14 Movie Couples Who Had No Chemistry (And Everyone Knew It)

14 Movie Couples Who Had No Chemistry (And Everyone Knew It)

We’ve all been there—settling in to watch a big-budget romance, only to cringe at two leads who seem like they’d rather be anywhere else. Sometimes, even the biggest stars can’t fake what isn’t there.

When on-screen chemistry falls flat, no amount of dramatic lighting, sweeping music, or passionate scripts can save the scene. Here are fourteen movie couples whose lack of spark was impossible to ignore.

1. Leonardo DiCaprio & Carey Mulligan — The Great Gatsby (2013)

Baz Luhrmann’s lavish adaptation brought F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Jazz Age masterpiece to dazzling life with glitter, parties, and stunning visuals. Yet despite all that cinematic magic, something crucial was missing between Gatsby and Daisy. The emotional core of their reunion felt oddly cold and detached.

DiCaprio delivered his trademark intensity, while Mulligan played Daisy with fragile elegance. But when they shared the screen, viewers struggled to believe in their supposedly epic love story. Their interactions lacked the desperate longing that should have driven the entire plot forward.

The movie succeeded as a visual spectacle, but the central romance never quite landed. Audiences left theaters remembering the parties and costumes more than the love affair. Sometimes even talented actors can’t manufacture believable passion when the spark simply isn’t there between them.

2. Hayden Christensen & Natalie Portman — Star Wars: Attack of the Clones (2002)

Star Wars fans had waited years to see Anakin Skywalker’s tragic fall to the dark side unfold. Central to that story was his forbidden romance with Padmé Amidala. Unfortunately, what should have been a heartbreaking love story became one of cinema’s most awkward romances instead.

George Lucas’s dialogue didn’t help matters—lines about sand being coarse and irritating became instant memes. But beyond the clunky writing, Christensen and Portman seemed genuinely uncomfortable together. Their romantic scenes felt forced and unnatural, lacking any real warmth or believable attraction.

Both actors are talented performers who’ve delivered excellent work elsewhere. Yet somehow their pairing produced zero romantic electricity. The tragedy of Anakin’s story should have been emotionally devastating, but audiences struggled to invest in a relationship that never felt genuine or compelling from the start.

3. Johnny Depp & Angelina Jolie — The Tourist (2010)

On paper, pairing two of Hollywood’s most charismatic and attractive stars seemed like a guaranteed recipe for sizzling screen chemistry. The Tourist offered gorgeous European locations, mystery, and glamour. What could possibly go wrong with Depp and Jolie as romantic leads?

Turns out, quite a bit. Despite their individual star power and undeniable good looks, they generated absolutely no romantic spark together. Their scenes felt oddly flat and lifeless, as if they were acting in separate movies that happened to be filmed simultaneously.

Critics and audiences alike noticed the missing connection immediately. The film became famous not for its thrills or romance, but for how two incredibly magnetic performers somehow canceled each other out. It remains a puzzling example of how star power alone can’t create chemistry. Sometimes the magic just isn’t there, no matter how beautiful the stars are.

4. Jennifer Lawrence & Bradley Cooper — Serena (2014)

After Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle, Lawrence and Cooper seemed like a proven on-screen duo. Their previous collaborations showcased genuine warmth and believable connection. Fans eagerly anticipated their reunion in this Depression-era drama about a timber empire and dark secrets.

Serena told a story of ambition, betrayal, and a marriage spiraling into darkness. Unfortunately, the central relationship never felt authentic or engaging. The chemistry that worked so well in their other films together mysteriously vanished, leaving audiences confused and disappointed.

Perhaps the dark, serious tone didn’t suit their dynamic the way lighter material had. Maybe the troubled production and delayed release affected performances. Whatever the reason, this attempt at a dramatic love story fell completely flat. It proved that even actors with previous success together can’t guarantee chemistry every single time they collaborate on a project.

5. Ben Affleck & Olga Kurylenko — To the Wonder (2012)

Terrence Malick’s films are known for breathtaking cinematography, philosophical voiceovers, and poetic imagery rather than conventional storytelling. To the Wonder featured his trademark visual beauty—golden-hour lighting, flowing fields, and characters twirling in nature. Yet something essential was missing from the central relationship.

