Top 15 WORST TV Actors Of All Time - WatchMojo.com

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Some actors light up the screen—these ones dim it entirely. Join us as we count down our picks for the most cringe-worthy and painfully wooden performances ever to grace the small screen! Our list includes celebrities, musicians, and established stars who somehow couldn't quite pull it off on TV. Which terrible performance ruined a whole series for you? Let us know in the comments below! Our countdown includes Kim Kardashian in "All's Fair," The Weeknd in "The Idol," Finn Jones in "Iron Fist," Megan Fox in "New Girl," Tori Spelling in "Beverly Hills, 90210," Steven Seagal in "True Justice," and many more unforgettable—for all the wrong reasons—TV performances!

15. January Jones - Mad Men (2007-15): We might be starting with a hot take, but this critically-acclaimed show does have at least one flaw. Don Draper’s wife Betty began as an unsympathetic, unhappy ‘60s housewife, cold to her children and willing to tolerate her husband’s womanizing ways. This seems like good material for an ambitious actress, but many of the acting choices on January Jones’ part oddly don’t work as well as they should. She plays Betty with a detached aloofness that makes it hard to identify with her. A character choice or limited range? Things improved when Betty finally separated from Don in Season 3. We’re just glad Jones was given a proper arc for her character, eventually.

14. Johnny Messner - Killer Instinct (2005): Detective Jack Hale is the maverick protagonist in this early aughts Fox crime drama. Hale is your typical abrasive cop, with one interesting twist and increasingly gruesome deaths. Regardless, this is one cop procedural out of many, and unfortunately, Johnny Messner does not elevate the role or even make it his own. His Hale is impassive, wooden, and overall bland. The formulaic writing and undistinguished ensemble don’t help him much, either. “Killer Instinct” only lasted thirteen episodes before it was cancelled, perhaps knowing that Messner could not hold the show together, much less lead it.

13. Simon MacCorkindale - Maminal (1983): This superhero series follows Dr. Jonathan Chase as he fights crime with his animal shapeshifter abilities. No doubt being scheduled opposite the likes of “Dallas” didn’t help the show’s dismal ratings, but alas, even a dashing Simon MacCorkindale couldn’t rescue this series from the mire of campiness. He flounders amid a witless script, unconvincing sets, and cheesy conceits like a magically intact suit. At least the special effects were pretty good for the standards of the time. Of course, you know that a show is in trouble when the effects feel more legit than the performances.

12. Lloyd Owen - Viva Laughlin (2007): This spinoff of BBC’s popular “Blackpool” lasted all of two episodes before getting cancelled. Yikes. What happened? The fact that it was a jukebox musical set in a casino in Nevada was obviously a hard sell, but Lloyd Owen as Ripley was definitely an important factor. Lloyd Owen plays the gambler with the charisma and sëx appeal of a used car salesman. Owen also struggles to maintain an American accent. Add to that the clichéd dialogue, which Owen cannot rescue in his delivery, and you've got a turkey. This Laughlin did not live.

11. John Mulaney - Mulaney (2014-15): This stand-up comedian and former “Saturday Night Live” writer got his big break with his comedy specials, charming critics and audiences alike with his retro ‘50s delivery and now-iconic jokes. What can’t he do? Acting, it turns out. John Mulaney got his very own sitcom where he plays a fictionalized version of himself, but even that was a stretch. It didn’t help matters that the show gave many people “Seinfeld” flashbacks. “Mulaney” got a season’s worth of a series before it was cancelled, and the comedian himself described it as a noble failure. Unfortunate.

10. Steven Segal - True Justice (2011-12): Arguably everyone’s least favorite action hero actor was in a TV series. Steven Seagal plays Elijah Kane, head of an undercover police task force in Seattle… and that’s it, that’s all there is to the character and, for that matter, the performance. Seagal is stiff and lifeless in this role, with the emotional range of a teaspoon and indifferent delivery. Not even his martial arts talents could rescue this series from cliché. “True Justice” received low ratings, but managed to get two seasons before it was cancelled. Perhaps Seagal should have stuck with movies… or retired. Probably the latter.

9. Lorenzo Lamas - Renegade (1992-97): This long-running series follows ex-cop-turned-bounty-hunter, Reno Raines, framed for the murder of his girlfriend after trying to investigate corrupt officers. An interesting if not original premise, Lorenzo Lamas as Reno was nevertheless the series’ weak spot. Lamas’ Reno cut a dashing figure, and his real-life motorcycle riding skills and martial arts training were definitely a boon for the series. His acting, however, left much to be desired, with monotone delivery and unconvincing acting. The scripts didn’t help much, either. The series managed a decent five-season run, but it’s definitely hard to get past its lead.

