Toni Collette

Why Do People Hate Toni Collette?

Toni Collette is an award-winning Australian actress known for taking on complex and dramatic roles in films like The Sixth Sense, Little Miss Sunshine, and Hereditary.

However, despite her critical acclaim, Collette has faced some strong dislike and even hatred from certain audiences over the years. This article will explore the possible reasons why some people harbor such negative feelings towards Toni Collette.

Unconventional Career Path and Roles

One contributor to potential Toni Collette backlash is the unconventional, even controversial, roles she took on early in her career. In 1992, at the age of 20, Collette starred in the independent Australian film Spotswood opposite Anthony Hopkins, Russell Crowe, and Ben Mendelsohn.

However, the film featured a graphic sex scene involving Collette that earned censorship in multiple countries. This likely rubbed some audiences the wrong way right from the start of her career.

Collette continued to take provocative roles throughout the 90s, including Velvet Brown in Muriel’s Wedding, a comedy about an unhappy woman who dreams of having the perfect wedding. While a critical success, the film’s dark themes and Collette’s flawed character may have alienated some viewers expecting a more conventional romantic comedy.

Drawn to Dark, Complex Characters

As her career progressed, Toni Collette continued to gravitate towards darker, more complex roles, which may unsettle some audiences.

In 1999’s The Sixth Sense, she played the mother of a boy who can see ghosts. While a box office smash, the psychological thriller dealt with heavy topics like death, loss, and mental illness. Collette’s raw performance may have disturbed some viewers.

She had a starring role in the dysfunctional family dramedy Little Miss Sunshine and horror films like The Night Listener and Krampus. While demonstrating her impressive acting chops, these films delved deep into family dysfunction, child endangerment, and terror.

Most recently, Collette received high praise but also contempt for her lead role in the extremely graphic 2018 horror film Hereditary. Collette played a grieving mother haunted by traumatic family events and the supernatural. The film’s shocking imagery and depressing storyline struck a nerve with some audiences.

Perceived as Unlikable or Annoying

The dark, troublesome characters Toni Collette is known to portray, while complex and well-acted, are not always the most likable personalities. Even in comedies, she tends to play struggling, awkward characters that some viewers may find annoying or off-putting over the course of a film.

While her character in Little Miss Sunshine is deeply caring and determined, she is also a stressed out, overworked mother with a gloomy outlook quite different from the typical loving matriarch.

Her breakout role as the title character in Muriel’s Wedding had comedic elements but focused on a woman with low self-esteem who deceives those around her, which could rub many the wrong way.

So while Collette creates three-dimensional, authentic characters, her tendency to highlight and deeply explore their flaws may cause some dislike or difficulty connecting from segments of the audience.

Outspoken Nature and Unfiltered Interviews

Another possible source of Toni Collette backlash is the actress’s frank, outspoken manner during interviews. Especially earlier on, Collette developed a reputation for being blunt, sarcastic, and even confrontational with the press. She rarely gave canned, polite responses and instead spoke her mind openly, which may have shocked those expecting a demure actress.

She commented extensively on sexism and difficult directors she had worked with. When asked about fame, she told the New York Times in 2000: “I’m not really interested in being popular. I’m not interested in sucking up to the great god of popularity.” While honest, such remarks may have rubbed some industry insiders and fans the wrong way.

Collette also took issue with focus on her appearance, saying: “From the second the film opens, Murdoch papers generally talk about my arse. I really object to that kind of thing because it’s got nothing to do with performance.” Her progressive, feminist perspectives may not have meshed with more conservative outlets.

While less confrontational these days, Collette still has a bluntness about her that gives some interviews an almost awkward vibe. She doesn’t hold back emotion talking about difficult roles, which could cause some viewers to feel uncomfortable. This inability to self-censor may be part of her immense acting talent but also a reason some struggle with her public persona.

Relatability Factor and Chameleon-Like Abilities

Hard for Fans to Pin Down

Audiences looking for an actor they can easily categorize and grow loyal to over a career may struggle with Toni Collette’s ever-changing versatility. She utterly transforms in her roles and doesn’t have a singular personality, look, or tone across films that fans can cling to.

Unlike a Julia Roberts or Meryl Streep known for embodying certain traits on-screen over decades, Collette almost becomes a different person film to film. Coupled with her willingness to gain weight, shave her head, speak in dialects, etc, this chameleon-like quality makes Collette hard to pin down.

While a mark of a skilled performer, her mutability and lack of signature presence could deter some fans looking for consistency in their chosen celebrities. It’s harder for audiences to bond with someone who morphs so drastically part to part.

Lack of Leading Lady Roles

Toni Collette also lacks major roles positioning her as a glamorous Hollywood leading lady despite her talent. Besides Velvet in Muriel’s Wedding, she doesn’t play conventional heroines or rom-com love interests. So those seeking an actress to live vicariously through won’t latch onto her.

