The Harry Potter franchise launched the careers of its young actors, who are now among the most recognizable performers in the world. However, they were supported by an all-star cast made up of some of Hollywood’s biggest names, who filled roles both big and small in the series.
Whether it was for a major character in all eight movies, like Alan Rickman as Severus Snape, or for a small part in a single movie, like David Tennant as Barty Crouch Jr., the cinematic wizarding world was a popular place for established, well-known actors.
However, while everyone involved with the series is proud to have been a part of it, it’s safe to say they probably don’t feel that way about every role they’ve played in their careers.
That’s because for as much success as they found while wielding a wand, they have also been a part of movies that have been critical duds, box office poison, or just downright disastrous.
While they’d certainly prefer if fans focused on all of their best, most beloved work, it’s also fun to go through their resumes to see which projects, made either before or after their magical trip to Hogwarts, didn’t pan out the way they hoped, mostly because they were panned by moviegoers.
With that said, here are the 20 Embarrassing Roles The Cast Of Harry Potter Wants You To Forget.
Gary Oldman - Lost in Space
Oldman, who played Harry’s godfather and his father’s best friend Sirius Black, has had a long and illustrious career that has included a wide range of movies.
He’s received critical acclaim with big budget blockbusters like The Dark Knight Trilogy, as well as with quieter movies like Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. This year he reached the pinnacle of his profession, winning his first Academy Award for his performance as Winston Churchill in the timely Darkest Hour.
Of course not every role and movie works out quite as well, even for someone as talented as Oldman. That includes when he took on the role of Dr. Smith in the 1998 big screen adaptation of the beloved sci-fi TV series Lost in Space, which totally failed to capture what fans liked about the show.
Both critics and moviegoers would have preferred if the movie had been lost before it got to theaters.
Daniel Radcliffe - Victor Frankenstein
There might never be a bigger role available for a young actor to land than when Daniel Radcliffe was tapped to play Harry Potter himself.
The relative unknown was instantly thrust into the spotlight as The Boy Who Lived, and even if he had decided to retire from acting after the eighth and final movie in the franchise, he’d be one of the most recognizable faces in the world for the rest of his life.
This is a much better fate than being remembered for costarring opposite James McAvoy in the bland, disappointing 2015 horror thriller Victor Frankenstein.
Critics found it unoriginal and uneven, which is why viewers didn’t turn out to see it. Because it turns out that just because you defeated Lord Voldemort, it doesn’t mean you can bring any movie to life.
Helena Bonham-Carter - The Lone Ranger
It’s hard to imagine any other actress doing a more perfect job bringing the sadistic Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange to life the way Helena Bonham Carter did.
Although many fans might not know that originally the role went to Helen McCrory, who had to leave the part when she got pregnant. (Though she did get to eventually join the Harry Potter universe as Draco’s mother Narcissa.)
Carter would probably love if she could use a Time Turner to go back and let literally anyone else replace her in 2013’s big screen adaptation of The Lone Ranger, though, which starred Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer.
The movie received poor reviews, was a box office flop, and was criticized for having Depp play a Native American. Even Bellatrix Lestrange would think that being remembered for this movie was evil.
Kenneth Branagh - Wild Wild West
Few performers have excelled in such a wide range of cinematic roles– both in front of and behind the camera– as Kenneth Branagh, who played the famous, totally fraudulent Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
He is one of the most respected Shakespearean actors to ever work in Hollywood, he’s had starring roles in big budget hits like Dunkirk, and he’s directed box office bonanzas like the original Thor and the live-action Cinderella.
However, even the best make mistakes sometimes, like how Branagh also appeared in the disastrous 1999 flop Wild Wild West, a movie so bad even Will Smith at the peak of his box office powers could not save it.
Most viewers remember it for the giant mechanical spider Branagh turned into at the end (you know, like they used to have in the Old West), but Branagh would definitely love to use one of Lockhart’s Memory Charms on everyone who saw it.
Robert Pattinson - Remember Me
Pattinson’s first big screen role was as Cedric Diggory, the pride of House Hufflepuff. He was a perfect choice to play the handsome, talented young Hogwarts student, even though fans will likely never get over his death at the hands of Lord Voldemort.
