1

The title says it all, folks, but here are my personal examples that inspired this thread:

  1. Buffy, a character I love to death, played by Sarah Michelle Gellar, who, no offense, as a real-life actress, is a bit boring, unwitty, and non-ass-kicking.

  2. Randy Meeks, the lovable film geek/horror-obsessed genius from the first three Scream movies, played by real-life actor Jamie Kennedy. Now, I will admit, I go on Jamie Kennedy’s Youtube channel and watch his videos (some of which are good, others I skip or shrug off) in which he sits and talks about a variety of subjects, including conspiracies (some involving real-life celebrities he was good friends with, like the sketchy mysterious death of Bob Saget), the state of Hollywood today (not doing so great), and other politics/culture; he even does interviews with some experts or industry types or celebrities. I enjoy his channel, despite the fact that his average video gets only a few thousand views oftentimes, but I think one of the real reasons I watch his channel is because I wish, Oh Lord Do I Ever Wish, I could hang out with the character Randy Meeks. If Randy Meeks was a real person (I wish he was), I would watch his Youtube channel 100 times before watching Jamie Kennedy’s. Randy is a very different person than Jamie, and to me at least, Jamie is a pale imitation of Randy.

And yes, I know Randy Meeks was killed off in Scream 2, but I would hang out with the Randy that existed before then, OR I would hang out with the Randy Meeks from a parallel universe in which, Thank God Almighty, he wasn’t murdered.

I can’t think of any others off the top of my head, but let me know your examples. Thanks.

2

Jayne Cobb played by Adam Baldwin in the TV series Firefly.

Love that character. Brilliantly done.

Adam Baldwin is a right-wing asshole in real life.

3

Funny you mention it. In the movie (which preceded the TV show) Kristy Swanson played Buffy. She was great in the role.

She too is a right-wing nutjob these days.

4

HIs character Jayne is a pretty rough-around-the-edges type marauding cowboy in outer space, but I think from your perspective Jayne is more redeemable and human than Adam Baldwin, amiright?

5

Jayne is definitely redeemable. Indeed, it happens in the series where Jayne betrays one of the crew and Malcolm comes close to spacing Jayne. But Jayne redeems himself in the last moment.

Baldwin is not seeking redemption. He’s just an asshole.

Video below is a spoiler if you have not watched the show but this is the bit I was talking about:

6

Pretty much any of the good roles Tom Cruise has played. Probably William Cage in Edge of Tomorrow stands out. Though in common with a lot of Cruise characters he’s actually an insufferable douchebag, albeit one who redeems himself over the course of the movie. So it’s probably not true to say I actually “like” the character even though he kinda makes the movie.

7

Tim Allen gave us two wonderful, lovable characters in Jason Nesmith (Galaxy Quest) and Buzz Lightyear despite being himself a detestable piece of shit.

8

Les Grossnan comes to mind. The character had no redeeming qualities, except that he was absolutely hilarious while incredibly profane. Easily one of the best parts of Tropic Thunder, but Cruise is just someone that I can’t seem to like on a personal level.

9

I’m a fan of most of the characters Mel Gibson played until circa 2000 or so. I just can’t watch them now because they all look like Mel Gibson.

10

Alex Kamal, the pilot of the Rocinante in The Expanse. A great character who is the heart of the crew, but the actor turned out to be a bit of a piece of shit. They re-edited the last episode to give the character a fitting end, after firing the actor.

11

I think I’ve mentioned before that I have a friend who loved the movie and was indifferent to the TV show.

To this day, if you say to him “The actress who played Buffy,” he assumes you mean Kristy Swanson. Sarah Michelle Gellar is “the fake Buffy.”

12

I love the characters of Frasier and Sideshow Bob, so I had a high regard for Kelsey Grammer. But since I discovered that he’s a Trump supporter, I don’t think highly of him at all anymore. I thought he was a very smart man and now I wonder why I thought so.

13

His playing Reacher was a particular reach, in particular his being at least nine inches shorter and 80 pounds lighter than the character in the books, not to mention giving off a much different vibe. Didn’t drink nearly enough coffee either.

14

Although wasn’t the character himself meant to be characture of Harvey Weinstein? Which has made that whole bit less funny in retrospect

15

Tom Cruise in
Legend,
Rain Man,
Born on the Fourth of July,
A Few Good Men,
Interview with the Vampire,
The Last Samurai.

John Travolta in
Pulp Fiction,
Get Shorty,
Michael,
Pulp Fiction,
Broken Arrow,
Primary Colors.

I am deeply suspicious of Scientology and Scientologists. But I have to admit that they are good actors.

Rosie O’Donnell in
A League of Their Own
Sleepless in Seattle
Exit to Eden

She used to be funny, before she decided to become an Advocate for Important Causes.

16

Similarly for Kevin Spacey. He’s been a bunch of stuff I like. Verbal Kint in Usual Suspects being the obvious one.

17

I love Jack Vincennes’ arc in LA Confidential. It was kind of the opposite of real-life Kevin Spacey.

18

(Re: Kelsey Grammer)

Hearing him on some talk show long before trump was running for president, he came across as pretty dumb. He’s just a very good actor (at least as far as Frasier Crane goes).