Worst PT Casting Choice: Poll

Natalie Portman as Padme - It was one of the worst performances I've ever seen. She was as wooden as a cardboard box. I was happy she died when it was over She had zero chemistry with Christensen and the love story was terrible. I think this was the first big mistake Lucas made in casting her for that role. She stunk!

Hayden Christensen as Anakin - AOTC was bad, really bad. I did not believe the love interest with Portman for a second and his acting was terrible in most of the film. Now saying that ROTS wasn't a bad film and he improved in that film but boy did he stink in AOTC. The fact the love interest with Portman was so unbelievable and wooden really hurt him. Part of it is bad directing, part of it was a bad script and the other part is bad casting.

Christopher Lee as Count Dooku - Horrible performance. I think the bad script played a huge part but I felt nothing for Lee's character. Way too old to be a sith lord and didn't suite the role. I'm not sure what Lucas was thinking in casting Lee because it just didn't work.

Ahmed Best as Jar Jar Binks - Now I understand why Lucas put Binks in the films. It was a merchandising decision to sell toys. That's fine. But we all wish Jar Jar would of caught a bullet in the head in The Phantom Menace and be done with it. Annoying character that should of died within the first 5 minutes.

Temuera Morrison as Jango Fett and Clones - Terrible choice. I can't stand that Kiwi accent. It's bad on film. Sounds like a retarded boy trying to speak english.

 

What if jar jar had spoken an alien language? Like Chewbacca or nien nubb or the ewoks? I don't think anyone would have minded him at all.

 

I agree. I watched Hayden in Shattered Glass which was actually filmed between AOTC and ROTS and he was VERY good- that movie has a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes. Natalie Portman went on to earn an Oscar for Black Swan, albeit several years later.

I think acting in front of the green screen had a lot to do with their poor performances, it must be hard for young actors to pull that off. I don't have an explanation for their lack of chemistry, though, besides not getting help from the director.

In the end, my vote goes for Jake Lloyd. I realize kids have a tough job acting convincingly, but he had such a flat affect that it was hard to even believe he cared enough for Shmi to go on a murderous rampage on her behalf ten years later. Or that he'd ever build up the amount of hate possessed by Darth Vader. Of course it's just my opinion, but he also failed the #1 job qualification for any kid actor- to be cute as a bug's ear. There just wasn't anything endearing about him, and one had to really care about this kid for the eventual fall from grace to have any impact. I just didn't care for Little Ani.

And, unlike the other actors, TPM was Jake Lloyd's only acting gig. That pretty much says it all right there.

 

I just voted.
I think Jake Lloyd was a awful choice. GL & the casting dept could have seeked out a older, better actor.
Lloyd was selected from a reported 3000 young actors! 3000.

Best as Jar Jar was a hot mess too. Not only because of the terrible character but the huge - reaction it got worldwide.
Best like Lloyd never became a mainstream Hollywood actor. Sad.
Lucas even touts how singer Michael Jackson pushed to play Jar Jar. Could you imagine that?

 

I like all of them.

 

I know that it has been done to DEATH, but my vote is for Jar Jar Binx, not so much for the character but for the way that they chose to bring him to life. I feel that if he was a Muppet, something tangible that you or actors on screen could actually touch things may have turned out better. Horrible voice aside, I bet if he was a costumed actor or a Muppet he would have fit in more with the feel of Star Wars, but since you have that grating dialogue coupled with horrible CGI that has already not withstood the test of time he is one of the worst things about the series.

 

I think the actor who played Jar Jar did his job well-he just had a crappy lines and an unfortunate character. But as far as providing the voice for an intentionally annoying creature geared towards little kids, he succeeded. If the actor playing Jar Jar was a character cast in a kiddie show like Barney, no one would think twice about him. He did his job. Could anyone have read those lines for that CGI character and inspire the audience to love them? I stand by Mr. Lars and agree that if Jar Jar was a muppet or costume, he may have had a chance to get (at least) some sympathy.

I think Natalie Portman is probably the most stunning woman in the Star Wars universe and I love how she looks in the dresses, but I feel her performance fell flat (especially in scenes with Hayden.) I actually thought Hayden was more convincing in scenes without Portman (like the Opera House scene and I enjoyed the Obi-Wan duo dynamic.) I cringed whenever he was on screen with Portman. But to be fair to both of them, I don't know if Clooney and Catherine Zeta Jones could have pulled off some of the dialogue.

 

The only one who was really good was Ewan Mc Gregor. Anakin was showed as a crying Sissy.

Lucas was very good in making stories but come on, he was a poor director.

Fortunately the Anakin of the Clone Wars looks like the real chosen one.

 

I picked Jake Lloyd and Hayden Christensen for the following reasons: Jake Lloyd not particularly because I disliked him in the role but because I'm sure they could've found an even better Haley Joel Osmenty type child actor called Haley Joel Osment or something for the role and I chose Hayden Christensen because all things considered I found his performance a bit too dull and uninteresting particularly in AOTC, although come to think of it he is Canadian so that might account for it.

--- Double Post Merged, Nov 22, 2015, Original Post Date: Nov 22, 2015 ---

Nah sorry have to disagree with you and say that Lucas is a good director. He was in full command of what he wanted on all his films including the prequels. Fair enough he may lack certain skills such as handling actors correctly and the like but a bad director that does not make.

 

Didn't choose any, only because.. it's how the prequels were handed. Lucas's writing, and story decision making ruined a lot. It's not these actors fault.

 

I think they all work for each movie if you view it from the right perspective .