Horror Movies That Actors Regret Filming

Everyone has done jobs they're not particularly proud of in their past. For actors, any of these past works are in the public eye, even if some go on to be largely forgotten. This includes the fan-favorite horror genre, from cheap, grindhouse and direct-to-video schlock to big-budget misfires. Beyond the quality of the movies, some actors just didn't have particularly pleasant experiences behind-the-scenes, leading them to distance themselves from their projects after completion. Every actor has a handful of films that they wish they hadn't signed on for, and with the benefit of hindsight, several have gone public with their regrets.

From established genre icons disappointed at their respective franchise returns to newcomers trying to get their start, horror has no shortage of movies Hollywood stars want off their resume. In a particular instance, one actor's horror movie experience led them to not only regret their participation, but quit acting altogether. Here are the horror movies that actors have since publicly expressed that they regret ever filming.

One of the most influential horror filmmakers is Alfred Hitchcock, who helmed such classic thrillers as "Psycho" and "Strangers on a Train." For 1963's "The Birds," Hitchcock began working with actor Tippi Hedren, in her film debut. Hedren plays Melanie Daniels, who is trapped in a coastal California town that's besieged by homicidal flocks of birds. Though "The Birds" ranks among Hitchcock's most well-regarded movies, the filming was an absolute nightmare for Hedren, who was changed forever by her experience.

Referring to her working relationship with Hitchcock as an abusive one that remains controversial to this day, Hedren recalled one particular incident filming the climactic scene in "The Birds." The intense ending has Melanie cornered by attacking birds in an attic, barely escaping with her life. Though Hitchcock told Hedren he initially planned to use mechanical birds in the scene, he switched to using live birds at the last minute. Attacked by live birds, Hedren nearly had an eye pecked and found herself "unable to move" and "sobbing in sheer exhaustion" by the end of filming.

"The Exorcist" from 1973 is a bonafide horror masterpiece, nominated for Best Picture and ushering in an era of prestige horror throughout the '70s. At the heart of the movie is Regan MacNeil, played by Linda Blair, a girl possessed by the demon Pazuzu and driven to commit malevolently frightening acts. In the wake of the movie's critical and commercial success, Blair and her family resisted offers to star in a sequel for years. Ultimately, Blair relented, reprising her role as Regan in 1977's "The Exorcist II: The Heretic," which dealt with Regan's repressed memories from her possession.

In sharp contrast to its predecessor, "The Exorcist II" was universally lambasted by critics and audiences alike upon its release. Blair reflected that the version of the script that made her agree to join the project, "was not the script that we shot." Blair cited constant rewrites during filming from second unit director and creative associate Rospo Pallenberg for altering the project considerably, still mystified by Pallenberg's changes decades later. The "Exorcist" franchise was quietly put on ice for a decade, followed by "The Exorcist III" in 1990 with a new creative team behind the production.

The 1981 European movie "Possession" is one that's seen its reputation grow favorably over time to eventually be recognized as a horror classic. The film stars Isabelle Adjani and Sam Neill as Anna and Mark, a couple whose marriage is falling apart amidst the height of Cold War paranoia in West Berlin. As Mark investigates Anna's infidelities, he discovers sinister and supernatural forces preying on her and fueling their marital deterioration. The revelations that follow lead to an increasingly violent descent into madness for Anna and Mark, affecting anyone who crosses their paths.

For Adjani and Neill, the portrayal of their disintegrating mental health in "Possession" was informed by the trauma they both endured making the movie. Adjani referred to filmmaker Andrzej Zulawski's treatment of her during production as abusive and manipulative, calling the finished film "psychological pornography" that changed her forever. Neill agreed with Adjani's assessment, reflecting that elements of his performance in "Possession" were "the most distressing thing" he had ever done on film. Years after the release of "Possession," Adjani considered herself "a survivor" for the experiences she suffered, leading to her reevaluating her career.