However, while he graduated to even more cinematic success, most notably as one of the stars of the Twilight franchise, he’d probably prefer if fans did the complete opposite of the title of 2010’s Remember Me.
The movie, strangely described as a romantic-comedy, likely wouldn’t be a movie worth remembering anyway if not for its inexplicable twist. Because at the end of the movie it’s revealed that Pattinson’s character Tyler Hawkins passes away in the World Trade Center on 9/11, despite that tragic day having nothing to do with the story before that moment.
Many critics and moviegoers found it manipulative, insensitive, and even downright offensive. Cedric had a better ending than Remember Me.
David Thewlis - The Island of Dr. Moreau
The great character actor David Thewlis played the beloved Remus Lupin, the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher Harry, Ron, and Hermione ever had at Hogwarts.
The former Marauder and Order of the Phoenix member was a tragic figure because he was also a werewolf. However, far more tragic was another movie that Thewlis starred in that also had its share of human/animal creatures– 1996’s remake of The Island of Dr. Moreau.
Thewlis, whose star has only grown in recent years thanks to roles on the series Fargo and Wonder Woman, might not be the first person that comes to mind when people think about the movie.
That ignominious “honor” goes to Val Kilmer and the late Marlon Brando. Thewlis would probably prefer to be bit by an actual werewolf than for people to remember he also visited The Island of Dr. Moreau.
David Tennant - The Decoy Bride
David Tennant, who is best known for playing the Tenth Doctor on the iconic television series Doctor Who, only appeared in one Harry Potter movie as Barty Crouch Jr.
However, it would be hard to forget his role in The Goblet of Fire as the lip-licking, snake-like Death Eater who escaped from Azkaban and masqueraded as Professor “Mad-Eye” Moody so that he could help Lord Voldemort get a new body and destroy Harry.
Tennant probably wouldn’t mind if everyone forgot about his 2011 rom-com The Decoy Bride, though, which has a 23% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and was fueled by reviews that used words like “bland” and “pedestrian” to describe the movie.
The movie’s inexplicable love-triangle plot made no sense, sort of like Barty Crouch Jr. teaching Harry Potter a bunch of very useful magical spells to fight back against Death Eaters.
Alan Rickman - CBGB
The late Alan Rickman, who sadly passed away in 2016, played Professor Severus Snape, a troubled and mysterious wizard whose true motives and bravery weren’t revealed until after he passed away at the hands of Lord Voldemort.
Rickman’s nuanced, powerful, and heartfelt performance was one of the best, most lasting of the entire franchise. Not that anyone was surprised by that, since it often felt like every film he was in was great merely because of his presence.
However, 2013’s historical-based CBGB, which was about the famed New York City music venue of the same name, proved that wasn’t always true. Critics found it boring, silly, and unworthy of its source material.
Rickman left fans enough great movies to remember him by that it would only be right to forget about this flop. The good news is the movie’s domestic box office was only $40,000–total– which means few have even seen it anyway.
Emma Watson - Regression
Emma Watson more than proved that her still very young career would be remembered for so much more than just being the brightest student at Hogwarts, Hermione Granger, when she starred as Belle in Disnye’s monster hit the live-action Beauty and the Beast.
However, not all of her post-Harry Potter movies have worked out quite as well, like with the 2015 psychological thriller about hysteria over satanic cults, Regression.
Critics didn’t think the movie, which fellow Harry Potter alums Emma Watson and David Thewlis would prefer no one mention that they were also in, was scary, insightful, or mysterious, which was pretty bad since it tried to be all of those things.
The only thing Regression was good at was making Emma Watson’s great young career take a step back.
John Cleese - The Adventures of Pluto Nash
The Adventures of Pluto Nash, a sci-fi “comedy” that was both a critical and box office bomb, might be most famous– or rather infamous–f or being the worst movie of Eddie Murphy’s hugely successful career.
However, it was so terrible it’s probably safe to say it also doubles as the worst film on the IMDb page of another comedy legend: John Cleese.
