15 Unintentionally Annoying Movie Characters
Some movie characters are conceived to be charming or comic relief, yet they end up drawing a very different kind of attention from audiences. You know the ones who stick in your head long after the credits roll, not because the film asked for it, but because their choices and screen presence keep pulling focus from everything else on screen.
This roundup looks at characters across genres and decades and lays out who they are, what they do in their stories, and how they were built behind the scenes. You will find casting facts, plot roles, and production details that explain how each character came to be and why they left such a strong mark on pop culture conversations.
Jar Jar Binks in ‘Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace’
Jar Jar Binks is a Gungan from the planet Naboo who gets swept up with Qui Gon Jinn and Obi Wan Kenobi after a chance meeting in the swamps. The character is performed and voiced by Ahmed Best, and he became one of the earliest fully computer generated supporting characters integrated into a live action blockbuster through Industrial Light and Magic’s pipeline.
Within the story, Jar Jar helps secure an alliance between the Naboo and the Gungans and later serves as a representative on Coruscant. His senatorial actions influence the vote that grants emergency powers to Chancellor Palpatine, and he appears again in the next two prequel entries with a smaller footprint as the larger conflict escalates.
Willie Scott in ‘Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’
Willie Scott enters the series as a Shanghai nightclub singer who crosses paths with Indiana Jones during a tense exchange that goes sideways. Played by Kate Capshaw, she winds up on a cargo plane with Indy and Short Round and soon finds herself deep in an adventure far from the spotlight she knows.
Her journey takes her into the Thuggee cult’s underground temple where she is nearly sacrificed before joining the escape through the mine cart chase. Behind the scenes, the character was conceived to contrast with the tough and resourceful dynamic of the previous love interest, and Capshaw later married director Steven Spielberg after the film.
Ruby Rhod in ‘The Fifth Element’
Ruby Rhod is a hyperactive broadcast superstar who becomes an unexpected ally to Korben Dallas during the Fhloston Paradise mission. Chris Tucker plays the role with rapid fire delivery and live wire physicality, and the character’s look is one of the most recognizable collaborations between the production and costume designer Jean Paul Gaultier.
Ruby’s on air presence turns several action scenes into rolling commentaries that follow the heroes from the luxury liner to the showdown with the Mangalores. He sticks close to the action during the Diva Plavalaguna sequence, keeps his audio link open as chaos erupts, and ultimately helps transmit the developing situation to his massive audience.
Mutt Williams in ‘Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’
Mutt Williams rides into the story as a motorcycle loving greaser who asks Indiana Jones to help find his missing mentor Harold Oxley. Shia LaBeouf plays the character, who later learns he is Henry Jones the third, which reshapes his connection to Indy and gives the family dynamic a new thread.
He participates in the convoy chase through the jungle and the sword fight atop speeding vehicles while trying to keep the skull out of Soviet hands. The character is part of the final journey into the lost city of Akator where the mysteries of the crystal skulls and their otherworldly origins come into focus.
Alex O’Connell in ‘The Mummy Returns’
Alex O’Connell is the adventurous son of Rick and Evelyn, and his curiosity sets off a chain of events when he puts on the Bracelet of Anubis. Freddie Boath plays the role, and the character’s bracelet bond marks him for capture by cultists who want to resurrect Imhotep and locate the Scorpion King.
Alex’s connection to the bracelet provides a moving map that forces the O’Connells to race against time through Egypt toward Ahm Shere. He leaves clues his parents can follow, gets pulled into the London museum attack, and reunites with his family for the final confrontation in the oasis.
Skids and Mudflap in ‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen’
Skids and Mudflap are Autobot twins who first disguise themselves as an ice cream truck before scanning compact cars to blend into everyday traffic. They function as part of the expanded Autobot roster that partners with human allies as Sam Witwicky becomes entangled with ancient Cybertronian history.
The twins accompany the group to Egypt and clash with larger Decepticons during the run to the pyramid site. They even try to slow down Devastator in a brief skirmish, and their presence adds to the globe trotting scope as the story jumps from campus life to desert warfare.
Franklin Hardesty in ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’
Franklin Hardesty travels with his sister Sally and their friends to check on a family grave and visit an old homestead. Played by Paul A. Partain, Franklin uses a wheelchair and spends much of the early going navigating rough terrain, reading horoscopes, and trying to keep the group together.