Affleck and Kurylenko played lovers navigating a troubled romance across continents. Despite Malick’s artistic vision and gorgeous visuals, their emotional connection never materialized on screen. Viewers watched two attractive people move through beautiful spaces without ever feeling the passion that supposedly drove their relationship.

The minimal dialogue typical of Malick’s style meant chemistry had to come through purely visual means. Unfortunately, that chemistry simply wasn’t there. Even the director’s dreamlike aesthetic couldn’t disguise the emotional disconnect between the leads. Beautiful cinematography can enhance a love story, but it can’t create romantic chemistry where none exists naturally.

6. Julia Roberts & Nick Nolte — I Love Trouble (1994)

Behind-the-scenes tension between co-stars sometimes creates fascinating on-screen friction that actually enhances a film. Other times, it results in painfully obvious discomfort that audiences can feel from their theater seats. I Love Trouble definitely fell into the latter category with Roberts and Nolte.

This romantic comedy-thriller cast them as rival newspaper reporters forced to work together. The banter should have sparkled with witty antagonism evolving into attraction. Instead, their interactions felt genuinely hostile and uncomfortable rather than playfully romantic. Reports of their mutual dislike during filming weren’t hard to believe.

Roberts later admitted they didn’t get along, calling him completely disgusting. That real-life animosity translated directly to screen in all the wrong ways. Instead of sexual tension, viewers sensed actual tension. The film flopped partly because audiences couldn’t root for a couple who so obviously couldn’t stand each other in real life.

7. Dakota Johnson & Jamie Dornan — Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)

Few book-to-film adaptations carried higher expectations for steamy on-screen chemistry than Fifty Shades of Grey. The source material’s massive fanbase had very specific ideas about Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele’s intense relationship. Unfortunately, Johnson and Dornan never quite delivered that electric connection fans craved.

Despite the franchise’s explicitly passionate storyline, the leads often seemed uncomfortable and awkward together. Their intimate scenes felt more mechanical than sensual. Rather than smoldering intensity, viewers noticed hesitation and a lack of genuine attraction between the actors portraying this supposedly all-consuming romance.

Both actors have talent and charm in other projects, but together they couldn’t generate the heat the story demanded. Reports suggested they weren’t particularly close off-screen either. The trilogy made money based on the books’ popularity, but the missing chemistry remained a constant complaint throughout all three films from disappointed fans.

8. Keanu Reeves & Carrie-Anne Moss — The Matrix Revolutions (2003)

As Neo and Trinity, Reeves and Moss became sci-fi icons who kicked incredible amounts of digital butt together. Their partnership was legendary, their fight scenes breathtaking, and their friendship believable. But when The Matrix trilogy tried to sell their relationship as a great romance? That’s where things got awkward.

They worked brilliantly as comrades and allies fighting machines. Their action chemistry was undeniable. However, the romantic subplot never quite landed with the same impact. Their love scenes and emotional moments felt forced compared to their natural camaraderie during the rest of the films.

The story needed their love to be epic and world-changing—literally, since Trinity’s love helped save reality itself. Unfortunately, audiences had trouble buying the romance despite rooting for both characters individually. Sometimes friendship chemistry doesn’t automatically translate into romantic chemistry, even when the script insists it should be there all along.

9. Emma Watson & Rupert Grint — Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2010/2011)

Harry Potter fans spent years debating whether Hermione belonged with Ron or Harry. When the films finally delivered the long-awaited Ron and Hermione romance, many viewers found themselves underwhelmed by what they saw on screen. Watson and Grint had grown up together on set, developing a sibling-like bond over a decade.

That familial closeness made their romantic scenes feel genuinely awkward rather than sweet. Both actors openly admitted that kissing each other felt weird and uncomfortable. You could see that discomfort on screen during their big romantic moments, which should have been triumphant for their characters’ relationship.

Their friendship chemistry was perfect throughout eight films, making Hermione and Ron’s bickering relationship work beautifully. But transitioning to romance proved difficult when the actors felt like siblings in real life. Sometimes knowing someone too well makes pretending to fall in love with them nearly impossible to pull off convincingly.

10. Colin Farrell & Jessica Biel — Total Recall (2012)

This remake of the Arnold Schwarzenegger sci-fi classic delivered impressive action sequences, futuristic visuals, and intense fight choreography. Farrell and Biel certainly looked the part as action heroes, and their physical stunts were convincingly performed. When it came to selling the romantic relationship between their characters, though, something crucial was missing.

