History HollywoodHypeMachine / ExamplesOnTheFence

** '''Creator/SeanConnery''' was the most memorable and possibly the most successful Bond actor. After his post-Bond stint, he starred in acclaimed and successful movies such ''Film/{{Marnie}}'', ''Film/TheHuntForRedOctober'', ''Film/MurderOnTheOrientExpress1974'', ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade'' and ''Film/TheUntouchables'' where he was the first and only Bond actor to win an Oscar. But he did have a few flops such as ''Film/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen'' which was his last film before his retirement.

** '''Creator/PierceBrosnan''' had a good start for his acting career when he starred in ''Series/RemingtonSteele'', followed by a supporting role in ''Film/MrsDoubtfire'' opposite Creator/RobinWilliams and Creator/SallyField. His tenure as Bond resurrected the franchise in TheNineties, but he considered his Bond movies post-''Film/GoldenEye'' as an OldShame. During and after his time as Bond, he appeared in a lot of successful movies like ''Film/TheThomasCrownAffair1999'', ''Film/TheTailorOfPanama'', ''Film/AfterTheSunset'', ''Film/MammaMia'' and ''Film/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians''. However, in TheNewTens, he hasn't had as much success as he used to. Luckily, he was cast as ComicBook/DoctorFate in ''Film/{{Black Adam|2022}}'', which may change things in this regard.

** '''Creator/JennaOrtega''' had a recurring part on ''Series/JaneTheVirgin'' as a younger Jane before landing the main role of Harley Diaz on Disney Channel's ''Series/StuckInTheMiddle'' in 2016. After it ended in 2018, she transitioned from a child star to an adult actress with a role in season 2 of ''Series/{{You}}''. She quickly remodeled her image to a Gen-Z scream queen, beginning with a role in ''Film/TheBabysitterKillerQueen''. 2022 proved to be her breakout year upon starring as one of the protagonists in the fifth ''{{Film/Scream|2022}}'', a role she reprised for ''Film/ScreamVI''. Her next big film after ''Scream'' was ''{{Film/X|2022}}'', which became a SleeperHit with glowing reactions from audiences as well as critics. Beyond the horror genre, Ortega showed her ability as a dramatic actress with a widely hailed performance as a survivor of a high school shooting in ''Film/TheFallout''. She then played Wednesday Addams in the Creator/{{Netflix}} show ''Series/{{Wednesday}}'', an adaptation of ''Franchise/TheAddamsFamily'' franchise helmed by Creator/TimBurton.
** '''Creator/BellaThorne''' and '''Creator/{{Zendaya}}''' received a massive push after they headlined ''Series/ShakeItUp''. Thorne was initially thought to benefit from it more, having already had some credibility as a mature actress by starring on the Creator/{{HBO}} drama series ''Series/BigLove'' before the Disney kid com. Unfortunately, most of her roles afterwards (''Film/AlexanderAndTheTerribleHorribleNoGoodVeryBadDay'', ''Film/TheDUFF'', ''Film/TheBabysitter2017'' and its sequel ''[[Film/TheBabysitterKillerQueen Killer Queen]]'') appears to have {{typecast}} her into AlphaBitch roles. The scam accusations and controversy that came with her [=OnlyFans=] presence haven't helped either. Zendaya, meanwhile, had a praised stint on ''Series/DancingWithTheStars'' (she and her partner Val Chmerkovskiy are unanimously considered one of the best pairs in the series' history) and transitioned to another Disney kid com, ''Series/KCUndercover''. The latter decision wasn't optimistically received, with many predicting she would be tied to the Disney machine until being cast aside upon reaching adulthood. In 2017, however, she had a true breakout when she co-starred in two of that year's biggest films, ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'' and ''Film/TheGreatestShowman''. ''The Greatest Showman'', despite receiving mixed reviews, became one of the top five highest-grossing movie musicals of all time. ''Spider-Man: Homecoming'', meanwhile, marked her introduction into the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse. She played a high-school friend and eventual love interest to the title hero, a role she would later reprise in that film's critically hailed, $1B-dollar grossing sequels, ''Film/SpiderManFarFromHome'' and ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome''. In 2019, she landed the lead role of Rue Bennett in the HBO teen drama ''Series/{{Euphoria}}''. Zendaya garnered tons of acclaim for her performance in that show, for which she would later win two Emmys for Best Actress in a Drama Series. In addition to reprising her MCU role in 2021's ''No Way Home'', she appeared in the Creator/DenisVilleneuve adaptation of ''[[Film/Dune2021 Dune]]'' that same year. Production was split into two films; although Zendaya's part in the first film was small but vital, she is expected to have an expanded role in the follow-up.

** '''Creator/MatthewPerry''' had a minor success starring opposite Creator/BruceWillis in the BlackComedy ''Film/TheWholeNineYards'', only for any potential film career chances to be flushed down the toilet by two disasters: the RomanticComedy ''Film/ServingSara'' (which also damaged the film career of Creator/ElizabethHurley) and the sequel ''Film/TheWholeTenYards''. His sole theatrical release afterwards was in 2009's ''Film/SeventeenAgain2009'', where he portrayed the main character as an adult (although most screen time was devoted to his teenage self, played by the undermentioned Creator/ZacEfron). His television career has been equally unsuccessful, as he had gone 0 for 3 with ''Series/Studio60OnTheSunsetStrip'', ''Series/MrSunshine2011'' and ''Series/GoOn''. However, critics did like his recurring appearances on ''Series/TheGoodWife'', and he finally landed a series that didn't get cancelled after one season with ''Series/{{The Odd Couple|2015}}''.

* '''Creator/JackieChan''' has had ''two'' Hollywood hype pushes with mixed results. He found early success as a stuntman and actor in the action comedy genre and spent decades becoming a successful action star in the East Asian film industry before his big Hollywood break. After gaining a foothold in the United States with the success of ''Film/RumbleInTheBronx'' (which was and still is rare for Hong Kong actors) he was discovered by the Hollywood hype machine and cast opposite Creator/ChrisTucker in ''Film/RushHour'' which became a massive StarMakingRole and grossed $244 million worldwide. He followed this up with another critical and commercial success in the form of ''Film/ShanghaiNoon''. Unfortunately he followed this with a series of critical and commercial flops including ''Film/TheTuxedo'', ''The Medallion'', and ''Film/AroundTheWorldInEightyDays2004''. He returned to form with ''Film/RushHour3'' which was a modest financial success and drew Hollywood's attention again, only for ''Film/TheSpyNextDoor'' to tank badly and turn into a StarDerailingRole. This was also around the time where Chan -- who was in his forties and less able to do dangerous action stunts -- grew frustrated with Hollywood typecasting him as an action hero. He ended up forming his own [[StartMyOwn production company]] which allowed him to branch out and diversify with successful films such as ''Film/NewPoliceStory'' and ''Film/TheMyth''. This new change in acting style has resulted in further hits and misses but in spite of the misses Jackie Chan is still a well-known name and a successful actor despite never fully breaking out in America.

* '''Creator/ViggoMortensen''' is another example of someone who didn't want to lean too much into the hype train. After starring in movies throughout the 80s and 90s, he was cast in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' as Aragorn at the last minute (at the insistence of his son, no less) and was promptly catapulted to global superstardom. In spite of this he was candid in interviews about how he was more concerned about pursuing his interests -- which include acting -- rather than being an A-list Hollywood star. He appreciated that the role gave him the freedom and flexibility to make the sort of movies he wanted which has been reflective of his subsequent career over the years. When he's not [[RenaissanceMan writing poetry, painting, composing music, doing stage work or practicing photography]] his film work and collaboration with Creator/DavidCronenberg have both seen consistent commercial and critical success, with praise for Mortensen's acting in particular. Most notably he's netted Academy Award nominations for his work in ''Film/EasternPromises'', ''Film/CaptainFantastic'' and ''Film/GreenBook''.
* Much like his ''Film/RedEye'' co-star Creator/RachelMcAdams, '''Creator/CillianMurphy''' is a case who deliberately didn't want to live up too much to the hype. His role as Jim in ''Film/TwentyEightDaysLater'' was the first major exposure he got to American audiences before hitting the big-time in 2005 with ''Film/BatmanBegins'', ''Film/RedEye'', and ''Film/BreakfastOnPluto'' (the last of which got him a MediaNotes/GoldenGlobe nomination), and several media outlets touted him as the "next big star". However, he's gone out of his way to deliberately stay out of the spotlight, motivated by his immense discomfort with the Hollywood system of celebrity culture and annoyance with being {{typecast}} as a "villain actor" because of his performances in ''Batman'' and ''Red Eye''. While he's still steadily working and earning rave reviews for his performances (especially in ''Series/PeakyBlinders''), he could've been as A-list as anybody if he wanted to be. Luckily, his work in ''Batman Begins'' impressed director Creator/ChristopherNolan enough to make the actor a mainstay in his ProductionPosse. Murphy [[Film/TheDarkKnight has]] [[Film/{{Inception}} appeared]] [[Film/TheDarkKnightRises in]] [[Film/{{Dunkirk}} most]] of Nolan's work since then in a side capacity, before finally playing the lead as theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer in the biopic ''Film/{{Oppenheimer}}'' which earned him critical acclaim and won him the Academy Award for Best Actor..

* '''Creator/MarkWahlberg''' transitioned into acting beginning in the 1990s after a successful music career that he nonetheless [[CreatorBacklash looks back unfavorably on]]. His role in ''Film/BoogieNights'' proved to be his breakout both critically and commercially, after which he transitioned into big-budget films where he saw a string of successes including ''Film/ThreeKings'', ''Film/ThePerfectStorm'' and ''Film/{{The Italian Job|2003}}'' -- some of these saw more mixed critical reception but fared well financially such as such as ''Film/{{Planet of the Apes|2001}}''. This drew the attention of producers and resulted in a big push that culminated in an [[MediaNotes/AcademyAward Oscar]] nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in ''Film/TheDeparted''. His track record since then has been somewhat mixed and it's debatable whether he's lived up to the hype push he received. Several flops in the late 2000s and early 2010s including ''Film/MaxPayne'' and ''Film/TheHappening'' caused him to fall out of favor as a traditional leading man. He rebounded throughout the 2010s with both comedic roles such as ''Film/{{Ted}}'' and more serious fare such as ''Literature/LoneSurvivor'', and ''Film/TransformersAgeOfExtinction'' saw his return to big budget mainstream films. He's still working and can still draw headline bankable films and draw praise from critics, but TheNewTwenties have seen something of a rut -- both his comedic films (''Film/TheFamilyPlan'', ''Me Time'') and serious films (''Film/{{Infinite}}'', ''Father Stu'') have been received poorly. Only time will tell if he'll experience a resurgence.

* '''Creator/OliviaHussey''' became a worldwide sensation for her role in ''Film/RomeoAndJuliet1968'' at the age of sixteen. She's been known to joke about how she was never that good at managing her career - as she ended up turning down roles in ''Film/AnneOfTheThousandDays'' and ''Film/TrueGrit'' through youthful nerves[[note]]She recalls accidentally blurting out "John Wayne doesn't do anything for me" when a producer asked about ''True Grit''.[[/note]] and she did take a few years off acting because of her agoraphobia. That being said, she still managed to have notable roles in respected projects like ''Film/{{Death on the Nile|1978}}'', ''Series/JesusOfNazareth'', ''The Bastard'', ''Mother Theresa of Calcutta'' and {{Cult Classic}}s like ''Film/BlackChristmas1974'' and ''Film/{{It 1990}}''. So while she is probably best known as Juliet, she doesn't seem to mind, and her filmography is still quite varied (she also became a voice actress for the DC animated universe and ''Star Wars'' video games).

* '''Creator/MilaKunis''' was well-known to audiences for her roles in ''Series/That70sShow'' and ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', but she got a big breakthrough with ''Film/ForgettingSarahMarshall'' - taking much of the spotlight away from Kristen Bell (mentioned above). She won lots of acclaim for her role as Lily in ''Film/BlackSwan'', and was named the Sexiest Woman Alive in 2013. Although her next big blockbuster ''Film/OzTheGreatAndPowerful'' made plenty of money, her performance was widely panned. Not helping matters was her first headlining role - ''Film/JupiterAscending'' - being a BoxOfficeBomb. She has ''Family Guy'' to fall back on, and scored a hit with ''Film/BadMoms'', so time will tell.

* A rather sad example is '''Creator/AnnaMayWong''', who is recognised as the first Asian-American movie star in Hollywood. After a few years working as an extra, she made a bang with her first leading role in ''The Toll of the Sea'' - and the Hype Machine got behind her. The only problem? Hollywood had no idea what to do with her - reluctant to give leading roles to an actress with Chinese ancestry. For most of her Hollywood career, she was stuck playing DragonLady roles, while white actresses in {{Yellowface}} were given the meatier parts that she wanted. There was considerable hype when an adaptation of ''Literature/TheGoodEarth'' was produced - and the press cited her as a perfect choice for the lead O-Lan. But MediaNotes/TheHaysCode prevented her from playing the love interest to a white actor (even if he was in Yellowface). She ended up going to Europe and Asia, where she was able to play non-stereotypical roles - and managed to do so in a few American B-movies too. So while she never became the Creator/BetteDavis or Creator/MaryPickford level leading lady that was predicted, she is at least recognised as a significant contributing factor to humanising Asian-Americans to American audiences.

* Creator/{{Disney}} has recently generated an alarming number of {{Kid Com}}s, beginning with the success of ''Series/LizzieMcGuire'' and its leading star '''Music/HilaryDuff'''. With Duff, they created a crossover starlet (with movies, TV shows, albums, and clothing lines coming out) of high repute. They immediately made a formula with this (spawning ''Series/HannahMontana'' and many others), with all their future starlets being similarly built up. Most of them ([[Music/MileyCyrus although]] [[Music/SelenaGomez there]] [[Music/DemiLovato are]] [[Music/OliviaRodrigo exceptions]]) have only received little hype after their Disney shows finished their run, and have usually failed to obtain stardom outside of their original shows.

