The 10 Most Overrated Movie Actors

There is so much hype around some actors, which makes no sense since they don’t offer the same level of talent and ability that they once did. Some of these actors were once considered Hollywood’s best and brightest; however, these days they seem to be taking attention away from more underrated actors who are more skilled and disciplined. These overrated actors don’t offer award-winning performances anymore and they seem to be resting on their laurels. They also demand huge paychecks, which is really too bad since many of their films aren’t that commercially successful. Here are 10 of Hollywood’s most overrated actors!

10. Tom Cruise

For many years, Tom Cruise was known for playing a lot of strong, memorable characters in a number of commercially successful and critically acclaimed films. He received a few Academy Award nominations and he won a few Golden Globe Awards. While he enjoyed a lot of diversity earlier in his career, for several years now, he has mainly been in action-based flicks, playing the same character over and over again. It makes us wonder: Is his acting really deserving of all the hype?

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9. Will Smith

When Will Smith first got into acting, he said that his goal was to become “the biggest movie star in the world,” which definitely helps explain why we only see him in big blockbuster movies. The Oscar-nominated actor hasn’t demonstrated that he has a lot of range. In all of his movies, he plays one of two characters: The smooth, charming guy as seen in “Hitch” or the super serious action hero in “I am Legend” and “I Robot.” Smith may see great things ahead for himself, but we think he’s pretty overrated.

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8. Vince Vaughn

Vince Vaughn has made a name for himself in Hollywood as a member of the Frat Pack, a group of comedy actors who have appeared in some of the highest grossest comedy movies since the late ‘90s. Although he was good in movies like “Swingers” and “Wedding Crashers,” he seems to play characters with a sardonic sense of humor in each of his movies. Like most members of the Frat Pack, he seems to have become quite overrated.

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7. Keanu Reeves

Despite receiving a lot of flack for his lack of acting talent, Keanu Reeves has managed to maintain a steady career in Hollywood as a leading man. He’s had roles in some big blockbusters including “Speed,” “The Devil’s Advocate” and “The Matrix.” Reeves is perfect proof that an actor doesn’t need to be talented in Hollywood to be successful. Although he stays away from mainstream films these days, it doesn’t take away from the fact that he is completely overrated.

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6. Will Ferrell

Will Ferrell – another member of the Frat Pack – has greatly disappointed us with his lack of range and staying power. Although he has had a number of box office hits, including “Old School,” “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” and “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,” he often plays the same out-of-touch, flamboyant ignoramuses in each of his movies. We find Ferrell’s over-the-top comedic performances to have become rather tiresome.

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5. Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage has been acting in Hollywood for over 30 years. He has had a few really good roles and he has been nominated for a couple of Academy Awards, winning one for “Leaving Las Vegas.” In spite of his obvious potential, he chooses questionable roles in bad movies, which can only mean one thing – he is after a hefty paycheck. While Cage still continues to act in a few movies per year, it’s obvious that his standards have been pretty low for the last 10 years.

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4. Adam Sandler

At one point, Adam Sandler’s comedies did really well at the box office. As of late, however, his movies like “That’s My Boy” and “Jack and Jill” haven’t fared so well. Sandler still commands big paychecks for all of his projects, but these days he is considered incredibly overpaid. Although he was deemed to be a big talent when he was starting out on “Saturday Night Live,” he plays a variation of the same character in all of his movies, which makes him pretty overrated, on our opinion.

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3. Robert Pattinson

Robert Pattinson is best known for his performance as Edward Cullen in the “Twilight” franchise. While the films have made him into a household name with a sizable bank account, they have also turned him into one of the most overrated and overexposed actors ever. None of the films that he has done before or after “Twilight” have garnered as much attention, which is too bad because the “Twilight” franchise is known for its poor screenwriting and wooden acting.

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2. Ryan Reynolds

Ryan Reynolds proved that he was one of Hollywood’s most overrated leading men when he made Forbes’ Most Overpaid Actor’s List for 2013. His films don’t do especially well at the box office. “Turbo” and “R.I.P.D” completely bombed while “Green Lantern” and “The Change Up” were both considered box office disappointments. Reynolds is definitely a good looking guy but, as a leading man, he isn’t all that he is cracked up to be.

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1. Johnny Depp

For many years, Johnny Depp was considered one of the most versatile actors of his day. He has been nominated for numerous awards, including three Academy Awards and ten Golden Globes. In the last few years, however, he has hit a real standstill career-wise. As of late, most of his films have performed poorly at the box office and have received lackluster reviews. In spite of this, however, he still somehow manages to command multi-million dollar paychecks.

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Cate

Cate

Cate has a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature and has been the Managing Editor of Fame10 for more than 6 years. Despite having a love for the works of Thomas Hardy, Leo Tolstoy and Lord Byron, she also has an intense fascination with pop culture. When she isn’t writing for Fame10, she’s planning her next big adventure in Southeast Asia.

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