Gal Gadot has an undeniable screen presence, but her delivery doesn’t always land for everyone. In emotional or dialogue-heavy scenes, she can come across a bit stiff, which makes big dramatic moments feel flatter than they should. Add in mixed receptions to projects like Snow White and the sky-high expectations set by Wonder Woman, and it becomes easier for viewers to focus on what’s missing rather than getting swept up in the story. | © Walt Disney Pictures
Pete Davidson’s laid-back, self-aware style works in short SNL sketches, but stretched across a full movie it can start to feel thin. Most of his roles play like minor tweaks on his real-life persona, complete with that “yeah, I know” smirk that pulls you out of the scene. Add the nonstop tabloid attention and his instantly recognizable look, and it becomes hard to see a character instead of just Pete Davidson wandering through someone else’s story. | © Peacock
Jennifer Lopez’s star power is so massive that it can swallow the character she’s supposed to be playing. On screen, it often feels like you’re watching J.Lo the global brand rather than someone fully disappearing into a role. Romantic comedies suit her just fine, but when a script asks for deeper dramatic layers, the performance can feel polished instead of personal, and all the media noise around her makes that separation even harder. | © Netflix
Kevin Hart has a ton of energy, but in movie after movie, he often feels like he’s playing the same fast-talking, high-strung version of himself. That style kills in stand-up, where the crowd feeds off it, yet on screen it can feel stretched thin, especially when the script leans on loud reactions instead of sharper writing. When every role runs on the same volume and rhythm, the comedy stops surprising you, and that repetition can get tiring fast. | © Sony Pictures Releasing
Shia LaBeouf’s off-screen chaos often steals the spotlight before the movie even starts. Stunts like the paper bag premiere and the plagiarism scandal left a lot of viewers unsure whether to focus on the performance or the latest headline. Even when he delivers something powerful, the cloud of controversy makes it hard to relax and just watch without feeling a mix of concern and secondhand embarrassment. | © Paramount Pictures
Steven Seagal built his brand on martial arts credibility, but his acting rarely rises above a flat monotone and stiff posture. Whether he’s a cop, a soldier, or some shadowy agent, the character barely changes, and neither does his expression when chaos erupts around him. As the direct-to-video era rolled on, the thin budgets only exposed what was already there: action moves without the emotional spark to make any of it feel real. | © IFC Films
Russell Crowe once carried Gladiator with pure authority, which makes his turn as Zeus in Thor: Love and Thunder so confusing. The strange accent and exaggerated, campy delivery feel like they wandered in from a different movie, and it’s hard to tell whether the joke is intentional or just misjudged. Instead of commanding the screen like a god, he ends up playing something closer to a parody, and that disconnect pulls you right out of the fun. | © Walt Disney Pictures
Bryce Dallas Howard stepped into The Twilight Saga with big shoes to fill, but her version of Victoria never quite carried the same danger or intensity. In Jurassic World, the now-infamous high heels became a distraction all on their own, turning serious chase scenes into something unintentionally absurd. Fair or not, the constant nepotism chatter and uneven performances make it harder for some viewers to fully buy into her roles. | © Summit Entertainment
Arwen should have been one of the emotional anchors of The Lord of the Rings, but Liv Tyler’s performance often feels oddly distant. The soft, breathy delivery and blank stares drain weight from scenes that are meant to carry epic romance and sacrifice. When the extended editions added even more screen time, it didn’t deepen the character, it just made those moments easier to skip during a rewatch. | © New Line Cinema
Jared Leto’s extreme method-acting stories tend to overshadow the actual performances. During Suicide Squad, tales of on-set antics and that polarizing Joker turn made it hard to focus on the movie instead of the circus around it. Add in the off-screen controversies, and you end up watching with one eye on the character and the other on the headlines, which kills immersion fast. | © Warner Bros. Pictures
Tommy Wiseau turned The Room into a cult phenomenon, but not for the reasons he probably hoped. His strange accent, stiff delivery, and completely baffling line readings make every dramatic moment feel like accidental comedy. People pack midnight screenings to laugh at the chaos, which says it all. Watching him straight, as intended, is nearly impossible. | © Wiseau-Films
James Corden brings a loud, over-the-top energy that tends to swallow whatever scene he’s in. In movies like Cats and The Prom, it feels less like he’s playing a character and more like he’s doing a heightened version of his talk show persona in costume. When the performance leans on big gestures and forced cheer instead of real emotion, it becomes distracting fast and kind of exhausting to sit through. | © Netflix
Megan Fox was pushed into the spotlight largely because of her looks, and Hollywood didn’t exactly demand much more from her. That becomes a problem when scenes call for urgency or emotional depth, because her delivery can feel stiff, like she’s reciting lines instead of living them. Transformers made her a star, but even exploding robots couldn’t hide the fact that her characters often feel flat when the stakes are supposed to be sky-high. | © 20th Century Studios
Nicolas Cage has undeniable talent, and early performances like Leaving Las Vegas proved he could be raw and deeply affecting. Over time, though, the volume knob seemed permanently stuck on max, turning intense scenes into chaotic outbursts that feel more meme-worthy than moving. When every emotion explodes into shouting or wild facial contortions, it stops feeling like drama and starts feeling like you’re watching a different movie than everyone else on screen. | © MGM
Adam Sandler is effortlessly funny, and when he sticks to broad, ridiculous comedy, that energy works in his favor. Trouble starts when he leans into heavy drama, because the emotional weight often feels strained, like he’s pushing for depth that doesn’t quite land. Even when a film like Uncut Gems proves he can surprise people, those moments feel rare compared to the many times he seems stuck between goofy charm and serious acting that never fully convinces. | © Sony Pictures Releasing
Sometimes it’s not the script or budget that makes a movie tough to sit through, it’s the person at the center. Whether it’s overacting, off-screen baggage, or playing the same character on repeat, certain actors pull you out of the story instead of pulling you in. Here are 15 stars who, for many viewers, make movies harder to watch than they should be.
