Would the most memorable movies of all time be equally as beloved without an annoying character or two in the mix? It’s easy to root for protagonists in movies because you want to see them win. Protagonists are, usually, aesthetically pleasing, relatable, and believable. What a lot of movie lovers don’t realize is that the most well-liked leading characters often look better in the eyes of audiences based on some contrast.
Seeing your favorite character interacting with annoying characters on screen can shift your opinion in more ways than you might realize. Ironically, some of the most annoying film characters in history were played by incredibly talented and iconic actors who likely aren’t very bothersome in the real world. (For a slightly different list, here are the most annoying characters in modern TV history.)
To compile this list of the most annoying characters in film history, 24/7 Tempo consulted several entertainment websites for insight. Some of these sites include ScreenRant, IMDb, and Movie Guide.
Renee Dwyer from “Twilight”
Sarah Clarke plays Renee Dwyer.
Renee Dwyer is arguably the most annoying character from the entire Twilight saga. Some might even say that she’s far worse than the evil vampire government that tried to murder Bella Swan. Renee is an annoying character because she’s an absentee mother who was never there for her teenage daughter. When Bella needed her the most, she was off living selfishly and detached. Fortunately, Bella’s father stepped up to the plate to take care of her the way a parent should.
Ruth Dewitt Bukater from “Titanic”
Frances Fisher played Ruth Dewitt Bukater.
Ruth Dewitt Bukater is the most annoying character from “Titanic.” She’s a bit worse than the self-absorbed love interest her daughter was reluctantly tethered to. The reason Ruth is so annoying is that she was willing to sell her own daughter out for financial gain. She knew Rose wasn’t in love with Cal, but she insisted on pushing the marriage narrative anyway. When she noticed Rose was starting to develop feelings for Jack, Ruth immediately wanted to sabotage their connection.
Professor Umbridge from “Harry Potter”
Imelda Staunton played Professor Umbridge.
Professor Umbridge first appeared in the fifth Harry Potter movie. She was instantly unlikable because of her teaching methods. Before school started, she tried to get Harry expelled for protecting himself and his cousin. During the school year, she forced Harry to write an apology stating he wouldn’t lie. The ink painfully printed into the skin on his arm! She later took full control of the school, much to Harry’s dismay. Worst of all? A few “Harry Potter” scenes implied she was a death eater.
Mattel CEO from “Barbie”
Will Ferrell played the Mattel CEO.
The Mattel CEO from the “Barbie” movie was played by none other than Will Ferrell. Interestingly enough, Ferrell didn’t actually have a first or last name for the role. He was simply referred to as the Mattel CEO from start to finish. This man was certainly the most annoying character in the movie since he was obsessed with tracking Barbie down. He hated that she left Barbieland and made her way into the real world. His obsession with capturing her and placing her inside a plastic box was off-putting.
Loki from “The Avengers”
Tom Hiddleston plays Loki.
Even though he’s grown to be loved by fans of the MCU, no one can deny how annoying Loki was for the majority of his Marvel appearances. For starters, he was the main antagonist in the first Avengers movie. He also faked his own death and hid his father from Thor, despite the fact that they’re brothers. Loki was always incredibly jealous of Thor, and his deep envy made him come across as pathetic.
Groot from “Guardians of the Galaxy”
Vin Diesel voices Groot.
Some “Guardians of the Galaxy” fans are obsessed with Groot while others find him incredibly annoying. One of the reasons people find him cringe-worthy is that his only catchphrase is, “I Am Groot!” He’s not exactly capable of saying anything else. This means he never engages in real conversations or meaningful dialogue with the rest of his teammates as they work together to fight their evil enemies. Vin Diesel is the voice actor behind the role.
Effie Trinket from “The Hunger Games”
Elizabeth Banks played Effie Trinket.
When it comes to The Hunger Games franchise, Effie Trinket it is the most annoying character in the lineup. Her appearance is one of the reasons it’s easy to despise her. The white powder skin, eccentric wigs, and over-the-top eye makeup are a bit too much. The costumes she wears are equally as ridiculous. Effie’s job is to announce which tributes will be forced to fight to their death on a reality TV series for wealthy people to watch. Although she has a handful of heroic moments, her overall callousness classifies her as annoying.
Ursula from “The Little Mermaid”
Melissa McCarthy played Ursula.
The live-action version of “The Little Mermaid” hit theaters in the spring. It honored the animated movie by staying in tune with the original storyline and catchy songs. Ursula is the most annoying character from the movie since her ultimate goal was to trick Ariel into becoming a slave. She tempted Ariel into a toxic trade where Ariel lost her voice in exchange for human legs. She also convinced Ariel to agree to a three-day plan to make the prince fall in love with her. Ursula suggested the wild timeline knowing that most human beings require a greater investment of time before they truly fall in love.
Davy Jones from “Pirates of the Caribbean”
Bill Nighy played Davy Jones.
The most annoying character from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise is Davy Jones. Visually speaking, he’s one of the most unattractive fictional characters ever. He’s supposed to represent a combination of an octopus and a crab – a hideous blend. His despicable attitude is what makes him even worse, though. He’s a greedy, murderous character who’s willing to act ruthlessly and maliciously to protect his own self interests.
Sam Witwicky from “Transformers”
Shia LaBeouf played Sam Witwicky.