The Monty Python alum played the resident ghost of House Gryffindor Sir Nicholas, better known as Nearly Headless Nick. Unfortunately watching The Adventures of Pluto Nash, which has a 4% score on Rotten Tomatoes, is only slightly more enticing than being decapitated.
We know Sir Nicholas always bemoaned not being able to join the Headless Hunt because he was only nearly headless, but there are much worst eternal fates one can suffer– like someone remembering that Eddie Murphy wasn’t in Pluto Nash alone.
Jason Isaacs - Elektra
It’s hard to imagine any other actor would have been a better choice to play Draco’s loathsome father Lucius Malfoy than Jason Isaacs. He was so good in the role he even had fans almost feeling bad for the Death Eater by the final film. (Almost.)
Recently, he joined another select group– though this time on the side of good– as Captain Gabriel Lorca on Star Trek Discovery.
Unfortunately, the popular actor’s career also included going to a place he probably wishes he didn’t, in the universally derided 2005 superhero flop Elektra.
It will be impossible for anyone to forget Jennifer Garner starred as the titular character in the movie, but Isaacs, who probably loves that his part is officially uncredited, was probably hoping that his involvement would slip away like the Malfoy family did from the Battle of Hogwarts.
Emma Thompson - Junior
Arnold Schwarzenegger was such a megastar in the ’90s it seemed like any movie he was in was destined to be a hit. That theory was thrown out the window, though, when his 1994 comedy Junior, in which his character became pregnant (seriously), was a complete dud.
Audiences were so put off by its absurd premise it didn’t matter its female lead was the previous year’s Academy Award winner for Best Actress, Emma Thompson.
Known to the wizarding world as Professor Sybil Trelawney, Thompson has continued to be one of the most talented and respected performers in Hollywood since the Harry Potter franchise ended.
However, no matter how many great movies she’s a part of, fans will always be shocked she couldn’t foretell Junior was a ridiculous idea.
Michael Gambon - The Omen (2006)
Michael Gambon has had a long and prolific career full of great movies, but for millions of kids (and adults)
he will always be Professor Dumbledore. He took over the role in 2004’s Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban following the death of Richard Harris, and his performance added a new aspect of humor and fun to the Hogwarts Headmaster.
However, moviegoers weren’t nearly as thrilled when he was a part of the 2006 remake of the supernatural horror classic The Omen.
The original 1976 movie, which was about a United States senator who adopts a child who turns out to be the antichrist, is considered one of the best horror movies ever made.
It was a hit with both audiences and critics, which is why no one could understand why anyone thought it needed a vastly inferior remake. This is one movie that Michael Gambon probably hopes doesn’t pop up in many people’s Pensieve.
Rupert Grint - Moonwalkers
Rupert Grint will always be Ron Weasley to millions and millions of people around the world, as fans literally watched him grow up during the Harry Potter franchise.
As Harry’s best friend and partner in mischief, Grint was one of the funniest parts of every movie. This is why it seemed like he was an ideal choice for the 2015 comedy Moonwalkers, which explored the idea that the 1969 moon landing was actually faked.
Also starring the great Ron Perlman and revolving around a plot to get Stanley Kubrick to film a backup, staged moon landing in case the Apollo 11 mission failed, it should have been a clear winner.
Instead, it crash landed, both at the box office and with critics. Rupert Grint would definitely prefer fans not remember him for this role. (Not to mention that he was also in CBGB with Alan Rickman.)
Ciarán Hinds - Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
Ciarán Hinds has been in over 60 movies, but he might be most famous for his television roles as Julius Caesar on the HBO series Rome, as well as Mance Rayder on Game of Thrones.
However, Harry Potter fans will always remember him for playing Dumbledore’s cynical brother Aberforth in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2.
Hinds probably wouldn’t even mind if everyone only remembered him for his “Mother” loving turn as Steppenwolf in last year’s Justice League if it meant everyone forgot he was in a far worse superhero flop.
