The 10 Most Annoying Movie Characters Ever
Whether they are in movies you like or movies you most certainly do not, the fact remains that they sure are annoying. These are those characters that you would chew off an arm to get away from. Sometimes they are meant to be annoying, other times they are not but still end up as such. As a preface, I would like to say that I kept it to just one character by each actor so as to avoid having a list filled with Jim Carrey, Ben Stiller and Will Ferrell.
I disqualified any and all of those insufferably annoying series of kids films such as Twilight, Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia, as well as all those equally insufferable fratboy-type movies like American Pie and Old School – again it would be a list of just those characters. I tried, for the most part, to keep it to just characters in movies that were at least meant to be good.
Some of these characters are actually from films I otherwise enjoyed. There are other characters that are meant to be annoying that I actually enjoyed, such as Nic Cage as Sailor Ripley in Wild at Heart or Maria de Medeiros as Fabienne in Pulp Fiction (she is so freakin’ adorable, annoyingly so or not). I had to draw the proverbial line somewhere or this would end up being a 1000 best list. Without further ado, here are my choices for the most annoying movie characters ever but first a special mention.
Special Mention: The Ewoks in Return of the Jedi
I suppose Lucas has made more annoying characters (foreshadowing perhaps?) but these fuzzy tribbles with arms and legs were nothing more than a marketing ploy to sell a shitload of stuffed toys come Christmas time. The only real glitch in the overall awesomeness of the original trilogy (don’t get me started on those other three movies usurping the Star Wars name! – again, perhaps some foreshadowing?) were these fuzzy little bastards. They were like a never-ending horde of Scrappy-Doo’s just trying to ruin the series just as it was ending. Of course there is another, much more Scrappy-Doo-like character in the Star Wars Universe, but I am getting ahead of myself (um, foreshadowing again).
10. Ruby Thewes in Cold Mountain
I cannot relay the enormously powerful urge I had after watching Cold Mountain, to seek out Renee Zellweger and punch her in that anteater-looking face of hers for this character. Seriously, I was praying for Nicole Kidman to just shoot her in the head. I have liked Zellweger in other roles (Nurse Betty, Down With Love, the first Bridget Jones – even her performance as Roxie Hart in the rather lackluster Oscar Winner Chicago was relatively enjoyable) but here it was like nails on a chalk board. Yes, the film itself perhaps was not all that great (mediocre and mundane mostly) but Zellweger’s crazed backwoods loon just makes it sink all that much lower.
9. Pvt. Hudson in Aliens
“That’s it man, game over man, game over!” Seriously man, your are a US Marine, start acting like one. Yeah, I realize that if I were in the situation Bill Paxton’s Pvt. Hudson and cohorts find themselves in (aka, killer monsters hunting them down in what amounts to a deadly no-escape maze) I would probably act like a little crying bitch as well, but then I am not a freakin’ Marine. C’mon, even little Newt (you know, the nine-year-old little girl that is trapped along with the Marines) is acting braver than that pussy-bitch little Pvt. Hudson. Game over indeed.
8. Rachel Ferrier in War of the Worlds
Yes, Dakota Fanning is a wonderful actress and can out act most of the adults she has starred with (including Tom Cruise as her dad here) but seriously, could she have cried and screamed and acted like a howler monkey any more than she did here. Yeah yeah, aliens are attacking and your world is being destroyed and we all know you are scared (who wouldn’t be) but please, for the love of everything that is holy, just shut the fuck up. Give her over to the aliens, “accidentally” push her in front of a laser, leave her behind any of the dozens of times she is lost, whatever it takes, just shut her up. Still though, she acts circles around Cruise.
7. Ruby Rhod in The Fifth Element
Granted, any time you set Chris Tucker free on a movie you will invariably get a most annoying persona, but his queerly manic Ruby Rhod, sort of a screeching wombat in pseudo-drag, from this otherwise quite enjoyable Luc Besson film, is the stuff nightmares are made of. Now yes, I suppose he is meant to be this annoying (he would have been placed higher if this were not the case) and the characters in around him are also visibly annoyed by his presence, but this character goes so so so far over the top (the kind of acting style I have liked on many other occasions btw) that he takes away much of the enjoyment of the film itself.
6. Borat in Borat
I’m still not sure why so many took so well to this film. I suppose it is just one of those films I do not get the attraction to. With only a handful of legitimately comic moments, Borat is one of those films that spend an inordinate amount of time on dick and ass jokes – the sad refuge of the comically devoid – and not enough time on something that would actually make someone of thirteen laugh. But then it is not the quality of the picture that is in question, but the utter annoyance of its protagonist. What more can one say though? Borat, the character, is as insufferable as the overall movie which I suppose is just as it should be.
