Filming a movie—any movie!—is a huge endeavor. You’ve got dozens, hundreds, maybe even thousands of people who need to work in sync to get the best result possible. But if your main actors can’t seem to play off each other well, then there’s a serious problem.

Prompted by redditor u/trpclshrk, the r/movies online community shared their personal thoughts about well-known actors who seem to have little-to-no chemistry with some of their co-stars, even if otherwise they’re at the top of their game. You’ll find their opinions as you scroll down.

Image credits: trpclshrk

#1

Keanu Reeves has zero chemistry with romantic co-stars. I said it.

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#2

Natalie Portman for me. I like her. She’s a good actress. But if you don’t have chemistry with Thor (among others in her filmography), then I dunno. She just seems like she doesn’t really want to be around any of her male co-stars?

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#3

Daniel Radcliffe and any of the girls in the Harry Potter movies. Some of jlaw and peetas movies.

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Chemistry—or a total lack of it—is something that the audience instinctively notices, whether they watch the movie at their local cinema or at home. You can clearly see when the actors ooze charisma, ease into their roles, and instinctively play off one another. It’s also very easy to see when there’s virtually no rapport between the actors and their dialogue and behavior is stiff, clumsy, and awkward.

Sure, some high-level editing can help mask a lack of chemistry between the actors, but it only serves as a very last-minute band-aid. The real problems run far deeper than that. These issues should have been addressed by the director, the producers, and the stars themselves on-set, not during the post-production process.

#4

Gal Gadot, Megan Fox, Emma Watson, Cara Delevigne…

Charisma black holes, no matter who they are acting with, they are just… there, existing

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#5

This might be a weird take, but for me personally it’s Joaquin Phoenix.

I think he’s a phenomenal actor, and he basically elevates anything he’s in, but there’s something about him where I see ‘actor-man’ in all his roles. I’m not even sure how to articulate what I’m trying to say. It’s like he takes his role so seriously that he doesn’t consider the person he’s acting across. He’s so focused on his performance that he doesn’t play very well against someone. That’s just my opinion though.

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#6

Ansel Elgort

In Baby Driver, he’s supposed to have Asperger’s / some social disorder, so I excused the lack of chemistry in that film (still the weakest part of the movie). I figured it was just supposed to be weird.

His turn in West Side Story was simply awful, IMO. I found his scenes with Rachel Zegler so flat and boring that they almost spoiled the whole film for me. Then, the film cuts to Ariana DeBose and she is *electrifying* in every scene in the film, reminding you what charisma actually looks like. The contrast between the two could not have been more stark.

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Of course, telling someone to fix the chemistry on the set is far easier said than done. You won’t magically make celebrities vibe just by asking them to. Chemistry takes time and trust to develop. The more time a person spends around their colleagues, the more they get to know them. That way, they become more familiar with their style of work and thinking and can anticipate how they’ll act.

#7

The Rock. Extremely charismatic guy but zero romantic/sexual chemistry with any leading women. He does have good platonic chemistry with other co-stars though.

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#8

Arnold. I love him, but I’ve never believed him in any of his romantic scenes. His “chemistry” with Sharon Stone in Total Recall is particularly memorable for it’s hollowness.

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#9

A very specific example but Jodie Foster and Tom Skerrit in Contact. Individually they both do a great job but anytime they’re in a scene together it’s cringeworthy. No idea why, but it’s always bothered me.

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Simply put, unless you’re dealing with acting geniuses or the most seasoned professionals with decades of experience, you probably won’t see instant chemistry between them and the other actors. That’s why it’s so important that everyone’s open to taking direction well. The director and the rest of the crew can give the actors some pointers and help break the ice. Meanwhile, some teambuilding activities and time spent together after work can help the stars vibe with one another more.

#10

Tom Cruise was the first person I thought off.

