Jessica certainly knows how to fill out a pair of shorts, but casting a pop star as a lead role is fraught with potholes. Simpson is a fine singer, has plenty of stage presence, and knows how to write a song, but acting just isn’t in her skill set – or at least wasn’t during filming “Dukes of Hazzard.”
Thanks to directing by Seann William Scott and acting by another non-actor, Johnny Knoxville, this film didn’t have a whole lot going for it, and Simpson as Daisy Duke, instead of a more experienced actress, gave the film even less to work with.
Vince Vaughn as Frank Semyon in True Detective
Yes, it's Vince's second showing on this list. While the man might be able to hold his own somewhat as a comedic actor, casting him in such a dark role should have been tossed out at first mention. "True Detective" is extraordinarily adult, with the first season taking on murders, infidelity, other worlds, drugs, and more, and was incredibly promising as an anthology show, but then it got Vaughned.
Vince simply can't be a career criminal in such a dark outing, though we applaud him for stretching his boundaries. But maybe stick to the comedies with Wilson, bud.
Russel Crowe as Inspector Javert in Les Misérables
Yes, it's Crowe's second appearance on our list, and this time it's for an adaptation of the famous musical. Problem is, Crowe isn't a singer, and stories have come out that the musical direction and training for the film lacked so bad it made actual singers and musical actors wince.
The film wasn't all bad, but Crowe's singing was a certain low point, with "Javert's Suicide" being unbearable and distracting and the musical elements of the film falling pretty flat compared to most stage adaptations. Crowe defended his singing as "raw and real," and yes, it was certainly one of those.
Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Dawn of Justice's second appearance on this list comes from Batben, and this wasn't even Affleck's first attempt at playing a superhero – more on that later. This disappointing comic book film was yet another blow to Ben's career, and his attempt at portraying the best DC Comics superhero came off more as pouty and sad than brooding and bedeviled.
Even worse, Affleck was later given a chance to both direct (okay...) and act (dang!) as Batman in the next installment, though both of these facts have been shifted, with Robert Pattinson in the lead role and Matt Reeves directing.
Mike Myers as The Cat in the Hat in Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat
After the success of the Jim Carrey-led "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," Mike Myers tried his hand at another live-action adaptation of a classic Seuss story, but this one is better left forgotten. Myers isn't a bad choice for the character, but he had a little bit too much control over the project as a whole and ended up loading the film with adult humor, obnoxious jokes, and plenty of other poor ideas.
Choosing a different actor and keeping the script silly and kid-oriented would have made for a much stronger film.