** '''Creator/JenniferAniston''' has fared the best so far – although she never headlined a $100 million hit until 2011's ''Film/HorribleBosses'' (which arguably was helped out [[Creator/JasonBateman by]] [[Creator/JasonSudeikis the]] [[Creator/KevinSpacey other]] [[Creator/ColinFarrell heavyweights]] in the film – she's never had a starring role do that well until ''Film/WereTheMillers'' in 2013, and is mostly known for romantic comedies), she was fortunate enough not to have a major flop during the time in between, and at the very least she's ''treated'' like a major star by most of Hollywood. By the time she entered her forties, she began to enjoy more variation in the roles she was able to play (having been shut out of anything but romantic comedies due to typecasting making it impossible for people to see her as anyone other than [[IAmNotLeonardNimoy Jennifer Aniston]]). She earned critical acclaim for ''{{Film/Cake 2014}}'' as a grieving mother with chronic pain, and [[PlayingAgainstType played against type]] in ''Film/{{Dumplin}}''. She also enjoyed moderate success on television with ''Series/TheMorningShow'', getting MediaNotes/EmmyAward and Golden Globe nominations regardless of its tepid reception.

* Much like his ''Film/RedEye'' co-star Creator/RachelMcAdams, '''Creator/CillianMurphy''' is a case who deliberately didn't want to live up too much to the hype. His role as Jim in ''Film/TwentyEightDaysLater'' was the first major exposure he got to American audiences before hitting the big-time in 2005 with ''Film/BatmanBegins'', ''Film/RedEye'', and ''Film/BreakfastOnPluto'' (the last of which got him a MediaNotes/GoldenGlobe nomination), and several media outlets touted him as the "next big star". However, he's gone out of his way to deliberately stay out of the spotlight, motivated by his immense discomfort with the Hollywood system of celebrity culture and annoyance with being {{typecast}} as a "villain actor" because of his performances in ''Batman'' and ''Red Eye''. While he's still steadily working and earning rave reviews for his performances (especially in ''Series/PeakyBlinders''), he could've been as A-list as anybody if he wanted to be. Luckily, his work in ''Batman Begins'' impressed director Creator/ChristopherNolan enough to make the actor a mainstay in his ProductionPosse. Murphy [[Film/TheDarkKnight has]] [[Film/{{Inception}} appeared]] [[Film/TheDarkKnightRises in]] [[Film/{{Dunkirk}} most]] of Nolan's work since then in a side capacity, before finally playing the lead as theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer in the biopic ''Film/{{Oppenheimer}}'' which earned him critical acclaim.

* Much like his ''Film/RedEye'' co-star Creator/RachelMcAdams, '''Creator/CillianMurphy''' is a case who deliberately didn't want to live up too much to the hype. His role as Jim in ''Film/TwentyEightDaysLater'' was the first major exposure he got to American audiences before hitting the big-time in 2005 with ''Film/BatmanBegins'', ''Film/RedEye'', and ''Film/BreakfastOnPluto'' (the last of which got him a UsefulNotes/GoldenGlobe nomination), and several media outlets touted him as the "next big star". However, he's gone out of his way to deliberately stay out of the spotlight, motivated by his immense discomfort with the Hollywood system of celebrity culture and annoyance with being {{typecast}} as a "villain actor" because of his performances in ''Batman'' and ''Red Eye''. While he's still steadily working and earning rave reviews for his performances (especially in ''Series/PeakyBlinders''), he could've been as A-list as anybody if he wanted to be. Luckily, his work in ''Batman Begins'' impressed director Creator/ChristopherNolan enough to make the actor a mainstay in his ProductionPosse. Murphy [[Film/TheDarkKnight has]] [[Film/{{Inception}} appeared]] [[Film/TheDarkKnightRises in]] [[Film/{{Dunkirk}} most]] of Nolan's work since then in a side capacity, before finally playing the lead as theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer in the biopic ''Film/{{Oppenheimer}}'' which earned him critical acclaim.

* '''Creator/MarkWahlberg''' transitioned into acting beginning in the 1990s after a successful music career that he nonetheless [[CreatorBacklash looks back unfavorably on]]. His role in ''Film/BoogieNights'' proved to be his breakout both critically and commercially, after which he transitioned into big-budget films where he saw a string of successes including ''Film/ThreeKings'', ''Film/ThePerfectStorm'' and ''Film/{{The Italian Job|2003}}'' -- some of these saw more mixed critical reception but fared well financially such as such as ''Film/{{Planet of the Apes|2001}}''. This drew the attention of producers and resulted in a big push that culminated in an [[UsefulNotes/AcademyAward Oscar]] nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in ''Film/TheDeparted''. His track record since then has been somewhat mixed and it's debatable whether he's lived up to the hype push he received. Several flops in the late 2000s and early 2010s including ''Film/MaxPayne'' and ''Film/TheHappening'' caused him to fall out of favor as a traditional leading man. He rebounded throughout the 2010s with both comedic roles such as ''Film/{{Ted}}'' and more serious fare such as ''Literature/LoneSurvivor'', and ''Film/TransformersAgeOfExtinction'' saw his return to big budget mainstream films. He's still working and can still draw headline bankable films and draw praise from critics, but TheNewTwenties have seen something of a rut -- both his comedic films (''Film/TheFamilyPlan'', ''Me Time'') and serious films (''Film/{{Infinite}}'', ''Father Stu'') have been received poorly. Only time will tell if he'll experience a resurgence.

* Much was expected of '''Creator/RachelMcAdams''' after ''Film/MeanGirls'' and ''Film/TheNotebook'', and she was immediately hailed as Hollywood's new it girl. With the successes of ''Film/WeddingCrashers'' and ''Film/RedEye'', the hype appeared to be justified. But her career stopped in its tracks when she took a break from 2006 to 2007, later admitting she never wanted to be a big movie star. She eventually made a comeback, with high points including ''Film/TheTimeTravelersWife2009'', ''Film/SherlockHolmes2009'', its sequel ''Film/SherlockHolmesAGameOfShadows'', and ''Film/MidnightInParis'', but most of her movies have been generally hit or miss. Her career seems to be flourishing, although she could've been an A-lister if given the chance. That chance returned with her [[UsefulNotes/AcademyAward Oscar]]-nominated performance in ''Film/{{Spotlight}}'', which won the Best Picture award for 2015. [=McAdams=] sustained that lucky streak by starring in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse movies ''Film/DoctorStrange2016'' and its sequel ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'', while also returning to comedy with ''Film/GameNight'' opposite Creator/JasonBateman.

* A rather sad example is '''Creator/AnnaMayWong''', who is recognised as the first Asian-American movie star in Hollywood. After a few years working as an extra, she made a bang with her first leading role in ''The Toll of the Sea'' - and the Hype Machine got behind her. The only problem? Hollywood had no idea what to do with her - reluctant to give leading roles to an actress with Chinese ancestry. For most of her Hollywood career, she was stuck playing DragonLady roles, while white actresses in {{Yellowface}} were given the meatier parts that she wanted. There was considerable hype when an adaptation of ''Literature/TheGoodEarth'' was produced - and the press cited her as a perfect choice for the lead O-Lan. But UsefulNotes/TheHaysCode prevented her from playing the love interest to a white actor (even if he was in Yellowface). She ended up going to Europe and Asia, where she was able to play non-stereotypical roles - and managed to do so in a few American B-movies too. So while she never became the Creator/BetteDavis or Creator/MaryPickford level leading lady that was predicted, she is at least recognised as a significant contributing factor to humanising Asian-Americans to American audiences.

** '''Creator/JenniferAniston''' has fared the best so far – although she never headlined a $100 million hit until 2011's ''Film/HorribleBosses'' (which arguably was helped out [[Creator/JasonBateman by]] [[Creator/JasonSudeikis the]] [[Creator/KevinSpacey other]] [[Creator/ColinFarrell heavyweights]] in the film – she's never had a starring role do that well until ''Film/WereTheMillers'' in 2013, and is mostly known for romantic comedies), she was fortunate enough not to have a major flop during the time in between, and at the very least she's ''treated'' like a major star by most of Hollywood. By the time she entered her forties, she began to enjoy more variation in the roles she was able to play (having been shut out of anything but romantic comedies due to typecasting making it impossible for people to see her as anyone other than [[IAmNotLeonardNimoy Jennifer Aniston]]). She earned critical acclaim for ''{{Film/Cake 2014}}'' as a grieving mother with chronic pain, and [[PlayingAgainstType played against type]] in ''Film/{{Dumplin}}''. She also enjoyed moderate success on television with ''Series/TheMorningShow'', getting UsefulNotes/EmmyAward and Golden Globe nominations regardless of its tepid reception.

** '''Creator/MattLeBlanc''' headlined a series of hellacious bombs: he did ''Ed'', a movie with a baseball-playing chimp, followed by ''Film/LostInSpace''... and then there was ''Series/{{Joey}}''. He made a slight comeback in 2011 after he starred in the critically successful Creator/{{Showtime}} comedy series ''Series/{{Episodes}}'' ([[AdamWesting playing himself, no less]]), which gave him his first UsefulNotes/EmmyAward nominations since ''Friends''. After ''Episodes'' completed its run, he was quickly announced as one of the new hosts of ''Series/TopGear'' and simultaneously had a hit on network TV with ''Series/ManWithAPlan''.

* '''Creator/ViggoMortensen''' is another example of someone who didn't want to lean too much into the hype train. After starring in movies throughout the 80s and 90s, he was cast in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' as Aragorn at the last minute (at the insistence of his son, no less) and was promptly catapulted to global superstardom. In spite of this he was candid in interviews about how he was more concerned about pursuing his interests -- which include acting -- rather than being an A-list Hollywood star. He appreciated that the role gave him the freedom and flexibility to make the sort of movies he wanted which has been reflective of his subsequent career over the years. When he's not [[RenaissanceMan writing poetry, painting, composing music, doing stage work or practicing photography]] his film work and collaboration with Creator/DavidCronenberg have both seen consistent commercial and critical success, with praise for Mortensen's acting in particular. Most notably he's netted Academy Award nominations for his work in ''Film/EasternPromises'', ''Film/CaptainFantastic'' and ''Film/GreenBook''.

* '''Creator/ViggoMortensen''' is another example of one who didn't want to lean too much into the hype train. After starring in movies throughout the 80s and 90s, he was cast in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' as Aragorn at the last minute (at the insistence of his son, no less) and was promptly catapulted to superstardom on a global level. In spite of this he was candid in interviews about how he was more concerned about pursuing his interests -- which include acting -- rather than being a huge Hollywood star. He appreciated that the role gave him the freedom and flexibility to make the sort of movies he wanted which has been reflective of his subsequent career over the years. When he's not [[RenaissanceMan writing poetry, painting, composing music or practicing photography]] his film work and collaboration with Creator/DavidCronenberg have both seen consistent commercial and critical success, with praise for Mortensen's acting in particular. Most notably he's netted Academy Award nominations for his work in ''Film/EasternPromises'', ''Film/CaptainFantastic'' and''Film/GreenBook''.

* '''Creator/GalGadot''' started out playing a supporting role in ''Film/TheFastAndTheFurious'' franchise, but her big break came when she played Franchise/WonderWoman in the Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse. Although the character debuted as a supporting role in the polarizing ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'', Gadot's performance was well-received even by the film's harshest critics. The subsequent ''Film/{{Wonder Woman|2017}}'' origin movie was a critical and commercial success with many critics positively comparing Gadot to Robert Downey Jr. and Christopher Reeve as the generation's most iconic superhero actor. Not only that, but a ''Wonder Woman'' sequel was fast-tracked while many other DCEU movies linger in DevelopmentHell, ensuring that she will keep playing Wonder Woman even as her co-stars Creator/HenryCavill and Creator/BenAffleck have a much more uncertain future in the franchise. Outside of ''The Fast and the Furious'' and DC movies, she had a voice role in ''WesternAnimation/RalphBreaksTheInternet'', surprising many by being not only a decent voice actor but also a good singer. When the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic struck, Gadot's future projects pivoted from theaters to streaming, with ''Film/WonderWoman1984'' and ''Film/RedNotice'' becoming major hits on Creator/HBOMax and Creator/{{Netflix}}, respectively. However, both received mixed reviews, with ''Wonder Woman 1984'' in particular being viewed as a notable step down from the first film. Her next theatrically released project was an adaptation of ''Film/DeathOnTheNile2022'' directed by Creator/KennethBranagh, which also received mixed reviews and underperformed at the box office.

* '''Creator/AnnabelleWallis''' was receiving lots of notable roles in TheNewTens, mostly on television (''Series/PeakyBlinders'') or in the horror genre (''{{Film/Annabelle}}''). In 2017 she starred in two high profile {{Box Office Bomb}}s - ''Film/KingArthurLegendOfTheSword'' (though she just had a supporting role and was one of the few things to be well-received about it) and ''Film/TheMummy2017''. The latter was meant to kick off Universal's Dark Universe based off of the movie monsters, but its failure snuffed her chances at joining a franchise. Her next notable role was the lead in Creator/JamesWan's 2021 horror film ''Film/{{Malignant}}'', which was eclipsed in its opening weekend by ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'' and ''Film/FreeGuy'' – although its simultaneous release on Creator/HBOMax definitely didn't help.

** The cast of ''Film/HighSchoolMusical'' got a big push when that film became a cultural phenomenon of the 2000s. '''Creator/ZacEfron''' has so far achieved the most success out of his cast mates, although he's only had [[Film/SeventeenAgain2009 three]] [[Film/{{Neighbors2014}} major]] [[Film/TheGreatestShowman hits]]. Only time will tell if he can successfully make the transition. '''Music/VanessaHudgens''' tried distancing herself from her Disney roots with darker, more adult roles in ''Film/SuckerPunch'' and ''Film/SpringBreakers''. Her films did fine, but she has enjoyed more success as a singer and on Broadway. '''Creator/AshleyTisdale''' had already established herself in Disney with ''Series/TheSuiteLifeOfZackAndCody'', and swiftly switched to voice-over work in ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb''. Her first film role after ''High School Musical'', unfortunately, was in the ill-received family film ''Film/AliensInTheAttic'', which seems to have killed her screen prospects. Creator/CorbinBleu moved to TV and did occasional work, the most notable being his stint on ''Series/DancingWithTheStars''. Like Hudgens, he'd later enjoy more success as a singer and on Broadway. '''Creator/LucasGrabeel''' joined the main cast of the ABC Family drama ''Series/SwitchedAtBirth'', and remained on the series for the entirety of its run. His film career seemed to start off decently with a supporting role in Creator/GusVanSant's ''Film/{{Milk}}'', but he hasn't appeared in another film of that level since then. Like Bleu, '''Creator/MoniqueColeman''' also had a stint on ''Dancing with the Stars''. She later made supporting appearances in several TV shows and films, but her career never really took off. She has since become well-known for her philanthropic work.