I like his performance, but I am very aware that he is an actor, he just doesn’t seem genuine. And his intensity comes into play. I am very conscious that he is pretending to be what he thinks a good dad would be like in ‘War of the Worlds’. In Cocktail, Edge of Tomorrow etc, I don’t buy his relationships. I think this may be a reason, why there was no relationship between him and Demi Moore in ‘A Few Good Men’, I just don’t think he can pull it off. Tbf, Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes always looked a bit ‘captive’ in their relationships with him.

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#11

Chris Evans and Ana de Armas in Ghosted… no chemistry at all

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#12

Katherine Heigl.

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However, this highlights two other issues. Namely, the importance of respect and being able to take criticism well. Respect is absolutely fundamental when it comes to healthy group dynamics, whether at work or elsewhere. If you do not see your coworkers as someone worthy of your time, effort, and attention, your results won’t be as good. Workplace leaders know that supporting their colleagues is essential because it brings out the best in them. On the flip side, very few people can tolerate arrogant coworkers who look down on them.

#13

Daniel Craig – 2 x 4 pieces of wood have more emotional connection to people than he shows.

Image credits: Greaser_Dude

#14

Cillian Murphy, the man is BEAUTIFUL. And literally one of the most handsome man in the world (imho), but he’s had like zero chemistry with the actress who played Grace in Peaky Blinders. And I can’t even think of another female costar with whom he’s had ANY chemistry?

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#15

Maggie Gyllenhaal, specifically in The Dark Knight.

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Regarding criticism, it’s important that actors listen to what’s being said. The fact of the matter is that everyone’s a human being who makes mistakes. Even the best of the best aren’t error-free. If you’re a world-famous celebrity with a growth-oriented mindset, then you probably know how to take criticism well. Not only does that make you someone pleasant to work with, it means that you’re more likely to be invited to act in other high-profile projects. In short, there are very practical reasons to be flexible and nice to others.

#16

If we are talking about romantic chemistry, than Anne Hathaway. Don’t kill me please! She is very good actress with incredible charisma, but to me, she never seems to have a spark with her romatic on-screen partners. Her cast as Catwoman was the weirdest one, as Selina is a character who is supposed to have chemistry with anything bar noble gas.

Image credits: MoonlightHarpy

#17

Cate Blanchett sometimes. It makes sense when she’s cast for a more powerful, aloof or icy role (she’s wonderful in all).

But something like her role in Benjamin Button, her and Brad Pitt had no chemistry.

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#18

Jennifer Lopez maybe? Emma Watson

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No matter how kind and respectful you are, at some point in your career, you’re likely to work alongside someone who has a very difficult personality. Or, to put it slightly more bluntly, you don’t like them, on a fundamental level. That might cause a lot of friction between you two, and it’ll affect the quality of your scenes. So it’s important to know how to tackle those issues, instead of holding onto all that frustration inside of you.

#19

Chris Pratt. He seems dead inside to me since Guardians 2. He also has super limited range and if it’s not comically over the top sillyness, it just feels wooden.

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#20

Henry Cavill

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#21

Other than Heat, I’ve never felt Deniro had good chemistry with an actress.

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According to ‘Backstage,’ the actor might want to take their difficult coworker aside and speak to them about their behavior privately. The key here is to not make the conversation seem like you’re accusing them of anything. Focus more on how you felt when they did something, rather than telling them how wrong they were, so that they don’t get all defensive. Ideally, they’ll get the subtle hint. Not everyone is mean or rude because they’re a jerk. Sometimes, people are simply unaware of how their behavior affects everyone around them.

#22

Cara Delevingne

#23

Jimmy Stewart. Amazing Actor, couldn’t convincingly kiss his co-star to save his life.

#24

George Clooney. The only exception may be “Out Of Sight” with Jennifer Lopez.

However, if your private one-on-one didn’t bear any fruit, it might be time to ask someone to mediate the conflict. Try explaining the situation to the assistant director or the stage manager. For one, they have a wealth of experience managing people. On top of that, they might see the problem from a fresh perspective. This might help them come up with a solution that you might not have even thought of before.

