15 Times the Wrong Actor Was Chosen for a Role
A great movie can be ruined by one single error, like casting the wrong actor for a role. While many actors can typically fall into any role just fine, sometimes even the greatest stars stand out like a sore thumb.
Do you remember the last time you cringed when you saw an actor trying their hardest to play a certain role?
1. Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005-2012)
Listen, Christian Bale is a fantastic actor, and he fits so well as Batman in Nolan’s trilogy. His ability to get so intense was ideal for the role of the Dark Knight, but there’s one problem. Bale had a very hard time turning that intensity off.
Bruce Wayne needs to be more of an obnoxious socialite, and even when Bale was trying to flaunt his wealth, it came across as if he hated doing it.
2. Elvis (2022)
Critics weren’t silent with their critiques over Tom Hanks’ casting as Colonel Tom Parker in Elvis.
People noted his bad attempt at the accent, and while it seems like a small piece of the film, an inaccuracy like that can pull you out of a biopic.
3. Gangs of New York (2002)
Cameron Diaz simply didn’t fit the role in Gangs of New York.
She formed a weak link that could have done more damage to the film if she hadn’t been acting alongside greats like Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Day-Lewis.
4. How Do You Know (2010)
Owen Wilson and Reese Witherspoon are talented actors, but they don’t come across as athletes.
While watching the movie, it was painfully obvious that neither of them was adept at playing baseball or softball. It ruins our ability to get lost in the movie; instead of enjoying ourselves, we’re mad at their performance.
5. The Happening (2008)
Mark Wahlberg is so out of place as a high school teacher that he’s more believable as an inventor in the Transformers franchise.
The actor also seems very stiff and uncomfortable. In his defense, the script doesn’t do him any favors, but we’ve seen talented actors overcome poor writing before. This isn’t a case of that, though.
6. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994)
Robert De Niro’s face is far too recognizable to be believable as a disfigured monster. Even less believable is his voice. De Niro tries his best to hide his signature vocals, but they shine through.
It’s a shame because De Niro brings a lot of heart to the Creature. It’s just that all that heart comes with a somewhat thick New York drawl.
7. X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
There are a lot of issues with X-Men: Apocalypse, and ironically, the biggest one is the casting.
For a franchise that has done so well in that regard, Oscar Isaac and Olivia Munn feel horribly out of place. Plus, there’s also all the makeup and oversized costume Isaac had to wear!
8. The World Is Not Enough (1999)
It’s pretty bad casting when you cast someone as a nuclear scientist and they have a hard time not pronouncing it “nucular.”
Also, Denise Richards struggles playing opposite Pierce Brosnan and not looking completely out of place.
9. Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
Keanu Reeves is at his best in action flicks or as the aloof slacker character Ted.
He is not, however, a good Englishman, as seen in Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
10. Jungle Cruise (2021)
Dwayne Johnson is a lot of things: charismatic, buff, and handsome. He is not, however, a Spanish conquistador.
Despite coming across as out of his element in Jungle Cruise, the chemistry between him and Emily Blunt is praiseworthy.
11. Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
Not only is the fact that Mickey Rooney plays a Japanese man in Breakfast at Tiffany’s a gigantic miscast, but it’s also racist and offensive.
12. Death on the Nile (2022)
Accents can be the hardest part of a role. This is especially true in Death on the Nile, where Gal Gadot simply can’t land the proper accent.
Agatha Christie would have been kind to the Wonder Woman star, but she likely would have hesitated to cast her in the movie adaptation.
13. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
There are a lot of problems with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but the biggest one might be Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor.
It feels like he’s trying way too hard and overacting just to come across as mildly evil.
14. Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)
Mark Wahlberg has a place in action movies, but his role as an intelligent inventor in Transformers: Age of Extinction feels horribly out of place.
15. The Northman (2022)
Nicole Kidman is a wonderful actress, but she pulled audiences from being immersed in The Northman thanks mainly to her horrible accent and altered appearance.
It rips you out of an otherwise engaging movie.
