# Worst acting you've seen lately **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 19, 2016, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-youve-seen-lately/752652 "2016-04-19T15:51:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-youve-seen-lately/752652/1 "2016-04-19T15:51:08Z")
Every once in a while - more often on TV than in films, I’ll see an actor who stands out as especially inept. Stumbling over their lines, moving and emoting woodenly… Makes you wonder how the folks making the show did not see that - or who the actor is related to/sleeping with. So, what is the worst acting you’ve seen lately? My nominee is [this actress](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3561761/?ref_=tt_cl_t10) in [the most recent episode of Hawaii Five-O](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5586424/?ref_=tt_eps_cu_n). Just think about it - as unbelievable and over-the-top as so much of that show’s plot/scrips consistently are, it is truly impressive for a bad actor to stand out! The actress is attractive enough, but not such a knockout (IMO) as to excuse her wooden performance. Sure, her character’s plot angle and dialogue (beautiful sister of a regular character, law student, involved in rescuing an abused elephant from a circus) was preposterous, but you often see folk inhabiting unbelievable characters and doing and saying unbelievable things yet appearing more natural while doing so. As with much of TV, the entire show is ridiculous, but the actors generally seem to competently portray their characters as actual walking and talking human beings. Are any Dopers involved in show business who can explain how stinker performances get by those responsible? Wouldn’t a really lousy performance show up in rehearsals or early filming? Or is the pace of production just so fast that there is not time to replace a clunker? Or do the producers of a successful show just not really care, so long as things are “good enough”? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-youve-seen-lately/752652/2 "2016-04-19T16:20:27Z")
I haven’t seen it, but clicking on the imdb page you link to, yeah, she’s hot. It’s the **Christmas Jones Syndrome** - named after Denise Richards’ hot-but-hilariously wooden particle physicist from the Bond film _The World is Not Enough_. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-youve-seen-lately/752652/3 "2016-04-19T16:37:37Z")
Yeah - but what gets me is that there seem to be an awful lot of hot women and men who actually CAN act - at least minimally competently. Makes me wonder when you see someone who can’t. Similar to when you see an athlete or politician trying to act - just can’t deliver the lines believably - even if playing themself! ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-youve-seen-lately/752652/4 "2016-04-19T17:15:11Z")
Nikki Reed played Betsy Ross in the last season of _Sleepy Hollow_. Nearly all her scenes were flashbacks to her adventures with Ichabod in the American Revolution. The actress had no idea about playing a non-21st century character. It didn’t help that the writing was wretched & her costuming ludicrous–sort of a Sexy Pirate outfit, at first. Since they killed off Ichabod’s wife Katrina in Season 2, the actress was not available to do those flashbacks. (Too bad they couldn’t kill her off in “The Present” & keep her for the occasional scenr in The Past.) The actress who played Katrina was a weak link in the cast–but Ms Reed was even worse. (There was bad writing for Katrina Crane, too.) Betsy Ross is gone from the series. But, due to a specific event in the last episode, I hope it was really the\* last\* episode. And the show started out so well… ---
**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-youve-seen-lately/752652/5 "2016-04-19T17:27:05Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Are any Dopers involved in show business who can explain how stinker performances get by those responsible? Wouldn’t a really lousy performance show up in rehearsals or early filming? Or is the pace of production just so fast that there is not time to replace a clunker? Or do the producers of a successful show just not really care, so long as things are “good enough”? Looking at her linked page, she is a Mexican actress, so maybe they are giving roles out to up and coming actresses. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-youve-seen-lately/752652/6 "2016-04-19T17:49:15Z")
Informant Eddie from Bullitt. He got the role because he was Steve McQueens buddy. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-youve-seen-lately/752652/7 "2016-04-19T18:29:09Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > The actress had no idea about playing a non-21st century character. My wife and dtr are historical re-enactors, and big Austen fans. They hate it (and I get to hear all about it) when folk act/dress grossly inappropriately in period films. ISTR them saying Keira Knightly was in no way acting 18th century-ish. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-youve-seen-lately/752652/8 "2016-04-19T19:06:43Z")
Dermot Mulroney in _Shameless_; mumbling, stumbling through every scene. How did this guy ever get any sort of acting rep? ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-youve-seen-lately/752652/9 "2016-04-19T19:33:18Z")
One of the actors playing young Malick & his brother in a recent episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. So very very wooden. One wasn’t terrible but the other was pretty stilted. I don’t remember which was which though. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-youve-seen-lately/752652/10 "2016-04-19T21:35:07Z")
I liked Ashton Kutcher in That 70s Show but in anything else he’s pretty much the same character (which I think is actually himself). I just finished watching The Ranch on Netflix and of a mostly-talented cast he’s by far the weakest link. He’s supposed to be some kind of jock but with the requisite butt shot :rolleyes: he’s flabby and has NO muscles! I know that doesn’t have anything to do with his acting but dude, at least work out a little if you’re going to play a jock! ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-youve-seen-lately/752652/11 "2016-04-19T21:40:57Z")
