Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the ugliest and unappealing characters played by the hottest and most attractive actors.
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the ugliest and unappealing
00:07characters played by the hottest and most attractive actors.
00:11Oh, and heads up, major spoilers to come.
00:23Sharon Stone created an iconic femme fatale in the erotic thriller, Basic Instinct, and
00:27her beauty has been used to great effect in movies such as Fading Gigolo.
00:31So, it's really impressive, if shocking, to see Stone play ordinary suburban stepmother
00:36Olivia in this crime drama, based on a true story.
00:42Olivia's stepson Jake has a substance issue, and his debt to gang leader Johnny leads to
00:48his half-brother Zack's kidnapping and death.
00:51Stone's vulnerable, grief-stricken explanation of her son Jack's death through gang violence
00:55is pitch-perfect and utterly convincing.
00:58It's a complete transformation, and illustrates what a great actor can accomplish.
01:16Known mostly for his high-octane action films, Tom Cruise's svelte athleticism makes him
01:20very easy on the eyes.
01:22So it's doubly impressive when he plays ugly characters, both inside and out, such
01:26as film producer Les Grossman in this satiric action comedy.
01:31Grossman's looks are merely ordinary, a pudgy mediocrity, but his expletive-ridden
01:39rants and callous behaviour make him a truly ugly character, if a hilariously entertaining
01:44one.
01:45It's a far cry from Cruise's clean-cut heroes, for sure, and it gives Cruise a chance
01:49to demonstrate his comic chops as well.
02:03From his cute and dorky Spider-Man and wholesome Nick Carraway in the Great Gatsby, Tobey Maguire
02:08is generally not known for unattractive parts.
02:10Though it's certainly a surprise to see his transformation as gangster James McKay
02:14in the Damien Chazelle film, Babylon.
02:23Not only does Maguire look creepy and off-putting with his bloodshot eyes and yellow-stained
02:27teeth, there is also his laugh.
02:30Maguire's McKay also has a penchant for animal sadism, as is evident when he attends
02:37parties involving live rats.
02:39So when he finds out Manny's money is fake, his giddiness turns deadly.
02:54Jared Leto's handsome looks have not stopped him from going above and beyond in transforming
02:58himself, quite literally.
03:00From a guy with substance issues, to a trans woman, to his own take on the Joker, Leto
03:04has played a wide range of roles and not always aesthetically pleasing ones.
03:08Paolo Gucci, however, is something else entirely.
03:16Leto is downright unrecognisable, as the aspiring fashion designer without much talent.
03:21With his balding and paunchy physique and Italian accent, Leto's Gucci is more off-brand
03:27than Gucci.
03:28In a film replete with transformations, Leto's definitely takes the cake, or should we say
03:32the chocolato.
03:48This Scottish heartthrob has wooed audiences with his roles throughout the years, from
03:52his dreamy Christian in Moulin Rouge to fan-favourite mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequels.
03:58I mean, handsome doesn't begin to cover it.
04:00But, as the paunchy, balding Raymond Stussie, we can say without a doubt that he doesn't
04:05look at all good here.
04:09Honestly, the transformation is terrific.
04:12McGregor also flexes his acting chops by playing Ray's brother Emmet, a much more conventionally
04:17attractive wealthy man who is happily married.
04:20Yet you are a man who can portray both.
04:39Comedians often downplay their natural attractiveness, perhaps feeling it can detract from their
04:43comic skills.
04:44And Amy Sedaris' diminutive blonde charm is definitely dimmed in her most well-known
04:48comedy series, Strangers With Candy.
04:56There she plays a 46-year-old prostitute who decides to go back to school and get herself
05:00an education.
05:01Sedaris' Geri Blank looks way older than the real-life Sedaris, and with a much rougher
05:06outlook on life.
05:07The contrast between Geri and her fellow teen students is, of course, part of the absurdist
05:12comedy of the satirical series, patterned after moralistic high school specials.
05:33The Penguin is definitely one of the ugliest and most off-putting villains in the Batman
05:36canon.
05:37We still haven't forgotten Danny DeVito's nightmarish portrayal.
05:40So what is Colin Farrell doing here?
