10 Actors Who Tried Way Too Hard To Be Edgy
5. Woody Harrelson - Out Of The Furnace
Woody Harrelson, known primarily for playing endearing and frequently comedic characters, and even when in a villainous role manages to leave the audience rooting for him somewhat. Just look at Natural Born Killers - serial killer Mickey Knox, played by Harrelson is in many ways the hero of the story.
The same cannot be said for his performance in Scott Cooper's 2013 thriller Out Of The Furnace. Harrelson's role sees him as rural New Jersey drug dealer Harlan DeGroat, a sociopathic criminal who spends the film's runtime beating up women, snorting meth, reneging on deals and murdering people in the woods. While he is effectively evil and despicable, there's something slightly out of place and distracting about Tallahassee himself playing someone so utterly amoral. It's a valiant attempt to play against type but feels a little self-conscious.
Harrelson has since been far more successful in his villainous roles, drawing critical acclaim as The Colonel in Matt Reeves' War For The Planet Of The Apes, and audiences will surely be waiting with bated breath for his expanded role as Carnage in the upcoming Venom sequel.