Worst Actresses of All Time

It’s no surprise lists like these cause discussion – careers and preferences shift over time. However, certain performances have consistently been seen as failures. This list focuses on actresses whose films were critically panned, didn’t perform well at the box office, or earned them a lot of ‘Razzie’ nominations. We’ve stuck to factual information about their careers and roles, so you can make your own assessment.

Madonna

While Madonna is a huge musical icon, her acting career hasn’t always been well-received. Many of her starring roles in films like ‘Shanghai Surprise,’ ‘Body of Evidence,’ and ‘Swept Away’ were critically panned and even earned her Golden Raspberry Awards. She generally receives more positive feedback for smaller roles or cameos where she can leverage her musical talent and public image. Despite her significant impact on popular culture through music, her films haven’t consistently achieved the same level of success.

Paris Hilton

Paris Hilton starred in the movie ‘The Hottie & the Nottie’ following roles in ‘House of Wax’ and a few smaller parts. However, the film was critically panned and didn’t do well in theaters, even earning her a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress. Since then, she’s mostly appeared in short cameos and reality television shows.

Pamela Anderson

Pamela Anderson gained significant attention with the film ‘Barb Wire,’ based on the Dark Horse comic. However, the movie wasn’t successful and received negative reviews, particularly for its story and performances. Early in her career, she quickly became known – and even received a Razzie Award – as a rising star. She then found more consistent work through television roles and by playfully poking fun at her own public image.

Megan Fox

Megan Fox first became famous with ‘Transformers’ and then starred in several thriller and action movies. While some of these, like ‘Jonah Hex’ and ‘Midnight in the Switchgrass,’ weren’t well-received by critics, earning her Golden Raspberry awards, she has continued to work, mostly in genre films and supporting roles, with varying degrees of success.

Tara Reid

Tara Reid first gained widespread recognition through her roles in movies like ‘American Pie’ and ‘Van Wilder’. However, the film ‘Alone in the Dark’ was poorly received by critics and earned her a nomination for a Razzie Award. Since then, she’s primarily appeared in television movies and lower-profile films with limited release.

Denise Richards

I remember when Denise Richards first hit the scene – she was fantastic in films like ‘Starship Troopers’ and ‘Wild Things’! But her role as a Bond girl in ‘The World Is Not Enough’… well, let’s just say it wasn’t her best work. In fact, she actually won a Golden Raspberry Award for it! After that, she transitioned more into television and reality TV, popping up in movies here and there, but it definitely shifted her career path.

Bo Derek

Bo Derek first gained widespread recognition with the film ’10’ and continued acting in leading roles. However, ‘Bolero’ was widely panned by critics and earned her several Golden Raspberry Awards for her performances. After that, her film roles were infrequent and often referenced her earlier success.

Pia Zadora

Pia Zadora first gained attention in the films ‘Butterfly’ and ‘The Lonely Lady,’ but both were critically panned and she received multiple Razzie Awards, including one for worst actress. Although these films were highly publicized, they weren’t successful at the box office. Zadora later shifted her career focus to performing on stage and pursuing music.

Elizabeth Berkley

Elizabeth Berkley first gained major attention in the film ‘Showgirls,’ which was initially met with harsh criticism and earned her a Worst Actress award. Though the movie later developed a dedicated cult following, the negative reaction hindered her opportunities in feature films. Berkley successfully revived her career through work in theater and television.

Sofia Coppola

Sofia Coppola began her career as an actress, appearing in ‘The Godfather Part III’. However, her performance received significant criticism and she even won a Razzie Award for worst supporting actress. This experience led her to focus on directing instead, where she found success with films like ‘Lost in Translation’ and became a highly respected filmmaker.

Brigitte Nielsen

Brigitte Nielsen is known for her roles in films like ‘Red Sonja’, ‘Rocky IV’, and ‘Cobra’. While she received several nominations for the Golden Raspberry Awards (given to the worst films), critics often pointed out that her acting lacked versatility and felt unnatural. Later in her career, she shifted her focus to television and reality shows, though she still made occasional appearances in films.

Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey’s movie ‘Glitter’ wasn’t well-received by critics or audiences, and she even won a Golden Raspberry Award for her performance. Later, she surprised many with a strong performance in ‘Precious,’ a far cry from the negative reception of ‘Glitter.’ Since then, she’s been very careful about the roles she chooses, generally focusing on projects related to her music.

Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan started her career with popular teen movies like ‘Freaky Friday’ and ‘Mean Girls’. However, the thriller ‘I Know Who Killed Me’ was poorly received and earned her several Razzie Awards. Personal and professional difficulties, including legal troubles and delays, also impacted her work. More recently, she’s focused on films and TV shows for streaming services, with mixed results.