* Creator/ChrisEvans has had his ups and downs with this trope. After his role in ''Film/NotAnotherTeenMovie'', he got a number of prominent roles, most notably as the Human Torch in ''Film/FantasticFour2005'' and its sequel ''Film/FantasticFourRiseOfTheSilverSurfer''. While most of his films did fairly well, they were usually not well-received by critics, and he never broke out as a major star. He did get some positive press for his roles in ''Film/{{Sunshine}}'' and ''Film/ScottPilgrimVsTheWorld'', but they didn't do very well at the box office. However, his career began picking up in 2011 when he was cast as Captain America in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'' and subsequent Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse films. While his films outside it (''Film/TheIceman'' and ''Film/{{Snowpiercer}}'') have been only moderately successful, his Marvel roles should keep him around for a while. If anything kills Evans's career it may well be Evans himself. He's expressed ambivalence about his blockbusters and stated that he may well retire after his Marvel contract is up to focus on directing. After ''Film/AvengersEndgame'', which is his last movie as Captain America, Evans appeared in ''Film/KnivesOut'' with Daniel Craig (see above), gaining particular praise for his performance.
* Creator/RyanGosling became a star with ''Film/TheNotebook'' and a critical darling with ''Half Nelson'', and Hollywood seems intent on selling the idea that he is sexier than sex. It's debatable whether there's general audience agreement. His movies have done fairly well financially, but that could mainly be because they had high-profile co-stars such as Creator/GeorgeClooney and Creator/SteveCarell. Critics still love him, but he has yet to headline a real blockbuster, and given he's inclined to smaller-scale dramas over special-effects spectacles, he might never become another Creator/TomCruise, although he possibly ''prefers'' it that way. It should be also noted that he's somewhat becoming {{typecast}} after ''Film/Drive2011'', with most roles afterwards being similarly tough guys in hyper-violent (read: R-rated) actionesque flicks. However, he earned praise for his comedy chops in ''Film/TheNiceGuys'', his musical performance in ''Film/LaLaLand'' won him a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination for Best Actor and his role as Ken in ''Film/Barbie2023''.
* Creator/AnthonyMackie is a weird case. Some of his supporters find it frustrating that Mackie has been touted as one of Hollywood's future A-listers (he appeared on the Hollywood issue of ''Vanity Fair'' along with Creator/RyanReynolds, Creator/AnneHathaway, Creator/JenniferLawrence, Creator/JosephGordonLevitt, Creator/RashidaJones, Creator/JesseEisenberg, Creator/GarrettHedlund, Creator/NoomiRapace, Creator/MilaKunis, Creator/OliviaWilde, Creator/AndrewGarfield, and Creator/JakeGyllenhaal) and yet remains the only male up and comer featured there that has yet to headline a major movie. People started saying he's stuck playing supportive roles as the TokenBlackFriend. He was cast as ComicBook/TheFalcon in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, though, so only time will tell if he will ever break out (so far, he hasn't had any major breakout outside of that role).
* Much like his ''Film/RedEye'' co-star Creator/RachelMcAdams, Creator/CillianMurphy is a case who deliberately didn't want to live up too much to the hype. His role as Jim in ''Film/TwentyEightDaysLater'' was the first major exposure he got to American audiences before hitting the big-time in 2005 with ''Film/BatmanBegins'', ''Film/RedEye'', and ''Film/BreakfastOnPluto'' (the last of which got him a UsefulNotes/GoldenGlobe nomination), and several media outlets touted him as the "next big star". However, he's gone out of his way to deliberately stay out of the spotlight, motivated by his immense discomfort with the Hollywood system of celebrity culture and annoyance with being {{typecast}} as a "villain actor" because of his performances in ''Batman'' and ''Red Eye''. While he's still steadily working and earning rave reviews for his performances (especially in ''Series/PeakyBlinders''), he could've been as A-list as anybody if he wanted to be. Luckily, his work in ''Batman Begins'' impressed director Creator/ChristopherNolan enough to make the actor a mainstay in his ProductionPosse. Murphy [[Film/TheDarkKnight has]] [[Film/{{Inception}} appeared]] [[Film/TheDarkKnightRises in]] [[Film/{{Dunkirk}} most]] of Nolan's work since then in a side capacity, before finally playing the lead as theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer in the biopic ''Film/{{Oppenheimer}}'' which earned him critical acclaim.
* Creator/ChrisRock got his start as a ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' cast member, then his career ''exploded'' in the mid 90's with the Creator/{{HBO}} stand-up special ''Bring the Pain'', which made him a network favorite for the rest of the decade. He soon got film roles in a number of comedies including ''Film/{{Dogma}}'', ''Film/BeverlyHillsNinja'' and ''Down to Earth''. Unfortunately, most of his films were mediocre at best, and didn't draw many audiences to the theaters. He took a break from starring in live-action films in the mid 2000's and went to voice work, notably voicing Marty in the ''Franchise/{{Madagascar}}'' series, and eventually ventured into television production with the highly successful sitcom ''Series/EverybodyHatesChris'', which ran for four seasons. He's also hosted two Oscar ceremonies to wit, so he's still kicking for the time being. Starting in TheNewTwenties, Rock's prospects rose when he starred in the fourth season of ''Series/{{Fargo}}'' (which, although not as universally acclaimed as prior seasons, still received decent reviews) and the ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'' spin-off ''Film/{{Spiral|2021}}'' (based on an idea conceived by Rock himself, it did decently at the box office despite mixed reviews). He also regained a lot of public sympathy after Creator/WillSmith slapped him during the Oscars ceremony in 2022.

* In a tragic example of this trope, Music/{{Aaliyah}} was never able to prove whether or not she deserved all the hype she was given. After being the female lead in the surprise 2000 hit ''Film/RomeoMustDie'', it was widely predicted that she would be able to translate her highly successful R&B career into being a Hollywood leading lady, resulting in her getting the title role in ''Film/QueenOfTheDamned'', along with a major part in ''Film/TheMatrixReloaded'' and ''Film/TheMatrixRevolutions''. Unfortunately, right after finishing principal photography on ''Queen of the Damned'', she was killed in a plane crash, and the rock performance-heavy nature of the film meant it was extremely reliant on ADR dubbing, which she never had the chance to do before her death, meaning that nearly all her character's dialogue in the finished film was recorded by a sound-alike (her part in the ''Matrix'' sequels was subsequently recast with Nona Gaye). If nothing else however, the enduring success of her music well over a decade later shows that the hype around her R&B career was entirely justified.
* Creator/KristenBell was pushed heavily by Hollywood following ''Series/VeronicaMars'', but it was her ''Film/ForgettingSarahMarshall'' co-stars Creator/MilaKunis (see below) and Creator/RussellBrand who became bigger stars out of the deal. So far, she's decently well-known, but is nowhere near what Hollywood was hoping. While she had a lead role in Disney's box office juggernaut ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}'', voice-over success tends to not translate back into live-action (ask ''WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}}'s'' Music/MandyMoore) and the majority of the hype that did come out of ''Frozen'' seems to have gone to Creator/IdinaMenzel (or even Josh Gad). She's only been in a few live-action films that grossed more than $40 million (''Film/ForgettingSarahMarshall'', ''Film/CouplesRetreat'', ''Film/Scream4'', ''Film/TheBoss'', ''Film/BadMoms'' and the latter's sequel) and she was part of an ensemble in all of them. With the ''Film/VeronicaMars'' film having a concurrent launch on video-on-demand, her cold live-action streak on the big screen will live on. As far as she's concerned, television is indeed ''Series/TheGoodPlace''.
* Creator/GalGadot started out playing a supporting role in ''Film/TheFastAndTheFurious'' franchise, but her big break came when she played Franchise/WonderWoman in the Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse. Although the character debuted as a supporting role in the polarizing ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'', Gadot's performance was well-received even by the film's harshest critics. The subsequent ''Film/{{Wonder Woman|2017}}'' origin movie was a critical and commercial success with many critics positively comparing Gadot to Robert Downey Jr. and Christopher Reeve as the generation's most iconic superhero actor. Not only that, but a ''Wonder Woman'' sequel was fast-tracked while many other DCEU movies linger in DevelopmentHell, ensuring that she will keep playing Wonder Woman even as her co-stars Creator/HenryCavill and Creator/BenAffleck have a much more uncertain future in the franchise. Outside of ''The Fast and the Furious'' and DC movies, she had a voice role in ''WesternAnimation/RalphBreaksTheInternet'', surprising many by being not only a decent voice actor but also a good singer. When the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic struck, Gadot's future projects pivoted from theaters to streaming, with ''Film/WonderWoman1984'' and ''Film/RedNotice'' becoming major hits on Creator/HBOMax and Creator/{{Netflix}}, respectively. However, both received mixed reviews, with ''Wonder Woman 1984'' in particular being viewed as a notable step down from the first film. Her next theatrically released project was an adaptation of ''Film/DeathOnTheNile2022'' directed by Creator/KennethBranagh, which also received mixed reviews and underperformed at the box office.
* Creator/OliviaHussey became a worldwide sensation for her role in ''Film/RomeoAndJuliet1968'' at the age of sixteen. She's been known to joke about how she was never that good at managing her career - as she ended up turning down roles in ''Film/AnneOfTheThousandDays'' and ''Film/TrueGrit'' through youthful nerves[[note]]She recalls accidentally blurting out "John Wayne doesn't do anything for me" when a producer asked about ''True Grit''.[[/note]] and she did take a few years off acting because of her agoraphobia. That being said, she still managed to have notable roles in respected projects like ''Film/{{Death on the Nile|1978}}'', ''Series/JesusOfNazareth'', ''The Bastard'', ''Mother Theresa of Calcutta'' and {{Cult Classic}}s like ''Film/BlackChristmas1974'' and ''Film/{{It 1990}}''. So while she is probably best known as Juliet, she doesn't seem to mind, and her filmography is still quite varied (she also became a voice actress for the DC animated universe and ''Star Wars'' video games).
* Creator/DianeKruger debuted with a memorable bang in ''{{Film/Troy}}'' as Helen and soon got lots of parts in America as a result, most notably in the ''Film/NationalTreasure'' films and ''Film/InglouriousBasterds''. But she rarely found work besides roles that catered to her beauty, and her progress seemed to wither in TheNewTens. She's still modeling and working away, so she isn't gone just yet.
* Creator/MilaKunis was well-known to audiences for her roles in ''Series/That70sShow'' and ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', but she got a big breakthrough with ''Film/ForgettingSarahMarshall'' - taking much of the spotlight away from Kristen Bell (mentioned above). She won lots of acclaim for her role as Lily in ''Film/BlackSwan'', and was named the Sexiest Woman Alive in 2013. Although her next big blockbuster ''Film/OzTheGreatAndPowerful'' made plenty of money, her performance was widely panned. Not helping matters was her first headlining role - ''Film/JupiterAscending'' - being a BoxOfficeBomb. She has ''Family Guy'' to fall back on, and scored a hit with ''Film/BadMoms'', so time will tell.
* Much was expected of Creator/RachelMcAdams after ''Film/MeanGirls'' and ''Film/TheNotebook'', and she was immediately hailed as Hollywood's new it girl. With the successes of ''Film/WeddingCrashers'' and ''Film/RedEye'', the hype appeared to be justified. But her career stopped in its tracks when she took a break from 2006 to 2007, later admitting she never wanted to be a big movie star. She eventually made a comeback, with high points including ''Film/TheTimeTravelersWife2009'', ''Film/SherlockHolmes2009'', its sequel ''Film/SherlockHolmesAGameOfShadows'', and ''Film/MidnightInParis'', but most of her movies have been generally hit or miss. Her career seems to be flourishing, although she could've been an A-lister if given the chance. That chance returned with her [[UsefulNotes/AcademyAward Oscar]]-nominated performance in ''Film/{{Spotlight}}'', which won the Best Picture award for 2015. [=McAdams=] sustained that lucky streak by starring in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse movies ''Film/DoctorStrange2016'' and its sequel ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'', while also returning to comedy with ''Film/GameNight'' opposite Creator/JasonBateman.
* Creator/AlyssaMilano got fame as a child star in the 80s with ''Series/WhosTheBoss'' and got a huge Japanese following - enough to sign her to a five album recording contract over there. As she entered her twenties, she suffered the age-old ContractualPurity that dogs many child stars. She finally succeeded in breaking out of her nice girl image with erotic films that became cult classics. Magazine covers and cosmetic endorsements followed, as did a MsFanservice push in ''Series/MelrosePlace'' and ''{{Series/Charmed|1998}}''. The latter lasted a shocking eight seasons and it was predicted she would become a breakout star from it. Film offers came but she never had a notable hit. In TheNewTens, she settled comfortably as the host of ''Project Runway: All Stars''. It's not the career it could have been, but she doesn't seem stuck for work. Later in the decade, however, she became well-known for her progressive political activism during the UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump presidency. In the wake of the sexual assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein, she championed feminist causes by kickstarting the #[=MeToo=] movement and supporting the ''Time's Up'' movement. She also parlayed her fame into hosting the ''Sorry, Not Sorry'' podcast and as a producer.
* Creator/SharonTate was hyped up as a potential new star throughout TheSixties. She notably had small roles on film and television until her supporting part in ''Film/EyeOfTheDevil'', before the successes of ''Film/TheFearlessVampireKillers'' and ''Literature/ValleyOfTheDolls'' marked her official breakout. However, more attention was given to her beauty and willingness to do nudity (paralleling her character in ''Valley of the Dolls''). She resented the beach comedy ''Film/DontMakeWaves'' marketing her as a mere MsFanservice (mockingly calling the ad campaign of her in a bikini as "sexy little me"), and expressed an interest to move into comedy. Her final film was ''Film/TheWreckingCrew'' – before she was tragically and horrifically murdered by the Manson Family in 1969. Her films were re-evaluated since her death while people have pointed to potential she may have tapped into had she lived longer. Sadly, Tate is probably better associated with her tragic death than what she accomplished in life.
* Creator/UmaThurman was victimized by this. After notable roles in the late '80s with films like ''Literature/DangerousLiaisons'' and ''Film/TheAdventuresOfBaronMunchausen'', she became an "It Girl" with ''Film/PulpFiction''. This push ultimately faltered within three years after subsequent films, particularly ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'' and ''Film/TheAvengers1998'', did poorly, and she vanished from the limelight (rumour has it she took time off to concentrate on motherhood, which might have killed buzz even further) before ''Film/KillBill'' [[CareerResurrection reignited her career]] in 2003. Since then it's partially faltered again (her film ''Motherhood'' set a British record by only selling ''eleven tickets'' in its opening weekend), but most people like her acting no matter how the film itself does.
* Creator/AnnabelleWallis was receiving lots of notable roles in TheNewTens, mostly on television (''Series/PeakyBlinders'') or in the horror genre (''{{Film/Annabelle}}''). In 2017 she starred in two high profile {{Box Office Bomb}}s - ''Film/KingArthurLegendOfTheSword'' (though she just had a supporting role and was one of the few things to be well-received about it) and ''Film/TheMummy2017''. The latter was meant to kick off Universal's Dark Universe based off of the movie monsters, but its failure snuffed her chances at joining a franchise. Her next notable role was the lead in Creator/JamesWan's 2021 horror film ''Film/{{Malignant}}'', which was eclipsed in its opening weekend by ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'' and ''Film/FreeGuy'' – although its simultaneous release on Creator/HBOMax definitely didn't help.
* A rather sad example is Creator/AnnaMayWong, who is recognised as the first Asian-American movie star in Hollywood. After a few years working as an extra, she made a bang with her first leading role in ''The Toll of the Sea'' - and the Hype Machine got behind her. The only problem? Hollywood had no idea what to do with her - reluctant to give leading roles to an actress with Chinese ancestry. For most of her Hollywood career, she was stuck playing DragonLady roles, while white actresses in {{Yellowface}} were given the meatier parts that she wanted. There was considerable hype when an adaptation of ''Literature/TheGoodEarth'' was produced - and the press cited her as a perfect choice for the lead O-Lan. But UsefulNotes/TheHaysCode prevented her from playing the love interest to a white actor (even if he was in Yellowface). She ended up going to Europe and Asia, where she was able to play non-stereotypical roles - and managed to do so in a few American B-movies too. So while she never became the Creator/BetteDavis or Creator/MaryPickford level leading lady that was predicted, she is at least recognised as a significant contributing factor to humanising Asian-Americans to American audiences.

