10 Most Embarrassing Paycheck Movies For A-List Actors

Even an A-list actor can't escape D-list work from time to time.

Robert Downey Jr Shaggy Dog
Disney

You'd think that when you reach a certain status in Hollywood, you'd be impervious to less demeaning film roles.

Unfortunately, that's not always the case. Most actors would agree that it's nearly impossible to predict whether a movie is going to be good or bad. So, they have to take a chance. Sometimes it pays off, sometimes it's a flop.

While it may not be a big deal to some of us when they star in a bad film, but to them, that lasts forever. No matter what, no matter how much time passes, these films will forever be around for them to explain in future interviews. They did it because they either wanted to explore new avenues in their career or open themselves up to new opportunities.

While these actors have made it past their embarrassing roles, it's still interesting to look back at what their careers used to be. Just what will an actor do and how far will they go to keep their careers afloat? Here are some of the most embarrassing roles A-list actors have taken hopefully for nothing more than a paycheck.

10. Laurence Olivier - Inchon

Robert Downey Jr Shaggy Dog
MGM

Even the best of the best can be enticed with a big fat paycheck.

While he chose his roles carefully in the early years, Laurence Olivier eventually admitted that he did not use such finesse during his final years. When he was asked why he decided to take on a role in the critically panned 1981 war movie Inchon, he was more than open with his answer.

"People ask me why I'm playing in this picture. The answer is simple; money, dear boy. I'm like a vintage wine. You have to drink me quickly before I turn sour. I'm almost used up now, and I can feel the end coming," he said in an interview on set. "That's why I'm taking money now. I've got nothing to leave my family, but the money I can make from films. Nothing is beneath me if it pays well. I've earned the right to damn well grab whatever I can in the time I've got left."

Director Terence Young also admitted that he was worried about his star's health, noting that Laurence had to lay in a cot between takes due to extreme pain and exhaustion. In the end, Olivier was paid one million dollars for his role. While his reasoning for taking the part is rather grim, it does demonstrate what a class act the man was.

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Contributor

A freelance writer across multiple platforms. Want to talk favorite movies, maybe which MCU film is the best? Warning, my opinions are Hercules-level strong.