eddie Murphy again, and also Eddie Murphy. Except, it soon becomes painfully obvious that, in an ensemble of just yourself, there’s nowhere to hide. Murphy’s shtick becomes grating in record time, especially since he doesn’t commit to any of his three characters beyond their superficial stereotypes. Instead, the make-up and prosthetics do most of the heavy lifting, while Murphy himself is content making the same jokes with a slightly different inflection. Even for a three-in-one special, this unfunny performance still isn’t worth the price of admission.
2008: Mike Myers
Top 10 Unscripted Mike Myers Moments
“The Love Guru”
This is perhaps the single best example of why it takes a village to make a movie. At least, a good one. Mike Myers wrote, produced, and starred in “The Love Guru,” and the lack of additional creative input is plain to see. All too often, the movie feels like Myers just set up a camera and started ad-libbing. Naturally, that kind of performance doesn’t lend itself to any kind of compelling characterization. Rather, Myers’ entire role feels like an excuse for a joke, and not even a particularly good one. It’s a real shame since the actor has plenty of hilarious and downright legendary roles in his résumé - this just isn’t one of them.
2009: Justin Chatwin
“Dragonball Evolution”
It takes some genuine skill to turn one of anime’s most iconic characters into a bland teen movie protagonist. But, somehow, Justin Chatwin made it look easy. He has no charisma, no heart, and certainly no screen presence. Quite frankly, this kind of lifeless delivery wouldn’t fly in any kind of movie, let alone one with such legendary source material. Chatwin just comes across as flat in every single scene, no matter if he’s spouting cringey quips or fighting for the fate of Earth. He doesn’t even commit to the power-up screams, which is pretty much “Dragon Ball” 101. Suffice it to say, this is Goku in name alone.
2010: The Whole Cast
Top 23 Worst Animated Movies of Each Year (2000 - 2022)
“The Last Airbender”
This one might hold the record for the most bad performances in a single film. Although, “performance” implies there was any acting happening in the first place. In lieu of any real emoting, the main cast just frowned a lot and recited their lines like they were reading them from a teleprompter. Though, it shouldn’t be all that surprising considering its leads had never professionally acted before - and it showed. “Avatar” deserved better, especially considering the characters had already been brought to life by a sublime voice cast in the original series. When animated characters are more expressive than a live-action cast, you know you’ve done something horribly wrong.
2011: Adam Sandler
Top 10 Worst Adam Sandler Movies
“Jack and Jill”
It’s almost poetic that this movie is named after a nursery rhyme since all it does is put people to sleep. But this isn’t a dream, it’s a waking nightmare. Sandler decided to put his stardom to the test by acting opposite himself, and the results were practically unwatchable. As the straight-laced Jack, Sandler looks like he’s even boring himself. And don’t even get us started on the shrill headache that is Jill. The performance was so universally panned that, in an unprecedented turn of events, Sandler received both Worst Actor and Worst Actress at the 2012 Golden Raspberry Awards. It’s a wonder he ever recovered from this misfire.
2012: Tyler Perry
“Alex Cross”
There’s nothing wrong with an actor stepping out of their comfort zone. But, leaping from absurdist humor to self-serious detective is simply too great a leap for someone with Tyler Perry’s range. Or, should we say, lack of range. He only has one tone of voice and one facial expression; that’s it for the entire duration of the film. Any time he attempts to do more than that, it comes off as unintentionally funny instead. Perry’s dramatic shortcomings are especially glaring since he’s surrounded by a slate of pretty great supporting performances. Unfortunately, all they do is underline the fact that Alex Cross is by far the weakest link of the “Alex Cross” movie.
2013: James Deen
Top 10 Worst Things James Bond Has Done
“The Canyons”
For this erotic thriller, director Paul Schrader looked for talent with a different kind of experience in front of a camera. And, to be fair, actor James Deen’s history in the adult film industry meant he was a veteran onset. But, that experience didn’t translate to a good performance. Instead, his brooding attempts at drama elicited more yawns than thrills. In a smaller role, Deen might’ve gotten away with his clear lack of training. But, since his malicious character shapes much of the story, the entire facade crumbles almost immediately. If the cast list alone didn’t prove it, the actual acting made it clear that Deen was way out of his league here.
2014: Kirk Cameron
“Saving Christmas”
Tis the season for some shoddy acting, it seems. While Kirk Cameron is no stranger to the big screen, ironically, he turned in his worst performance yet playing a fictionalized version of himself. But, that wasn’t enough, he had to take Christmas down with him. His “performance” - and we use that word lightly - bounces between stiff monologues and hilarious bursts of overacting. It turns the entire movie into a walking, talking PSA with no shred of personality, or, heaven forbid, a fully-realized character arc. Cameron’s presentation-style delivery only reiterates the fact that this whole movie is a poorly-wrapped pile of coal beneath the tree. Bah humbug, indeed.