* The cast of ''Series/BandOfBrothers'' undoubtedly got this - the most prominent of which included Creator/DamianLewis and Ron Livingston. Lewis's attempts in films didn't amount to much - with bombs like ''{{Film/Dreamcatcher}}'', ''{{Film/Stormbreaker}}'' and ''Film/YourHighness''. But on television, he fared much better with the worldwide success that was ''{{Series/Homeland}}''. After he left that, he successfully transitioned to another headlining role in ''{{Series/Billions}}''. Livingston already had fame from ''Film/OfficeSpace'' but remained in below-the-radar projects, the most high profile of which was ''Film/TheConjuring''. The men in the cast who became stars - Creator/MichaelFassbender, Creator/JamesMcAvoy, Creator/TomHardy and Creator/SimonPegg - had minor roles, with Fassbender the only one who appeared in more than two episodes. Donnie Wahlberg maintained a steady career of supporting roles, including the ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'' series, before getting the lead in ''Series/BlueBloods''. Creator/NealMcDonough, Creator/RossMcCall, Creator/MichaelCudlitz, and Richard Speight Jr. became TV regulars, while Frank John Hughes transitioned to screen writing and Creator/DexterFletcher became a highly successful director. Scott Grimes' attempt at joining a franchise - Ridley Scott's ''Film/RobinHood2010'' - was unsuccessful, but he enjoyed more success in [[WesternAnimation/AmericanDad voice acting]] and music. A lot of the rest were doomed to type casting or else retired from acting altogether.

** Creator/SeanConnery was the most memorable and possibly the most successful Bond actor. After his post-Bond stint, he starred in acclaimed and successful movies such ''Film/{{Marnie}}'', ''Film/TheHuntForRedOctober'', ''Film/MurderOnTheOrientExpress1974'', ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade'' and ''Film/TheUntouchables'' where he was the first and only Bond actor to win an Oscar. But he did have a few flops such as ''Film/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen'' which was his last film before his retirement.
** Creator/GeorgeLazenby is the unluckiest of all Bond actors and many people have mixed feelings on his performance in ''Film/OnHerMajestysSecretService''. After Bond, he starred in a bunch of TV movies, commercials, various recurring roles in TV series, several Bond movie spoofs and several Hong Kong action films, using his martial arts expertise which he learned from the legendary Creator/BruceLee. On the other hand, he became the wealthiest of all Bond actors, thanks to savvy investments in real estate.
** Creator/RogerMoore was already a successful actor before his Bond career where he starred in several TV shows such as ''Ivanhoe'', ''Series/{{Maverick}}'', ''Series/TheSaint'' and ''Series/ThePersuaders''. He became the longest-serving Bond actor in number of films, but after his Bond stint, he did a bunch of cameos. Regardless, he spent most of his post-Bond career doing charity works (UNICEF most prominently) which earned him a knighthood and other honors and remained one of the most respected British actors.
** Creator/TimothyDalton had a good stage career prior to his Bond tenure. He continued it after Bond while still getting some movie and TV roles on the side. Starting in the late 2000's and continuing into the following decade, he experienced a resurgence with a supporting role in ''Film/HotFuzz'', his tenure on ''Series/DoctorWho'', his voice work in ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'', and his leading roles in ''Series/PennyDreadful'' and ''Series/{{Doom Patrol|2019}}''.
** Creator/PierceBrosnan had a good start for his acting career when he starred in ''Series/RemingtonSteele'', followed by a supporting role in ''Film/MrsDoubtfire'' opposite Creator/RobinWilliams and Creator/SallyField. His tenure as Bond resurrected the franchise in TheNineties, but he considered his Bond movies post-''Film/GoldenEye'' as an OldShame. During and after his time as Bond, he appeared in a lot of successful movies like ''Film/TheThomasCrownAffair1999'', ''Film/TheTailorOfPanama'', ''Film/AfterTheSunset'', ''Film/MammaMia'' and ''Film/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians''. However, in TheNewTens, he hasn't had as much success as he used to. Luckily, he was cast as ComicBook/DoctorFate in ''Film/{{Black Adam|2022}}'', which may change things in this regard.
** While Creator/DanielCraig had showed his detractors wrong with the reboot, ''Film/{{Casino Royale|2006}}'', it didn't stop his Bond movies from falling victim to the StarTrekMovieCurse (with ''Casino Royale'', ''Film/{{Skyfall}}'', and ''Film/NoTimeToDie'' garnering critical acclaim while ''Film/QuantumOfSolace'' and ''Film/{{Spectre}}'' earned mixed reception). Prior and during his Bond tenure, he had been into a bunch of movies such as ''Film/RoadToPerdition'', ''Film/{{Munich}}'', ''Film/TheGoldenCompass'', ''Film/TheGirlWithTheDragonTattoo2011'', ''Film/LoganLucky'' and ''Film/KnivesOut'' (the latter proving to be his biggest non-Bond success to date) among others, and he maintains a respectable career as a stage actor.
* Creator/{{Disney}} has recently generated an alarming number of {{Kid Com}}s, beginning with the success of ''Series/LizzieMcGuire'' and its leading star Music/HilaryDuff. With Duff, they created a crossover starlet (with movies, TV shows, albums, and clothing lines coming out) of high repute. They immediately made a formula with this (spawning ''Series/HannahMontana'' and many others), with all their future starlets being similarly built up. Most of them ([[Music/MileyCyrus although]] [[Music/SelenaGomez there]] [[Music/DemiLovato are]] [[Music/OliviaRodrigo exceptions]]) have only received little hype after their Disney shows finished their run, and have usually failed to obtain stardom outside of their original shows.
** Creator/AnneHathaway, for instance, became an acclaimed actress only after ''leaving'' the Disney machine and going for legit credibility with ''Film/BrokebackMountain'', ''Film/TheDevilWearsPrada'', and ''Film/RachelGettingMarried'', with ''Rachel'' netting her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress in 2008. She'd later win a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for ''Film/LesMiserables2012'' and played ComicBook/{{Catwoman}} in ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'' that same year.
** The cast of ''Film/HighSchoolMusical'' got a big push when that film became a cultural phenomenon of the 2000's. Creator/ZacEfron has so far achieved the most success out of his cast mates, although he's only had [[Film/SeventeenAgain2009 three]] [[Film/{{Neighbors2014}} major]] [[Film/TheGreatestShowman hits]]. Only time will tell if he can successfully make the transition. Music/VanessaHudgens tried distancing herself from her Disney roots with darker, more adult roles in ''Film/SuckerPunch'' and ''Film/SpringBreakers''. Her films did fine, but she has enjoyed more success as a singer and on Broadway. Creator/AshleyTisdale had already established herself in Disney with ''Series/TheSuiteLifeOfZackAndCody'', and swiftly switched to voice-over work in ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb''. Her first film role after ''High School Musical'', unfortunately, was in the ill-received family film ''Film/AliensInTheAttic'', which seems to have killed her screen prospects. Creator/CorbinBleu moved to TV and did occasional work, the most notable being his stint on ''Series/DancingWithTheStars''. Like Hudgens, he'd later enjoy more success as a singer and on Broadway. Creator/LucasGrabeel joined the main cast of the ABC Family drama ''Series/SwitchedAtBirth'', and remained on the series for the entirety of its run. His film career seemed to start off decently with a supporting role in Creator/GusVanSant's ''Film/{{Milk}}'', but he hasn't appeared in another film of that level since then. Like Bleu, Creator/MoniqueColeman also had a stint on ''Dancing with the Stars''. She later made supporting appearances in several TV shows and films, but her career never really took off. She has since become well-known for her philanthropic work.
** Creator/JennaOrtega had a recurring part on ''Series/JaneTheVirgin'' as a younger Jane before landing the main role of Harley Diaz on Disney Channel's ''Series/StuckInTheMiddle'' in 2016. After it ended in 2018, she transitioned from a child star to an adult actress with a role in season 2 of ''Series/{{You}}''. She quickly remodeled her image to a Gen-Z scream queen, beginning with a role in ''Film/TheBabysitterKillerQueen''. 2022 proved to be her breakout year upon starring as one of the protagonists in the fifth ''{{Film/Scream|2022}}'', a role she reprised for ''Film/ScreamVI''. Her next big film after ''Scream'' was ''{{Film/X|2022}}'', which became a SleeperHit with glowing reactions from audiences as well as critics. Beyond the horror genre, Ortega showed her ability as a dramatic actress with a widely hailed performance as a survivor of a high school shooting in ''Film/TheFallout''. She then played Wednesday Addams in the Creator/{{Netflix}} show ''Series/{{Wednesday}}'', an adaptation of ''Franchise/TheAddamsFamily'' franchise helmed by Creator/TimBurton.
** Creator/BellaThorne and Creator/{{Zendaya}} received a massive push after they headlined ''Series/ShakeItUp''. Thorne was initially thought to benefit from it more, having already had some credibility as a mature actress by starring on the Creator/{{HBO}} drama series ''Series/BigLove'' before the Disney kid com. Unfortunately, most of her roles afterwards (''Film/AlexanderAndTheTerribleHorribleNoGoodVeryBadDay'', ''Film/TheDUFF'', ''Film/TheBabysitter2017'' and its sequel ''[[Film/TheBabysitterKillerQueen Killer Queen]]'') appears to have {{typecast}} her into AlphaBitch roles. The scam accusations and controversy that came with her [=OnlyFans=] presence haven't helped either. Zendaya, meanwhile, had a praised stint on ''Series/DancingWithTheStars'' (she and her partner Val Chmerkovskiy are unanimously considered one of the best pairs in the series' history) and transitioned to another Disney kid com, ''Series/KCUndercover''. The latter decision wasn't optimistically received, with many predicting she would be tied to the Disney machine until being cast aside upon reaching adulthood. In 2017, however, she had a true breakout when she co-starred in two of that year's biggest films, ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'' and ''Film/TheGreatestShowman''. ''The Greatest Showman'', despite receiving mixed reviews, became one of the top five highest-grossing movie musicals of all time. ''Spider-Man: Homecoming'', meanwhile, marked her introduction into the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse. She played a high-school friend and eventual love interest to the title hero, a role she would later reprise in that film's critically hailed, $1B-dollar grossing sequels, ''Film/SpiderManFarFromHome'' and ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome''. In 2019, she landed the lead role of Rue Bennett in the HBO teen drama ''Series/{{Euphoria}}''. Zendaya garnered tons of acclaim for her performance in that show, for which she would later win two Emmys for Best Actress in a Drama Series. In addition to reprising her MCU role in 2021's ''No Way Home'', she appeared in the Creator/DenisVilleneuve adaptation of ''[[Film/Dune2021 Dune]]'' that same year. Production was split into two films; although Zendaya's part in the first film was small but vital, she is expected to have an expanded role in the follow-up.

