Hollywood is a tough industry, especially for stars. Only the most talented succeed, and even fewer stay on top.
Actors, in particular, often have just one chance to become famous. Even a few rough days, weeks, or months can destroy their chances of a successful film career. In these situations, a single flop at the box office can crush the dreams and aspirations of these once-famous Hollywood stars.
Elizabeth Berkley: Showgirls
Elizabeth Berkley was a popular actress known for playing Jessie on Saved By the Bell. However, everything changed when she took on the role of Nomi Malone in Showgirls.
The movie ended up winning 13 Razzie Awards for her performance. After the supposed failure of the Las Vegas-themed film, Berkley had to shift her focus to television and smaller projects.
Freddie Prinze Jr. : Scooby-Doo
Even though She’s All That and I Know What You Did Last Summer didn’t do great at the box office, Freddie Prinze Jr. still had a good reputation in 90s Hollywood.
However, things took a turn for the worse when he starred as Fred in the live-action Scooby-Doo movies in the early 2000s. Both the first movie and its sequel got bad reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, and it ended up hurting his career in the film industry.
Alicia Silverstone: Batman & Robin
Alicia Silverstone became a popular comedy star in the 90s because of her role in the movie Clueless in 1995.
However, just two years later, her fame took a huge hit when the movie Batman & Robin in 1997 turned out to be a major failure. Critics didn’t like the film, and Silverstone even won a Razzie Award.
Taylor Lautner: Abduction
In the past, teenage girls used to debate whether they were on “Team Edward” (Edward Cullen) or “Team Jacob” (Taylor Lautner) from the Twilight series. Lautner, with his acting skills and good looks, was expected to become a successful action star.
However, his career took a nosedive right after his first major film as a lead, Abduction, was released. The movie received a low 4% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. From the industry’s perspective, it was a big mistake to cast Lautner as the main character.
Nicolas Cage: Bangkok Dangerous
Actor Nicolas Cage has a knack for getting memorable roles in movies like National Treasure, but he sometimes falls short in projects like Ghost Rider and The Wicker Man.
In 2008, he starred in Bangkok Dangerous, a film that Rotten Tomatoes described as having “murky cinematography, a slow story, and uninteresting performances.” However, he found success as a voice actor in the DreamWorks Animation film, The Croods.
John Travolta: Battlefield Earth
John Travolta became a popular star again following his outstanding role in the movie Pulp Fiction, following his earlier successes in Grease and Saturday Night Fever.
However, his career took a downward turn with his “passion project” Battlefield Earth 2000, which was widely criticized and considered the “Worst Movie of the Decade.”
Adam Sandler: Jack and Jill
Adam Sandler had a fantastic start to his career with movies like The Waterboy, Happy Gilmore, and Billy Madison, which are now considered classics.
However, in the past decade or so, he has had a few flops like The Animal and Little Nicky. Unfortunately, Sandler’s fans couldn’t overlook the disaster that was Jack and Jill, where he played both the male and female lead. The film currently has a very low 3% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Halle Berry: Catwoman
In 2001, Halle Berry won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Monster’s Ball. During that time, she also gained recognition for playing Storm in the early 2000s X-Men movies.
Unfortunately, her involvement in 2004’s Catwoman negatively impacted her career. The film was widely disliked and even listed as one of the “most hated films.” Roger Ebert mentioned that the only positive aspect of the movie was Halle Berry’s beauty.
Mike Myers: The Love Guru
Mike Myers became famous for his roles in Wayne’s World and the Austin Powers movies, showcasing his great acting and directing skills. Despite a less-than-stellar performance as the Cat in the Hat, audiences forgave him for that one misstep. However, when Myers wrote and starred in The Love Guru, his Hollywood career took a big hit. The movie was widely criticized and failed at the box office, becoming a disaster.
Neve Campbell: Wild Things
Neve Campbell was incredibly successful during the 90s. She had the opportunity to host SNL with David Bowie, appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone, and won two MTV Movie Awards for her scary performances in Scream and Scream 2.