2015: Eddie Redmayne
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“Jupiter Ascending”
Apparently, no one ever told this English actor that “less is more.” So, after establishing himself as a serious dramatic actor, Redmayne turned in a performance completely out of this world. Now presenting: Balem Abrasax, a bizarre hodgepodge of flamboyant mannerisms and exaggerated reactions. Oh, and lots of random screaming. Yeah, calling this “over-the-top” does not do it justice. It’s the exact opposite issue of fellow Razzie recipient Jamie Dornan, whose turn in the first “Fifty Shades” movie is about as flat as a panini. Honestly, it’s a bit remarkable that 2015 delivered two performances that are equally horrible in their own unique ways.
2016: Jared Leto
Jared Leto to Star as Hugh Hefner in New PLAYBOY Biopic – The CineFiles Ep. 41
“Suicide Squad”
After Heath Ledger took the Joker all the way to Oscar gold, hopes were high that the next iteration of the character would be just as popular. Unfortunately, Leto’s stint in Gotham earned him a very different kind of “honor” - that being a Golden Raspberry nomination for Worst Supporting Actor. In fact, most of his scenes were allegedly cut from the theatrical version of the film, and it’s easy to see why. From his questionable line readings to the inane facial expressions, each of Leto’s artistic choices is more baffling than the last. At a certain point, it makes you wonder if he knew he was in a big-budget blockbuster and not a cringey music video.
2017: Tom Cruise
Top 20 Worst Acting Performances of All Time
“The Mummy”
It’s movies like this that make you wonder just what goes on in an actor’s head. Because, surely, at some point in production, Cruise would’ve realized that brooding around the screen for two hours wasn’t going to cut it. Especially for a franchise like “The Mummy.” Alas, Cruise isn’t funny enough to sell the camp, and not committed enough to do the horror scenes justice, either. So, audiences are left with a frustratingly ridiculous performance that isn’t even good enough to pass as a parody. After a showing like this, Tom Cruise’s tenure with the Mummy deserves to go back to a tomb for a very, very long time.
2018: John Travolta
Top 10 John Hurt Performances
“Gotti”
The opening monologue shows you everything you’re going to get out of this movie. Especially from its leading man. Truly, the entirety of “Gotti” is just John Travolta squinting, scrunching his face, and muttering some nonsense about family and power. Occasionally, you can even see the words “Oscar Bait” flash across his forehead. If he’d spent half as much time developing a real character as he did sneering at the camera, the film might’ve survived its critical bloodbath. As it stands, he somehow turned one of New York City’s most infamous mobster’s into a boring caricature. Which honestly, deserves an award in and of itself.
2019: Hilary Duff
Top 10 Best Hilary Duff Roles
“The Haunting of Sharon Tate”
Let’s get one thing straight: this movie is flawed at a fundamental level. But, even beyond its tasteless narrative, perhaps its biggest sin is that it tried to pass off Hilary Duff as a compelling Sharon Tate. In a far cry from her Disney Channel days, Duff’s attempts at emulating Scream Queens of the past fail in every regard. At best, her delivery is mindlessly lethargic, and at worst, it’s downright disrespectful to the real-life victims. Plus, her scared face is totally hilarious, which is a pretty big issue considering this is supposed to be a horror film. Since Sharon Tate was an actress herself, you’d think they would’ve found a better one to play her.
2020: Robert Downey Jr.
Top 10 Robert Downey, Jr. Performances
“Dolittle”
Hot off the heels of his star-making tenure as Iron Man, RDJ cashed in all that goodwill with a movie where he sticks his hand into a Dragon’s you-know-what. We wish we were kidding. The worst part? He doesn’t seem fazed by it at all. In fact, for most of the runtime, Downey Jr. looks half-asleep. The usually charismatic actor can’t seem to decide whether “Dolittle” is a crude comedy or heartfelt drama, and the result is a performance that fails to satisfy either. That’s all without even mentioning his distracting and inconsistent Welsh accent. Clearly, instead of talking to animals, he should’ve been speaking to an accent coach.
2021: LeBron James
“Space Jam: A New Legacy”
After decades on the bench, the Tunes returned to the big screen better than ever. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for their new team captain. James is fine enough when he’s standing in the background or shooting free throws. But, whenever the movie asks him to do any actual acting, his furrowed brow leaves a bigger impression than he does. When sharing a screen with some of the best voice actors in the business, there’s simply no hiding the fact that James’ skills don’t extend beyond the court. So, sadly, this “new legacy” isn’t a very good one. Fingers crossed that when it comes to James’ future acting prospects, this is all, folks.
2022: Colson Baker [aka Machine Gun Kelly]
“Good Mourning”
After watching this movie, the best piece of advice to give Colson Baker is to stick to rapping. His acting isn’t just bad, it’s even worse: completely forgettable. He looks confused most of the time, and even when he does stumble through lines, it’s with a blank expression that makes even mannequins seem passionate. The movie itself is filled with a glutton of star-studded cameos and confusing cutaway gags, seemingly to distract from the fact that its lead doesn’t know the first thing about acting. But, there’s no smoke thick enough to hide Baker’s complete inability to convey emotion. This isn’t his first onscreen role, but for everyone’s sake, hopefully, it’s his last.
