
Let’s face it—nothing can drain the joy from a wonderful film or television show quicker than a downright annoying child. You know, the ones who are always screaming, whining, or doing something that makes you want to press the mute button. Whether they’re the entitled brat, the incessant shrieker, or just generally awkward, these miniature personalities somehow manage to commandeer entire scenes with their mayhem. Ready to revisit the cringe? Here are 13 of the most annoying children ever to appear on our screens, counting down from bad to utterly intolerable.

13. Danny Torrance – The Shining
Danny is not your typical brat—he’s unsettlingly quiet, gapes off into space, and converses with his finger. Creepy hardly scratches the surface. Sure, he’s not throwing tantrums or misbehaving like some of the others on this list, but all the psychic muttering and constant “Redrum” mumbles are enough to leave you sleepless at night. He’s more unnerving than annoying, but he still deserves his place here.

12. Miley Stewart – Hannah Montana
Miley might have had the best of both worlds, but she sure didn’t know what to do with them. She spends most of the series oscillating between drama queen and self-absorbed teenager, conveniently forgetting that the world doesn’t spin on her alter ego. Even her grandma needed to tell her off about her actions. If only she had breathed and listened now and again, half of her issues would have disappeared.

11. The Skeleton Crew Kids – Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
Intended to be a throwback to such classic youth adventures as The Goonies, these kids wind up being more like one-dimensional character checklists. There’s the hot-headed leader, the offbeat best friend, and the obligatory “genius”–but none of them do anything original with the characters. It’s more “unwieldy ensemble with generic dialogue” and less “fun space adventure.”

10. Movie Sonic – Sonic the Hedgehog (Film Version)
If you were hoping for the chill, self-assured Sonic of the games, the film version may be a disappointment. This Sonic does not shut up, spouts out endless pop culture references, and springs around like he’s had one too many Red Bull. He is not unlikeable in and of himself—just draining to keep up with.

9. Rory Gilmore – Gilmore Girls
Rory begins life as a smart, book-worshipping teenager, but somewhere down the line, she becomes someone who judges everyone who is not part of her academic clique. She speaks down to people, judges those living an alternative lifestyle, and always seems to think she’s better than everyone. Even though fans initially adored her, her arrogance in subsequent seasons was difficult to overlook.

8. The Cheaper by the Dozen Kids
With a dozen children underfoot, mayhem is to be expected—but this group is in a class by themselves. From destroying the house to harassing their sister’s boyfriend, they behave more like a wrecking crew than a family. In a miracle of marital indifference, their parents just shrug. Far from being endearing, most of their stunts are one giant headache.

7. Rachel Ferrier – War of the Worlds
Yes, alien attacks are frightening. But the perpetual screaming of Rachel makes you hope that the aliens had soundproofed their invasion. Dakota Fanning performs well, but the incessant anxiety attacks and shrieking at ear-piercing decibels make it difficult to feel sorry for her. Tom Cruise’s character must have required a good nap after this one.

6. Short Round – Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Any adventurer requires a sidekick, but Short Round causes more commotion than assistance. He has good intentions, but his constant jawing and puns wear thin in no time. Rather than brightening the mood, he tends to simply draw attention away from what’s happening. Not the worst of this bunch on this list—but certainly one of the most vocal.

5. Dudley Dursley– Harry Potter Series
Spoiled rotten to the core, Dudley represents everything that is so wrong with unregulated parenting. Whether he’s throwing a tantrum over birthday gifts or bullying Harry for being himself, he’s a walking, talking bad example of entitlement. His parents are in love with him, naturally—but the rest of us were secretly cheering for that zoo snake.

4. Samuel – The Babadook
Samuel is less of a child and more of a walking panic attack. His constant screaming, spontaneous meltdowns, and zombie-like fixation on monsters make him nearly more difficult to deal with than the Babadook itself. He’s trying to be sympathetic, but come on—he’s the reason noise-canceling headphones were invented.

3. Kevin McCallister – Home Alone
We understand—Kevin was protecting his home. But there’s a thin line between defending your ground and indulging in psychological warfare. He booby-trapped the house like a Bond villain going all out. With the pizza delivery stunts and hazardous traps, some people were left wondering whether he needed a timeout more than rescue.

2. Junior – Problem Child
If you’ve seen the movie, you know. Junior is absolute mayhem with a smile. His whole purpose in life is to push adults to the edge. He’s dressed up as a devil for a reason. Yeah, I get it, it’s supposed to be humorous, but seeing him rampage through every scene wears thin quickly. You can’t help but think about what kind of therapy bill this child ran up.

1. The Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Kids (2005)
Let’s wrap up with the big-time collection of dreadful. Burton’s remake took the original spoiled set and turned them up to eleven. Augustus is a selfish mess, Violet won’t shut up, Veruca is a tantrum on legs, and Mike is somehow boing and annoying. Seeing them receive their chocolate-flavored lesson is the only reason to watch their scenes.

Let’s get real—sometimes the true horror isn’t the monster or the villain. It’s a child who just won’t quit yelling, whining, or manipulating their way through a scene. Whether they’re intended to be comedic relief or emotional crutches, such characters demonstrate that children on screen are an uncertain gamble. Played perfectly, they steal your heart. Played poorly, and they steal your patience.