3. Cameron Diaz – Gangs of New York (2002)
Cameron Diaz was easily one of the ’00s biggest stars. Known for her countless roles in comedies, romcoms and occasional thrillers, Diaz is instantly recognizable and usually entirely unforgettable. In Scorsese’s historical crime epic Gangs of New York, though, she stuck out like a sore thumb.
Starring alongside acclaimed actors like Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Day Lewis highlighted Diaz’s fish-out-of-water status, and her performance, while not awful, was by far the weakest link in an incredibly realized story. Gangs of New York is the sort of serious historical crime drama that Diaz couldn’t be more out of place in, and she was surrounded by actors who thrived in their roles.
It wouldn’t be fair to blame Diaz for her place here, as any actor would surely have jumped at the chance to work with Scorsese, but the sad truth is that she simply doesn’t work in this violent crime epic.