Additionally, she became a breakout star in the television show Party of Five, which won a Golden Globe Award in 1996. However, her career took a hit with her role in the sexually charged movie Wild Things. Despite appearing in other projects like Three to Tango and having a role in House of Cards, her career hasn’t experienced a revival.
Jennifer Lopez: Gigli
Jennifer Lopez used to be a popular movie star in the past. She starred in movies like Anaconda, The Wedding Planner, Monster-In-Law, and even provided her voice in films like Antz and the Ice Age series.
However, her luck took a turn for the worse when her movie Gigli, which she co-starred in with ex-partner Ben Affleck, was released in 2003. Although her film career is not completely over, it hasn’t achieved the same level of success it had in the 90s and early 2000s.
Chris Klein: Rollerball
The success of the movie American Pie in 1999 ensured that everyone involved would have ongoing careers in Hollywood.
Chris Klein, who was strong and good-looking, was even expected to become a new action star. However, after starring in the 2002 remake of Rollerball, directed by John McTiernan who directed the original Die Hard, Klein’s career took a nosedive.
The movie did poorly, and as a result, Klein struggled to find new roles. Additionally, he developed a drinking problem, which further contributed to his departure from the industry.
Lindsay Lohan: I Know Who Killed Me
Empire Online summarized the disappointment of I Know Who Killed Me, “Remember how great Lindsay Lohan was in Mean Girls? Or Freaky Friday, or The Parent Trap? Well, if you do, be sure never to watch this, because it will spoil those memories forever.”
Josh Hartnett: Lucky Number Slevin
Josh Hartnett gained fame as a teenage sensation in the 90s. He made a name for himself in movies like The Virgin Suicides and The Faculty, and received praise for his performances in Pearl Harbor and Black Hawk Down.
Some believe his downfall in Hollywood started with the disappointing response to Hollywood Homicide, but his career took a significant hit after the failure of Lucky Number Slevin.
Despite having Morgan Freeman and Bruce Willis in the movie, Hartnett ended up being blamed for its failure.
Rebecca Gayheart: Jawbreaker
Rebecca Gayheart became known for her roles in Scream 2, Urban Legends, and Beverly Hills, 90210, making her a notable actress in the horror and drama genres during the 90s.
After the cancellation of the ensemble-led TV series Wasteland, which she was a part of, Gayheart went back to the teen horror genre. However, her 1999 movie Jawbreaker turned out to be a disappointment for both her and the audience.
Topher Grace: Spider-Man 3
Many people recognize Topher Grace for his role as Eric Foreman in That ’70s Show. He later appeared as Eddie Brock/Venom in Spider-Man 3 in 2007.
However, fans were disappointed with the casting choice and felt that Grace didn’t portray the “evil Peter Parker” they had hoped for. As a result, he had difficulty finding film roles until movies like Interstellar and Valentine’s Day helped bring him back into the spotlight.
Orlando Bloom: Elizabethtown
Orlando Bloom was offered the role of Legolas in The Lord of the Rings franchise shortly after graduating from acting school, and his career was on the rise. He had successful roles in movies like Kingdom of Heaven and Troy. However, things took a turn for the worse when the movie Elizabethtown became a flop. Critics didn’t appreciate Bloom’s performance, which made it difficult for him to secure new roles and be part of other franchises.
Sean Connery: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
After the movie The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen was released and received ongoing criticism, Sean Connery decided to quit the film industry and retired in 2006. He found the experience so difficult and harsh that he simply walked away from it all.
Colin Farrell: Alexander
Colin Farrell had some notable movies like Daredevil, S.W.A.T., Phone Booth, and The Recruit in 2003. He was doing well until he took on the role of Alexander, which didn’t turn out as expected. Although the movie didn’t completely fail at the box office, it didn’t make a profit either. After that, Farrell had some mainstream film roles, but he never reached the level of success he had before.
Hayden Christensen: Jumper
Whether you loved it or not, Hayden Christensen will forever be known as Darth Vader in George Lucas’ Star Wars: Episodes 2 & 3. However, Christensen chose to leave the industry after his standalone film Jumper in 2008 received a disappointing response from both audiences and critics.
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