Name: Top 15 Worst Performances in the MCU
Uploaded: 2025-11-24T17:05:01.000Z
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And today we're counting down our picks for the MCU performances that left a lot to be desired.

We're not saying any of these actors are bad at their job, but

rather that their talents have been better served elsewhere.

You slipped as a result of me punching you in the face.

I was already slipping when you happened to punch me in the face.

Number 15 Natalie Portman Thor Franchise.

Natalie Portman was fresh off an Oscar win for Black Swan when she first appeared as the God of Thunder's love interest, Jane Foster.

But as we'll soon see on this list, not even a gold statuette is a guarantee that one's abilities will be put to good use.

The first two Thor films, especially, lead Portman out to dry.

By relegating Jane to damsel in distress status, often placing her in situations that rob her of her independence, the actress is more than capable of playing characters with enough agency to fend for themselves.

So her role in the Thor franchise is practically counterintuitive to her strengths as a performer.

At least Jane would eventually reclaim some of her worth in Love and thunder.

Number 14 Tim Blake Nelson, Captain Brave New World maybe you're not as smart as you think you are.

A number of things went wrong with the latest Captain America film, from its incoherent story to its shoddy cgi.

Many of these criticisms are embodied by the underwhelming return of Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns, who we last saw all the way back in 2008's the Incredible Hulk.

Given the introduction of Red Hulk, having a mutated Sterns serve as the giant brain behind the central conspiracy makes sense on paper, and

It's only right that I do the same thing to him.

But the lackluster effects that Aiden his grotesque appearance makes him less of a cunning mastermind and more of a laughable Easter egg.

Considering his long hiatus between appearances and poorly defined motivation, this is one character we wish had remained in Phase One.

You're a fascinating problem, but soon you'll be off the board, so you don't surprise me again.

Lee Pace, Guardians of the Galaxy Ronan the Accuser is proof that even the most over the top and energetic superheroes can suffer in the villain department.

While the Guardians of the Galaxy quickly became fan favorites in the mcu, their first antagonist is memorable for many of the wrong reasons.

You Xandarians and your culture are a disease.

Rather than the terrifying conqueror he's supposed to be, Lee's paced take on Ronin makes him look more like a whiny lackey.

His constantly switching loyalties could have made him a complex character worth exploring, but

Pace's over reliance on cheesy melodrama brings the movie's sense of adventure to a grinding halt.

I will unfurl 1000 years of Kree justice on Xandar and burn it to its core.

With bigger threats like Thanos on the horizon, it's possible that Ronan was meant to be one dimensional on purpose, but

Pace does little to make him a villain truly worth appreciating.

I only ask that you take this matter seriously.

The only matter I do not take seriously, boy, is you.

James Rhodey Rhodes is a beloved fixture of the mcu, but

he may not have been so had Don Cheadle not assumed the role in Iron Man 2.

The original Rhodey, as played by Terrence Howard, simply lacks the confidence and resolve required to keep a friend as unpredictable as Tony Stark in check.

Moreover, Howard also forgets to have fun in the role, delivering a performance that's far too serious to be in step with the movie's rebellious tone.

You do not send civilian equipment into my active war zone.

In other words, this is not a roadie that could convincingly don the War Machine suit and match Robert Downey Jr.

We were thankfully spared from such a scenario, but

it's not exactly enjoyable to consider another appearance from Howard next time, baby.

11 Emilia Clarke Secret Invasion Unless you have an army crammed in the back of that car, I advise you to go back the way you came.

As the embodiment of Daenerys Targaryen, Emilia Clarke has convinced more than enough Game of Thrones fans of her former flair for playing characters with incomparable power.

Secret Invasion tries to offer her the same opportunity as Squirrel Rebellion Ghia, but

the show's confounding six episodes often downplay the best parts of her character.

Despite her relationships to Ben Middleton's Talos and main antagonist Gravik, Clark isn't exactly able to wring much dramatic tension out of Gia's intricate morals.

In fact, her performance is often at war with Secret Invasion's chaotic writing, as she isn't really given much to chew on until it's far too late.

And I don't need your sorrow or your pity for anything I did of my own free will.

Even when the series finale haphazardly morphs her into Super Skrull, we still haven't developed much of an attachment to her.

Number 10 Evan Peters WandaVision Whoa, sweet costume, bro.

Aaron Taylor Johnson's performance in Age of Ultron can't help but be perceived as a downgrade compared to Evan Peters Quicksilver in the X Men movies, but

fans dissatisfaction with the character was dolled up when Peters unexpectedly arrived in Wandavision.

Long lost bro get to squeeze his stinking sister to death or what she recast Pietro Playing a recast version of Pietro Maximoff Peters maintains the cocky sarcasm that works for his quicksilver, leading many to speculate the arrival of the X Men into the mcu.

However, when the finale reveals that he's merely an actor hired to manipulate Wanda, Peters performance instantly loses its luster due to the stupid joke it amounts to.

Not only is he completely useless to the story in hindsight, but

his schtick feels tonally inconsistent with the show's sincere approach to themes like grief and trauma.

As he proves in the Nice Guys, Russell Crowe is a surprisingly gifted comedic actor, at least when he's given excellent material.

That's not exactly what Love and Thunder provides for anyone involved, though.

Crow arguably draws the shortest stick in his oddly calibrated version of Zeus, the Oscar winner reportedly convinced director Taika Waititi to let him use a Greek accent rather than an intended British one, but

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Top 15 Worst Performances in the MCU

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