5 Times It Felt Like Actors Only Played Their Parts to Collect a Paycheck
Actors who just phoned in a role, and it felt like they were supposed to be somewhere else.
It is particularly hurting when talented actors, revered for their craft, choose certain roles clearly for financial gain rather than creative fulfillment.
Let's look back at some of the most obvious instances.
Jennifer Lawrence — X-Men: Apocalypse
Jennifer Lawrence has been playing the role of Raven, aka Mystique, since X-Men: First Class — a 2011 reboot of the mutant team.
Her last performance as the blue mutant was in the film X-Men: Apocalypse, released in 2016. Lawrence's portrayal in the movie has been criticized for a lack of enthusiasm and emotional depth.
Some viewers felt that her performance did not convey the urgency and gravity of the situation, considering the impending world-ending events.
Sean Connery — First Knight
In the film First Knight, released in 1995, Sean Connery played the role of King Arthur.
The film wanted to feature a big name, but Sean Connery resulted to be too old for this role especially given the 35-year age gap between him and co-star Julia Ormond. Many viewers think that Connery overacts at times, and it just doesn't work.
Michael Caine — Jaws: The Revenge
A 1987 film Jaws: The Revenge was severely criticized and almost sank the franchise. A great actor Michael Caine had a role in the movie as Hoagie Newcombe.
Michael Caine's performance didn't impress most of the audience, especially in comparison to his subsequent roles. Caine himself once said: "I have never seen the film, but by all accounts it was terrible."
Michael Madsen — BloodRayne
Michael Madsen, known for his great performances in Tarantino's movies, played a role in a video game adaptation — BloodRayne, directed by Uwe Boll.
It seems like Uwe Boll is not as demanding as Tarantino, because many people found Michael Madsen's performance mediocre and not impressing.
George Clooney — Batman & Robin
George Clooney played the role of Batman in Batman & Robin, after the departure of Michael Keaton. Almost every aspect of the movie was criticized both by critics and the audience, including George Clooney's portrayal.
Clooney even publicly apologized for his portrayal of Batman. Some fans joke that if you see George Clooney in the street and tell him you want a refund for watching Batman & Robin, he'll pay you on the spot.