Many of her parts are that of a troubled supporting character or ordinary woman in a stressful situation. When she does play a wife and mother, as in The Sixth Sense or About a Boy, her character faces substantial marital and mental health problems.

While relatable for many, she lacks aspirational star power linked to wealth, beauty, and fantasy fulfillment associated with classic film stars. Some may prefer actresses feeding more optimistic escapism.

Public Perception That She’s “Difficult”

Based on a few isolated incidents, Toni Collette developed a reputation for being “difficult” that causes some to form negative opinions about her.

In 2000, she refused to wear a dress designed by Vivienne Westwood to the Oscars because she felt overly uncomfortable. Westwood responded by publicly calling Collette “a bit fat” and bashing her style choices. This nasty exchange cast Collette in an unflattering light to some.

Rumors also spread that she was difficult on set while filming Velvet Brown due to creative disputes with the director. Sources claimed she refused to say certain lines or film specific scenes. While likely just Standing up for her artistic ideals, this fed a “difficult actress” narrative.

More recently, an awkward 2018 interview for Hereditary went viral where Collette appeared flustered by mundane questions and gave terse answers while rolling her eyes. Outlets painted her as rude and contemptuous towards the interviewer.

So these small controversies perpetuated an image of Collette being cold, uncooperative, and ill-tempered – traits many fans dislike seeing in their beloved stars.

Impact on Future Roles

This “difficult woman” label unfairly or not stuck to Collette over the years may have even impacted the roles offered to her. Especially as she reached her 30s and 40s, when actresses start facing more ageism and fewer leading parts, being perceived as obstinate could have hindered opportunities.

Perhaps she could have contended for other memorable starring film roles conveying more optimism, confidence, and grace if not for this stigma. While unverified, it’s possible her career path shifted due to rubs with the press and industry insiders.

Low-Key Personal Life

In a culture obsessed with celebrity gossip and drama, Toni Collette has always kept her off-screen life extremely private. She prioritizes time with her musician husband and children out of the spotlight. Understandably, this makes Collette rather boring from a tabloid perspective. For audiences seeking non-stop star intrigue, she gives them nothing to sink their teeth into.

Rarely seen at movie premieres, parties, or red carpet events unless actively promoting a project, Collette channels most of her non-acting time and energy away from fame into her family and personal hobbies. She even refuses to have social media, denying followers a window into her world.

This intensely private personality makes Toni Collette an enigma from a publicity angle. Consequently, it’s harder for some fans to latch onto her as person beyond admiration of her work. There’s limited gossip or drama drawing people into her life story the way stars more centered around cultivating celebrity do.

Conclusion

In closing, while vastly talented and deserving of praise for her filmography, Toni Collette does provoke her fair share of criticism or even dislike from some viewers.

Her early controversial roles, her attraction to dark character studies, her frank and unfiltered interview style, her almost too-relatable portrayals, her “difficult” label, and her exceedingly private personal life all likely play a part.

However, most actors with the sheer range, risk-taking creativity, and depth of vulnerability as Collette experience a mix of awe and distaste from audiences. It comes with the territory of her brand of immersed method acting.

At the end of the day, Toni Collette continues receiving accolades and compliments that far outweigh any potential hatred. She chooses complicated, authentic roles true to her values over likeability and mass appeal. And her immense abilities guarantee she’ll remain a renowned, shapeshifting powerhouse on-screen for years to come – whether universally loved in the public eye or not.

FAQs

Why do some people find Toni Collette unlikeable?

Some possible reasons certain audiences find Toni Collette unlikeable include her tendency to portray flawed, awkward characters rather than aspirational heroines, her unusual career path taking provocative early roles, her extremely blunt and honest interview style, and unfounded rumors she is difficult to work with perpetuating a negative persona.

What roles is Toni Collette best known for?

Toni Collette is likely best known for playing mother roles in films like The Sixth Sense, Little Miss Sunshine, and Hereditary as well as her breakout lead part as the titular Muriel in 1994’s Muriel’s Wedding.

Is Toni Collette known for playing positive characters?

No, Toni Collette is not particularly known for playing positive, upbeat characters. The majority of her acclaimed roles involve complex, troubled women dealing with dark subject matter. Even her comedic performances tend to highlight awkward, struggling personalities rather than confident charmers.

Why is Toni Collette so private?

Toni Collette keeps an extremely low off-screen profile and rarely comments on her personal life in order to focus attention solely on her acting work rather than fame or celebrity status. She values family time out of the public eye.

Has Toni Collette won any major acting awards?

Yes, Toni Collette has won a Primetime Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for her role in United States of Tara in 2009. She also received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress for The Sixth Sense in 1999.

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