** Creator/JenniferAniston has fared the best so far – although she never headlined a $100 million hit until 2011's ''Film/HorribleBosses'' (which arguably was helped out [[Creator/JasonBateman by]] [[Creator/JasonSudeikis the]] [[Creator/KevinSpacey other]] [[Creator/ColinFarrell heavyweights]] in the film – she's never had a starring role do that well until ''Film/WereTheMillers'' in 2013, and is mostly known for romantic comedies), she was fortunate enough not to have a major flop during the time in between, and at the very least she's ''treated'' like a major star by most of Hollywood. By the time she entered her forties, she began to enjoy more variation in the roles she was able to play (having been shut out of anything but romantic comedies due to typecasting making it impossible for people to see her as anyone other than [[IAmNotLeonardNimoy Jennifer Aniston]]). She earned critical acclaim for ''{{Film/Cake 2014}}'' as a grieving mother with chronic pain, and [[PlayingAgainstType played against type]] in ''Film/{{Dumplin}}''. She also enjoyed moderate success on television with ''Series/TheMorningShow'', getting UsefulNotes/EmmyAward and Golden Globe nominations regardless of its tepid reception.
** Creator/CourteneyCox was cast as the female lead in ''Film/AceVenturaPetDetective'' opposite Creator/JimCarrey in 1994, the same year ''Friends'' premiered. It was a hit with audiences despite receiving mixed reviews, establishing them both as movie stars (although Carrey would benefit from it more) while taking a massive haul at the box office. Cox was cast in the slasher film ''Film/Scream1996'' as Gale Weathers while in between seasons of ''Friends'', which defied both critical expectations and genre fatigue to become a hit on all fronts. It became the highest-grossing slasher of all time until ''Film/Halloween2018'', and revived the horror genre when it was starting to be dismissed as a dying field. Its positive critical and audience reception bred a [[Film/{{Scream}} franchise]] with many sequels, with Cox reprising her role in all of them so far. After ''Friends'' finished its run, Cox continued her television career with the flop ''Dirt'' (which was cancelled after two seasons) followed by the much more successful ''Series/CougarTown'' (which overcame a mid-season 2 hiatus, a season 3 premiere delay, and a network transfer from ABC to TBS before season 4 to air for six seasons). Although Cox's film career would be [[StarDerailingRole derailed]] by her lead role in the failure known as ''[[Film/ZoomAcademyForSuperheroes Zoom]]'' and her supporting role in the Creator/AdamSandler comedy ''Film/BedtimeStories2008'', her RoleReprise for the ''Scream'' sequels nevertheless ensure she remains a prominent star.
** Creator/LisaKudrow starred in the 1997 comedy ''Film/RomyAndMichelesHighSchoolReunion'' opposite Creator/MiraSorvino, which did fine when it debuted but later found a wider audience as a CultClassic on home video. She also got critical praise for her role in the AcclaimedFlop ''The Opposite of Sex'', and appeared as the wife of Creator/BillyCrystal in ''Film/AnalyzeThis'' plus its sequel ''Film/AnalyzeThat''. Kudrow's most notable role after ''Friends'' ended was as has-been sitcom actress Valerie Cherish in the Creator/{{HBO}} comedy ''Series/TheComeback'', which received indifferent reception when it premiered and was cancelled in 2005 but later was VindicatedByHistory as one of the decade's finest shows. ''The Comeback'' was still recognized with three Emmy nominations for its first season despite its initial reception (including a Best Actress nomination for Kudrow), but the show's growing esteem led to a second season being green-lit in 2014 – '''nine''' years after its first season premiered. Reviews were far more positive this time around, with Kudrow getting another Emmy nomination. While ''Film/MarciX'' killed her clout as a leading lady on film in 2003, she continued finding work as a supporting actress in comedies like ''Film/EasyA'', ''Film/Neighbors2014'', ''Film/{{Booksmart}}'', etc.
** Creator/MattLeBlanc headlined a series of hellacious bombs: he did ''Ed'', a movie with a baseball-playing chimp, followed by ''Film/LostInSpace''... and then there was ''Series/{{Joey}}''. He made a slight comeback in 2011 after he starred in the critically successful Creator/{{Showtime}} comedy series ''Series/{{Episodes}}'' ([[AdamWesting playing himself, no less]]), which gave him his first UsefulNotes/EmmyAward nominations since ''Friends''. After ''Episodes'' completed its run, he was quickly announced as one of the new hosts of ''Series/TopGear'' and simultaneously had a hit on network TV with ''Series/ManWithAPlan''.
** Creator/MatthewPerry had a minor success starring opposite Creator/BruceWillis in the BlackComedy ''Film/TheWholeNineYards'', only for any potential film career chances to be flushed down the toilet by two disasters: the RomanticComedy ''Film/ServingSara'' (which also damaged the film career of Creator/ElizabethHurley) and the sequel ''Film/TheWholeTenYards''. His sole theatrical release afterwards was in 2009's ''Film/SeventeenAgain2009'', where he portrayed the main character as an adult (although most screen time was devoted to his teenage self, played by the undermentioned Creator/ZacEfron). His television career has been equally unsuccessful, as he had gone 0 for 3 with ''Series/Studio60OnTheSunsetStrip'', ''Series/MrSunshine2011'' and ''Series/GoOn''. However, critics did like his recurring appearances on ''Series/TheGoodWife'', and he finally landed a series that didn't get cancelled after one season with ''Series/{{The Odd Couple|2015}}''.
** Creator/DavidSchwimmer saw his star power dissipate when his first project after ''Friends'' ended, the independent dramedy ''Duane Hopwood'', received mixed reviews and a very limited theatrical release. He didn't star in any high-profile roles afterwards (aside from voice-over work in ''Franchise/{{Madagascar}}'' and its sequels) and instead started directing, where he seems content. However, he has recently been trying to do more dramatic television roles like playing Robert Kardashian in ''Series/AmericanCrimeStory: The People vs. O.J. Simpson''.

* Creator/ChrisRock got his start as a ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' cast member, then his career ''exploded'' in the mid 90's with the Creator/{{HBO}} stand-up special ''Bring the Pain'', which made him a network favorite for the rest of the decade. He soon got film roles in a number of comedies including ''Film/{{Dogma}}'', ''Film/BeverlyHillsNinja'' and ''Down to Earth''. Unfortunately, most of his films were mediocre at best, and didn't draw many audiences to the theaters. He took a break from starring in live-action films in the mid 2000's and went to voice work, notably voicing Marty in the ''Franchise/{{Madagascar}}'' series, and eventually ventured into television production with the highly successful sitcom ''Series/EverybodyHatesChris'', which ran for four seasons. He's also hosted two Oscar ceremonies to wit, so he's still kicking for the time being. Starting in TheNewTwenties, Rock's prospects rose when he starred in the fourth season of ''Series/{{Fargo}}'' (which, although not as universally acclaimed as prior seasons, still received decent reviews) and the ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'' spin-off ''Film/{{Spiral}}'' (based on an idea conceived by Rock himself, it did decently at the box office despite mixed reviews). He also regained a lot of public sympathy after Creator/WillSmith slapped him during the Oscars ceremony in 2022.

* A rather sad example is Creator/AnnaMayWong, who is recognised as the first Asian-American movie star in Hollywood. After a few years working as an extra, she made a bang with her first leading role in ''The Toll of the Sea'' - and the Hype Machine got behind her. The only problem? Hollywood had no idea what to do with her - reluctant to give leading roles to an actress with Chinese ancestry. For most of her Hollywood career, she was stuck playing DragonLady roles, while white actresses in {{Yellowface}} were given the meatier parts that she wanted. There was considerable hype when an adaptation of ''Literature/TheGoodEarth'' was produced - and the press cited her as a perfect choice for the lead O-Lan. But UsefulNotes/TheHaysCode prevented her from playing the love interest to a white actor (even if he was in Yellowface). She ended up going to Europe and Asia, where she was able to play non-stereotypical roles - and managed to do so in a few American B-movies too. So while she never became the Creator/BetteDavis or Creator/MaryPickford level leading lady that was predicted, she is at least recognised as a significant contributing factor to humanising Asian-Americans to American audiences.
* Creator/SharonTate was hyped up as a potential new star throughout TheSixties. She notably had small roles on film and television until her supporting part in ''Film/EyeOfTheDevil'', before the successes of ''Film/TheFearlessVampireKillers'' and ''Literature/ValleyOfTheDolls'' marked her official breakout. However, more attention was given to her beauty and willingness to do nudity (paralleling her character in ''Valley of the Dolls''). She resented the beach comedy ''Film/DontMakeWaves'' marketing her as a mere MsFanservice (mockingly calling the ad campaign of her in a bikini as "sexy little me"), and expressed an interest to move into comedy. Her final film was ''Film/TheWreckingCrew'' – before she was tragically and horrifically murdered by the Manson Family in 1969. Her films were re-evaluated since her death while people have pointed to potential she may have tapped into had she lived longer. Sadly, Tate is probably better associated with her tragic death than what she accomplished in life.

* The entire cast of ''Series/{{Friends}}'' were given countless movie roles the second that show became a sensation. Depending on the star, the results were mixed.
** Creator/JenniferAniston has fared the best so far – although she never headlined a $100 million hit until 2011's ''Film/HorribleBosses'' (which arguably was helped out [[Creator/JasonBateman by]] [[Creator/JasonSudeikis the]] [[Creator/KevinSpacey other]] [[Creator/ColinFarrell heavyweights]] in the film – she's never had a starring role do that well until ''Film/WereTheMillers'' in 2013, and is mostly known for romantic comedies), she was fortunate enough not to have a major flop during the time in between, and at the very least she's ''treated'' like a major star by most of Hollywood. By the time she entered her forties, she began to enjoy more variation in the roles she was able to play (having been shut out of anything but romantic comedies due to typecasting making it impossible for people to see her as anyone other than [[IAmNotLeonardNimoy Jennifer Aniston]]). She earned critical acclaim for ''{{Film/Cake 2014}}'' as a grieving mother with chronic pain, and [[PlayingAgainstType played against type]] in ''Film/{{Dumplin}}''. She also enjoyed moderate success on television with ''Series/TheMorningShow'', getting UsefulNotes/EmmyAward and Golden Globe nominations regardless of its tepid reception.
** Creator/CourteneyCox was cast as the female lead in ''Film/AceVenturaPetDetective'' opposite Creator/JimCarrey in 1994, the same year ''Friends'' premiered. It was a hit with audiences despite receiving mixed reviews, establishing them both as movie stars (although Carrey would benefit from it more) while taking a massive haul at the box office. Cox was cast in the slasher film ''Film/Scream1996'' as Gale Weathers while in between seasons of ''Friends'', which defied both critical expectations and genre fatigue to become a hit on all fronts. It became the highest-grossing slasher of all time until ''Film/Halloween2018'', and revived the horror genre when it was starting to be dismissed as a dying field. Its positive critical and audience reception bred a [[Film/{{Scream}} franchise]] with many sequels, with Cox reprising her role in all of them so far. After ''Friends'' finished its run, Cox continued her television career with the flop ''Dirt'' (which was cancelled after two seasons) followed by the much more successful ''Series/CougarTown'' (which overcame a mid-season 2 hiatus, a season 3 premiere delay, and a network transfer from ABC to TBS before season 4 to air for six seasons). Although Cox's film career would be [[StarDerailingRole derailed]] by her lead role in the failure known as ''[[Film/ZoomAcademyForSuperheroes Zoom]]'' and her supporting role in the Creator/AdamSandler comedy ''Film/BedtimeStories2008'', her RoleReprise for the ''Scream'' sequels nevertheless ensure she remains a prominent star.
** Creator/LisaKudrow starred in the 1997 comedy ''Film/RomyAndMichelesHighSchoolReunion'' opposite Creator/MiraSorvino, which did fine when it debuted but later found a wider audience as a CultClassic on home video. She also got critical praise for her role in the AcclaimedFlop ''The Opposite of Sex'', and appeared as the wife of Creator/BillyCrystal in ''Film/AnalyzeThis'' plus its sequel ''Film/AnalyzeThat''. Kudrow's most notable role after ''Friends'' ended was as has-been sitcom actress Valerie Cherish in the Creator/{{HBO}} comedy ''Series/TheComeback'', which received indifferent reception when it premiered and was cancelled in 2005 but later was VindicatedByHistory as one of the decade's finest shows. ''The Comeback'' was still recognized with three Emmy nominations for its first season despite its initial reception (including a Best Actress nomination for Kudrow), but the show's growing esteem led to a second season being green-lit in 2014 – '''nine''' years after its first season premiered. Reviews were far more positive this time around, with Kudrow getting another Emmy nomination. While ''Film/MarciX'' killed her clout as a leading lady on film in 2003, she continued finding work as a supporting actress in comedies like ''Film/EasyA'', ''Film/Neighbors2014'', ''Film/{{Booksmart}}'', etc.
** Creator/MattLeBlanc headlined a series of hellacious bombs: he did ''Ed'', a movie with a baseball-playing chimp, followed by ''Film/LostInSpace''... and then there was ''Series/{{Joey}}''. He made a slight comeback in 2011 after he starred in the critically successful Creator/{{Showtime}} comedy series ''Series/{{Episodes}}'' ([[AdamWesting playing himself, no less]]), which gave him his first UsefulNotes/EmmyAward nominations since ''Friends''. After ''Episodes'' completed its run, he was quickly announced as one of the new hosts of ''Series/TopGear'' and simultaneously had a hit on network TV with ''Series/ManWithAPlan''.
** Creator/MatthewPerry had a minor success starring opposite Creator/BruceWillis in the BlackComedy ''Film/TheWholeNineYards'', only for any potential film career chances to be flushed down the toilet by two disasters: the RomanticComedy ''Film/ServingSara'' (which also damaged the film career of Creator/ElizabethHurley) and the sequel ''Film/TheWholeTenYards''. His sole theatrical release afterwards was in 2009's ''Film/SeventeenAgain2009'', where he portrayed the main character as an adult (although most screen time was devoted to his teenage self, played by the undermentioned Creator/ZacEfron). His television career has been equally unsuccessful, as he had gone 0 for 3 with ''Series/Studio60OnTheSunsetStrip'', ''Series/MrSunshine2011'' and ''Series/GoOn''. However, critics did like his recurring appearances on ''Series/TheGoodWife'', and he finally landed a series that didn't get cancelled after one season with ''Series/{{The Odd Couple|2015}}''.
** Creator/DavidSchwimmer saw his star power dissipate when his first project after ''Friends'' ended, the independent dramedy ''Duane Hopwood'', received mixed reviews and a very limited theatrical release. He didn't star in any high-profile roles afterwards (aside from voice-over work in ''Franchise/{{Madagascar}}'' and its sequels) and instead started directing, where he seems content. However, he has recently been trying to do more dramatic television roles like playing Robert Kardashian in ''Series/AmericanCrimeStory: The People vs. O.J. Simpson''.
* Creator/ChrisRock got his start as a ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' cast member, then his career ''exploded'' in the mid 90's with the Creator/{{HBO}} stand-up special ''Bring the Pain'', which made him a network favorite for the rest of the decade. He soon got film roles in a number of comedies including ''Film/{{Dogma}}'', ''Film/BeverlyHillsNinja'' and ''Down to Earth''. Unfortunately, most of his films were mediocre at best, and didn't draw many audiences to the theaters. He took a break from starring in live-action films in the mid 2000's and went to voice work, notably voicing Marty in the ''Franchise/{{Madagascar}}'' series, and eventually ventured into television production with the highly successful sitcom ''Series/EverybodyHatesChris'', which ran for four seasons. He's also hosted two Oscar ceremonies to wit, so he's still kicking for the time being. Starting in TheNewTwenties, Rock's prospects rose when he starred in the fourth season of ''Series/{{Fargo}}'' (which, although not as universally acclaimed as prior seasons, still received decent reviews) and the ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'' spin-off ''Film/{{Spiral}}'' (based on an idea conceived by Rock himself, it did decently at the box office despite mixed reviews). He also regained a lot of public sympathy after Creator/WillSmith slapped him during the Oscars ceremony in 2022.