Sam Witwicky might be the main character in three major “Transformers” movies, but that doesn’t mean he’s not an annoying character to watch. Sam, played by Shia LaBeouf, led the way in the first 2007 film. A few years later, the character of Sam pressed forward in the 2009 and 2011 sequels. Somehow, Sam never grew out of his whiny and annoying high school persona. In these three films, it’s more enjoyable paying attention to the characters Megan Fox or Rosie Huntington-Whiteley play.
Prince Hans from “Frozen”
Santino Fontana voiced Prince Hans.
Prince Hans is the most annoying character from the “Frozen.” He was a main character in the first movie and Disney lovers are still shocked by the unexpected twist he brought to the storyline. At first, it seemed he was a perfect match for Anna to marry. Eventually, it was revealed that he was completely evil. The worst thing he did was leaving Anna out in the cold to freeze! After the duet of a song like “Love is an Open Door” with Anna, he had viewers totally fooled. Fortunately, Anna’s older sister was there to save the day. Santino Fontana is the voice actor behind the role.
Anne Hamilton from “The Notebook”
Anne Hamilton from “The Notebook” was played by Joan Allen.
Anne Hamilton is the most annoying character from “The Notebook.” The 2004 movie is deemed one of the most romantic Nicholas Sparks stories of all time. Instead of encouraging her daughter to follow her heart toward true love, Anne spent the majority of the movie trying to keep Allie and Noah far away from each other. She obviously didn’t realize that by trying to destroy her daughter’s relationship, she only made Allie want to be with Noah more. Anne’s judgmental and prissy nature made her a tough character to watch until she started softening up.
Hei Hei from “Moana”
Alan Tudyk voiced Hei Hei.
Hei Hei is undeniably the most annoying character from “Moana.” The awkward-looking rooster was only an unintentional member of Moana’s ocean voyage. Since he’s not an intelligent character, he was deemed the “village idiot” of Moana’s childhood stomping grounds. When she discovered him as a stowaway on her canoe, she realized she was stuck with him as she embarked on her adventure. Hei Hei never brought much to the table in terms of a personality since he was incapable of conversation. Alan Tudyk is the voice actor behind the role.
Anakin Skywalker from “Star Wars”
Hayden Christensen played Anakin Skywalker.
The reason Anakin Skywalker is such an annoying character from the Star Wars franchise is that there were plenty of opportunities for him to stay on the light side instead of turning to the dark side. Unfortunately, he decided to turn to the dark side by taking on the persona of Darth Vader. He did so after his mother died. Some of the most powerful Jedis in “Star Wars” thought there would be a positive outcome from training Anakin, but those prophecies were incorrect.
Mary Svevo from “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”
Kirsten Dunst played Mary Svevo.
Mary Svevo is the most annoying character from “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” Her peculiar obsession with her much older boss is the reason why. She was well aware that he was married, but she couldn’t keep her feelings at bay. She went out of her way to have her memories wiped so she could forget her feelings, but her desire to be with him never went away. She had the opportunity to develop a healthy relationship with her co-worker who was also single and in her age range. Still, her feelings for her boss consumed her.
Tyler Durden from “Fight Club”
Edward Norton played the real Tyler Durden.
Tyler Durden is the most annoying character from “Fight Club” since his belief system is highly toxic in the most controversial way. Due to his insomnia, he began hallucinating a secondary version of himself. He even befriended his manifested hallucination! The hallucinated version of Tyler was pompous, arrogant, and sociopathic. The truth of the matter is that those terrible character traits actually belonged to Tyler since that’s who he truly was at his core.
Regina George from “Mean Girls”
Rachel McAdams played Regina George.
Regina George is the most annoying character from “Mean Girls” because she was a full-fledged bully. She acted nice and sweet to her friends faces, but as soon as they weren’t around, she was happy to spread the most cringe-worthy gossip. Her jealousy of Cady Heron was one of the reasons she’s still thought of as such an annoying fictional character today. She was painfully insecure by the idea of Cady snagging attention from her ex-boyfriend — and the insecurity was too obvious to hide.
Gilbert Huph from “The Incredibles”
Wallace Shawn voiced Gilbert Guph.
Anyone who’s ever seen “The Incredibles” from 2004 likely remembers how frustrating it was to watch Mr. Incredible take orders from his boss during early scenes from the film. His boss, Gilbert Huph, would berate him in the most callous and disrespectful ways. Gilbert pushed Mr. incredible so far that it resulted in a physical altercation. Wallace Shawn is the voice actor behind the role of Gilbert and he did a great job handling such an aggravating part.
Gabriella Montez from “High School Musical”
Vanessa Hudgens played Gabriella Montez.
Gabriella Montez is arguably the most annoying character from the “High School Musical” franchise. While it’s true that she always had Troy’s best interest at heart, she also disregarded his plans for the future when it came to his college basketball dreams. Interestingly enough, Sharpay Evans had his back in that department more than Gabriella ever did. As a loving and supportive girlfriend, Gabriella should have gotten on board with Troy’s decision to prepare for his future. Instead, she selfishly wanted him to abandon his plans for their teenage hangout sessions.
Patrick Gates from “National Treasure”
Jon Voight played Patrick Gates.
Patrick Gates is the most annoying character from the National Treasure franchise. He was always too resistant when it came to his son’s desire to find hidden treasure. He felt regretful about dedicating his life to the journey and he didn’t want his son to fall prey to the same trap. Ultimately, he should have been more understanding and supportive instead of acting like a blockage and barrier. Patrick and the rest of these annoying characters come from epic and iconic movies of the past. Click here to read up on the 24 most anticipated movies that premiered at the end of 2023.