Leonardo DiCaprio may be one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood today, but things were far different for him in 1991. After several small television roles, DiCaprio's cinematic debut was starring in "Critters 3" as Josh, a young boy facing the ravenous monsters. The movie is the first in the series to be released direct-to-video, with New Line Cinema skipping a wide theatrical release entirely. This proved to be a prudent move, with "Critters 3" earning a rare 0% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Though "Critters 3" may have started DiCaprio's film career, there is definitely no love lost between him and the 1991 movie. DiCaprio referred to his debut as "possibly one of the worst movies of all time," vowing never to let something like that happen again. DiCaprio worked diligently to become one of the most celebrated actors of his generation, with an impressive body of work. "Critters" received one additional direct-to-video sequel, before being revived in 2019 with a Shudder original series and DiCaprio nowhere in sight.

The "Leprechaun" franchise is a film series that, against all odds, never quite seems able to die completely, with a new movie released every several years. The 1993 original movie introduced actor Warwick Davis as Lubdan the Leprechaun, a monstrous leprechaun murdering anyone who gets near his mythical gold. Standing against Lubdan in the first movie was Jennifer Aniston, playing a young woman named Tory. The year after "Leprechaun" released, Aniston starred in "Friends," becoming the show's breakout character and a bonafide television superstar.

Though "Leprechaun" director Mark Jones recalled Aniston being excited to join the movie, she isn't overly proud of her first major role. While being good-natured about the early opportunity to star in a movie, Aniston admitted to constantly "cringing" when watching the movie years later. Despite trying to get out of revisiting "Leprechaun," Aniston's significant other insisted they rewatch it, with Aniston walking out of the room several times.

Jamie Lee Curtis made a name for herself through her early work in the horror genre, with classics like "Halloween" and "The Fog." Of course, not all of Curtis' scary movie appearances have been well-received, with one of the biggest clunkers being 1999's "Virus." The sci-fi horror flick follows a small ship that finds the mysterious wreckage of a Russian vessel in the South Pacific. As the crew tries to salvage the wreck, they learn the Russian personnel have been infected by an extraterrestrial entity and transformed into lethal cyborgs.

Though directed by longtime James Cameron visual effects supervisor John Bruno, "Virus" failed to capture the same scope and menace as Bruno's work with Cameron on "The Abyss." Critics lambasted the movie, which earned only $30 million worldwide on a reported production budget of $75 million. Curtis has been understandably sanguine with her feelings surrounding the movie, remarking it was the only time she knew a project she was in was going to be a disaster. More succinctly, In a separate interview, Curtis dismissed "Virus" as an "all time piece of s***."

"The Blair Witch Project" popularized the concept of found footage movies, especially in the horror genre, upon its widely successful release in 1999. The film is presented under the narrative conceit that the footage is the true account of three students lost exploring the legend of the Blair Witch in Maryland. Stranded in the woods, the trio are plagued by supernatural terror before disappearing one-by-one to an unseen entity. The movie memorably includes a close-up on protagonist Heather Donahue's face as she weeps while apologizing for placing herself and her friends in this predicament.

When "The Blair Witch Project" was released, the actors, who used their real names, were listed as dead to maintain the movie's premise. However, when Donahue and her co-stars revealed they were alive and well, after their nightmare of a filming experience, they received backlash from viewers who thought they were actually deceased. Mocked for her close-up scene and overwhelmed by irate viewers, Donahue eventually quit acting entirely and became a marijuana farmer. Donahue noted that her role in "The Blair Witch Project" was something she'd just have to live with, comparing it to having "a tattoo on your face."

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the slasher classic "Halloween," original series star Jamie Lee Curtis agreed to reprise her scream role as Laurie Strode. The resulting project, 1998's "Halloween H20: 20 Years Later," featured serial killer Michael Myers stalking his sister Laurie yet again, 20 years after their last fiery encounter. Curtis intended to give her character and her conflict with Michael a sense of closure, but the producers had plans for an inevitable sequel. Frustrated by this, Curtis stipulated that "H20" avoid any overt hints at a sequel and that she would be killed off early into the follow-up, 2002's "Halloween: Resurrection."