** Creator/JennaOrtega had a recurring part on ''Series/JaneTheVirgin'' as a younger Jane before landing the main role of Harley Diaz on Disney Channel's ''Series/StuckInTheMiddle'' in 2016. After it ended in 2018, she transitioned from a child star to an adult actress with a role in season 2 of ''Series/{{You}}''. She quickly remodeled her image to a Gen-Z scream queen, beginning with a role in ''Film/TheBabysitterKillerQueen''. 2022 proved to be her breakout year upon starring as one of the protagonists in the fifth ''{{Film/Scream|2022}}'', a role she reprised for ''Film/ScreamVI''. Her next big film after ''Scream'' was ''{{Film/X|2022}}'', which became a SleeperHit with glowing reactions from audiences as well as critics. Beyond the horror genre, Ortega showed her ability as a dramatic actress with a widely hailed performance as a survivor of a high school shooting in ''Film/TheFallout''. She then played Wednesday Addams in the Creator/{{Netflix}} show ''Series/{{Wednesday}}'', an adaptation of ''Franchise/TheAddamsFamily'' franchise helmed by Creator/TimBurton.
* Creator/RyanGosling became a star with ''Film/TheNotebook'' and a critical darling with ''Half Nelson'', and Hollywood seems intent on selling the idea that he is sexier than sex. It's debatable whether there's general audience agreement. His movies have done fairly well financially, but that could mainly be because they had high-profile co-stars such as Creator/GeorgeClooney and Creator/SteveCarell. Critics still love him, but he has yet to headline a real blockbuster, and given he's inclined to smaller-scale dramas over special-effects spectacles, he might never become another Creator/TomCruise, although he possibly ''prefers'' it that way. It should be also noted that he's somewhat becoming {{typecast}} after ''Film/Drive2011'', with most roles afterwards being similarly tough guys in hyper-violent (read: R-rated) actionesque flicks. However, he earned praise for his comedy chops in ''Film/TheNiceGuys'', his musical performance in ''Film/LaLaLand'' won him a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination for Best Actor and his role as Ken in ''Film/Barbie2023''.
* In a tragic example of this trope, Music/{{Aaliyah}} was never able to prove whether or not she deserved all the hype she was given. After being the female lead in the surprise 2000 hit ''Film/RomeoMustDie'', it was widely predicted that she would be able to translate her highly successful R&B career into being a Hollywood leading lady, resulting in her getting the title role in ''Film/QueenOfTheDamned'', along with a major part in ''Film/TheMatrixReloaded'' and ''Film/TheMatrixRevolutions''. Unfortunately, right after finishing principal photography on ''Queen of the Damned'', she was killed in a plane crash, and the rock performance-heavy nature of the film meant it was extremely reliant on ADR dubbing, which she never had the chance to do before her death, meaning that nearly all her character's dialogue in the finished film was recorded by a sound-alike (her part in the ''Matrix'' sequels was subsequently recast with Nona Gaye). If nothing else however, the enduring success of her music well over a decade later shows that the hype around her R&B career was entirely justified.
* Much was expected of Creator/RachelMcAdams after ''Film/MeanGirls'' and ''Film/TheNotebook'', and she was immediately hailed as Hollywood's new it girl. With the successes of ''Film/WeddingCrashers'' and ''Film/RedEye'', the hype appeared to be justified. But her career stopped in its tracks when she took a break from 2006 to 2007, later admitting she never wanted to be a big movie star. She eventually made a comeback, with high points including ''Film/TheTimeTravelersWife2009'', ''Film/SherlockHolmes2009'', its sequel ''Film/SherlockHolmesAGameOfShadows'', and ''Film/MidnightInParis'', but most of her movies have been generally hit or miss. Her career seems to be flourishing, although she could've been an A-lister if given the chance. That chance returned with her [[UsefulNotes/AcademyAward Oscar]]-nominated performance in ''Film/{{Spotlight}}'', which won the Best Picture award for 2015. [=McAdams=] sustained that lucky streak by starring in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse movies ''Film/DoctorStrange2016'' and its sequel ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'', while also returning to comedy with ''Film/GameNight'' opposite Creator/JasonBateman.
* Creator/AlyssaMilano got fame as a child star in the 80s with ''Series/WhosTheBoss'' and got a huge Japanese following - enough to sign her to a five album recording contract over there. As she entered her twenties, she suffered the age-old ContractualPurity that dogs many child stars. She finally succeeded in breaking out of her nice girl image with erotic films that became cult classics. Magazine covers and cosmetic endorsements followed, as did a MsFanservice push in ''Series/MelrosePlace'' and ''{{Series/Charmed|1998}}''. The latter lasted a shocking eight seasons and it was predicted she would become a breakout star from it. Film offers came but she never had a notable hit. In TheNewTens, she settled comfortably as the host of ''Project Runway: All Stars''. It's not the career it could have been, but she doesn't seem stuck for work. Later in the decade, however, she became well-known for her progressive political activism during the UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump presidency. In the wake of the sexual assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein, she championed feminist causes by kickstarting the #[=MeToo=] movement and supporting the ''Time's Up'' movement. She also parlayed her fame into hosting the ''Sorry, Not Sorry'' podcast and as a producer.
* The cast of ''Series/BandOfBrothers'' undoubtedly got this - the most prominent of which included Creator/DamianLewis and Ron Livingston. Lewis's attempts in films didn't amount to much - with bombs like ''{{Film/Dreamcatcher}}'', ''{{Film/Stormbreaker}}'' and ''Film/YourHighness''. But on television, he fared much better with the worldwide success that was ''{{Series/Homeland}}''. After he left that, he successfully transitioned to another headlining role in ''{{Series/Billions}}''. Livingston already had fame from ''Film/OfficeSpace'' but remained in below-the-radar projects, the most high profile of which was ''Film/TheConjuring''. The men in the cast who became stars - Creator/MichaelFassbender, Creator/JamesMcAvoy, Creator/TomHardy and Creator/SimonPegg - had minor roles, with Fassbender the only one who appeared in more than two episodes. Donnie Wahlberg maintained a steady career of supporting roles, including the ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'' series, before getting the lead in ''Series/BlueBloods''. Creator/NealMcDonough, Creator/RossMcCall, Creator/MichaelCudlitz, and Richard Speight Jr. became TV regulars, while Frank John Hughes transitioned to screen writing and Creator/DexterFletcher became a highly successful director. Scott Grimes' attempt at joining a franchise - Ridley Scott's ''Film/RobinHood2010'' - was unsuccessful, but he enjoyed more success in [[WesternAnimation/AmericanDad voice acting]] and music. A lot of the rest were doomed to type casting or else retired from acting altogether.
* Creator/DianeKruger debuted with a memorable bang in ''{{Film/Troy}}'' as Helen and soon got lots of parts in America as a result, most notably in the ''Film/NationalTreasure'' films and ''Film/InglouriousBasterds''. But she rarely found work besides roles that catered to her beauty, and her progress seemed to wither in TheNewTens. She's still modeling and working away, so she isn't gone just yet.
* The actors who played Film/JamesBond had some hits and misses in their careers particularly after their tenure in playing the character:
** Creator/SeanConnery was the most memorable and possibly the most successful Bond actor. After his post-Bond stint, he starred in acclaimed and successful movies such ''Film/{{Marnie}}'', ''Film/TheHuntForRedOctober'', ''Film/MurderOnTheOrientExpress1974'', ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade'' and ''Film/TheUntouchables'' where he was the first and only Bond actor to win an Oscar. But he did have a few flops such as ''Film/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen'' which was his last film before his retirement.
** Creator/GeorgeLazenby is the unluckiest of all Bond actors and many people have mixed feelings on his performance in ''Film/OnHerMajestysSecretService''. After Bond, he starred in a bunch of TV movies, commercials, various recurring roles in TV series, several Bond movie spoofs and several Hong Kong action films, using his martial arts expertise which he learned from the legendary Creator/BruceLee. On the other hand, he became the wealthiest of all Bond actors, thanks to savvy investments in real estate.
** Creator/RogerMoore was already a successful actor before his Bond career where he starred in several TV shows such as ''Ivanhoe'', ''Series/{{Maverick}}'', ''Series/TheSaint'' and ''Series/ThePersuaders''. He became the longest-serving Bond actor in number of films, but after his Bond stint, he did a bunch of cameos. Regardless, he spent most of his post-Bond career doing charity works (UNICEF most prominently) which earned him a knighthood and other honors and remained one of the most respected British actors.
** Creator/TimothyDalton had a good stage career prior to his Bond tenure. He continued it after Bond while still getting some movie and TV roles on the side. Starting in the late 2000's and continuing into the following decade, he experienced a resurgence with a supporting role in ''Film/HotFuzz'', his tenure on ''Series/DoctorWho'', his voice work in ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'', and his leading roles in ''Series/PennyDreadful'' and ''Series/{{Doom Patrol|2019}}''.
** Creator/PierceBrosnan had a good start for his acting career when he starred in ''Series/RemingtonSteele'', followed by a supporting role in ''Film/MrsDoubtfire'' opposite Creator/RobinWilliams and Creator/SallyField. His tenure as Bond resurrected the franchise in TheNineties, but he considered his Bond movies post-''Film/GoldenEye'' as an OldShame. During and after his time as Bond, he appeared in a lot of successful movies like ''Film/TheThomasCrownAffair1999'', ''Film/TheTailorOfPanama'', ''Film/AfterTheSunset'', ''Film/MammaMia'' and ''Film/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians''. However, in TheNewTens, he hasn't had as much success as he used to. Luckily, he was cast as ComicBook/DoctorFate in ''Film/{{Black Adam|2022}}'', which may change things in this regard.
** While Creator/DanielCraig had showed his detractors wrong with the reboot, ''Film/{{Casino Royale|2006}}'', it didn't stop his Bond movies from falling victim to the StarTrekMovieCurse (with ''Casino Royale'', ''Film/{{Skyfall}}'', and ''Film/NoTimeToDie'' garnering critical acclaim while ''Film/QuantumOfSolace'' and ''Film/{{Spectre}}'' earned mixed reception). Prior and during his Bond tenure, he had been into a bunch of movies such as ''Film/RoadToPerdition'', ''Film/{{Munich}}'', ''Film/TheGoldenCompass'', ''Film/TheGirlWithTheDragonTattoo2011'', ''Film/LoganLucky'' and ''Film/KnivesOut'' (the latter proving to be his biggest non-Bond success to date) among others, and he maintains a respectable career as a stage actor.
* Much like his ''Film/RedEye'' co-star Creator/RachelMcAdams, Creator/CillianMurphy is a case who deliberately didn't want to live up too much to the hype. His role as Jim in ''Film/TwentyEightDaysLater'' was the first major exposure he got to American audiences before hitting the big-time in 2005 with ''Film/BatmanBegins'', ''Film/RedEye'', and ''Film/BreakfastOnPluto'' (the last of which got him a UsefulNotes/GoldenGlobe nomination), and several media outlets touted him as the "next big star". However, he's gone out of his way to deliberately stay out of the spotlight, motivated by his immense discomfort with the Hollywood system of celebrity culture and annoyance with being {{typecast}} as a "villain actor" because of his performances in ''Batman'' and ''Red Eye''. While he's still steadily working and earning rave reviews for his performances (especially in ''Series/PeakyBlinders''), he could've been as A-list as anybody if he wanted to be. Luckily, his work in ''Batman Begins'' impressed director Creator/ChristopherNolan enough to make the actor a mainstay in his ProductionPosse. Murphy [[Film/TheDarkKnight has]] [[Film/{{Inception}} appeared]] [[Film/TheDarkKnightRises in]] [[Film/{{Dunkirk}} most]] of Nolan's work since then in a side capacity, before finally playing the lead as theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer in the biopic ''Film/{{Oppenheimer}}'' which earned him critical acclaim.
* Creator/AnnabelleWallis was receiving lots of notable roles in TheNewTens, mostly on television (''Series/PeakyBlinders'') or in the horror genre (''{{Film/Annabelle}}''). In 2017 she starred in two high profile {{Box Office Bomb}}s - ''Film/KingArthurLegendOfTheSword'' (though she just had a supporting role and was one of the few things to be well-received about it) and ''Film/TheMummy2017''. The latter was meant to kick off Universal's Dark Universe based off of the movie monsters, but its failure snuffed her chances at joining a franchise. Her next notable role was the lead in Creator/JamesWan's 2021 horror film ''Film/{{Malignant}}'', which was eclipsed in its opening weekend by ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'' and ''Film/FreeGuy'' – although its simultaneous release on Creator/HBOMax definitely didn't help.
* Creator/KristenBell was pushed heavily by Hollywood following ''Series/VeronicaMars'', but it was her ''Film/ForgettingSarahMarshall'' co-stars Creator/MilaKunis (see below) and Creator/RussellBrand who became bigger stars out of the deal. So far, she's decently well-known, but is nowhere near what Hollywood was hoping. While she had a lead role in Disney's box office juggernaut ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}'', voice-over success tends to not translate back into live-action (ask ''WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}}'s'' Music/MandyMoore) and the majority of the hype that did come out of ''Frozen'' seems to have gone to Creator/IdinaMenzel (or even Josh Gad). She's only been in a few live-action films that grossed more than $40 million (''Film/ForgettingSarahMarshall'', ''Film/CouplesRetreat'', ''Film/Scream4'', ''Film/TheBoss'', ''Film/BadMoms'' and the latter's sequel) and she was part of an ensemble in all of them. With the ''Film/VeronicaMars'' film having a concurrent launch on video-on-demand, her cold live-action streak on the big screen will live on. As far as she's concerned, television is indeed ''Series/TheGoodPlace''.
* Creator/MilaKunis was well-known to audiences for her roles in ''Series/That70sShow'' and ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', but she got a big breakthrough with ''Film/ForgettingSarahMarshall'' - taking much of the spotlight away from Kristen Bell (mentioned above). She won lots of acclaim for her role as Lily in ''Film/BlackSwan'', and was named the Sexiest Woman Alive in 2013. Although her next big blockbuster ''Film/OzTheGreatAndPowerful'' made plenty of money, her performance was widely panned. Not helping matters was her first headlining role - ''Film/JupiterAscending'' - being a BoxOfficeBomb. She has ''Family Guy'' to fall back on, and scored a hit with ''Film/BadMoms'', so time will tell.
* Creator/ChrisEvans has had his ups and downs with this trope. After his role in ''Film/NotAnotherTeenMovie'', he got a number of prominent roles, most notably as the Human Torch in ''Film/FantasticFour2005'' and its sequel ''Film/FantasticFourRiseOfTheSilverSurfer''. While most of his films did fairly well, they were usually not well-received by critics, and he never broke out as a major star. He did get some positive press for his roles in ''Film/{{Sunshine}}'' and ''Film/ScottPilgrimVsTheWorld'', but they didn't do very well at the box office. However, his career began picking up in 2011 when he was cast as Captain America in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'' and subsequent Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse films. While his films outside it (''Film/TheIceman'' and ''Film/{{Snowpiercer}}'') have been only moderately successful, his Marvel roles should keep him around for a while. If anything kills Evans's career it may well be Evans himself. He's expressed ambivalence about his blockbusters and stated that he may well retire after his Marvel contract is up to focus on directing. After ''Film/AvengersEndgame'', which is his last movie as Captain America, Evans appeared in ''Film/KnivesOut'' with Daniel Craig (see above), gaining particular praise for his performance.
* Creator/AnthonyMackie is a weird case. Some of his supporters find it frustrating that Mackie has been touted as one of Hollywood's future A-listers (he appeared on the Hollywood issue of ''Vanity Fair'' along with Creator/RyanReynolds, Creator/AnneHathaway, Creator/JenniferLawrence, Creator/JosephGordonLevitt, Creator/RashidaJones, Creator/JesseEisenberg, Creator/GarrettHedlund, Creator/NoomiRapace, Creator/MilaKunis, Creator/OliviaWilde, Creator/AndrewGarfield, and Creator/JakeGyllenhaal) and yet remains the only male up and comer featured there that has yet to headline a major movie. People started saying he's stuck playing supportive roles as the TokenBlackFriend. He was cast as ComicBook/TheFalcon in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, though, so only time will tell if he will ever break out (so far, he hasn't had any major breakout outside of that role).
* Creator/GalGadot started out playing a supporting role in ''Film/TheFastAndTheFurious'' franchise, but her big break came when she played Franchise/WonderWoman in the Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse. Although the character debuted as a supporting role in the polarizing ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'', Gadot's performance was well-received even by the film's harshest critics. The subsequent ''Film/{{Wonder Woman|2017}}'' origin movie was a critical and commercial success with many critics positively comparing Gadot to Robert Downey Jr. and Christopher Reeve as the generation's most iconic superhero actor. Not only that, but a ''Wonder Woman'' sequel was fast-tracked while many other DCEU movies linger in DevelopmentHell, ensuring that she will keep playing Wonder Woman even as her co-stars Creator/HenryCavill and Creator/BenAffleck have a much more uncertain future in the franchise. Outside of ''The Fast and the Furious'' and DC movies, she had a voice role in ''WesternAnimation/RalphBreaksTheInternet'', surprising many by being not only a decent voice actor but also a good singer. When the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic struck, Gadot's future projects pivoted from theaters to streaming, with ''Film/WonderWoman1984'' and ''Film/RedNotice'' becoming major hits on Creator/HBOMax and Creator/{{Netflix}}, respectively. However, both received mixed reviews, with ''Wonder Woman 1984'' in particular being viewed as a notable step down from the first film. Her next theatrically released project was an adaptation of ''Film/DeathOnTheNile2022'' directed by Creator/KennethBranagh, which also received mixed reviews and underperformed at the box office.

