14 A-Listers Who Nearly Ruined Classic Movies
Some of these actors were given jack-squat and did the best they could. But a lot of these are pretty egregious own-goals.
Tom Hanks: ‘Elvis’
It’s been long enough that we as a society can admit that this film had no business being made in the first place, and certainly didn’t live up to the hype. Somehow, even Tom Hanks as “racist Jabba the Hutt who can’t remember his accent” couldn’t save it, especially when played against the sincerity that was Austin Butler’s public identity crisis.
Quentin Tarantino: ‘Django Unchained’
No one forced him to cameo in his own movie, delivering a racist line in an Australian accent. He has no one to blame but himself.
Katie Holmes: ‘Batman Begins’
She just didn’t have the chemistry with Christian Bale to sell the stakes of their relationship, and she was presented with a unique challenge: Of all the major characters in the film, Rachel Dawes is the only one that didn’t exist in the comics. Christopher Nolan just made her up. While everyone else was bringing beloved characters to life, Holmes’ only inspiration was to appease her boss.
Russell Crowe: ‘Les Misérables’
Whatever you do, do not make Russell Crowe sing. And if by some chance you do, do not make him sing every single line live on set.
Andie MacDowell: ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’
This romcom is one of the highest-grossing films to come out of the U.K., but on paper it’s hard to see why. MacDowell wasn’t given much to work with, and it’s unclear why Hugh Grant’s character would fall in love with the remarkably unremarkable Carrie. As Michael Bluth would say: “Her?”
Hugh Grant: ‘Love Actually’
Grant himself won’t escape this list unscathed. He may be the King of the Romcom, but he’s very unconvincing as a Prime Minister. Despite his inspired dance scene, he fails to separate himself from this film’s pack of stars.
Daryl Hannah: ‘Wall Street’
If her acting feels uncharacteristically flat, there’s a good reason for that: she was stuck in a sexist hell for all of production. She says her relationship with director Oliver Stone was so bad, she can’t even watch the movie: “At the time, we had kind of an unhealthy relationship. He can be a bit of a misogynist sometimes, and so I just decided I didn’t want to relive that experience.”
Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter: ‘Sweeney Todd’
These two goth theater kids were made in a lab for these characters, but they had zero business singing that much. Sure, Depp is technically in a band, but the very fact that his musicianship is a “fun fact” tells you that’s not his strong suit.
Kevin Costner: ‘Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves’
His California-flavored British accent and his utter lack of chemistry with Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio almost toppled the whole house of cards.
Kate Capshaw: ‘Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’
The character of Willie Scott, a role she landed over 1,000 other actresses, launched her to stardom. But it’s likely that the wailing damsel-in-distress character wouldn’t age well no matter which of the 1,000 hopefuls played it.
Cameron Diaz: ‘Gangs of New York’
She was cast for her star power, not for her ability to go toe-to-toe with Daniel Day-Lewis in gritty period piece acting. At the end of the day, none of us were there, so maybe Irish immigrants did sound like that in mid-19th century New York.
Keanu Reeves and Gary Busey: ‘Point Break’
This film was playing with fire by casting two actors who would make their careers by being more character than actor. They each eventually found their niche, Reeves with his flat “I know kung fu” inflection, and Busey with his “I saw heaven and it doesn’t look like this” eccentricity. But their 1991 selves were disquietingly unpolished.
Jared Leto: ‘Blade Runner 2049’
Has anyone in Hollywood history been thirstier to be known as a method actor? His approach to the character of Niander Wallace was to wear opaque contact lenses, effectively blinding himself in every scene. And buddy, it shows.
Mickey Rooney: ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’
Okay. So. A white guy playing a character named “Mr. Yunioshi” is obviously a horrible idea, and even 1960s audiences recoiled at the acrid stench of racism when it came out. If you rewatch his scenes now — which we can’t in good conscience recommend — what’s so striking is that Rooney thought he absolutely ate. He was out there doing choreographed racist slapstick like he was the next Buster Keaton.