15 Female Rom-Com Characters Who Didn't Get The Respect They Deserved

    Every Judy Greer character deserved the world.

    Kayla Yandoli
    by Kayla Yandoli

    BuzzFeed Staff

    We asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us which rom-com characters deserved better, and it turns out a lot of the submissions were female characters. Here's what they had to say:

    🚨SPOILERS AHEAD 🚨

    Note: Some submissions include topics of sexual assault.

    1. Karen from Love Actually (2003)

    Karen crying while listening to a Joni Mitchell album her husband gave her for Christmas
    Universal Pictures

    "Some of the film doesn't hold up because of its problematic moments, but Emma Thompson's scenes had so much energy and depth to them. Her character was absolutely brilliant, and she deserved so much better than that jerk husband of hers."

    —flanforever

    2. Casey from 27 Dresses (2008)

    Jane judging Casey for wanting to sleep with one of the groomsmen at a wedding
    20th Century Fox

    "Any rom-com character played by Judy Greer in the 2000s deserved to be the lead of that movie — not just the sassy best friend."

    —shaneo6930612

    3. Vice Principal Gupta from The Princess Diaries (2001)

    Vice Principal Gupta answering the phone and telling everyone in an excited way that the Queen is coming to Grove High School
    Disney

    Vice Principal Gupta deserved a bigger role because she really brought her A-game in every scene she was in. She was a great and natural comic relief, and I can't imagine this movie without her.

    —spenceralthouse

    4. Louise from Sex and the City (2008)

    Carrie and Louise saying goodbye, thanking each other for their friendship
    Warner Bros. Pictures / HBO Films

    "They made Jennifer Hudson say the most ridiculous things in the first Sex and the City movie! It makes me so mad because she'd won the Oscar just the year before this flick was released. Yes, she was Carrie's assistant, so her role was meant to be a supporting one, but her character deserved sooooo much more than those corny lines."

    —kaylayandoli

    5. Summer Finn from 500 Days of Summer (2009)

    Summer at a bar with Tom, telling him she's not interested in romantic relationships
    Fox Searchlight Pictures

    "She told Tom from the beginning the relationship could never go anywhere, but he didn't want to hear it. Then, when she ended it, she was made out to be the villain. She found happiness with another man she did feel something for, and Tom couldn't see that. I know the movie was supposed to be through Tom's eyes only, but they could've shown her side of things for a moment just to make the movie a bit more fair."

    —s4c4100dc6

    6. Caroline Mulford from Sixteen Candles (1984)

    Jake Ryan "handing off" his drunken, unconscious girlfriend to The Geek; Caroline and The Geek disheveled in Jake's car the next morning
    Universal Pictures

    "In the end, Jake essentially gave Caroline away to Ted while she was passed out drunk. She had a sexual encounter with Ted that she couldn't remember the next morning, so nothing was consensual."

    —eclipsecat14

    7. Rhonda from A Cinderella Story (2004)

    Rhoda leaning on top of a table, bored out of her mind
    Warner Bros. Pictures

    Because Regina King played the fairy godmother to Hilary Duff's Cinderella, her character deserved more depth than what they gave her. She was waaaaay more than just a supporting role and a funny line!

    —tessafahey

    8. Isis from Bring It On (2000)

    Isis confronting Torrance and Missy about the Toros stealing their original cheers
    Universal Pictures

    Their routines were literally stolen from them, and they were just trying to perform them before privileged white girls got jealous. A spinoff movie with Isis in the leading role would've been a perfect follow-up to Bring It On.

    —ameliaclaire5

    9. Penny Johnson from Dirty Dancing (1987)

    Penny crying in a shack when she realizes she's pregnant with Robbie's kid, while Baby tries to cheer her up
    Vestron Pictures

    "Penny deserved way better!!! She was slut-shamed, dated Robbie the jerk, and had a botched abortion performed by a horrible doctor who almost killed her."

    —hanginthere

    10. Delilah Abraham from How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)

    Delilah encouraging Stella to have sex with Winston while they're on vacation together
    20th Century Fox

    "I was MAD they killed off Whoopi Goldberg's character in the middle of the movie. They hid her sickness the entire time she was in Jamaica with Angela Bassett, and now all of a sudden she's in the hospital dying? She deserved better!"

    —spenceralthouse

    11. Kimmy Wallace from My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)

    Kimmy singing at karaoke flatly while Julianne reacts in disgust
    TriStar Pictures

    "When I was younger, I felt so awful for Julianne losing out on her best friend/soulmate who she didn't see right in front of her, but watching it now, I see all of the ways poor Kimmy was dumped on DURING HER WEDDING WEEK. Michael flirted with Jules, told her she looked good without her clothes on, joked about having a yearly affair, and spent a lottttt of time reminiscing about their past relationship, all while preparing to marry another woman. If I found out that was how my future husband was spending his time right before our wedding, I’d see it as a major red flag and bail."

    —gentlywithachainsaw

    12. Paulette Bonafonté from the Legally Blonde movies

    Paulette holding a snow globe to her ear, trying to listen to the ocean
    MGM

    "They did Paulette so dirty. Why did her first husband have to be so busted? Why did she have to look like she was straight out of 1988? Why couldn’t she have been a fly baddie, inside and out? They made her such a ditz sometimes."

    —momtasticresponse1234

    13. Rosie from the Mamma Mia! movies

    Rosie staring at Donna and Tanya with her arms on her hips in a tough way
    Universal Pictures

    Rosie had me laughing the entire time. The Mamma Mia! movies would be NOTHING without her — she was an absolute hoot in every scene she was in. I'd 100% watch a spinoff with her and Tanya.

    —elexisgrace

    14. Peik Lin from Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

    Peik Lin helping Rachel pick a dress out to meet Nick's family
    Warner Bros. Pictures

    "Peik Lin was the funniest character in the whole movie, and she definitely deserved more love. She had more depth than just being Rachel's best friend, and I wish the movie used her for more than just a funny line."

    —nerdforallthingss

    15. And Astrid Leong-Teo from Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

    Astrid and Michael arguing in the limo while heading to Colin and Araminta's wedding
    Warner Bros. Pictures

    "I love this movie and I love Astrid so much. In the end, Astrid 'technically' got a happy ending when she distanced herself from her husband and started on a journey to happiness, but she still deserved SO much more. Astrid was so kind to everyone, and it just broke my heart that she was treated like crap by Michael."

    —tigresssss13

    Submissions have been edited for length and clarity.