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15 Female Movie Characters Who Audiences Were Waaaay Too Hard On For No Reason

Eleanor Young from Crazy Rich Asians deserved better.

Kayla Yandoli
by Kayla Yandoli

BuzzFeed Staff

We asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us which female movie characters were wrongly mistreated by audiences. Here are some women who deserved better:

🚨 Potential spoilers ahead! 🚨

Note: some submissions include topics of abuse and sexual assault.

1. Meredith Blake from The Parent Trap (1998)

Meredith sitting on a bench, staring at Hallie with attitude, saying: "Being young and beautiful is not a crime, you know"
Disney

"She was 26 years old, thriving in her career, and engaged to a wealthy, older man, only to be sabotaged by two kids and villainized by an entire generation. Maybe her intentions weren’t the best, but she was a bad bitch and deserves to be recognized as such!"

—andersonkc17

2. Rose Tico from Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

Rose, a member of the Resistance, standing in a crowd looking confused
Lucasfilm

"She was a likable, sweet, and brave character! I really loved her 'That's how we're gonna win — not fighting what we hate, but saving what we love' message. People hated Kelly Marie Tran's character so much, they harassed her on social media — Rose eventually got sidelined in the last film, which was unfair. Her character deserved a lot better."

—valegrant99

3. Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel from Captain Marvel (2019)

Captain Marvel staring at someone with a serious expression on her face, wearing her superhero suit, hair down to her shoulders
Marvel

"The Marvel fanbase hated her for no reason, when in reality, she was a witty and confident hero who took no bullsh*t and knew her worth. She went against everything she knew to join the Skrulls once she realized she was fighting on the wrong side. She definitely deserves more love."

—campbells4dbe23c87

4. Eleanor Young from Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

Eleanor being rejected by a male hotel concierge in a cruel, racist manner; after she makes a call to her husband, the racist concierge
Warner Bros. Pictures

"Eleanor just wanted to protect her family and continue their traditions — what's so wrong with that? They were a super high-profile family, and that typically comes with certain responsibilities and sacrifices. Sure, she could've been a little nicer to Rachel, but quite frankly, badass bitches bow down to no one."

—kirstenelysew

5. Storm from X-Men (2000)

Storm creating a storm with a determined expression on her face, hair flowing and pupils nowhere to be seen
Marvel

"Storm had a badass backstory, which the movies played down way too much. She was a proud African living in America who figured out a way to uphold her culture while living in a country where she was a double minority: Black AND mutant."

—t4baf102ac

6. Sharpay Evans from the High School Musical movies

Sharpay sitting on a lawn chair outside wearing a bathing suit and sunglasses, with a confident expression on her face, basking in all of her beautiful glory
Disney Channel

"Sharpay could be mean and obnoxious, but she was really dedicated to theater. Troy and Gabriella were the ones who kept showing up late, so who was the REAL villain of the High School Musical movies?!"

—10grvery

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

Summer sitting in a bar with Tom and his friend, with a sure look on her face, saying: "Relationships are messy, and people's feelings get hurt. Who needs it?"
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

8. Foxxy Cleopatra from Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)

Foxxy pointing a gun at Goldmember with a serious expression on her face, defending Austin and helping save the day
New Line Cinema

"I liked Foxxy Cleopatra from Goldmember! Beyoncé delivered hilarious one-liners, rocked amazing outfits, and sang catchy songs — I don't know why she got so much hate for taking this role. She absolutely killed it."

—kaygro272

9. Miranda Priestly from The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Miranda looking at papers Emily hands her with importance and annoyance, while saying: "Details of your incompetence do not interest me"
20th Century Fox

"Miranda from The Devil Wears Prada was just doing her job. If she wasn't strict and direct like she was, Runway would've been a horrible magazine, and no one would've excelled at their jobs."

—s4bb472acb

10. Wendy Torrance from The Shining (1980)

Wendy carrying a bat in the hotel, wearing overalls, with a terrifying expression on her face
Warner Bros. Pictures

"Wendy and her family had fallen on hard times to the point where they needed to stay in an isolated location for the whole winter. The family was in that position thanks in part to her husband Jack's alcoholism. At the hotel, she was seen fulfilling the entire winter caretaker job Jack was supposed to do, all while taking care of their 5-year-old son and being supportive of Jack's writing. She got criticized for going into hysterics toward the end of the movie, but her reactions were entirely justified. She locked her murderous husband in the freezer, helped her son escape while fending Jack off, and found their means of freedom. Wendy was strong in her own right, screams and all."

—indy1989

11. Valkyrie from Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Valkyrie staring with a serious expression on her face, wearing her armor, prepared to fight
Marvel

"Valkyrie was such an important and amazing part of Thor: Ragnarok. She deserved so much better (even her own spin-off movie!). I'd watch a whole movie about her any day of the week."

—teverdean

12. Bernie Harris from Waiting to Exhale (1995)

Bernie walking away from her ex-husband's car after lighting it on fire, feeling relieved and sad at the same time
20th Century Fox

"Bernie was made out to be this 'mad woman' for being upset her husband cheated on her. There was a lot of depth to her character, and I feel like she was unfairly mistreated by male audiences for reacting the way she did. It's obviously not okay to light your husband's car on fire, but she had a right to feel sad about the whole situation."

—kaylayandoli

13. Yzma from The Emperor's New Groove (2000)

Disney

"She was an independent, hilarious, boss-ass bitch who was pushed around by a sexist, arrogant teenage ruler for so long. I don’t blame her for wanting to get rid of Kuzco! She was a DETERMINED character, and we love to see a woman like that."

—jamiehhhhh

14. The Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz (1939)

The Wicked Witch of the West angrily asking Dorothy who killed her sister; Wicked Witch of the West going to the house, looking at her dead sister's legs wearing the ruby slippers trapped underneath the house
MGM

"Dorothy killed her sister with a house, took her sister's ruby slippers, refused to return them, then snuck into her home and stole her broom because the fake wizard told her to. The Wicked Witch of the West was wronged!"

—conbonjr

15. And Jenny Curran from Forrest Gump (1994)

Jenny looking at Forrest, long hair wearing hippie clothes, happy to be reuniting with him at a protest in Washington, D.C
Paramount Pictures

"She was abused as a child by her own father, so she didn’t think she deserved happiness. Everyone thought she was just using Forrest, instead of believing she was a traumatized woman who needed help. Jenny had a lot of depth, and I wish they explored her character getting the help she deserved."

—maiteluna

Submissions have been edited for length and clarity.

Which female movie character do *you* think deserved better? Tell us in the comments below. 🎬