Chris Evans stars in Ghosted, a new Apple TV+ movie, as a farmer who chases after a girl who turns out to be a spy. The premise is intriguing, but it’s hard to picture Captain America as an out-of-shape average Joe. And while Evans is ridiculously charming on-screen, he might be miscast in Ghosted.
Evans is hardly the only star miscast in a role. Several actors have taken on roles they were woefully wrong for, whether in an attempt to act against type or because they made a mistake when choosing the script. And because it’s not uncommon in Hollywood, fans on Reddit have more than a few ideas when it comes to naming miscast actors who, despite giving their best, were simply wrong for the role.
10 Kate Bosworth – Superman Returns
Superman Returns is an unfairly maligned take on the Man of Steel. A shameless love letter to the Richard Donner films, Superman Returns was too safe to successfully re-introduce the Last Son of Krypton to the mainstream. Kate Bosworth‘s performance as Lois Lane was also divisive, with many considering her miscast in the role.
Redditor majorjoe23 considers her too young for the part. “It made it hard to believe she was a seasoned reporter and the mother of a 5-year-old,” the user claims, a sentiment echoed by other fans. Indeed, Bosworth is not necessarily bad in the role, but she doesn’t fit the image of a hardened reporter about to win the Pulitzer Prize.
9 Tom Hanks – Elvis
Tom Hanks‘ performance in Elvis ranks as one of the most polarizing of his career. Some considered it genius, while others harshly criticized it for its over-the-top vibe — it even earned him a Razzie for Worst Supporting Actor. Hanks’ accent was particularly lambasted, as were many of his acting choices.
Redditor DirtyHandler is among those who aren’t fans of Hanks’ performance, saying he “couldn’t stop seeing the characters as just Tom Hanks in a fat suit with a bad fake accent.” Fellow user Rainbwned suggests Paul Giamatti would’ve been better suited for the role, and others agree. Elvis is a bombastic musical meant to provoke audiences, and Hanks’ performance fits that narrative to a tee; however, it’s also understandable that many would find his portrayal off-putting.
8 Jesse Eisenberg – Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice
Academy Award nominee Jesse Eisenberg was an odd choice to play supervillain Lex Luthor from the get-go. His performance was controversial and one of the main factors contributing to Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice‘s less-than-stellar reception. To make matters worse, time hasn’t been kind to his take on Luthor either.
Owasso_Landman claims the movie “was trying to do a Mark Zuckerberg tech villain,” but “it didn’t work.” Another Redditor, The_Homie_3, goes so far as to claim “nothing about that character was Lex Luthor aside from the name.” Eisenberg is a good actor, but his take on Lex Luthor was not the best, mainly because the movie misunderstood what makes Lex a compelling character.
7 Vince Vaughn – Psycho
Gus Van Sant‘s choice to make a shot-by-shot remake of Alfred Hitchcock‘s timeless classic Psycho was bound to fail. The director made inspired choices with his casting, especially going with Vince Vaughn as the now-iconic horror villain Norman Bates. However, the result was still underwhelming, and Vaughn couldn’t live up to Anthony Perkins‘ legacy.
Reddit user exhaustednihilist420 states that the choice “made no sense at the time and still doesn’t” because Vaughn “is way too comfortable in his own skin” to make a character like Bates work. Indeed, Norman is a self-hating and complicated individual, and Van Sant and Vaughn couldn’t reveal anything new compared to what Hitchcock and Perkins had already achieved.
6 Cameron Diaz- Gangs Of New York
Cameron Diaz was one of the noughties’ biggest stars, a certified box office draw with massive on-screen appeal who could be outstanding in the right role. However, her work in Martin Scorsese‘s historical movie Gangs of New York is uneven at best, mostly because of her weak Irish accent.
Spoonman500 believes “she didn’t do bad, but she’s definitely the low point of the main cast.” AnyNamesLeftAnymore adds that she “doesn’t have the makings of a 19th-century poor girl,” adding Diaz “looked like a movie star pretending to be (a poor girl).” Indeed, Diaz’s characterization is lacking, especially compared to her scenery-chewing male co-stars.
5 Humphrey Bogart – Sabrina
Humphrey Bogart is a cinematic icon, with the AFI considering him the greatest male star of classical Hollywood. The star of numerous legendary pictures, Bogart was a reliable and charismatic movie star who could effortlessly dominate any scene.
However, some fans think he was the wrong choice to star opposite Audrey Hepburn in Billy Wilder‘s 1954 romantic comedy Sabrina. Redditor Adela_Ch claims the movie’s lighting “makes him look his age,” especially opposite Hepburn,” who was less than half his age.” Hepburn is unexpectedly great in Sabrina, but the overwhelming age difference with Hepburn makes him an odd choice for the part.
4 Tom Cruise – Jack Reacher
Considered by many to be among the last movie stars, Tom Cruise is Hollywood’s go-to action man. However, his casting as Jack Reacher raised more than a few eyebrows because Cruise looked nothing like the giant, hulking antihero from Lee Child’s novels.
Redditor VrinTheTerrible claims Reacher is “6’5″ with hands big enough to crush your skull” while “Cruise… isn’t.” Cruise is an accomplished actor who embodied Reacher’s qualities perfectly, but anyone who has read the source material can tell he would be the last choice to play the character. Alan Ritchson‘s casting in the Prime Video series adaptation just enhanced how miscast Cruise was in the role.
3 Denise Richards – The World Is Not Enough
Pierce Brosnan‘s James Bond tried to lean into the series’ camp aspect without fully understanding what camp is. The World Is Not Enough is particularly goofy, from the plot to the gadgets; however, casting Denise Richards as a nuclear physicist was never convincing.
MrFluffyhead80 says, “There’s no way in hell (they are) believing that Denise Richards is a nuclear scientist.” Most agree her casting was not ideal, but her performance has aged well enough, with many appreciating her as a camp icon and one of the most entertaining parts in an otherwise forgettable movie. However, it’s still fair to say she was woefully miscast in the role.
2 Keanu Reeves – Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Keanu Reeves‘ performance in Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula lives in infamy. Many American actors can effortlessly pull an English accent, but Reeves isn’t one, and his efforts in the movie go from clumsy to outright embarrassing.
However, the performance isn’t universally panned, and many fans have come to enjoy it for what it is. Redditor Mudders_Milk_Man calls it “often in the ‘so-bad-it’s-good category,'” while jiggliebilly calls his casting “an interesting choice,” especially opposite Anthony Hopkins and Gary Oldman. To Reeves’ credit, Coppola thinks highly of him, although even he admits the accent was not great.
1 Ben Platt – Dear Evan Hansen
Ben Platt originated the role of Evan Hansen in the original Broadway production of Dear Evan Hansen and won a Tony for his efforts. Naturally, when the film adaptation was announced, Platt was a no-brainer to reprise his role in the film. However, he aged considerably between projects and looked far too adult to still play a teenager.
Redditor tingbudongma agrees Platt was too mature for the role, claiming “some of his stage theatrics didn’t translate well to screen.” Fellow user bookishly93 adds, “It didn’t help that the actors playing his fellow students could at least pass as high schoolers,” making Platt look “uncomfortably older.” Adding the show’s original problems, Dear Evan Hansen is far from one of the best Broadway-to-screen adaptations.