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92 Comments
Hudson earns his shell-shocked and freaked out persona, though. Being a Marine doesn’t make you immune to fear or neuroses when placed into a lethal situation against an enemy you’ve never been trained to fight or even expected to encounter before. If anything, the fact that Hudson– a seasoned soldier– is so thrown off balance by the team’s confrontations with the xenomorphs emphasizes just how out of their element they all are.
Everyone else deserves to be on here, though I think Anakin might be just as annoying as Jar-Jar in Phantom Menace. Still, worthy contenders.
To be honest I got a kick out of Paxton’s character and the way he interacted with the others, but still, the little girl is acting braver than he is.
As far as Anakin goes, I was trying to keep it to just one person per film (which is why Indy’s Short Round gets the boot) and I gave him a pass because he grows up to be Darth Vader. Sure his is the annoying Jake Lloyd first and then the even more annoying Hayden Christianson (sp?) later but eventually he becomes the baddest mofo in all the universe and that should count for something. Jar Jar is always Jar Jar.
That’s a fair point. Jar Jar never changes. He’s always a huge douchebag. At least “Annie” grows up to sound like James Earl Jones.
Nice list. No big arguments on my end. I did enjoy Napoleon Dynamite, but if you look at that character in particular, I guess you can make the case.
Capshaw should have been #2 as Willie Scott, though. It’s hard for me to want to revisit this movie almost solely because of her. Just painful.
Where are the twin-bots from Revenge of The Fallen?
I know Forrest Gump may not be everyone’s favorite (don’t think he should be on this when compared to the rest), but ranking him above Napoleon Dynamite is a bloody crime. ND is one of the most boring and unappealing characters of all-time. I think he could even be ranked as #1 instead of Jar Jar Binks at times.
If Jar Jar is #1, the twin-bots should be included xD
I have never seen the Revenge of the Fallen (could barely make it trough the first Transformers, though I am going to probably force myself to see the third – don’t ask why), but then I suppose I could have put any of the bots from the first film in here.
wow. I’m adamant in not seeing the third after I could barely pay attention to #2. xD Not even expecting to see it on cable LOL
If you would have seen Revenge Of The Fallen, the twin-bots would have easily made part of your part as #1 or #2.
How dare you insult Bill Paxton. He directed the video for “fish heads” dammit! I would throw Vince Vaughn’s character in 2001′s “Made” on to the list. Ricky was fun to watch……but he was VERY annoying!
Ewoks are so full of shit!
Sorry for that comment but I really hate those little “bears”! Great list as always and interesting topic!
As well you should. Fuzzy little bastards
Keira Knightley.
Amy Ryan in Gone Baby Gone has to be one. Granted, it was one hell of a performance, and she was meant to be annoying, but definitely one of those characters that make you want to jump into the screen and slap the hell out of.
A number of Cameron Diaz roles are fitting here as well.
And just so I can include her for a film, Maggie Wheeler’s character from The Parent Trap.
DEFAULT EXPRESSION #1: POUT MODE
Ahah, what’s all this hatred against Keira? Very true though she needs to stop acting with her teeth and pout
I don’t know
After posting that “Dangerous Method” trailer, I suddenly found out that everyone hates Keira Knightley. It must be a la mode right now.
I don’t think Keira is a bad actor per se, but she does seem quite limited (the white trash Natalie Portman perhaps?) and she does seem to pose more than perform.
Oh speaking of posing, I’d add Angelina Jolie in The Tourist then. She must’ve thought the whole movie was a modeling shoot!
Wait, if you’re including Amy Ryan in Gone Baby Gone, you have to include Melissa Leo on The Fighter!
I think we need a different list between characters that were meant to be annoying, and those whom we find annoying. xD
Melissa Leo at the Oscars was an even more annoying performance!
Damn it, would you people leave Keira alone?! You’re going to force me to unleash a 12,000 word post about her performance in Atonement. Don’t think I can’t do it!
I dare you. In fact I triple dog dare you.
I don’t think you need 12,000 words to explain that she was out-acted by a teenage amateur.
#1 for me is André Gregory in “My Dinner with André”. His nauseating faux new age intellectualism somehow managed to make me dislike a Louis Malle film (which, until that point, I had thought impossible). As if it wasn’t bad enough, it’s just so damned oppressive for the entire first half of the film. You can’t escape it because the guy never shuts up.
In that same vein, the whiny 30-somethings bemoaning their first world problems in The Big Chill drove me bonkers. I don’t care which one you want to choose. They all annoyed me equally.
