History HollywoodHypeMachine / ExamplesThatDidntHoldUp

* [[HollywoodHypeMachine/ActorsThatDidntHoldUpAToL A-L]]
* [[HollywoodHypeMachine/ActorsThatDidntHoldUpMToZ M-Z]]

* '''Creator/SophieMarceau''' was expected by many to have a successful crossover in American films, having found success in her native France and having played major roles in ''Film/{{Braveheart}}'' and the Film/JamesBond film ''Film/TheWorldIsNotEnough''. However, a number of flops and a bizarre, rambling speech she made at the Cannes Film Festival in 1999 fast derailed her in the US. She still makes films, but many of them barely get released outside of France. You would think ''[[Film/DontLookBack2009 Don't Look Back]]'', a film where she teams up with Creator/MonicaBellucci and which [[GirlOnGirlIsHot they embraced topless]] on the cover of ''Paris Match'' to promote, would have gotten a decent international push.
* When '''Creator/VanessaMarcil''' was still on ''Series/GeneralHospital'', she nabbed the role of the female lead in ''Film/TheRock''. According to her, she then had to decline many subsequent film roles because of her ''General Hospital'' contract. She eventually departed for ''Series/BeverlyHills90210'', which forced her to decline a role on ''Series/AllyMcBeal''. Then she was supposed to be a regular on ''Series/NYPDBlue'' only to be replaced after just one episode. After one more primetime stint on the totally forgettable ''Series/LasVegas'', she ultimately just ended up back on ''General Hospital''.
* '''Creator/PamelaSueMartin''' was working as a child model before she got her big break on screen in 1972's ''Film/ThePoseidonAdventure'', which became an MediaNotes/AcademyAward-winning and box office success. She became a major starlet in TheSeventies with many popular roles to her name, notably playing Literature/NancyDrew in ''Series/TheHardyBoysNancyDrewMysteries''. Her success continued into the next decade when she was cast as Fallon Carrington in the hit {{soap opera}} ''Series/Dynasty1981'', but she suddenly left after the fourth season (with the character written off as missing and presumed dead before [[TheOtherDarrin being recast]] with Creator/EmmaSamms). Following her departure from ''Dynasty'', she has only acted sporadically.
* '''Creator/SamanthaMathis''' got an adequate push in TheNineties starting with her film debut in 1990's ''Film/PumpUpTheVolume'' opposite her then-boyfriend Creator/ChristianSlater, which was helped by her being the daughter of actress Creator/BibiBesch. Her next major film was the hated BoxOfficeBomb ''Film/SuperMarioBros1993'', where she played Princess Daisy. Her career, thanks to roles in films such as ''Film/LittleWomen1994'', ''Film/TheAmericanPresident'', ''Film/BrokenArrow1996'', and ''Film/AmericanPsycho'', stayed afloat for most of the decade, but she wasn't in a major project for four years after the last one until ''Film/ThePunisher2004'', where she played the titular character's dead wife. It underperformed too, sending her career hurtling downwards. Mathis seldom acts these days, while she's mostly known now for dating Slater and Creator/RiverPhoenix. Morbidly, she was on the scene when Phoenix suffered his fatal drug overdose in 1993. Mathis claims the onslaught of media exposure she endured following his death made her more reticent plus less willing to be cast in high-profile projects.
* '''Creator/KellyMcGillis''' had a spectacular debut in TheEighties: making her film debut in the 1983 dramedy ''Reuben, Reuben'' before reaching the A-list with roles in the smash hits ''Film/{{Witness}}'' and ''Film/TopGun''. She starred as a young Amish mother alongside Creator/HarrisonFord in the former, which made over $100 million worldwide and became lauded during awards season with eight MediaNotes/AcademyAward nominations (while snubbed there, [=McGillis=] did get a Golden Globe nomination for her performance). The latter, where she starred opposite Creator/TomCruise, became one of the biggest movies and a cultural touchstone of the decade, grossing over $357 million worldwide. She amassed further critical acclaim with her performance in ''Film/TheAccused'', working alongside Creator/JodieFoster (who would earn her first Academy Award for it). She was on top of the world... and then her next film, ''Film/CatChaser'', sent her hype plunging back down. It became a TroubledProduction that got even worse when [=McGillis=] developed [[HostilityOnTheSet growing antipathy]] for director Creator/AbelFerrara and co-star Creator/PeterWeller. The finished film was consigned DirectToVideo after poor test screenings, while [=McGillis=] was so disillusioned by the experience she ceased acting for two years. Although she resumed in several made-for-TV films and onstage, she didn't reclaim the fame she had in the '80s. She wasn't even offered to reprise her ''Top Gun'' role for its 2022 sequel ''Film/TopGunMaverick''. Post-the '80s, her most notable theatrical film role was a minor part as an Amish mom (referencing her ''Witness'' role) in the critically derided 1994 BoxOfficeBomb ''Film/{{North}}''.
* '''Creator/RoseMcGowan''' became a cult favorite in TheNineties thanks to ''Film/TheDoomGeneration''. She got a lot of public notoriety for her 'edgy' image (and relationship with Marilyn Manson) and a prominent supporting role in the SleeperHit ''{{Film/Scream 1996}}''. It all looked ready to make her a star...except the latter was also the film after which she was raped by Harvey Weinstein, who proceeded to blacklist her from Hollywood afterwards. While she was able to keep working thanks to Aaron Spelling offering her a role in ''{{Series/Charmed 1998}}'' (ironically after Shannen Doherty was fired), she still suffered from Harvey Weinstein being the distributor of her high profile ''{{Film/Grindhouse}}'' roles - and Robert Rodriguez alleges that he buried the films out of spite. She was attached to remakes of ''ComicBook/RedSonja'' and ''{{Film/Barbarella}}'' for years that never saw the light of day, and she also suffered setbacks when a botched plastic surgery led to a drastic change in her looks (though the lie circulated was that she was in a car accident and it was reconstructive surgery). In TheNewTens, she got fed up with Hollywood politics and helped expose the culture of sexual abuse and corruption - leading to a renewed career now as a feminist activist, with her memoir ''Brave'' going bestseller. She also expressed an interest in directing.