Though Curtis has since regretted that "H20" didn't involve the franchise's original creative team of John Carpenter and Debra Hill, she remains proud of the movie overall. This appreciation does not extend to "Resurrection," however, with Curtis dissatisfied by how Laurie's story ended. (That ending could have included turning Laurie into Michael Myers.) 20 years later, filmmaker David Gordon Green presented Curtis with his own plans for Laurie, completely ignoring the events of "H20" and "Resurrection," as well as all the other sequels. With Carpenter on board as executive producer and composer, Curtis returned for a new "Halloween" trilogy that she also executive produced starting in 2018.

Lindsay Lohan ruled the tabloid headlines for much of the 2000s, especially when the psychological thriller "I Know Who Killed Me" was released in 2007. Lohan plays the dual role of long-lost twins Aubrey and Dakota, who are targeted by a serial killer. After Aubrey's encounter with the murderer, Dakota resurfaces, throwing Aubrey's friends and family into confusion about her identity. "I Know Who Killed Me" went on to sweep the 2008 Razzie Awards, including earning the dubious distinction of Worst Picture.

Years later, Lohan recalled that the production of "I Know Who Killed Me" marked the first time she voluntarily checked into rehab, calling the making of the movie "traumatizing." While in rehab after the movie's release, Lohan was more publicly scathing in her feelings about the movie. After a fan posted on social media they had seen the film twice, Lohan commented that was two viewings more than advisable.

One of the goofiest movies in prolific horror filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan's body of work is 2008's "The Happening." The film has plants worldwide suddenly release toxins in the air that drive those affected to abruptly commit suicide. Mark Wahlberg stars as a high school science teacher named Elliot who tries to escape the neurological attack with his wife Alma (Zooey Deschanel). This leads to them moving on the road, trying to outrace the airborne toxin as society begins to collapse.

While commercially successful, "The Happening" was lambasted for its preposterous premise, inane plot, and uninspired execution. Though the movie has become something of a cult classic, Wahlberg panned the movie several years later while promoting his work in "The Fighter." Wahlberg dissed the movie's ridiculous premise, noting the project gave him the chance to play against type rather than another generic tough guy role. Unsurprisingly, Wahlberg has not worked with Shyamalan or in the horror genre since, but "The Happening" has been re-assessed by some as a fun B-movie.

Rooney Mara may be known primarily for her work in prestige dramas and indie movie fare these days, one of her first major film roles was big studio horror. Mara starred as Nancy in the 2010 remake of "A Nightmare on Elm Street," which provided a modern twist on the iconic '80s slasher movie. Mara's Nancy was presented more as an antisocial teenager than the original, squaring off against a more serious version of Freddy Krueger. Though Mara signed on to appear in a potential sequel, the negative fan and critical response shelved these plans.

The cancellation of sequel plans proved to be a relief for Mara, who expressed having a miserable time making the 2010 movie. Careful to avoid specifics, Mara reflected that her experience on "A Nightmare on Elm Street" led her to reevaluate if she wanted to continue as an actor. Mara vowed to only work on projects she personally felt invested doing, unlike her slasher role. Fortunately, Mara worked with David Fincher on 2010's "The Social Network" and 2011's "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," which she credits with restoring her faith in her profession.

Though Halle Berry is an Academy Award winner, for her work in "Monster's Ball," she has starred in a fair number of clunkers too. Alongside 2004's "Catwoman," which Berry doesn't see as an outright failure, 2012's "Dark Tide" is another maligned installment in her filmography. In the action horror movie with scares largely underwater, Berry plays expert shark diver Kate, who develops a fear of diving after witnessing a fatal shark attack up close. Kate's estranged husband Jeff entices her back on the job to accompany a wealthy client on a shark dive, without a safety cage.

"Dark Tide" is another movie with dubious distinction of earning the rare 0% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes. Adding insult to injury, the movie barely earned more than $1 million at the global box office on a reported production budget of $25 million. Berry eventually married her on-screen husband, played by French actor Olivier Martinez, but slammed "Dark Tide" overall. Not one to mince words, Berry dismissed the shark-filled horror film as "a s*** movie," not expecting the project to turn out as poorly as it did.