* Creator/RyanGosling became a star with ''Film/TheNotebook'' and a critical darling with ''Half Nelson'', and Hollywood seems intent on selling the idea that he is sexier than sex. It's debatable whether there's general audience agreement. His movies have done fairly well financially, but that could mainly be because they had high-profile co-stars such as Creator/GeorgeClooney and Creator/SteveCarell. Critics still love him, but he has yet to headline a real blockbuster, and given he's inclined to smaller-scale dramas over special-effects spectacles, he might never become another Creator/TomCruise, although he possibly ''prefers'' it that way. It should be also noted that he's somewhat becoming {{typecast}} after ''Film/Drive2011'', with most roles afterwards being similarly tough guys in hyper-violent (read: R-rated) actionesque flicks. However, he earned praise for his comedy chops in ''Film/TheNiceGuys'' and his musical performance in ''Film/LaLaLand'' won him a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.

* Much like his ''Film/RedEye'' co-star Creator/RachelMcAdams, Creator/CillianMurphy is a case who deliberately didn't want to live up too much to the hype. His role as Jim in ''Film/TwentyEightDaysLater'' was the first major exposure he got to American audiences before hitting the big-time in 2005 with ''Film/BatmanBegins'', ''Film/RedEye'', and ''Film/BreakfastOnPluto'' (the last of which got him a UsefulNotes/GoldenGlobe nomination), and several media outlets touted him as the "next big star". However, he's gone out of his way to deliberately stay out of the spotlight, motivated by his immense discomfort with the Hollywood system of celebrity culture and annoyance with being {{typecast}} as a "villain actor" because of his performances in ''Batman'' and ''Red Eye''. While he's still steadily working and earning rave reviews for his performances (especially in ''Series/PeakyBlinders''), he could've been as A-list as anybody if he wanted to be. Luckily, his work in ''Batman Begins'' impressed director Creator/ChristopherNolan enough to make the actor a mainstay in his ProductionPosse. Murphy [[Film/TheDarkKnight has]] [[Film/{{Inception}} appeared]] [[Film/TheDarkKnightRises in]] [[Film/{{Dunkirk}} most]] of Nolan's work since then in a side capacity, before finally playing the lead as theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer in the upcoming biopic ''Film/{{Oppenheimer}}''.

** The cast of ''Film/HighSchoolMusical'' got a big push when that film became a cultural phenomenon of the 2000's. Creator/ZacEfron has so far achieved the most success out of his cast mates, although he's only had [[Film/SeventeenAgain three]] [[Film/{{Neighbors2014}} major]] [[Film/TheGreatestShowman hits]]. Only time will tell if he can successfully make the transition. Music/VanessaHudgens tried distancing herself from her Disney roots with darker, more adult roles in ''Film/SuckerPunch'' and ''Film/SpringBreakers''. Her films did fine, but she has enjoyed more success as a singer and on Broadway. Creator/AshleyTisdale had already established herself in Disney with ''Series/TheSuiteLifeOfZackAndCody'', and swiftly switched to voice-over work in ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb''. Her first film role after ''High School Musical'', unfortunately, was in the ill-received family film ''Film/AliensInTheAttic'', which seems to have killed her screen prospects. Creator/CorbinBleu moved to TV and did occasional work, the most notable being his stint on ''Series/DancingWithTheStars''. Like Hudgens, he'd later enjoy more success as a singer and on Broadway. Creator/LucasGrabeel joined the main cast of the ABC Family drama ''Series/SwitchedAtBirth'', and remained on the series for the entirety of its run. His film career seemed to start off decently with a supporting role in Creator/GusVanSant's ''Film/{{Milk}}'', but he hasn't appeared in another film of that level since then. Like Bleu, Creator/MoniqueColeman also had a stint on ''Dancing with the Stars''. She later made supporting appearances in several TV shows and films, but her career never really took off. She has since become well-known for her philanthropic work.

** Creator/MatthewPerry had a minor success starring opposite Creator/BruceWillis in the BlackComedy ''Film/TheWholeNineYards'', only for any potential film career chances to be flushed down the toilet by two disasters: the RomanticComedy ''Film/ServingSara'' (which also damaged the film career of Creator/ElizabethHurley) and the sequel ''Film/TheWholeTenYards''. His sole theatrical release afterwards was in 2009's ''Film/SeventeenAgain'', where he portrayed the main character as an adult (although most screen time was devoted to his teenage self, played by the undermentioned Creator/ZacEfron). His television career has been equally unsuccessful, as he had gone 0 for 3 with ''Series/Studio60OnTheSunsetStrip'', ''Series/MrSunshine2011'' and ''Series/GoOn''. However, critics did like his recurring appearances on ''Series/TheGoodWife'', and he finally landed a series that didn't get cancelled after one season with ''Series/{{The Odd Couple|2015}}''.

** Creator/JennaOrtega had a recurring part on ''Series/JaneTheVirgin'' as a younger Jane before landing the main role of Harley Diaz on Disney Channel's ''Series/StuckInTheMiddle'' in 2016. After it ended in 2018, she transitioned from a child star to an adult actress with a role in season 2 of ''Series/{{You}}''. She quickly remodeled her image to a Gen-Z scream queen, beginning with a role in ''Film/TheBabysitterKillerQueen''. 2022 proved to be her breakout year upon starring as one of the protagonists in the fifth ''{{Film/Scream|2022}}'', a role she'll reprise for ''Film/ScreamVI''. Her next big film after ''Scream'' was ''{{Film/X|2022}}'', which became a SleeperHit with glowing reactions from audiences as well as critics. Beyond the horror genre, Ortega showed her ability as a dramatic actress with a widely hailed performance as a survivor of a high school shooting in ''Film/TheFallout''. She then played Wednesday Addams in the Creator/{{Netflix}} show ''Series/{{Wednesday}}'', an adaptation of ''Franchise/TheAddamsFamily'' franchise helmed by Creator/TimBurton.

** While Creator/DanielCraig had showed his detractors wrong with the reboot, ''Film/{{Casino Royale|2006}}'', it didn't stop his Bond movies from falling victim to the StarTrekMovieCurse (with ''Casino Royale'', ''Film/{{Skyfall}}'', and ''Film/NoTimeToDie'' garnering critical acclaim while ''Film/QuantumOfSolace'' and ''Film/{{Spectre}}'' earned mixed reception). Prior and during his Bond tenure, he had been into a bunch of movies such as ''Film/RoadToPerdition'', ''Film/{{Munich}}'', ''Film/TheGoldenCompass'', ''Film/TheGirlWithTheDragonTattoo'', ''Film/LoganLucky'' and ''Film/KnivesOut'' (the latter proving to be his biggest non-Bond success to date) among others, and he maintains a respectable career as a stage actor.

** Creator/DavidSchwimmer saw his star power dissipate when his first project after ''Friends'' ended, the independent dramedy ''Duane Hopwood'', received mixed reviews and a very limited theatrical release. He didn't star in any high-profile roles afterwards (aside from voice-over work in ''WesternAnimation/{{Madagascar}}'' and its sequels) and instead started directing, where he seems content. However, he has recently been trying to do more dramatic television roles like playing Robert Kardashian in ''Series/AmericanCrimeStory: The People vs. O.J. Simpson''.
* Creator/ChrisRock got his start as a ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' cast member, then his career ''exploded'' in the mid 90's with the Creator/{{HBO}} stand-up special ''Bring the Pain'', which made him a network favorite for the rest of the decade. He soon got film roles in a number of comedies including ''Film/{{Dogma}}'', ''Film/BeverlyHillsNinja'' and ''Down to Earth''. Unfortunately, most of his films were mediocre at best, and didn't draw many audiences to the theaters. He took a break from starring in live-action films in the mid 2000's and went to voice work, notably voicing Marty in the ''WesternAnimation/{{Madagascar}}'' series, and eventually ventured into television production with the highly successful sitcom ''Series/EverybodyHatesChris'', which ran for four seasons. He's also hosted two Oscar ceremonies to wit, so he's still kicking for the time being. Starting in TheNewTwenties, Rock's prospects rose when he starred in the fourth season of ''Series/{{Fargo}}'' (which, although not as universally acclaimed as prior seasons, still received decent reviews) and the ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'' spin-off ''Film/{{Spiral}}'' (based on an idea conceived by Rock himself, it did decently at the box office despite mixed reviews). He also regained a lot of public sympathy after Creator/WillSmith slapped him during the Oscars ceremony in 2022.

** Creator/JennaOrtega had a recurring part on ''Series/JaneTheVirgin'' as a younger Jane before landing the main role of Harley Diaz on Disney Channel's ''Series/StuckInTheMiddle'' in 2016. After it ended in 2018, she transitioned from a child star to an adult actress with a role in season 2 of ''Series/{{You}}''. She quickly remodeled her image as a Gen-Z scream queen beginning with a role in ''Film/TheBabysitterKillerQueen''. 2022 proved to be her breakout year when she starred as one of the main protagonists in the fifth ''{{Film/Scream|2022}}'' film, a role she'll reprise for a sequel with a 2023 release date. Her next major movie after ''Scream'' was ''{{Film/X|2022}}'', which became a SleeperHit with glowing reactions from audiences as well as critics. Beyond the horror genre, Ortega showed her ability as a dramatic actress with a widely hailed performance as a survivor of a high school shooting in ''Film/TheFallout''. She'll soon play Wednesday Addams in the Creator/{{Netflix}} series ''Series/{{Wednesday}}'', an adaptation of ''Franchise/TheAddamsFamily'' franchise helmed by Creator/TimBurton.

** Creator/LisaKudrow starred in the 1997 comedy ''Film/RomyAndMichelesHighSchoolReunion'' opposite Creator/MiraSorvino, which did fine when it debuted but later found a wider audience as a CultClassic on home video. She also got critical praise for her role in the AcclaimedFlop ''The Opposite of Sex'', and appeared as the wife of Creator/BillyCrystal in ''Film/AnalyzeThis'' plus its sequel ''Film/AnalyzeThat''. Kudrow's most notable role after ''Friends'' ended was as has-been sitcom actress Valerie Cherish in the Creator/{{HBO}} comedy ''Series/TheComeback'', which received indifferent reception when it premiered and was cancelled in 2005 but later was VindicatedByHistory as one of the decade's finest shows. ''The Comeback'' was still recognized with three Emmy nominations for its first season despite its initial reception (including a Best Actress nomination for Kudrow), but the show's growing esteem led to a second season being green-lit in 2014 – '''nine''' years after its first season premiered. Reviews were far more positive this time around, with Kudrow getting another Emmy nomination. While ''Film/MarciX'' killed her clout as a leading lady on film in 2003, she continued finding success as a supporting actress in comedies like ''Film/EasyA'', ''Film/{{Neighbors|2014}}'', ''Film/{{Booksmart}}'', etc.

