Hollywood shockers: Celebs who hated the roles that made them famous

It doesn’t come as a surprise to know that on-screen characters people have grown to love are often disliked by the actors and actresses who played them.

Many actors have come forward expressing their dismay and hate for a character they played which is often loved by the audience.

A resentment for the role they portray can come from many reasons. Some actors are able to resonate with their characters as they match with their real personalities, while others clash and completely go against their values.

Sometimes, actors may even grow tired of their part if played for too long.

In terms of actors, who hated their character from the get-go, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to know that Penn Badgley wasn’t a fan of his character Joe Goldberg from the psychological thriller hit series You. 

The 38-year-old star played a sadistic stalker, who was beloved by many of his fans, and time and again criticised the unhinged actions of Joe.

"We can’t lead ourselves to believe that if Joe would simply find the right person that he would be happy because he’s a f*****g murderer," he expressed during his chat with Vanity Fair in 2019. 

He has also mentioned how he doesn’t want fans of the show to praise or defend his character.

During a fairly recent appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast, the actor even declared Joe to be "the worst" character he had played.

His character on the popular thriller/romance series was about being able to protect his loved ones and when he was unable to do so, he had drastic plans for them.

Despite Joe Goldbergs’s severe actions, people often continue to be drawn towards him, which begs the question: Are we as audiences drawn to dangerous characters when they’re wrapped in charm, or is it just the entertainment industry normalising, romanticising toxic traits in the name of storytelling?

Penn Badgley isn’t just a one off case though. 

Several other actors from the industry have come forward and stated their dislike for the roles they play, Robert Pattinson being one of them. 

It is a well known fact that the 38-year-old English actor has previously admitted that he hated playing the role which helped him gain popularity and get stardom. The role in question is Edward Cullen in the Twilight franchise. 

He disliked his character so much so that during a chat with Variety in 2020, the actor even admitted he finds it "strange" that people actually like Twilight. 

"It's a weird story, 'Twilight.' It’s strange how people responded a lot to it. I guess the books are very romantic, but at the same time, it’s not like 'The Notebook' romantic."

This isn’t the first time Robert had critiqued the character, while in conversation with OK magazine, he went on to compare the Vampire to an axe murderer, "You always get weirdos like Edward who seem to attract women for some reason. If Edward wasn’t a fictional character and you met him in reality he is like one of those guys who would probably be an axe murderer or something."

Shailene Woodley is also one of the stars who wasn’t fond of the character they played.

The role in question here is from the drama series The Secret Life Of The American Teenager where she played Amy Juergens. 

This was the big role that gained her stardom in Hollywood after which she went on to star on major productions like The Fault in Our Stars, Divergent and more. 

Despite gaining her popularity from the drama, she expressed it to be one of the "hardest things" she’s done.

The 33-year-old actress didn’t agree with the series’ rhetoric and the message it was sending to its viewers because it "hit home" for her.

There are many more actors and actresses who have come forward and openly critiqued the roles they played on screens, but the example of Penn, Robert, and Shailene show us that just because a character is famous doesn’t mean playing it was enjoyable by the actors.

While fans may continue to love their characters, hearing the actors honest opinions can allow us to look deeper and think twice about what and who we are cheering for on screen.

Their discontent with the roles they played for us as audience members to enjoy should be an opportunity to ponder upon why we’re drawn to certain stories and characters in the first place.