Over the years, film has had a great influence on how culture conceives of people who smoke weed. In some ways, movies have perpetuated the lazy stoner stereotype, while in others, they’ve portrayed people smoking weed as if it were no bigger deal than drinking a beer or a glass of wine. From giggly goofballs to pot-smoking go-getters, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite cannabis consuming movie characters.
Annie Hall — Annie Hall
Annie Hall, played by Diane Keaton, smokes weed like it’s no big deal — an excellent foil to Woody Allen’s anxious neurotic personality. Annie is smart, sophisticated, charismatic, and beautiful. Her cannabis consumption is low-key and doesn’t envelop her personality. It’s just how she likes to unwind, and how she tries (and fails) to get Woody Allen’s character to unwind, too.
Michelle — Dazed and Confused
The hippie heroine of Dazed and Confused, Michelle, played by Milla Jovovich, is a ganja goddess. She plays folk tunes on the guitar, paints statues, and dresses to the nines — for a seventies high school flower child, of course.
Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski — The Big Lebowski
It’s impossible not to mention The Big Lebowski in an article about pot-smoking film characters. The Dude walks around in a bathrobe, is unemployed, and seems to never get phased over anything. He’s your classic stoner, and while his character has perhaps contributed to the classic trope of the lazy stoner, he does gradually bumble his way through accomplishing his goals in the story.
Cher Horowitz — Clueless
Cher Horowitz, played by Alicia Silverstone, is the Beverly Hills “it” girl. She’s well-dressed, motivated, popular, caring, and has a heart of gold. Wearing a little red dress and designer heels, she hauls “over the hill” to a party in the valley, where she delicately takes a few hits of a joint. Her cannabis consumption, like Annie Hall’s, is low-key and not central to her personality. Rather than get blitzed out drunk at this party, she gets a little stoned and is still able to help her friends who need her in the next scene.
Ben Stone — Knocked Up
Ben Stone, played by Seth Rogen, is your classic stoner who lives with his bros, takes bong rips all day, and accidentally impregnates a random girl. That said, the movie shows a great deal of character growth for Ben. He goes from living life like an adult child to embracing fatherhood. All the while, he’s smoking medical marijuana, but even re-evaluates how he uses the medicine.
Penny Lane — Almost Famous
Innocent, glamorous, and a go-getter in the music scene, Penny Lane, played by Kate Hudson, embodies what every groupie wants to be. She gets into every show, tours with the band, and lives the 70s dream. She’s 420-friendly, but not lazy or unambitious. Weed is more of an accessory to Penny Lane’s character, rather than a central theme in her life.
