8 Actors Who Played Villains Too Well That They Were Hated IRL (4 of 5)

6. Jared LetoasThe JokerinSuicide Squad

Jared Leto aimed to bring a fresh new take on the classic character with his Joker role in Suicide Squad; however, audiences largely responded negatively. Let’s be clear: his portrayal of the Joker elicited intense hatred from the public.His depiction, which featured a gangster aesthetic, resulted in moments that some viewers found too cringey to even care about. On the other hand, the Joker “purists” took it one step further and heckled the actor online, which only made others like it more. It’s a really weird world we’re living in, that’s for sure.

7. Jack GleesonasJoffrey BaratheoninGame of Thrones

He dealt with constant hate from the public, facing everything from insults and being spat on to people wishing him a slow and painful death. Fans blamed him for how Sansa was treated, which only made the situation worse. Even though Jack was actually a kind and thoughtful person with a deep philosophical side, he found it really hard to separate himself from the character he played. His portrayal of Joffrey Baratheon was so convincing that audiences couldn’t help but confuse him with the monster on screen. Because of this, he made the tough choice to step away from acting, deciding to live a low-key life instead of dealing with all that negativity.