Because even Justice League was better received than 2011’s Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, which has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 17%. Hinds replaced Peter Fonda from the first movie as the devil Roarke. He would have been better off letting Voldemort take over the entire world.
Ralph Fiennes - The Avengers (1998)
Ralph Fiennes has starred in some of the most critically acclaimed movies of all time, including The English Patient and Schindler’s List, which both earned him Oscar nominations.
This is why he was an ideal choice to play the most infamous Dark Wizard the magical world has ever known, Lord Voldemort.
However, there’s one movie on his impressive résumé– the 1998 big screen adaption of the classic British spy series The Avengers– that he probably would enjoy hitting with Avada Kedavra.
With an amazing cast, which also featured Uma Thurman and Sean Connery, the movie should have been a big hit. Instead, as its 5% score on Rotten Tomatoes perfectly captures, it was universally hated by just about everyone who saw it– well, the few who did.
Even Voldemort had a higher approval rating than The Avengers.
Maggie Smith - Hook
Two-time Oscar winner and Shakespearean actor Dame Maggie Smith is one of the most talented, most respected, and most admired performers in history. That includes her pitch perfect turn as the no-nonsense head of House Gryffindor who really had a heart of gold, Transfiguration Professor Minerva McGonagall.
However, even with the massive success she has achieved in her career spanning well over sixty years (and counting), she’s had some duds too.
None might be more inexplicable than the Peter Pan-ned 1991 action-adventure movie Hook. Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Robin Williams, Dustin Hofffman, Julia Roberts, and Maggie Smith as the grown up Wendy, it should have been a huge success.
Instead, viewers found it sappy and unoriginal. A night spent stuck in the Chamber of Secrets with Moaning Myrtle would be preferable to watching Hook again.
Warwick Davis - The Leprechaun Franchise
Any actor would be lucky to be a part of one mega successful, beloved movie franchise, let alone two like Warwick Davis has been. He’s been an important figure in the galaxy far, far away since playing the Ewok Wicket in 1983’s Return of the Jedi.
Just like he has played multiple roles in Star Wars movies, he was a versatile member of the wizarding world as Professor Flitwick, a Goblin bank teller at Gringotts, and as Griphook.
Unfortunately, he was also a big part of another franchise that isn’t as well thought of, the horror-comedy Leprechaun series. It was a lucrative part for Davis, who played the murderous title character in six of the movies.
However, it’s safe to say he’d rather fans remember him for his work in Star Wars and Harry Potter instead of for movies like Leprechaun 4: In Space, Leprechaun in the Hood, and, of course, Leprechaun: Back to tha Hood. Talk about fool’s gold.
Richard Harris - Orca: The Killer Whale
The late Richard Harris, who played Professor Dumbledore in the first two movies before he sadly passed away in 2002, was a true Hollywood legend with a career that spanned over forty years.
While he will always be remembered as the beloved Hogwarts Headmaster for the generation who grew up with the Harry Potter movies, others will always think of him for his roles in classic films like Mutiny on the Bounty, Unforgiven, and Gladiator.
It would probably be best though if people of all ages forget about the time he starred in the Jaws-knockoff Orca: The Killer Whale, a 1977 disaster horror movie that is better described as a horrible disaster. When it comes to this movie, it would be best if everyone could be hit with a memory charm.
Jim Broadbent - Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
Long before superhero fans were disappointed by Man of Steel and Batman v Superman, they had to deal with the inexplicable disaster that was Superman IV: The Quest for Peace.
It’s inane plot revolved around Superman throwing a nuclear bomb carrying one of his own strands of hair into the sun, which somehow gave birth to Lex Luthor’s Nuclear Man… or something. It would have been better if he fired the entire movie into the sun instead.
Oscar winner Jim Broadbent likelyn wishes that he had. The man known as Professor Slughorn to Harry Potter fans has a long and impressive resume full of admired movies, huge hits, and critically acclaimed movies, which are not terms anyone has ever used to describe The Quest For Peace.
If only Superman could fly against the rotation of the earth and stop Broadbent from agreeing to be in it.
Can you think of any other roles that the cast of Harry Potter are embarrassed about? Sound off in the comments!
