32 Movies That Ruined An Actor's Career
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Actors make good movies and actors make bad movies. It’s just the law of averages and part of the game. However, sometimes an actor shows up in a movie so repugnant that it becomes a detriment to their career or ruins it entirely. One day you’re winning the Oscar for Best Picture, the next you’re taking home some Razzies.
Come with us as we break down 32 movies that ruined an actor’s career and what made them so bad. The perennial A-listers who ran out of steam and up-and-comers whose rise to fame was cut short on this list are wild, to say the least.
The Love Guru (Mike Myers)
Mike Myers had a stellar career on Saturday Night Live and was one of the funniest movie stars of the latter part of the 20th century thanks to ‘90s comedy movies like Wayne’s World and Austin Powers franchises, but the 2000s weren’t as kind to the comedian. After a string of duds, Myers starred in 2008’s The Love Guru, a “comedy” so bad, so tasteless, and so unfunny that Myers never really rebounded outside of voice roles.
Showgirls (Elizabeth Berkley)
Elizabeth Berkley seemed like a star on the rise after ending her run on Saved by the Bell in the early ‘90s, but that all came crashing down after taking the lead role in Paul Verhoeven’s erotic drama, Showgirls. Sure, the movie about a young drifter finding her place in Las Vegas’ showgirl scene is considered a cult classic years later, but there’s a reason we didn’t see too much of Berkley on the big screen after this one.
Batman & Robin (Alicia Silverstone)
Alicia Silverstone was one of the “it” girls of ‘90s cinema thanks to iconic performances in the likes of Clueless, The Crush, and all those Aerosmith videos, so it only seemed natural for her to land one of the lead roles in Batman & Robin. Unfortunately for Silverstone, and everyone else involved, the movie was abysmal and resulted in a complete reboot of the franchise, one that wouldn’t arrive until Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins debuted nearly a decade later.
The Master Of Disguise (Dana Carvey)
Both before and after his SNL run, Dana Carvey appeared in classics like This Is Spinal Tap and Wayne’s World. That success would run dry with the 2002 release of The Master of Disguise, a movie that showcased Carvey’s zany characters, but not much else.
Rollerball (Chris Klein)
Remember when Chris Klein seemed like a star in the making after great performances in Election and American Pie? Well, that was all ruined with the 2002 release of Rollerball, a remake of a better and more cohesive ‘70s movie of the same name.
Norbit (Eddie Murphy)
Some of Eddie Murphy’s best movies were those where he played multiple characters, but Norbit is no Coming to America or The Nutty Professor. This 2007 comedy saw Murphy play an unhappily married couple and was received so poorly that people are still not convinced it didn't cost him an Oscar for his Dreamgirls performance.
Superman Returns (Brandon Routh)
It’s not like Brandon Routh never acted again after playing the titular hero in Superman Returns, but it’s safe to say his career never reached great heights after the 2006 movie either. He was great as Todd Ingram in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, but Routh hasn’t had a remarkable go of it after having such a grand start.
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (Ahmed Best)
It’s not Ahmed Best’s fault Star Wars Episode I – The Phantom Menace was so bad. It’s not Ahmed Best’s fault Jar Jar Binks has become one of the most detested characters in the galaxy far, far away. And it’s not Ahmed Best’s fault his career was ruined by the 1999 prequel film.
In The Cut (Meg Ryan)
Meg Ryan was coming off a string of appearing in some of the best romantic comedies of all time when she took on a more dramatic role in the 2003 thriller, In the Cut. But for some reason, Jane Campion’s thriller about a woman getting wrapped up in a series of murders just didn’t work.
Battlefield Earth (John Travolta)
Battlefield Earth, with all of its Dutch angles, terrible lines, and over-the-top performances was so bad that it canceled out all the goodwill John Travolta earned with Pulp Fiction not even a decade earlier.
Soul Man (C. Thomas Howell)
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, The Outsiders, and Red Dawn all made C. Thomas Howell one of the brightest young Hollywood stars in the early-to-mid ‘80s, but then came Soul Man, a movie in which he wore blackface. Howell’s been in scores of movies since, but most are direct-to-video or bargain bin material.
Son Of The Mask (Jamie Kennedy)
A sequel no one wanted, Son of the Mask brought in Jamie Kennedy to try and recapture the energy of Jim Carrey more than a decade earlier. Despite his best efforts, the Malibu’s Most Wanted and Scream star just couldn’t do it (maybe the script is to blame), and he never really rebounded.
Sahara (Matthew McConaughey)
Though not Matthew McConaughey’s worst movie, Sahara is far from being his best. Released nearly a decade before the Dallas Buyers Club and True Detective star won all kinds of awards during the peak of the “McConaissance,” this 2005 dud was one of the straws that broke the camel’s back.
Abduction (Taylor Lautner)
Remember when Taylor Lautner seemed like one of the biggest stars on the planet and then abruptly disappeared? Well, we probably have Abduction, his 2011 action thriller to blame for that. Though he would have a few movies after the Twilight saga ended the next year, but Grown Ups 2 and The Ridiculous 6 finished off what Abduction started.
John Carter (Taylor Kitsch)
John Carter was supposed to be the biggest movie and Taylor Kitsch was going to become the biggest action star, but neither happened after this 2012 box office disaster happened. The Friday Night Lights star would show up some more on the small screen in the years that followed with True Detective Season 2 and the bonkers Waco limited series.