Jessica Alba

As a film fan, I remember Jessica Alba really breaking through with movies like ‘Fantastic Four’ and ‘Into the Blue,’ though honestly, a lot of critics weren’t kind to them. She even ended up with a couple of Razzie nominations, which is never fun! It’s interesting to see how things change, though – she’s since focused more on building her own business ventures and stepped away from taking on those big leading roles in major studio films.

Kate Upton

Kate Upton started her career as a model and later appeared in comedies like ‘The Other Woman’ and ‘The Layover’. While those films weren’t critically acclaimed – reviewers often noted weak characters and inconsistent performances – she did receive nominations for a Golden Raspberry Award. Since then, she hasn’t appeared in many movies, and has instead focused on fashion and other media projects.

Brooke Shields

Brooke Shields found it challenging to move from being a child star to leading roles as an adult. Early in her career, she received a Golden Raspberry Award for her performance in ‘Sahara.’ Although she found consistent work on television and in theater, major movie roles didn’t often resonate with audiences. She continues to be involved in various projects, including writing books, performing on stage, and taking on guest appearances.

Carmen Electra

Carmen Electra is famous for her work in silly comedies like ‘Scary Movie’, ‘Date Movie’, and ‘Meet the Spartans’. While these films weren’t critically well-received and even earned her nominations for Razzie Awards, she’s continued to take on small roles in movies and TV shows.

Jenny McCarthy

Jenny McCarthy created and starred in the movie ‘Dirty Love,’ but it was critically panned and earned her a Golden Raspberry Award for worst actress. After that, she mostly appeared in small roles and focused on hosting. She then transitioned into television presenting and became more involved in advocacy work, rather than pursuing leading roles in films.

Sharon Stone

Sharon Stone is best known for the film ‘Basic Instinct,’ but the 2006 sequel wasn’t well-received. In fact, she won a Golden Raspberry Award for her performance in it. Like many thrillers released around that time, the sequel didn’t do well with audiences or critics. After that, Stone focused on television and smaller, independent films, which generally received more positive feedback.

Jessica Simpson

Jessica Simpson starred in a few films, including ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’, ‘Employee of the Month’, and ‘Blonde Ambition’, but critics generally didn’t like her acting, particularly in leading roles. She even received nominations for Razzie Awards, which recognize the worst in film. Eventually, she shifted her focus to her music career, building her brand, and making appearances on television.

Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez has starred in several well-known films, including ‘Gigli’, ‘Jersey Girl’, and ‘The Boy Next Door’. However, ‘Gigli’ was a major box office failure and received very negative reviews, earning her multiple Golden Raspberry nominations and a ‘Worst Actress’ award. Her more recent films have focused on thrillers and romantic dramas, but haven’t consistently been successful in theaters.

Halle Berry

Halle Berry starred in ‘Catwoman,’ a film that was widely criticized and didn’t perform well at the box office considering how much it cost to make. She famously accepted the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress for that role herself. While other films she made around the mid-2000s had mixed results, she continued to find success in action movies and television.

Sandra Bullock

Sandra Bullock experienced a surprising contrast in 2010: she won an Academy Award and a Golden Raspberry Award (for ‘All About Steve’) in the same weekend. The film was widely criticized for its script and acting. Throughout her career, Bullock has successfully played both comedic and dramatic roles. While she regained critical acclaim with subsequent films, the Razzie Award remains a standout low point.

Demi Moore

Demi Moore’s starring role in the 1996 film ‘Striptease’ earned her a Golden Raspberry Award for worst actress. Subsequent films like ‘The Scarlet Letter’ and ‘G.I. Jane’ received very mixed reviews, and several of her projects from the late 1990s didn’t perform well in theaters. She later found more consistent work with supporting roles and appearances in television shows, which helped re-establish her career.

Alicia Silverstone

After starring in the hit movie ‘Clueless’, Alicia Silverstone went on to play leading roles in ‘Batman & Robin’ and ‘Excess Baggage’. However, ‘Batman & Robin’ was critically panned, and she even received a Golden Raspberry Award. Following these films, her career didn’t maintain the same level of success. She continued to work steadily in television, on stage, and in smaller, independent films.

Cameron Diaz

Cameron Diaz faced harsh criticism in 2014 with films like ‘The Other Woman,’ ‘Sex Tape,’ and ‘Annie,’ even winning a Golden Raspberry award for her role in ‘Annie.’ While she had success in other films throughout her career, 2014 was a low point for reviews. Following this, she took a break from acting, only returning for a few projects later on.