05:42Farrell's version may be a more conventionally ugly take than the romantic horror of DeVito,
05:46but his scarred face is a far cry from his Miami Vice days.
05:50He is almost unrecognisable here.
05:58Farrell was praised for his portrayal of the fish-loving villain, even garnering a full
06:02spin-off television series on Max called The Penguin.
06:05Whatever he's doing, he's doing it right.
06:21It's hard to surpass Jim Carrey's film portrayal of the orphan-snatching, fortune-loving
06:25villain.
06:26But Neil Patrick Harris' tall, sunny looks get a nasty twist in his role as the Baudelaire
06:30siblings' new sinister guardian, Count Olaf.
06:36Harris' haggard, balding and white-haired appearance may be less distinctive than Carrey's,
06:42but both his comic and dramatic chops are as impressive as ever.
06:46His gothic appearance and over-the-top character, as well as the Netflix series in general,
06:50have garnered acclaim for their fidelity to the books.
06:53Just don't expect any Barney-from-How-I-Met-Your-Mother type of charisma.
07:11Another beautiful, blonde bombshell, Missy Pyle is known for conventional supporting
07:14roles in Josie and the Pussycats and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
07:17But in this satirical sports comedy, she appears completely unrecognisable as a Romanovian
07:22sports champion and the deadliest woman on Earth with a dodgeball.
07:31Pyle's character is a hilarious grab-bag of Soviet-Russian stereotypes, including bulky
07:38super-strength, bad teeth, red jumpsuit and some ultra-short hair.
07:42From dodgeball queen to fighting Queen Latifah in Bringing Down the House, Pyle can pile
07:46it out, whether she's off-putting or beautiful.
07:56Ah, John Hurt.
08:08The late, acclaimed actor's many roles throughout the years have often ended in grisly death,
08:12just ask Cain from Alien.
08:14As he has gotten older, he has played eclectic, wizened parts like Ollivander in Harry Potter.
08:19But his most grotesque role has to be the titular Elephant Man, actually named John
08:23Merrick, a mistreated circus performer rescued by a kind surgeon.
08:35Hurt Elephant Man is actually the result of make-up, needing seven to eight hours to be
08:39applied, and then carefully removed.
08:41The result is a pitifully oversized, gruesome facial deformity.
08:44It's a truly stunning transformation in physical acting.
09:01The titular Betty from this TV series is hard-working and intelligent, but as the title suggests,
09:06looks are not at the top of her list of qualities.
09:09So when she shows up at the office of a top New York fashion magazine in a poncho with
09:13her big blue metal smile, she's not very well-received.
09:16But when you see what this beautiful American with Honduran parents looks like in real life,
09:27it becomes clear just how hard the make-up artists and costume designers had to work
09:31to achieve the ugly effect.
09:33Her perfect smile, fiery gaze and beautiful hair quickly wipe away any memory of her on-screen
09:38look.
09:50The all-female version of Ghostbusters certainly gave the franchise a fresh look.
09:54Among the cast was Kate McKinnon, who plays Jillian Holtzman, the technical wizard of
09:58the crew.
09:59With those odd yellow goggles and that hairstyle straight out of the 80s, it's hard to detect
10:03the natural beauty of this SNL star.
10:09However, under that ill-fitting costume hide plenty of noteworthy features, all of which
10:13shine through in real life.
10:15Remove those wraparound shades and you'll also find some vibrant blue eyes and a beautiful
10:19head of hair.
10:20Don't let her good looks fool you, though.
10:22She's every bit as badass in real life.
10:29Few TV shows in history have had the cultural impact of Game of Thrones, and its success
10:40is in no small part thanks to its high-calibre characters.
10:43Gwendolyn Christie plays Brienne of Tarth, a strong woman who better embodies the virtues
10:47of knighthood than most actual knights.
10:51A true tomboy, her short hair and sharp features are far from conventionally feminine.
10:56With her curvy figure and tall stature, she's worked with a number of fashion designers
11:00and photographers.
11:01This athletic model and actress is a true chameleon.
11:04Speaking of tomboys who stun off-screen, how about Arya Stark, played by Maisie Williams?
11:22American actress Cameron Diaz certainly has tackled a wide variety of roles.