Would Mutt from the latest Indiana Jones be too obvious?
Big thumbs up on including Napoleon Dynamite.
Wow, I forgot all about My Dinner w/ Andre. Yes, I agree he was insufferable as all get out (even though it was a film I enjoyed strangely enough).
Good list. When I saw the topic, my first thought was Ruby Rhod. My second thought was Willie Scott.
Ah, so much to love about this list. Glad I’m not the only who found Forrest Gump so annoying, I can’t stand Willie Scott either and this line made my whole day – “Seriously, I was praying for Nicole Kidman to just shoot her in the head.” I wish I could see this scene.
I would nominate Jonah Hill for “Superbad.” Just.Shut.Up.
Love the mention for Hill.
Nick, I like you more and more every day.
Then this might be a bad time to tell you one of my all time favorite performances is, uh, Amy Ryan in “Gone Baby Gone.” Sometimes I just watch the scenes she’s in to cheer me up when I’m feeling blue, which I suppose makes no sense because her character is so awful but acting that great makes me happy.
But you’re right, she is supposed to be annoying. She’s just so damn skilled at being annoying.
Oh, it’s a favorite of mine as well. Doesn’t take away from the fact that she is annoying. If I had done this list, I would’ve probably left her off because of the caveat that she’s supposed to be annoying, but thought she deserved mentioning nonetheless.
It’s on now. I will fight anyone who bashes Pvt. Hudson. That character was great. There’s a very good reason that, “Get away from her you bitch” aside, nearly every “Aliens” quote you hear someone make is a Hudson line.
Bring it on
I’dd add Corporal Upham from “Saving Private Ryan” to this list. Actually, now that I really think about it, I’d add every character that Jeremy Davies has ever played to this list.
Every single person in The Breakfast club on position 10-2, and Dustin Hofman from The Graduate on 1.
As someone who grew up with The Breakfast Club, I guess I did not see anything annoying in them – they were all people (or versions of people) I knew personally in school. Oh wait, I hated almost everyone in school, so perhaps you are correct.
I saw it in High school, and boy did I hate it. Then again, I went to high school in the 2000′s, which was a less innocent time.
I tend to find Bill Paxton annoying in just about anything I see him in, so I certainly won’t argue with that addition to the list. I have a hard time convincing myself to watch movies that he is in, he just annoys me that much.
What about ‘A Simple Plan’? Or ‘One False Move’?
Those are both movies that I would have enjoyed had it not been for Paxton. There is just something about the man that really grates on me. I just find him annoying.
About the only movie I can take him in is True Lies and that is because he spends most of the movie being utterly humiliated.
I… don’t even know what to say. You lost me when you called Harry Potter an “insufferable kids series.” On top of that, I disagree with about half this list. So… yeah.
Ahaha yea, reviewing it before publishing the post, I was like what’s with the potshot at Harry Potter!!??!
Yeah, couldn’t help it. I watched the first three movies and was bored out of my skull.
If you can keep going and still call it a “kids series,” something’s wrong with you.
I still will not tolerate such insults…
I did not mean kids series as an insult in any way. Technically they are listed as “young adult” in the book world and are aimed toward teens and that is all I meant by that. I did not mean to insinuate that those that like the series (and I have many friends who do) are immature in any way. I mean c’mon, I at 43 still read comics, so I have no right to say someone else is immature (not many are more immature than I but that is a different story). Sorry if I offended by that.
Now as for my insufferable comment, I still stand by that 100%. But still, they are tons better than the whole Twilight nonsense (let’s see who I can piss off with that one).
lol, for the record, I’m not insulted or offended. I’ve heard all of this before. I just think it’s funny when people call Harry Potter a kids series. Honestly, after Prisoner of Azkaban, it stops being such. Goblet of Fire is young adult. But then Order of the Phoenix gets incredibly dark. Half-Blood Princes lightens up just a bit, but has some of the darkest moments in the whole series. And then I’d argue Deathly Hallows is just pure adult fiction.
Are there even any movie you like?
OMG No! Borat is frikkin’ hilarious. Everyone quoted that movie for years and I still didn’t get sick of it. A lot of people over at the UK and Finland were already big fans of Sasha B C before the film, especially the Ali G in America thing was pure brilliance.
Yeah, a lot of people think that but I just cannot get into it. I get the point (and see the political satire he is attempting) but the low brow gross-out humour just gets in the way. And granted, he is one of the characters on this list that are meant to be annoying.
Hey! I like Bill Paxton. He kicks ass. I would disqualify Jar-Jar because he is fucking annoying. I would’ve put Anakin as well, no matter what age he is.
