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17 Popular Movie Characters Who Were Wrongly Mistreated In Rom-Coms

Paulette should've been the star of Legally Blonde!

Kayla Yandoli
by Kayla Yandoli

BuzzFeed Staff

We asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us which rom-com movie characters deserved soooo much better. Here's what they had to say:

🚨Warning: spoilers ahead! 🚨

Note: Some submissions include topics of sexual assaults.

1. Lon Hammond, Jr. from The Notebook (2004)

Lon visibly upset and frustrated with Allie about her reconsidering their wedding, but respectful of her feelings. He says to her: "Ok, then so take your time and do what you need to do"
New Line Cinema

"Sure, he wasn’t Allie's one true love, but he was a good guy and he didn’t deserve what happened to him. He gave Allie space when she needed it before they were supposed to get married, and she just left him for Noah."

—sidneyb420942162

2. John Ambrose McClaren from To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You (2020)

John Ambrose and Lara Jean laughing after she slipped and fell on the candy at the nursing home
Netflix

"Peter Kavinsky treated Lara Jean terribly, and John Ambrose was pretty much a dream. He treated her so well, and in my opinion had way more chemistry with her."

—laszakovitsj

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

Kimmy looking uncomfortable and angry with Julianne for flirting with Michael in front of her at the karaoke bar
TriStar Pictures

"When I was younger, I felt so awful for Julianne losing out on her best friend/soulmate-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 all as a major red flag and bail. Kimmy deserved better!"

—gentlywithachainsaw

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

Astrid looking away from her husband with a sad expression on her face, ready to break up with him because he's been unfaithful; Astrid's husband is visibly frustrated she wants to end things
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."

—tigresssss13

5. Peik Lin from Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

Peik Lin supporting Rachel with humor, both sitting outside. Rachel says she doesn't want to swerve like a chicken, and Peik responds with: "You're not a chicken. You gon roll up to that wedding, you gon be like bok bok, bitch"
Warner Bros. Pictures

"Peik Lin from Crazy Rich Asians 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

6. Duckie from Pretty in Pink (1986)

Duckie happily walking into prom with Andie; Andie has a nervous expression on her face while looking for Blane
Paramount Pictures

"I know the woman ending up with the male best friend is such a cliché, but that was one of the first teen rom-coms, and Duckie deserved his happy ending!"

—t4cfdc92e7

7. Peter from Love Actually (2003)

Peter and Juliet happily standing in a church getting married; Juliet kissing Mark outside of her apartment in the street after he confessed his love for her
Universal Pictures

"Peter from Love Actually didn't get much screen time, but he seemed like a cool dude. His best friend was flirting with his wife right outside of his house, and his wife kissed his best friend in the street. Poor Peter!"

—nymeria_waters

8. Caroline Mulford from Sixteen Candles (1984)

Jake telling Ted: "I'll make a deal with you. Let me keep these, and I'll let you take Caroline home." Caroline is confusingly sitting in the car while Ted is asleep; her hair's cut, beer cans are everywhere, kiss marks on Ted's face
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

9. Isis from Bring It On (2000)

Isis talking to Torrance at the cheerleading competition, wearing her uniform, with a determined expression on her face
Universal Pictures

"Their routines were literally stolen from them, and they were just trying to perform them before privileged white girls got jealous."

—ameliaclaire5

10. Ethan from Something Borrowed (2011)

Rachel sitting on a hotel bed, upset Dex doesn't like her: "I wanna be someone's first choice." Ethan looking the other way, sadly: "You are"
Warner Bros. Pictures

"Not only did he have to hide his feelings for Rachel the entire time, he also had to help her cover up the fact that she was sleeping with her best friend’s fiancé. And to make it worse, when Ethan moved to London to spare his own feelings, Rachel threw herself a pity party and flew to see him, only to immediately dismiss Ethan when he confessed his feelings for her and continued to sulk about Dex."

—shannon440

11. Louise from Sex and the City (2008)

Carrie thanking Louise in her apartment before Louise moves back down south. Carrie: "Saint Louise. You brought me back to life." Louise: "And you gave me Louis Vuitton"
Warner Bros. Pictures

"They made Jennifer Hudson say the most ridiculous things in the first Sex and the City movie! It makes me so mad because she won an Oscar only a few years 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."

—kaylayandoli

12. Casey from 27 Dresses (2008)

Jane looking happily over the counter, smiling, with a coffee in her hand; Casey looks tired and disheveled, her hair and clothes messy
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

13. Jeff from Rumor Has It (2005)

Jeff is looking at Sarah lovingly while sitting next to her on the airplane; Sarah is visibly anxious about visiting her family in California
Warner Bros. Pictures

"Yes, they ended up together, but at what cost? Sarah slept with the SAME guy who slept with her grandma and her deceased mother. Mark Ruffalo's character had all the qualities of a good partner when Sarah embarked on a journey of self-discovery — Jeff was concerned for her safety, whereas she was like: 'Nah, I'm fine meeting a total stranger without having anyone know my whereabouts!' HOW DID SHE END UP WITH MARK RUFFALO AFTER DOING THAT?"

—cocopa

14. Rhonda from A Cinderella Story (2004)

Rhonda consoling Sam as they sit down together; Sam is visibly upset, but Rhonda continues to talk and try to make her feel better
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

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

Stella questions her relationship with Winston: "What in the world would I do with a 20-year-old kid?" Delilah supports it when she says: "F*ck him! Do the humpty hump, the bumpty bump -- f*ck him!"
20th Century Fox

"I was MAD they killed Whoopi Goldberg's character off 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

16. Mr. Morgan from 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

Mr. Morgan frustrated with Kat and two white students with dreadlocks, saying: "The next time you storm the P.T.A., ask them why they can't buy a book by a black man." Students: "That's right, mon!" Mr. Morgan: "Don't get me started on you two"
Disney

"Everyone talks about how funny Mr. Stratford and Ms. Perky were (rightfully so because they're amazing), but every line Mr. Morgan said was hilarious. His level of don't-give-a-crap is, frankly, inspiring."

—andirants

17. And Paulette Bonafonté from the Legally Blonde movies

Paulette totally amazed by Elle's red, white, and blue outfit, telling her: "Oh my god! You look like the Fourth of July. It makes me want a hot dog real bad"
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?"

—momtasticresponse1234

Submissions have been edited for length and clarity.

Which rom-com character do *you* think deserved better? Tell us in the comments below!