#25

Brie Larson in *Captain Marvel* and *Avengers: Endgame*. Though, to be fair, I’ve already seen the interviews with her and the Chris(s) and Don Cheadle, so she as a person might have soured my opinion of Carol Danvers.

#26

Robert Pattinson. I don’t know why he is so famous.

#27

Samuel L Jackson ????? M********A im married !

Of course, if your co-star is completely toxic, harasses others, and has no respect for anyone, it might be time to go higher up the movie industry food chain. Bring the problem to the director, your union, or even the authorities if necessary. You may even want to consider leaving the project for greener pastures. Just remember to keep things as professional as possible.

#28

J Lo…ugh.

#29

Julia Stiles has the chemistry of a piece of wet cardboard. She’s so awful that she brings everyone else down with her.

#30

So if by chemistry you mean you can sense
A connection with the other characters

I’ll nominate Jason Bateman. He has great rapport with his costars, but he comes off like life insurance salesman in everything he is in.

Image credits: Whiskey_Vinyl

Which of these opinions do you agree with, dear Pandas? Which ones do you think were totally wrong? What actors do you personally think have the best and worst chemistry on-screen? We’d love to hear from you, so scroll down to the comment section and voice your thoughts.

#31

Rob Lowe. He has no romantic chemistry with any actress ever. Shows kept trying with different women but it never worked.

#32

best chemistry..maybe Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner? And for worst my nomination goes to Jonah Hill and whoever his costar was in ‘you people’

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#33

Nicolas Cage. He is beyond this world, only he exist in his reality, which is a good reality, and entertaining to watch.

#34

William Shatner. He was in love with himself. Everyone else was lucky to breathe the same air. ?

#35

Jennifer Lawrence

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#36

Ana de Armas, honestly I can’t

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#37

You mean like Kristen Stewart always having a look on her face like everyone else smells like s**t and she can’t wait to be somewhere else?

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#38

Emilia Clark. Didn’t have chemistry with the Jon Snow actor and had even less with her co-star in that god awful Terminator movie

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#39

Gal Gadot incredibly wooden whoever she is acting with.

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#40

Affleck. Outside of the rapport he had with Damon and the other guys in Good Will Hunting, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen him actually engage with the cast he’s with.

Image credits: Wazula23

#41

Claire Forlani – I don’t know why, but for me it always feels like she doesn’t like her costars.

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#42

Jerry Seinfeld

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#43

Ive never liked Jesse Eisenberg. He has all the charisma of a self untiled knowitall who thinks he’s the coolest guy you’ve ever met. I don’t see chemistry between him and oxygen.

#44

Jada Pinkett always has just seemed fake, to me, and it seems to translate onscreen to her costars.

#45

Beyoncé whenever she tries to act

Maybe she had decent chemistry with Jennifer Hudson and Anika Noni Rose as well as Adrian Brody in Cadillac Records? That’s about it…

#46

I love Bryan Cranston, but I can’t see him with any romantic chemistry with a co-star. He had great chemistry with Aaron Paul.

#47

Leonardo DiCaprio. Somehow I feel like he thinks he is “above”…idk

#48

John Malkovich should not play a father figure. A role he has been cast in many times. He doesnt feel like he loves being a parent on screen.

#49

Zoe Kravitz! Especially in The Batman and Big Little Lies

#50

Mark Wahlberg

#51

Jai Courtney.

#52

William Hurt.

#53

Denise Richards, specifically The World Is Not Enough and Starship Troopers.

#54

Heard & Mamoa

#55

Andie McDowell

#56

anthony mackie

he is a great actor but his buddy buddy interactions always feel forced to me.

#57

January Jones has zero chemistry with literally everyone.

#58

Charlie chan

#59

Halle Berry

#60

Riley Keough

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