Props also to Napoleon Dynamite. I really don’t like that film but it wasn’t as bad as “Gentlemen Broncos”, oh that was horrible. There is an extremely annoying character by the guy who played a bad filmmaker who just grins throughout the entire movie. He was aggravating to watch.
I …. kinda … love .. Forrest Gump. The southern voice it the charm of his character, not to mention his harmlessness.
not a single character from an Ed Burns film? Inconceivable!
Ha! Good point.
Where’s Havoc from X-men first class???? =)
I actually meant Banshee, I keep confusing these two a lot. hahah
Actually Deadpool from Wolverine could have made this list, I rewatched it a couple of days ago and he is really annoying in the end.
Seriously? Deadpool was the only GOOD part about Wolverine.
Hell no! at least not his end appearance. I have heard he is completely different in the comics. This character just borrowed his name and I think its so lame to just round a super mutant with everybodys powers.
I’ll agree with that, but I can’t exactly say his end appearance was *annoying*. He didn’t even talk. But you’re right that it wasn’t faithful to the comic character. The first 15 minutes with Reynolds was much closer to the actual character. And even Reynolds has stated that when they do their spin-off, they’re gonna make it more like the comic character than how he was portrayed in Wolverine.
However, his 15 minutes at the beginning was the best part of Wolverine.
Totally agree with most of these, especially Jar Jar!! But I find Forrest and Napoleon quite endearing in their quirkiness. And yeah, it’d be hard to pick just one from the Twilight movies, but I like HP so I don’t find any of them annoying.
Yeah, HP was not so much annoying as just boring to me. I guess I just missed the boat on that one, because I have a lot of friends who love the series (and a lot of backlash in these comments).
I am so pleased that Jar Jar Binks took the number 1 spot, as that was the character I was thinking of when I first read the blog title!
Very good list Kevyn. Not much I would change actually. Jar Jar is by far the most annying one and I would probably switch Kate Capshaw for Short Round.
Its funny thanks to Star Wars 1-3 you could pretty easily do a top en list with characters from that universe alone.
‘Temple of Doom’ is a prequel? Really?
Yup.
Temple of Doom takes place in 1935. Raiders in late 1936. Last Crusade then is 1938-39 and Crystal Skull is 1957.
Ya know, I have been contemplating going back and watching the earlier Harry Potter’s and then seeing the last one in July in theaters. I suppose with all the backlash toward my one (very innocent) comment I should do just that. I’ve only ever seen the first three so perhaps the “older” Potter will be more my taste. Still though, can’t promise I won’t be as bored silly as the first three times.
Give it a shot! From a cinematic standpoint, the Harry Potter movies aren’t that spectacular but they have a certain quality that make them endearing despite the films’ flaws. Maybe, it’s watching the kids grow up as the story unfold?
The series does have some great actors in it (I love anything Alan Rickman does and he is the one character I actually thoroughly enjoyed in the movies I did see) and actually both Radcliffe and Watson are talented actors (they have both done good work in other things I have seen).
I suppose we will see (I have already added them to my Netflix queue).
The series really does get better, especially since the veteran actors like Oldman, Broadbent, and HBC (easily one of my favorite characters of the past decade) get more face time.
Ruby Rhod AND Hudson?? For shame:( But your call on Willy is inspired. Great call there:)
Rob Bridon in The Trip (movie cut). I know his constant impressions are supposed to be annoying, but there’s a point where it just crosses the border into obnoxious.
I love Rob Brydon. But maybe that’s just me. And anyway, my Michael Caine is better than his.
Ruby Rhod is the height of Chris Tucker’s career. And big ups for mentioning Ruby Thewes.
Anakin Skywalker (Christiensen) in Star Wars II.
Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon) in Election.
Scarface (Al Pacino) in Scarface.
Diana Christensen (Faye Dunaway) in Network.
Shelley Winters’ characters in Lolita, A Patch of Blue and Alfie.
Any character that June Allyson played.
The spinster aunt (Moorehead) in Ambersons.
Suellen (Evelyn Ketyes?) in Gone with the wind.
The Thin Man in Metropolis (restored footage).
Everyone but Elsie Stoneman (Lillian Gish) in Birth of a Nation.
Tracy Flick is supposed to be annoying. That’s what makes her awesome.
Plus one. Tracy Enid Flick should never, ever make a list like this where we actually don’t like the characters. She’s an all-time great.
Aw, poor June Allyson. I suppose one could add any character played by Zasu Pitts or for that matter Una Merkel – but Una is so freakin’ adorable I love everything she is in even if she is meant to be an annoying character.