The Godfather Part III (Sofia Coppola)
Before becoming one of the big filmmakers of her time and crafting movies like Lost in Translation, Marie Antoinette, and Priscilla, Sofia Coppola began as an actress, appearing in many films by her father, Francis Ford Coppola. But that acting career pretty much came to an end following the release of The Godfather Part III, in which she replaced Winona Ryder and was then torn apart by critics.
Josie And The Pussycats (Rachael Leigh Cook)
In the late ‘90s, Rachael Leigh Cook became a massive star thanks to her take on Laney Boggs in She’s All That. But then came the 2001 adaptation of Josie and the Pussycats, a movie so bad that no one was safe from its fallout outside of Rosario Dawson and Parker Posey.
The Postman (Kevin Costner)
Kevin Costner was on top of the world when he decided to direct and star in The Postman. But unlike Dances with Wolves, which earned him multiple Oscars and a ton of praise, this 1997 sci-fi epic didn’t impress anyone and set the actor back a bit. He’s since rebounded, but it’s not hard to imagine “what if” in this case.
After Earth (Jaden Smith)
With memorable performances in The Pursuit of Happyness and The Karate Kid, Jaden Smith seemed like the next second-generation star to take over Hollywood. But then came After Earth, a forgettable (at best) sci-fi thriller alongside his dad, Will Smith.
Pinocchio (Roberto Benigni)
For a while there, it seemed like Roberto Benigni couldn’t do anything wrong as both an actor and filmmaker. Well, that all changed with his 2002 adaptation of Pinocchio, specifically the English dub, which earned a stunning 0% score on Rotten Tomatoes. He’s only appeared in a handful of movies since, including the 2019 adaptation of Carlo Collodi’s classic tale.
The Passion Of The Christ (Jim Caviezel)
Though he’ll always be recognizable thanks to his portrayal of Jesus in Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, Jim Caviezel’s career was never the same after this historic film. He’s still making movies, but not on the same level as The Thin Red Line, The Rock, or G.I. Jane, though his run on Person of Interest was impressive.
Cutthroat Island (Matthew Modine)
A few years before the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise took the pirate genre to new heights, Matthew Modine starred in 1995’s Cutthroat Island, a movie that would prove to be detrimental to his career for years to come. Modine would later find success again after working on shows like Weeds and Stranger Things, but it would take many years to get there.
Catwoman (Halle Berry)
Halle Berry was an Oscar-winning actress when she took on the lead role in Catwoman, which is often considered one of the worst superhero movies of all time. And while it would take a few years for the stink to wash off, Berry did have some fun with the experience and even accepted her own Razzy.
The Lone Ranger (Johnny Depp)
The Lone Ranger somehow received an Oscar nomination, which doesn’t make sense considering it stopped Armie Hammer from becoming a massive action star and cooled off Johnny Depp’s incredible box office run. Aside from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Depp hasn’t had a whole lot of success since.
The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen (Sean Connery)
Sean Connery famously retired from acting after appearing in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, which is a shame because the late James Bond actor’s swan song was out of tune and off-key, to say the least. This abysmal book-to-screen adaptation of one of the best graphic novels of the 20th century is often forgotten 20-plus years after its release, and it’s probably for the better.
Welcome To Mooseport (Gene Hackman)
Gene Hackman has had one of the best careers in Hollywood history, but that all came to an end after the release of Welcome to Mooseport. Hackman, who seems to be living a quiet and reclusive life these days, hasn’t been on screen since this 2004 comedy starring Ray Romano. Though not the worst movie ever made, this box office and critical dud didn’t do anyone any favors.
Howard The Duck (Lea Thompson)
An ‘80s movie that has not stood the test of time, Howard the Duck is one of those comic book movies that came out before Hollywood figured things out when it came to the genre. Though Robin Williams jumped ship and salvaged his career, Lea Thompson wasn’t as lucky and went through a tough stage before finally rebounding.
Freddy Got Fingered (Tom Green)
Freddy Got Fingered was never supposed to be a good movie, but Tom Green’s bonkers big-screen gross-fest was enough to turn people off to the idea of the MTV personality and prankster ever getting a large sum of cash ever again. Those who have seen it know why, and those who haven’t should be warned.
Chairman Of The Board (Carrot Top)
Carrot Top is still making the rounds as a prop comedian, but the eccentric showman has not been given the lead role in a movie since the disaster of Chairman of the Board. Forgettable even by ‘90s standards, this movie was made for an audience of one: its star.
Boat Trip (Cuba Gooding Jr.)
Cuba Gooding Jr. in the ‘90s: Boyz n the Hood, A Few Good Men, Jerry Maguire, As Good as It Gets. Cuba Gooding Jr. in the 2000s: Rat Race, Snow Dogs, Boat Trip. That last film was tasteless, awkward, and just about killed the Oscar winner’s career.
Corky Ramano (Chris Katan)
Though not everyone from SNL can become a Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, or Bill Murray, it at least seemed like Chris Katan would find some success outside of Studio 8H. However, he had to go make Corky Ramano, which is probably the worst comedy to come from the group.
The Great Dictator (Charlie Chaplin)
The Great Dictator is a great movie, and perhaps one of the best of Charlie Chaplin’s career. However, it now has a legacy of poking fun at Adolf Hitler during a time in which the Nazi leader was systematically exterminating tens of millions of innocent souls across the Atlantic.
