Darci Shaw

Why Do People Hate Darci Shaw?

Darci Shaw is a young British actress best known for her breakout role as Amma Crellin in the HBO miniseries Sharp Objects.

While many viewers praised Shaw’s chilling performance as the troubled teenager, she has also faced some backlash and dislike from a segment of the audience. Here is an in-depth look at some of the potential reasons why people dislike Darci Shaw.

Character in Sharp Objects Was Unlikable

One of the biggest reasons some viewers disliked Darci Shaw was simply due to the unlikable nature of her character Amma Crellin in Sharp Objects. As the series progresses, it becomes clear Amma is deeply troubled and engages in very cruel behavior, such as:

  • Manipulating her friends and family
  • Showing a lack of empathy and remorse
  • Possibly being connected to brutal murders

While this made for compelling TV drama, it also made Amma a very unsympathetic character. Since this was Shaw’s biggest and breakout role so far, some audiences conflated the actress with the character and directed their dislike towards her.

Effective at Portraying a Troubled Character

Ironically, one reason people dislike Darci Shaw may actually be because she did such an effective job embodying such an unlikable character. Her chilling and intense performance won high praise from many TV critics. However, her committed portrayal likely made Amma even more “real” and vividly unpleasant for viewers.

Since Sharp Objects was Shaw’s first major acting role, many audiences hadn’t seen any of her other work to contrast against. This made it harder for them to separate the actress from the upsetting character she played.

There Were High Expectations Due to Her Young Age

Much was made in the press about Darci Shaw’s age – she was only 14 years old during the filming of Sharp Objects. The fact that someone so young could give such an intense and nuanced performance led to heightened expectations and attention.

However, this also meant some viewers were extra critical of her performance or disliked what they felt was an overly precocious or prematurely adult role for an actress her age. Whether fair or not, her young age likely contributed to extra scrutiny from some audiences.

Looks and Styling as Amma Were Off-Putting

On a superficial level, Darci Shaw’s visual appearance as her Amma character may have contributed to initial impressions and dislike from some viewers. Amma’s baby doll dresses, innocent hair styling and her being barefoot were intended to create an unsettling contrast with the character’s troubling behavior.

However, this styling combined with Shaw’s youthful looks also gave Amma a somewhat unnerving “Children of the Corn” aesthetic that didn’t sit well with certain audiences. While not the actress’s fault, it created an extra hurdle for her likeability.

Hasn’t Had Many Likeable Roles Since

While Shaw’s performance as Amma Crellin in Sharp Objects initially drew in viewers, she hasn’t had many likeable roles since then to change people’s opinions of her. Her characters in more recent projects like Tell Me Your Secrets and Becoming Elizabeth have been similarly unsympathetic.

Without any “heroic” or even comedic roles under her belt yet, Darci Shaw risks becoming typecast as the manipulative, sinister teenager to audiences. This narrow range of roles has hampered her chances to showcase a warmer, more charming side to win over viewers more used to seeing her as the villain.

Table: Darci Shaw’s Most Notable Roles

Production Role Description
Sharp Objects Amma Crellin Troubled teenager with manipulative, sociopathic tendencies
Tell Me Your Secrets Theresa Kidnapped girl with mysterious intentions
Becoming Elizabeth Young Elizabeth Tudor Smart yet ruthless princess who grows up to become Queen

As this table shows, Shaw’s post-Sharp Objects roles have tended to also be unsympathetic, intense teenager characters. This narrow casting reinforces her villanous typecasting.

She Hasn’t Promoted Herself Heavily

Unlike many young breakout stars, Darci Shaw herself has been fairly quiet and hasn’t done a ton of interviews or public appearances since her launch into the spotlight. This may read to some viewers as coldness, arrogance, or being overly private.

Without a charming talk show circuit presence or opening up much about herself and her craft, Shaw remains somewhat enigmatic and unknown to audiences. This can contribute to dislike, as people have less of a sense of her actual personality outside ominous fictional characters.

More visibility and a concerted PR campaign to share her story could humanize Shaw and lead to greater audience empathy and connection. However, she has chosen to let her work speak for itself up to this point.

Acting Skill Can Come Across as Precociousness

As noted earlier, Darci Shaw garnered tons of praise for her acting chops in Sharp Objects despite being only 14 years old at the time of filming. However, some viewers may have felt a sense of irritation or resentment towards her.

The theory is that seeing someone so young perform at such a high and intense level can read as precociousness or “acting above her age.” Rather than admiring her talent, more cynical viewers get rubbed the wrong way.

Envy can also play a role, as fully grown adult actors work for years to try achieving the levels of nuance and depth Shaw displayed as a young teenager. This can unconsciously cause dislike towards her.

Below are some frequently asked questions about Darci Shaw that provide more context around why some viewers may dislike her:

Conclusion

In summary, while rising star Darci Shaw has garnered plenty of praise for her intense acting talents, she has also faced some audience dislike stemming largely from her breakout role as the troubled Amma in Sharp Objects.

Contributing factors include playing an unlikable villain, her effective performance, high expectations due to her young age, her styling and appearance, a lack of subsequent sympathetic roles, limited publicity efforts, seeming precociousness, and envy over her skills.

However, Shaw remains very early in her career and has abundant time to showcase wider acting range and versatility. As she continues scoring prominent roles and potentially expands more into film, she will have ample opportunities to change opinions and connect to fans on a deeper level.

If she develops a warmer public image and lands a hero role, she can certainly overcome initial impressions and become not just respected but also beloved. Still, her incredible talent at just age 14 signifies she’s an actress to keep watching closely regardless of those who currently dislike her intense dramatics.

FAQs

How old was Darci Shaw in Sharp Objects?

As mentioned, Darci Shaw was only 14 years old during the filming of Sharp Objects. Many viewers were shocked that someone so young could give such an intense and dark performance. This young age contributed to both praise for her acting and extra criticism from some audiences.

What else has Darci Shaw been in?

Outside of Sharp Objects, Darci Shaw has taken on similarly dark roles in the shows Tell Me Your Secrets and Becoming Elizabeth. She has yet to land a purely heroic, comedic or lighthearted part. This one-note casting likely reinforces viewer dislike and irritation with always seeing her as the villain.

Is Darci Shaw a method actor?

There is no evidence Darci Shaw considers herself a method actor or uses that intensive approach. However, as a young actress thrust into emotionally draining roles, she has mentioned needing to detach psychologically after intense scenes. So she may take on some method techniques without fully committing to the label.

What awards has Darci Shaw won?

Despite being so early in her career, Darci Shaw has already racked up numerous award wins and nominations. She won the 2018 Young Entertainer Award for Best Supporting Young Actress in a TV Series for Sharp Objects. She was also nominated for a 2019 Critics Choice TV Award for Best Young Performer.

What is Darci Shaw’s net worth?

As a young working actress with only a few major credits so far, Darci Shaw does not have a massive net worth yet. Most estimates put her current net worth around $700,000 to $800,000 and rising. If she continues booming in her career, this number could quickly increase.

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