You lost me at Pvt Hudson (number 9). No way is he on a list of “annoying” characters. Maybe a list of “secondary characters who steal the limelight with humor”… but not annoying.
Still, you did put Jar Jar in at 1, so I guess it’s swings and roundabouts…
You have some great picks here. As soon as I saw the title my first thought was JarJar Binks! I have to throw this one into the hat. Nancy Spungen in “Sid and Nancy.” Which is really horrible because it’s a true story based on Sid Vicious killing her, but damm, sitting through that movie…she was soooo annoying! She just kept whining Siiiid Siiiid! I couldn’t take it.
Thank you for putting Forrest Gump on this list. Jar Jar is for sure number one, but Gump got way (WAY!) more attention than it deserved.
Clearly, you’ve not seen Greenberg. Would love to punch that turd in his balls.
About 50/50 on your list. Amen on Ruby – intentional or not, he single-handedly changed the tone of that flick (for the worse). But I dig Napoleon, Borat and even Forrest and the Ewoks to an extent. Amen of course on Jar Jar, and I agree with those that think Anakin should be up here as well.
Lots of interesting suggestions (and debates) from everyone. Good topic!
I dig this list. Especially the inclusion of Gump. I’m always astonished that people own up to liking that film.
If I could add:
Bubo the owl from Clash of the Titans. Oh, and maybe Harry Hamlin too. Not the hot chick though, or Medusa.
That guy that turns into a goose in Krull, and maybe the creepy guy with one eye.
Finally, and most importantly, Gollum. I adore those movies and it wasn’t so bad the first time around, but every time I watch the LotR these days my finger creeps to the ff button when that little guy is on the screen.
Watch out you’ll get the LOTR ranters after you now.
Gollum? Really, you don’t like Gollum? Man….
I never found Gump all that annoying, but I can understand why people would – are people perhaps confusing the character with the ideology of an imbecile cruising through life…. is he annoying because he’s an idiot, or just because he has all that cool stuff happen to him?
I’d like to add almost every character Sean Penn has ever played, with particular emphasis on Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
How did I know Jar Jar Binks was going to be number one!
…but a perfect choice, I have to admit.
So many people find Ruby Rod an annoying character in The Fifth Element but I always found him to be funny. It was my first introduction to Chris Tucker.
Great choice including Willie Scott from Temple of Doom.
But I do take exception to Hudson and Forrest Gump – love both characters.
I LOVE Hudson “Why Don’t You Put Her In Charge”
May I put in a punt for Scarlett’s Johannsen’s character in “Match Point”
Let’s just say I had no sympathy for how things turned out for her …
The Bros. from Boondock Saints. Easily the most irritating of their decade.
What about that annoying “me me me” kid from The Polar Express….. ?
Joe Pesci in Lethal Weapon 3. Not a bad list, but you’re a bad writer.
Look, I know you want to blog about stuff, blah blah blah and you have a right to your opinion, blah blah blah, but I hope you know that there are two types of people in this world.
I’ll get to that later, but first, I’m going to tell you about how many lives Jim Carrey has changed for the better.
I remember so many times when I’ve been bummed out, all I had to do was pop in Dumb&Dumber and I would instantly feel better. I didn’t need drugs, alcohol, sex or even companionship. Just two hours of rediculous witty and hilarious slap stick humor to dessimate my woes.
If someone were to tell me that they despised Dumb&Dumber, a movie about two innocent morons traveling across the country chock full of one liners and stupid hilarious humor, I would pray for their soul.
And I’m not even religious.
“That’s why we gave your friend Harry here a bullet proof vest!”
“But what if they shot ‘em in the face?!”
I mean, COME ON! Tell me how that’s not funny. Give me ONE reason not to laugh my balls off at that one liner.
And guess what? Ace Ventura set it all in motion, buddy.
1 and 2.
And Borat? Obviously you were never fan of the original series on HBO. Fair enough. But I think Sasha Baron Cohen is the next Andy Kaufman (also portrayed by Carrey…beeeeeeecause he’s a genius). Cohen had the smarts to expose bigotry, racism and hatred by using satirical comedy on unsuspecting rednecks and drunk, ignorant haters.
That’s character magic.
As for the rest, we’re in total agreement. They’re all unbearably annoying. But I suggest omitting Mr. Carrey / Ace Ventura and Mr.Cohen / Borat from your list. Not because they’re my favorite. But because they’re obviously doing something right in terms of innovative art and ticket & DVD sales.
You’re sitting at your computer writing a blog on they’re genius whether you like them or not. They’re laughing all the way to the bank.
And the two types of people I was talking about?
There are dancers, and there are critics.
You sir, are a critic.
Respectfully,
-Dave
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