As night falls, Franklin becomes a focal point when Leatherface emerges from the darkness and attacks with the chainsaw during a tense push through the brush. His death narrows the group to one survivor and propels the film into its relentless final stretch with Sally on the run.
Samuel in ‘The Babadook’
Samuel lives with his widowed mother Amelia and becomes fixated on protecting their home after a mysterious pop up book introduces a sinister presence. Noah Wiseman plays the boy, who constructs homemade gadgets and stays on alert as his mother struggles with grief and exhaustion.
The story uses Samuel’s fear and resourcefulness to guide viewers through the house as the haunting grows more oppressive. He assists his mother in the basement climax where the family confronts the entity and establishes a ritual that keeps it at bay while acknowledging the loss that fuels it.
Rachel Ferrier in ‘War of the Worlds’
Rachel Ferrier is Ray Ferrier’s young daughter, and the two spend a weekend together when the alien assault begins. Dakota Fanning portrays Rachel with a focus on asthma attacks and anxiety that complicate the family’s escape as infrastructure collapses and communication networks fail.
Her perspective anchors several major set pieces, including the ferry crossing that turns into a mass scramble and the basement hideout with a wary stranger. Through Rachel, the film tracks how a child experiences the noise of the tripods, the ash clouds in the streets, and the constant search for safety.
Lex Luthor in ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’
Lex Luthor runs LexCorp as a young tech magnate who angles for access to alien technology after the battle of Metropolis. Jesse Eisenberg plays the character with quick speech patterns and a public facing philanthropy that masks his private experiments.
He engineers the conflict between Batman and Superman by exploiting fear of Kryptonians and by securing a kryptonite shipment through back channels. Using Zod’s body and the Kryptonian ship, he creates Doomsday, triggers the Capitol bombing through a scheme with a wheelchair, and ends the film imprisoned with a shaved head.
Mater in ‘Cars 2’
Mater is a rusted tow truck from Radiator Springs who steps into the spotlight when Lightning McQueen heads overseas for the World Grand Prix. Voiced by Larry the Cable Guy, Mater gets mistaken for a spy by agents Finn McMissile and Holley Shiftwell and becomes a key figure in their mission.
His good nature puts him at the center of the alternative fuel plot where Allinol’s true purpose is exposed during the races. Mater helps uncover the mastermind behind the scheme, supports McQueen in the final leg, and returns home with new confidence and a few spy gadgets.
Scrappy Doo in ‘Scooby Doo’
Scrappy Doo appears in the live action adventure as a former Mystery Inc companion who is shown in a flashback demanding more respect from the gang. He later reemerges on Spooky Island with a hidden agenda that draws the team into a ritual involving the Daemon Ritus and a hunt for pure souls.
The twist reveals Scrappy as the architect of the island’s troubles, piloting a giant mechanical body and attempting to harness supernatural power. The plan pulls in the whole group and leads to a showdown that restores the stolen souls and reunites the team in the aftermath.
Peter Quill in ‘Avengers: Infinity War’
Peter Quill leads the Guardians of the Galaxy and crosses paths with Thor after answering a distress call in deep space. Chris Pratt returns as the character, who then flies to Titan with Tony Stark and Doctor Strange to confront Thanos with a coordinated plan.
On Titan, Quill and the team nearly pry off the Infinity Gauntlet while Mantis restrains the villain. Events spiral as the stones are used to devastating effect on Earth and in space, and Quill is among those who vanish when the Snap erases half of all life.
Cousin Eddie in ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’
Cousin Eddie Johnson pulls up to the Griswold home in a battered RV with his family and settles in for an extended holiday visit. Randy Quaid plays the role, which connects this film to earlier entries by dropping a freewheeling relative into Clark’s carefully planned festivities.
Eddie contributes to the escalating chaos when he empties the RV’s tank into the storm drain and later takes matters into his own hands. He kidnaps Clark’s boss to force a conversation about the year end bonus, which sets off a string of revelations that brings everyone together for the finale.
Bella Swan in ‘Twilight’
Bella Swan moves from Phoenix to Forks to live with her father and finds herself drawn to a classmate who hides a secret about his family. Kristen Stewart plays Bella, who narrates her experience as she learns about the Cullens and the rules that govern their existence.
The danger escalates when a nomadic vampire fixates on Bella during a baseball game and pursues her across state lines. The story culminates in a rescue at an abandoned ballet studio and ends with Bella more deeply connected to the vampire world that now surrounds her life.
Got another character who fits this theme from a movie you love or love to debate? Share your pick in the comments.