8. Tori Spelling - Beverly Hills 90210 (1990-2000): This was her most famous role… and alas, it only serves to showcase Spelling’s limited range. Spelling became a household name with the role of Donna Martin in the original ‘90s “Beverly Hills, 90210.” Spelling was once accused of getting the role because her father was executive producer of the show. Nepotism, however, is the least of it. Playing a sheltered character defined by her virginity and academic struggles has its challenges, but Spelling’s awkward line delivery and limited range don’t help matters much. The Fox revival of the show has Spelling reprising the role, a sweet but familiar reunion. Spelling’s acting is much the same as ever, for better or for worse.

7. Richard Madden & Priyanka Chopra - Citadel (2023-): One of the most expensive TV shows ever made, this Amazon action series follows two married secret agents who lose their memories and must get them back. It’s a fun and luxuriously funded spy caper… or it would be if it weren’t for the leads. Madden and Chopra are solid actors in their own right and easy on the eyes, but together their chemistry is something to be desired. Not a good sign when the whole premise of the show rests on these two’s relationship. Whether the series will improve is still in question, but this is a glaring weakness indeed.

6. Megan Fox - New Girl (2011-18): This bombshell actress’ limited acting abilities are common knowledge by this point. But Fox especially flounders in this critically-acclaimed sitcom. “New Girl’s” Season 5 sees Fox cast as the foxy Reagan Lucas as a temporary replacement for Zooey Deschanel, who was on maternity leave at the time. She joins the group as a roommate and love interest for Nick. Fox has improved since her “Transformers” days, but her emotive range is still limited, and her comic delivery is as well. Compared to the warmer and more naturalistic acting styles of the rest, she sticks out like a sore thumb.

5. Finn Jones - Iron Fist (2017-18): The MCU usually chooses solid actors for its superpowered leads, but they fumbled hard with this latest entry. Although the show had strong viewership, critics were quick to point out the series’ sluggish pace, lack of originality… and even uncompelling lead. Finn Jones plays the titular character, a billionaire Buddhist martial artist, with conventional blandness and only occasional charm. It doesn’t help matters that Danny, for all his interesting backstory, is far from the compelling Marvel heroes and anti-heroes. Either way, the demands of the series were beyond Jones, and the show only lasted two seasons.

4. Lucas Cruikshank - Fred: The TV Show (2011): Leads don’t get more obnoxious than Lucas Cruikshank for this series reboot of no less than two TV movies. Both follow the adventures of the titular Fred, a character created by Cruikshank’s YouTube channel. The series failed almost as badly as the films, and it’s easy to see why. Cruikshank plays the character with a high-pitched energy, jaw-dropping in its grating obnoxiousness. The sorry excuse for comedy writing is also hard to stomach. Viewership dropped, and the show lasted a season on Nickelodeon before it was cancelled. It was truly for the best.

3. Anne Ilonzeh, Minka Kelly, & Rachael Taylor - Charlie’s Angels (2011): The original ‘70s show is a classic. This reboot is, unfortunately, far less so. The show premiered to low ratings, causing ABC to cancel it after its fourth episode. It’s easy to see why. While the diverse casting was appreciated, Ilonzeh, Kelly, and Taylor as the titular protagonists didn’t have the same chemistry as the original trio or even the same fabulous glamor. Bad acting and script issues abounded, but the tonal change from fun cheesiness to grim seriousness was hard to swallow for most critics. This reboot really needed to bring back the camp.

2. The Weeknd - The Idol (2023): Remember when this singer-songwriter created a TV show and even starred in it? We don’t like to remember it either. The Weeknd played nightclub owner Tedros, the abusive boyfriend of a pop star, played by Lily-Rose Depp. Whatever you think of the Weeknd’s musical talents, his acting ones are clear—nonexistent, that is. The Weeknd’s flat and dull performance is odd amid the sleazy, tawdry material of his own show, and his character cannot help but be regarded as a creep. The Weeknd’s acting chops were fortunately not tried for long, with the show cancelled after just five episodes.

1. Kim Kardashian - All’s Fair (2025-): Perhaps the nadir of bad celebrity acting, Kim Kardashian never disappoints with how disappointing she is. This Hulu legal drama about divorce lawyers got a bit of a cult following despite its critical panning, but one thing is clear: Whatever the charms of this show, it was not because of Kardashian’s performance. Her stiff acting and uninspired line delivery make what should have been a compelling drama into a sluggish ordeal, and of course, she makes for an unconvincing lawyer. Not that the scripted dialogue is of any help. In a series as flawed as this one, Kardashian is definitely the lowest point.