Their action chemistry worked fine—they could fight side-by-side convincingly enough. But the emotional connection that should have grounded the story never materialized. The film needed viewers to care about their relationship as motivation for the protagonist’s journey, yet their scenes together felt hollow and unconvincing.

Both actors have demonstrated romantic chemistry with other co-stars in different films. Here, however, they seemed mismatched despite their best efforts. The movie became just another forgettable action remake partly because audiences couldn’t invest in the central relationship that should have provided the story’s emotional core throughout.

11. Hugh Jackman & Halle Berry — Swordfish (2001)

Casting two impossibly attractive, talented stars in a sleek cyber-thriller should have resulted in at least some romantic sizzle. Jackman brought his natural charm and leading-man appeal, while Berry was fresh off winning critical acclaim. On paper, their pairing seemed destined to generate heat on screen.

Somehow, despite their individual magnetism, they created almost no romantic spark together. Their scenes lacked the tension and attraction the script clearly intended. Viewers watched two gorgeous people interact without ever feeling the chemistry that should have been impossible to miss given their star power.

The film focused more on its convoluted plot and action sequences than the relationship anyway. That was probably for the best, since the missing chemistry would have undermined any romance-heavy storyline. It remains a curious case of how two incredibly charismatic performers can somehow fail to generate any romantic electricity when paired together on screen.

12. Cara Delevingne & Dane DeHaan — Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)

Luc Besson’s visually spectacular space opera offered stunning alien worlds, imaginative creatures, and eye-popping special effects. The movie was a feast for the eyes with its colorful, inventive production design. Unfortunately, the central romance between the two lead space agents fell completely flat despite all the visual splendor surrounding it.

Delevingne and DeHaan played experienced partners who bicker and flirt throughout their mission. The script positioned them as a will-they-won’t-they couple with playful banter. In practice, their interactions felt forced and unconvincing. The romantic chemistry the story desperately needed never appeared, leaving a gaping hole at the film’s emotional center.

Critics and audiences consistently pointed to the lacking chemistry as a major flaw. The spectacular visuals couldn’t compensate for a romance nobody believed in. When a sci-fi adventure hangs its emotional weight on a central relationship, that relationship needs to work. Without it, even the most beautiful alien landscapes can’t save the story.

13. Kristen Stewart & Chris Hemsworth — Snow White & The Huntsman (2012)

This dark reimagining of the classic fairy tale offered gritty action, impressive visual effects, and a fierce Charlize Theron as the Evil Queen. The film succeeded in creating a compelling fantasy world with genuine menace and beautiful cinematography. What it couldn’t create was believable romantic tension between Snow White and the Huntsman.

Stewart and Hemsworth are both capable actors who’ve shown chemistry with other co-stars. Together, however, they generated minimal spark. Their supposed romance felt like an afterthought the script demanded rather than a natural connection. Audiences were far more interested in the action and Theron’s villainous performance than the love story.

The sequel notably focused on the Huntsman without Snow White, suggesting even the filmmakers recognized the chemistry issue. Sometimes a dark fairy-tale world, impressive battles, and strong supporting performances can carry a film despite a weak central romance. This movie proved that theory correct, succeeding despite its romantic shortcomings rather than because of them.

14. Cameron Diaz & Leonardo DiCaprio — Gangs of New York (2002)

Martin Scorsese’s ambitious historical epic featured incredible production design, brutal violence, and a powerhouse performance from Daniel Day-Lewis as the terrifying Bill the Butcher. The film transported viewers to 1860s New York with immersive detail and visceral intensity. Among all that cinematic excellence, the romance between DiCaprio and Diaz felt oddly out of place and unconvincing.

DiCaprio played a young man seeking revenge, while Diaz portrayed a pickpocket and con artist. Their relationship should have added emotional depth to the revenge plot. Instead, their scenes together felt forced and lacked genuine passion. The chemistry simply wasn’t there, making their love story the weakest element in an otherwise powerful film.

Both actors have delivered excellent romantic performances in other movies. Here, however, they seemed mismatched. The film would have been stronger focusing purely on revenge and gang warfare rather than trying to shoehorn in an unconvincing romance that distracted from the story’s real strengths and compelling historical setting.