4. P.L. Travers (Saving Mr. Banks)
Emma Thompson's Pamela Travers is petulant to the point where Saving Mr. Banks is almost unwatchable. Based on the true story detailing how Travers' novel Mary Poppins was adapted into the classic Disney film, Thompson never holds back as the gnarly novelist, and she turns Travers into one of the most toe-curlingly hateful characters seen on screen in recent history. Travers is said to have been a notoriously difficult individual in real life, and this is always apparent in Saving Mr. Banks. Tom Hanks was the talk of the town before the movie's release, with everyone highly anticipating his portrayal of Mr. Walt Disney; but as viewers stumbled out of screenings of the film, it was Thompson's name on their lips, with her performance as the snotty Travers so grating that it's unforgettable. Travers is depicted here as being ornery to the point of exhaustion, staring down her nose at everyone around her and deliberately finding fault with everything associated with Disney. She's the kind of character you can't help but hate, and will live long in the memory thanks to Thompson's bold, committed performance.