You’ve probably never heard of her (I hadn’t) but it would be Cody Horn in Magic Mike. I wasn’t even watching the movie and just happened to be in the same room when my wife was viewing it but her acting was so horrendous it caught my attention and I had to find out who this person was. I was convinced she got cast in the movie as a favor some producer owed someone. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-youve-seen-lately/752652/12 "2016-04-19T21:41:53Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Are any Dopers involved in show business who can explain how stinker performances get by those responsible? Wouldn’t a really lousy performance show up in rehearsals or early filming? Or is the pace of production just so fast that there is not time to replace a clunker? Or do the producers of a successful show just not really care, so long as things are “good enough”? I’m not in the industry, but sometimes people audition well and then choke on the day, and you don’t have time or money (in TV especially) to recast so you just have to make the best of what you’ve got. > [@Helena330](#): > > I liked Ashton Kutcher in That 70s Show but in anything else he’s pretty much the same character (which I think is actually himself). He’s largely a joke as an actor. I think _Jobs_ is the last high-profile, non-comedic role you’re ever going to see him in. Shilling smartphones and doing guest spots on _Shark Tank_ seem to play to his strengths better. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-youve-seen-lately/752652/13 "2016-04-19T22:16:04Z")
I was just re-watching season 1 of Lost Girl and it seems to be that the guy they hired to play The Ash’s only qualification for the role was a deep, raspy voice. It wasn’t a big loss when they killed the character. Trick is actually pretty badly acted through season 1 as well. He stands out, noticeably, though I feel like he was perfectly good from season 3 on, and probably most of 2? Though even towards the end of the show, I think I noticed that he couldn’t seem to cry on cue. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-youve-seen-lately/752652/14 "2016-04-19T22:16:29Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > You’ve probably never heard of her (I hadn’t) but it would be Cody Horn in Magic Mike. > I wasn’t even watching the movie and just happened to be in the same room when my wife was viewing it but her acting was so horrendous it caught my attention and I had to find out who this person was. > I was convinced she got cast in the movie as a favor some producer owed someone. Good one. I had forgotten about that until I started watching it again recently while flipping around, and had to turn it off - she doesn’t improve with repeat viewings. The show **Togetherness** had a great cast - except for the main guy who wrote it - Mark Duplass. It was painful watching him interact with the other actors, who were excellent. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-youve-seen-lately/752652/15 "2016-04-19T22:18:00Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > The show **Togetherness** had a great cast - except for the main guy who wrote it - Mark Duplass. It was painful watching him interact with the other actors, who were excellent. This seems a good opportunity to bring up Quentin Tarantino’s performances in **Reservoir Dogs** and **Pulp Fiction**. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-youve-seen-lately/752652/16 "2016-04-20T00:02:15Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > My wife and dtr are historical re-enactors, and big Austen fans. They hate it (and I get to hear all about it) when folk act/dress grossly inappropriately in period films. ISTR them saying Keira Knightly was in no way acting 18th century-ish. I couldn’t get past two episodes of _ **TURИ: Washington’s Spies** _, the characters were so out-of-period. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-youve-seen-lately/752652/17 "2016-04-20T00:10:40Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > My wife and dtr are historical re-enactors, and big Austen fans. They hate it (and I get to hear all about it) when folk act/dress grossly inappropriately in period films. ISTR them saying Keira Knightly was in no way acting 18th century-ish. This. So many barred teeth smiles, so much outrage, so little charm. Worst. Elizabeth. Etc. ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-youve-seen-lately/752652/18 "2016-04-20T00:59:35Z")
My girlfriend and I recently watched _Babylon 5_, which I’d never seen before. Michael O’Hare was pathetic. The way that guy delivered his lines, he may as well have been holding the script up in front of him and reading from it. I know about his mental illness, but whatever - that doesn’t excuse horrible acting (or keeping him on the show). If I hadn’t already known he would be gone after the first season, I probably would have given up after a few episodes. ---
**Author:** ![planetcory](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/planetcory/32/1032_2.png) [@planetcory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/planetcory)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-youve-seen-lately/752652/19 "2016-04-20T01:13:04Z")
That’s not the writer of this movie. That’s just a writer of movies. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-youve-seen-lately/752652/20 "2016-04-20T01:39:21Z")
Most of the acting in the movie [Too Late](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2394063/?ref_=nv_sr_1) was horrible. It didn’t even reach the level of a high school drama class. On the other hand, good acting may have been impossible with such terrible writing. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-acting-youve-seen-lately/752652.md?page=2)