Katherine Heigl

Katherine Heigl successfully moved from starring in TV shows to leading roles in movies like ’27 Dresses’ and ‘The Ugly Truth’. However, her film ‘One for the Money’ wasn’t well-received, and she even received a Razzie nomination. Several of her movies didn’t perform well in theaters, so she went back to television, where she’s continued to work consistently.

Sarah Jessica Parker

The ‘Sex and the City’ sequel starring Sarah Jessica Parker received mostly negative reviews and didn’t do well at the box office. She even shared a Razzie Award for worst actress with her co-stars for the film. While other projects around that time received mixed reactions, Parker continued to be praised for her work on television and in theater.

Kristen Stewart

Kristen Stewart received a Golden Raspberry Award (often called a ‘Razzie’) for her acting in ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2,’ and was also nominated for ‘Snow White and the Huntsman.’ Both of these blockbuster films were generally disliked by critics. However, she later improved her critical reputation by appearing in well-received independent films.

Kim Basinger

Kim Basinger won a Golden Raspberry Award for her performance in ‘I Dreamed of Africa’ and was also nominated for other Razzie Awards around the same time. Several of her films released in the late 1990s and early 2000s were critically panned. After that, she began choosing roles more carefully, often appearing in supporting roles.

Melanie Griffith

As a longtime movie fan, I remember ‘Shining Through’ being a bit of a low point for Melanie Griffith – critics really didn’t love it, and it unfortunately became a go-to example when people wanted to point out a disappointing performance. She even got some attention from the Razzies for that and for a couple of films after, like ‘Two Much’. Honestly, the early ’90s weren’t kind to her at the box office or with reviews. After that, she kept working, mostly in smaller roles in films and on TV, which was great to see.

Liza Minnelli

Liza Minnelli starred in two films in the late 1980s, ‘Rent A Cop’ and ‘Arthur 2: On the Rocks,’ which weren’t successful with audiences or critics. In fact, she received a Golden Raspberry Award for her performances in those movies. These films are now often cited as examples of movies that relied too heavily on a star’s popularity but didn’t deliver. Following these films, Minnelli largely returned to performing on stage and in concerts.

Faye Dunaway

When ‘Mommie Dearest’ was first released, critics heavily criticized Faye Dunaway’s performance, and she even won a Golden Raspberry Award for worst actress. While the film later became a cult classic, the immediate response was overwhelmingly negative. Dunaway continued to act, appearing in both independent films and television shows.

Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg’s film ‘The Telephone’ wasn’t well-received by critics and didn’t attract many viewers. In fact, she received a Golden Raspberry Award (a ‘Razzie’) for her performance in it. Other comedies from the mid-1990s, like ‘Eddie’ and ‘Bogus’, also struggled with negative reviews. Despite this, Goldberg continued to find success in television, hosting roles, and voice acting.

Katie Holmes

Katie Holmes was nominated for Razzie Awards for her performances in ‘Batman Begins’ and a few comedies that followed. Critics often noted she wasn’t given much to work with, and her characters lacked depth. Many of the films she appeared in didn’t perform well in theaters. To expand her career, she began directing, working on independent films, and taking on television roles.

Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman received Razzie nominations for her work in films like ‘Bewitched’ and other movies from the mid-2000s. While these films were heavily promoted, critics generally didn’t respond well, and their box office performance was uneven. Kidman later earned critical praise for her roles in high-quality television shows and carefully chosen dramatic films.

Sofía Vergara

While Sofía Vergara’s movies, such as ‘Hot Pursuit,’ didn’t receive great reviews and weren’t very popular with audiences, she continued to thrive on television. Her film work earned some negative attention, including Razzie nominations, but she consistently received more positive feedback for her television roles.

Heather Graham

Critics often targeted Heather Graham’s thriller ‘Killing Me Softly,’ and she was nominated for a Razzie Award as worst actress for her performance in it. The movie wasn’t successful in theaters, but it later became known through home video releases. Graham then focused on guest roles on TV shows and smaller, independent films.

Salma Hayek

Salma Hayek received a Razzie nomination for her role in the film ‘Wild Wild West,’ which was a commercial failure despite its large budget. Critics didn’t like the movie’s story or characters. Following this, Hayek shifted her focus to producing and choosing leading roles in projects that were better received by audiences and critics.

Kate Hudson

Kate Hudson received Razzie nominations for her work in romantic comedies like ‘Bride Wars’ and ‘A Little Bit of Heaven’. Critics often pointed out that these films relied on predictable storylines and didn’t offer her much depth as an actress. Many of these movies also weren’t very successful in theaters. Since then, she’s expanded her career into television, music, and podcasting, while carefully choosing her film roles.

Let us know your own favorites and hidden gems in the comments – we’d love to see what you think and discuss the list!

2025-11-09 18:18