11:26In the 1999 movie, Being John Malkovich, she played a wacky wife who's totally obsessed
11:30with animals.
11:31With her frizzy hair and her make-up-free face, her usual sex appeal is completely suppressed.
11:37Then again, John Cushack isn't exactly looking his best in this film, either.
11:43Regardless, that same year, Diaz appeared in Very Bad Things, where she played a future
11:47bride who's utterly irresistible, albeit a little unstable.
11:52Throughout her various roles, and as herself, her stunning good looks have given us reason
11:56to marvel countless times over the years.
11:58We certainly wouldn't ask Lottie for hairdresser recommendations, though.
12:09A former football athlete turned actor, the late John Matuzak's physically fit form
12:14may have made him an oddly handsome choice for this ugly role.
12:17When Chunk tries to hitch a ride to the police station, he stumbles upon the Fratellis, a
12:21family of criminals who take him prisoner.
12:23There, he meets the most gruesome member of that family, Sloth Fratelli, played by
12:27John Matuzak.
12:32Fortunately, Sloth turns out to be a nice, baby-Ruth-loving guy whom Chunk befriends
12:39and eventually protects from arrest.
12:40It's always great to see an actor willing to think outside the conventionally attractive
12:44box.
12:50Emma Thompson is barely recognisable in her role as Nanny McPhee, and to a slightly lesser
13:04extent, the divination's teacher at Hogwarts.
13:07Sporting a wart on her face and buck teeth in Nanny McPhee, and thick glasses with a
13:11dishevelled hairdo in Harry Potter, Emma Thompson can truly transform herself.
13:21But underneath all those layers of make-up hides an elegant blonde with a brilliant smile
13:25and sparkling eyes.
13:27They say that a true actress should be able to play diverse roles.
13:30Well, in that case, Emma Thompson has certainly proven herself to be a master of her craft.
13:41Rooney Mara's breakout role may not have showcased her looks, but her undeniable talent
13:51obviously shone through, as the role earned her a nomination at the Golden Globes and
13:55Academy Awards.
13:56She portrayed young hacker, Lisbeth Salander.
13:58In keeping with the source material, her gothic style made her less than conventionally appealing.
14:10But in real life, all those piercings, tattoos and dark make-up disappear, and an undeniably
14:15beautiful and bright woman emerges.
14:17This mysterious and entrancing actress has turned many heads, and will continue to do
14:22so.
14:34You'd be forgiven for not recognising Naomi Grossman and Pepper as the same person.
14:38In the chilling TV series, American Horror Story, Naomi plays a microcephalic woman,
14:43an individual with an abnormally small head that results in developmental issues in the
14:47brain.
14:48For the role, a team of professional make-up artists completely altered her face and body,
14:56using silicone masks and other artificial prosthetics.
14:59Naomi even gave up her beautiful hair and shaved her head.
15:02But surprise, behind all these alterations, Naomi has a regular-sized head, soft features
15:07and plenty of sex appeal.
15:24It's Always Sunny is known for its very colourful characters and controversial subject
15:28matter.
15:29Even so, the character of Margaret McPoyle is one of the most bizarre of the entire series.
15:33Poor Margaret is a deaf-mute who flicks her tongue like a snake.
15:37In order to accentuate her eccentricity, the creators decked her out with a unibrow, greasy
15:41hair, and an expressionless look.
15:49But it's truly shocking once you see the actress who portrays Margaret.
15:52Tasty surface, minus the costume, is gorgeous.
15:55The photos taken of this doe-eyed beauty certainly prove as much.
16:24They often say that beauty is a factor in success, but for Charlize Theron, diminished
16:28beauty made her a truly respected star.
16:30She won the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in 2003's Monster, in which she played
16:35a prostitute at her wit's end who commits several murders.
16:45The movie is based on the true story of American serial killer Eileen Wuornos.
16:49This woman with tired features, rotten teeth and dirty hair is the character that earned
16:54true recognition in Hollywood.
16:56Even today, Theron continues to showcase her incredible acting talent in countless roles,
17:01whether she's playing an unattractive or a beautiful character.
17:06So what other attractive actors really went above and beyond for their ugly roles?
17:10Let us know in the comments down below!