Even the most celebrated actors have delivered performances that are widely mocked, and a list compiled by The Independent highlights 17 examples of Oscar winners and industry legends at their worst. From Tom Hanks to Robert De Niro, these roles prove that no one is immune to a cinematic misstep.
Tom Hanks, known for his versatility, took on six different roles in the Wachowski sisters' ambitious epic Cloud Atlas. However, his portrayal of gangster-turned-novelist Dermot "Duster" Hoggins was singled out as a career low, with a laughably broad Irish accent that veered into bad cockney. Meanwhile, Nicolas Cage has built a career of polarising extremes, but his work in the 2006 remake of The Wicker Man remains near the bottom, an exercise in rural horror that spiralled into laughable excess.
Halle Berry, who had won the Academy Award for Best Actress just a few years earlier, starred in the notorious superhero flop Catwoman. Her performance was so derided that she picked up her Golden Raspberry award in person, joking that she needed a lot of bad actors around her. Similarly, Al Pacino's brief cameo in the Adam Sandler comedy Jack and Jill saw him mug through a musical advertisement for a drink called a "dunkaccino", a moment many consider beneath the acting legend.
George Clooney's take on Batman in Batman & Robin has been widely criticised as the worst on-screen portrayal of the caped crusader, while Robert De Niro's performance in Dirty Grandpa, as a randy septuagenarian on Spring Break, was seen as a degrading low in his recent career. Russell Crowe also drew criticism for his over-acted turn as Dr Jekyll in The Mummy, particularly in the scene where he transforms into Mr Hyde, complete with dodgy CGI.
These performances, whether in dreadful films or as part of otherwise good careers, serve as a reminder that even the best actors can have off days. While some are met with mockery and Razzie nominations, others slip under the radar, but all have earned their place in infamy.
