Hollywood casting has always been a bit of a wild ride. Sometimes daring, sometimes confusing, and often simply acting as a great example of what not to do. As the discussions on representation and authenticity have intensified, many performers have reflected on their past roles and felt deeply embarrassed. Whether it is about whitewashing, impersonating an identity they shouldn’t have, or participating in a narrative that completely misunderstood the point, these acting roles have gained a bad reputation for the wrong reasons. Here are 10 controversial film roles that actors regret, or frankly, probably should.
10. Emma Stone in Aloha
Casting Emma Stone as Allison Ng, written as part Hawaiian, partChinese, was met with instant backlash. Stone later acknowledged how misguided it was and said the experience had taught her just how deeply entrenched whitewashing is in Hollywood. She even publicly apologised at the Golden Globes after Sandra Oh joked about her casting. Stone says the character wasn’t meant to physically resemble her heritage, but the damage had already been done.
9. Rooney Mara in Pan
Casting Rooney Mara as Tiger Lily, a character that is traditionally indigenous, made many scratch their heads as to how such a choice would get approved in this modern era. Mara has since spoken of heavy regret, stating she hated being part of a whitewashing controversy and never wanted to be on that side of the issue again. She openly acknowledged why such criticism was warranted.
8. Jake Gyllenhaal in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Jake Gyllenhaal playing an Iranian prince is a textbook example of the many times when Hollywood whitewashes over actors from ethnic casts. Years later, Gyllenhaal said it wasn’t a good fit and that it made him more deliberate and discerning with future roles. Rather, this movie remains a glaring reminder of the industry’s deep-seated casting blind spots.
7. Eddie Redmayne in The Danish Girl
When the film was released, Eddie Redmayne’s Oscar-nominated performance as Lili Elbe received critical acclaim, though it has since become part of a broader critique of casting cisgender actors in trans roles. Redmayne said later that he wouldn’t accept the role today, which was a well-intentioned but mistaken decision. He added that more opportunities should be given to trans actors in such roles.
6. Viola Davis in The Help
Viola Davis earned award recognition for her work on The Help, but she’s spoken candidly about complicated feelings regarding the film. She’s said she thinks the story didn’t actually centre the Black maids it claimed to honour, and Davis recently stated she feels she let herself and her community down. In retrospect, she feels the movie did not tell the complete truth.
5. Scarlett Johansson in Ghost in the Shell
Casting Scarlett Johansson as Major Motoko Kusanagi was widely criticised for replacing a Japanese character with a white actor. Johansson tried to explain that the nature of the character complicated things, but the controversy endured nonetheless. The film became one of the most prominent examples of Hollywood erasing Asian characters in favour of bankable stars.
4. Tilda Swinton in Doctor Strange
Marvel responded to perceived accusations of racism in the use of Asian stereotypes by reenvisioning the Ancient One as a Celtic mystic played by Tilda Swinton. Instead, the move erased a major Asian character, leading to widespread frustration. Marvel’s Kevin Feige later acknowledged the casting was a mistake and said they should have found a better solution that didn’t eliminate Asian representation.
3. Jared Leto in Dallas Buyers Club
Jared Leto won an Oscar for his performance as Rayon, a transgender woman, but the decision not to cast a trans actor sparked intense criticism. Leto said acting is inherently transformative, but the role reignited debates about giving trans actors the space to tell their stories. The controversy only grew with evolving conversations about representation.
2. Hilary Swank in Boys Don’t Cry
The character of Brandon Teena, played by Hilary Swank, was groundbreaking at the time, but now Swank herself says that if it were today’s industry, a trans actor should have played Brandon. She has pointed out the progress that has been made since and said she believes modern casting would and should look very different, allowing trans performers to take on trans roles.
1. Gwyneth Paltrow in Shallow Hal
Gwyneth Paltrow has gone on record calling Shallow Hal one of her most regrettable projects. Wearing a fat suit for the role made her realise how humanising and problematic the film’s premise was. She has said she felt humiliated when people would avoid looking at her while she was in the suit, and now the movie is widely regarded as fatphobic.
Hollywood has a long history of questionable casting decisions, and while some actors have owned up to their missteps, others have been slower to reckon with them. What’s clear is that audiences are watching-and they’re more than willing to call out the industry when it gets things wrong.