* Creator/DianeKruger debuted with a memorable bang in ''{{Film/Troy}}'' as Helen and soon got lots of work in America as a result, notably in the ''Film/NationalTreasure'' films. She also won lots of critical acclaim for ''Film/IngloriousBasterds''. But she rarely found herself getting work outside of roles that catered to her beauty, and her momentum seemed to evaporate in TheNewTens. She's still modelling and working away though, so she's not gone yet.

** Creator/JenniferAniston has fared the best so far – although she never headlined a $100 million hit until 2011's ''Film/HorribleBosses'' (which arguably was helped out [[Creator/JasonBateman by]] [[Creator/JasonSudeikis the]] [[Creator/KevinSpacey other]] [[Creator/ColinFarrell heavyweights]] in the film – she's never had a starring role do that well until ''Film/WereTheMillers'' in 2013, and is mostly known for romantic comedies), she was fortunate enough not to have a major flop during the time in between, and at the very least she's ''treated'' like a major star by most of Hollywood. By the time she entered her forties, she began to enjoy more variation in the roles she was able to play (having been shut out of anything but romantic comedies due to typecasting making it impossible for people to see her as anyone other than [[IAmNotLeonardNimoy Jennifer Aniston]]). She earned critical acclaim for ''{{Film/Cake 2014}}'' as a grieving mother with chronic pain, and [[PlayingAgainstType played against type]] in ''Film/{{Dumplin}}''. She also enjoyed moderate success on television with ''Series/TheMorningShow'', getting UsefulNotes/EmmyAward and Golden Globe nominations regardless of the show's tepid reception.

** Creator/LisaKudrow starred in the 1997 comedy ''Film/RomyAndMichelesHighSchoolReunion'' opposite Creator/MiraSorvino, which did fine when it debuted but later found a wider audience as a CultClassic on home video. She also got critical praise for her role in the AcclaimedFlop ''The Opposite of Sex'', and appeared as the wife of Creator/BillyCrystal in ''Film/AnalyzeThis'' and its sequel ''Film/AnalyzeThat''. Kudrow's most notable role after ''Friends'' ended was as has-been sitcom actress Valerie Cherish in the Creator/{{HBO}} comedy ''Series/TheComeback'', which received indifferent reception when it premiered and was cancelled in 2005 but later was VindicatedByHistory as one of the decade's finest shows. ''The Comeback'' was still recognized with three Emmy nominations for its first season despite its initial reception (including a Best Actress nomination for Kudrow), but the show's growing esteem led to a second season being green-lit in 2014 – '''nine''' years after its first season premiered. Reviews were far more positive this time around, with Kudrow nabbing another Emmy nomination.
** Creator/MattLeBlanc headlined a series of hellacious bombs: he did ''Ed'', a movie with a baseball-playing chimp, followed by ''Film/LostInSpace''... and then there was ''Series/{{Joey}}''. He made a slight comeback in 2011 when he starred in the critically successful Creator/{{Showtime}} comedy series ''Series/{{Episodes}}'' ([[AdamWesting playing himself, no less]]), which gave him his first Emmy nominations since ''Friends''. After ''Episodes'' finished its run, he was immediately announced as one of the new hosts of ''Series/TopGear'' and simultaneously had a network TV hit with the three-camera ''Man with a Plan''.

* Creator/{{Disney}} has recently generated an alarming number of {{Kid Com}}s, beginning with the success of ''Series/LizzieMcGuire'' and its leading star Music/HilaryDuff. With Duff, they created a crossover starlet (with movies, TV shows, albums, and clothing lines coming out) of high repute. They immediately made a formula with this (spawning ''Series/HannahMontana'' and many others), with all their future starlets being similarly built up. Most of them ([[Music/MileyCyrus although]] [[Music/SelenaGomez there]] [[Music/DemiLovato are]] [[Music/OliviaRodrigo exceptions]]) have only received little hype after their Disney shows finished their run, and have mostly failed to obtain stardom outside of their original shows.

** Creator/JennaOrtega had a recurring part on ''Series/JaneTheVirgin'' as a younger Jane before landing the main role of Harley Diaz on Disney Channel's ''Series/StuckInTheMiddle'' in 2016. After it ended in 2018, she transitioned from a child star to an adult actress with a role in season 2 of ''Series/{{You}}''. She quickly remodeled her image as a Gen-Z scream queen beginning with a role in ''Film/TheBabysitterKillerQueen''. 2022 proved to be her breakout year when she starred as one of the main protagonists in the fifth ''{{Film/Scream|2022}}'' film, a role she'll reprise for a sequel with a 2023 release date. Her next major movie after ''Scream'' was ''{{Film/X|2022}}'', which became a SleeperHit with glowing reactions from audiences as well as critics. Beyond the horror genre, Ortega showed her ability as a dramatic actress with a widely hailed performance as a survivor of a high school shooting in ''Film/TheFallout''. She'll soon play Wednesday Addams in the Creator/{{Netflix}} series ''Series/{{Wednesday}}''.

* Creator/AnnabelleWallis was receiving lots of notable roles in TheNewTens, mostly on television (''Series/PeakyBlinders'') or in the horror genre (''{{Film/Annabelle}}''). In 2017 she starred in two high profile {{Box Office Bomb}}s - ''Film/KingArthurLegendOfTheSword'' (though she just had a supporting role and was one of the few things to be well-received about it) and ''Film/TheMummy2017''. The latter was meant to kick off Universal's Dark Universe based off of the movie monsters, but its failure killed her chances at joining a franchise. Her next notable role was the lead in Creator/JamesWan's 2021 horror film ''Film/{{Malignant}}'', which was eclipsed in its opening weekend by ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'' and ''Film/FreeGuy'' – although its simultaneous release on Creator/HBOMax definitely didn't help.

** Creator/JenniferAniston has fared the best so far – although she never headlined a $100 million hit until 2011's ''Film/HorribleBosses'' (which arguably was helped out [[Creator/JasonBateman by]] [[Creator/JasonSudeikis the]] [[Creator/KevinSpacey other]] [[Creator/ColinFarrell heavyweights]] in the film – she's never had a starring role do that well until ''Film/WereTheMillers'' in 2013, and is mostly known for romantic comedies), she was fortunate enough not to have a major flop during the time in between, and at the very least she's ''treated'' like a major star by most of Hollywood. By the time she entered her forties, she began to enjoy more variation in the roles she was able to play (having been shut out of anything but romantic comedies due to typecasting making it impossible for people to see her as anyone other than [[IAmNotLeonardNimoy Jennifer Aniston]]). She earned critical acclaim for ''{{Film/Cake 2014}}'' as a grieving mother with chronic pain, and [[PlayingAgainstType played against type]] in ''Film/{{Dumplin}}''. She also enjoyed moderate success on television with ''Series/TheMorningShow'', receiving UsefulNotes/EmmyAward and Golden Globe nominations despite the show's tepid reception.

* Creator/{{Disney}} has started creating an alarming number of {{Kid Com}}s in recent years, starting with the success of ''Series/LizzieMcGuire'' and Music/HilaryDuff. With Duff, they managed to create a crossover starlet (with movies, TV shows, albums, and clothing lines coming out) of high repute. They immediately created a formula with this, spawning ''Series/HannahMontana'' and others, with all their myriad starlets being built up the exact same way. Most of them ([[Music/MileyCyrus although]] [[Music/SelenaGomez there]] [[Music/DemiLovato are]] [[Music/OliviaRodrigo exceptions]]) have only received minor hype after their Disney shows' runs were finished, and have mostly failed to find real stardom outside of their original shows.
** Creator/AnneHathaway, for instance, became an acclaimed actress only after ''leaving'' the Disney machine and going for legit cred in ''Film/BrokebackMountain'' and ''Film/RachelGettingMarried'', the latter of which netted her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. She later won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for ''Film/LesMiserables2012''.

** Creator/BellaThorne and Creator/{{Zendaya}} received a massive push after they headlined ''Series/ShakeItUp''. Thorne was initially thought to benefit from it more, having already had some credibility as a mature actress by starring on the Creator/{{HBO}} drama series ''Series/BigLove'' before the Disney kid com. Unfortunately, most of her roles afterwards (''Film/AlexanderAndTheTerribleHorribleNoGoodVeryBadDay'', ''Film/TheDUFF'', ''Film/TheBabysitter2017'' and its sequel ''[[Film/TheBabysitterKillerQueen Killer Queen]]'') appears to have {{typecast}} her into AlphaBitch roles. The scam accusations and controversy that came with her [=OnlyFans=] presence haven't helped either. Zendaya, meanwhile, had a praised stint on ''Series/DancingWithTheStars'' (she and her partner Val Chmerkovskiy are unanimously considered one of the best pairs in the series' history) and transitioned to another Disney kid com, ''Series/KCUndercover''. The latter decision wasn't optimistically received, with many predicting she would be tied to the Disney machine until being cast aside upon reaching adulthood. In 2017, however, she had a true breakout when she co-starred in two of that year's biggest films, ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'' and ''Film/TheGreatestShowman''. ''The Greatest Showman'', despite receiving mixed reviews, became one of the top five highest-grossing movie musicals of all time. ''Spider-Man: Homecoming'', meanwhile, marked her introduction into the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse. She played a high-school friend and eventual love interest to the title hero, a role she would later reprise in that film's critically hailed, $1B-dollar grossing sequels, ''Film/SpiderManFarFromHome'' and ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome''. In 2019, she landed the lead role of Rue Bennett in the HBO teen drama ''Series/{{Euphoria}}''. Zendaya garnered tons of acclaim for her performance in that show, for which she would win an Emmy for Best Actress in a Drama Series in 2020. In addition to reprising her MCU role in 2021's ''No Way Home'', she appeared in the Creator/DenisVilleneuve adaptation of ''[[Film/Dune2021 Dune]]'' that same year. Production was split into two films; although Zendaya's part in the first film was small but vital, she is expected to have an expanded role in the follow-up.

* Creator/SharonTate was being hyped up as a potential new star throughout the 1960s. She was notably kept in small roles in film and television before her supporting part in ''Film/EyeOfTheDevil''. It was the successes of ''Film/TheFearlessVampireKillers'' and ''Literature/ValleyOfTheDolls'' that marked her official breakout. However more attention was given to her beauty and willingness to do nudity, paralleling her character in ''Valley of the Dolls''. She resented the beach film ''Film/DontMakeWaves'' marketing her as a MsFanservice (mockingly calling the ad campaign of her in a bikini as "sexy little me"), and expressed an interest to go into comedy. Her final film was ''Film/TheWreckingCrew'' - before she was tragically and horrifically murdered by the Manson Family in 1969. Since her death, her films were re-evaluated, and people have pointed to potential she may have tapped into had she lived longer. She is sadly probably more associated with her tragic death than what she accomplished in life.

** Creator/GeorgeLazenby is the unluckiest of all Bond actors and many people have mixed feelings on his performance in ''Film/OnHerMajestysSecretService''. After Bond, he starred in a bunch of TV movies, commercials, various recurring roles in TV series, several Bond movie spoofs and several Hong Kong action films, using his martial arts expertise which he learned from the legendary Creator/BruceLee. He became the wealthiest actor to play Bond, thanks to investing in real estate.
** Creator/RogerMoore was already a successful actor before his Bond career where he starred in several TV shows such as ''Series/{{Maverick}}'', ''Series/TheSaint'' and ''Series/ThePersuaders''. He became the longest-serving Bond actor, but after his Bond stint, he did a bunch of cameos. Regardless, he spent most of his post-Bond career doing charity works which earned him a knighthood and other honors and remained one of the most respected British actors.
** Creator/TimothyDalton had a good theater career prior to his Bond tenure. However, his portrayal as Bond is still regarded as a BrokenBase due the DarkerAndEdgier approach of the movies. He continued his theater career after Bond while still getting some movie and TV roles on the side. Starting in the late 2000's and continuing into the following decade, he experienced a resurgence with a supporting role in ''Film/HotFuzz'', his tenure on ''Series/DoctorWho'', his voice work in ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'', and his leading roles in ''Series/PennyDreadful'' and ''Series/DoomPatrol''.
** Creator/PierceBrosnan had a good start for his acting career when he starred in ''Series/RemingtonSteele'', followed by a supporting role in ''Film/MrsDoubtfire'' opposite Creator/RobinWilliams and Creator/SallyField. His tenure as Bond resurrected the franchise in TheNineties, but he considered his Bond movies post-''Film/GoldenEye'' as an OldShame. During and after his time as Bond, he appeared in a lot of successful movies like ''Film/TheThomasCrownAffair1999'', ''Film/TheTailorOfPanama'', ''Film/AfterTheSunset'', ''Film/MammaMia'' and ''Film/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians''. However, in TheNewTens, he hasn't had as much success as he used to. Luckily, he was cast as ComicBook/DoctorFate in ''Film/BlackAdam2022'', showing that there's still some hope for his career.
** Creator/DanielCraig got a lot of flak when he was chosen as Bond due to being blonde and shorter than the other Bonds. While he had showed his detractors wrong with the reboot, ''Film/{{Casino Royale|2006}}'', it didn't stop his Bond movies from falling victim to the StarTrekMovieCurse (with ''Casino Royale'', ''Film/{{Skyfall}}'', and ''Film/NoTimeToDie'' garnering critical acclaim while ''Film/QuantumOfSolace'' and ''Film/{{Spectre}}'' earned mixed reception). Prior and during his Bond tenure, he had been into a bunch of movies such as ''Film/RoadToPerdition'', ''Film/{{Munich}}'', ''Film/TheGoldenCompass'', ''Film/TheGirlWithTheDragonTattoo'', ''Film/LoganLucky'' and ''Film/KnivesOut'' among others, and he maintains a good career as a theatre actor.

* Creator/AnthonyMackie is a weird case. Some of his supporters find it frustrating that Mackie has been touted as one of Hollywood's future A-listers (he appeared on the Hollywood issue of ''Vanity Fair'' along with Creator/RyanReynolds, Creator/AnneHathaway, Creator/JenniferLawrence, Creator/JosephGordonLevitt, Creator/RashidaJones, Creator/JesseEisenberg, Creator/GarrettHedlund, Creator/NoomiRapace, Creator/MilaKunis, Creator/OliviaWilde, Creator/AndrewGarfield, and Creator/JakeGyllenhaal) and yet remains the only male up and comer featured there that has yet to headline a major movie. People started saying he's stuck playing supportive roles as the TokenBlackFriend. He was cast as ComicBook/TheFalcon in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, though, so only time will tell if he will ever break out.