* '''Creator/ZoeMcLellan''' tried and failed to become a movie star via ''Film/DungeonsAndDragons2000'', which also killed Thora Birch's career as well. She, though, soon established a good career in television during TheAughts and continuing into TheNewTens with numerous hits including ''Series/{{JAG}}'', ''Series/DirtySexyMoney'', ''Series/NCISNewOrleans'', etc. However, [=McLellan=] got entangled in a bog of legal issues midway through the 2010s after her divorce worsened into several prolonged custody battles for her son. Following a stint on the second season of ''Series/DesignatedSurvivor'' and some made-for-TV films, she hasn't starred in any screen projects ever since 2019. [=McLellan=] and her son fell off the grid around 2020, with an arrest warrant put out against her the next year for kidnapping and other charges.
* '''Creator/KristyMcNichol''' started out as a child star in TheSeventies, before clinching a big popularity boost upon being cast in the TV series ''Series/{{Family}}''. The show got her two [[MediaNotes/EmmyAward Emmy Awards]] for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, with studios using that push to try making her into a leading lady. Things began pretty well with some hits early on in TheEighties like ''Film/TheNightTheLightsWentOutInGeorgia'' (for which she received a huge six-figure salary in 1981, unprecedented for a teenager back then) and ''Only When I Laugh'', only to soon worsen. First, she appeared in the Creator/SamuelFuller-directed ''Film/WhiteDog''. It was afflicted with significant controversy because of its touchy subject matter about a dog trained to attack black people, which reduced its distribution to a limited release abroad and cancelled outright from theaters in America. Though well-received by critics in its initial run and eventually reevaluated by the general public as a powerful anti-racism parable decades later, it still was an {{acclaimed flop}}. Her following project, ''Film/ThePirateMovie'', became a humongous critical and {{box office bomb}}, with [=McNichol=] nabbing a [[MediaNotes/GoldenRaspberryAward Razzie]] nomination for Worst Actress thanks to it. In 1982, amidst filming of ''Film/JustTheWayYouAre'', [=McNichol=], who held a documented history of emotional disturbance, distress, and turbulence, suffered a mental breakdown, which delayed filming for over a year while she sought help. Decades later, she disclosed that her nervous collapse was provoked by a mix of the pressures of childhood celebrity plus anguish from her closeted homosexuality during an epoch of ingrained homophobia in the United States. While [=McNichol=] kept working in TheEighties and TheNineties (notably on the TV series ''Series/EmptyNest''), she didn't recover the popularity she had before officially declaring her acting retirement in 2001 and publicly coming out as a lesbian in 2012. Nowadays, [=McNichol=]'s happy and content living a normal, quiet life out of the limelight and liberated from the stresses of excessive stardom and publicity.
* '''Creator/LeightonMeester''' was hyped as a potential breakout after the popularity of ''Series/GossipGirl''. However, starring in four huge flops between 2011 and 2012, from ''Film/TheRoommate'' to ''Film/ThatsMyBoy'', erased her chances at future stardom, though Leighton herself was praised as being better than the material. After ''Gossip Girl'' ended, she turned to indie film and forged a slightly successful music career – but nothing with the high profile she once had. She did have a three-year run on the series ''Series/SingleParents'' before it was cancelled due to low viewership, so time will tell.
* '''Creator/PenelopeAnnMiller''' had an unremarkable career in TheEighties before hitting it big in 1990 with supporting roles in three of the year's most popular films: ''Film/{{The Freshman|1990}}'', ''Film/{{Awakenings}}'', and ''Film/KindergartenCop''. She was on her way to seal her fame in TheNineties with roles in ''Film/{{Chaplin}}'' and ''Film/CarlitosWay'', only to see her hype get killed off by the failures of ''Film/TheShadow'' and ''Film/TheRelic''. Miller keeps working today (notably having a minor part in ''Film/TheArtist''), but mostly in rather low-budget fare.
* '''Creator/KellyJoMinter''' already made some TV appearances before her film debut in the well-received ''Film/Mask1985'', which was the first of many high-profile films for her in the later '80s and the early '90s (''Film/SummerSchool'', ''Film/TheLostBoys'', ''Film/ThePrincipal'', ''Film/MiracleMile'', ''Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet5TheDreamChild'', ''Film/HouseParty'', ''Film/NewJackCity'', ''Film/{{Popcorn}}'', ''Film/OutForJustice'', ''Film/DocHollywood'', and ''Film/ThePeopleUnderTheStairs''). But Minter's projects became more sparse in the latter half of the '90s, and she didn't make a single appearance between 2008 to 2019.
* '''Creator/BeverleyMitchell''' got her beginning on ''Series/SeventhHeaven'' alongside Creator/JessicaBiel, and also had a little part in ''Film/SawII''. However, the machine never truly got behind Mitchell as it did with Biel. While Biel at least attained a few roles in some major blockbusters (notwithstanding their eventual status as massive flops), Mitchell's popularity didn't rise beyond a part on ''Series/TheSecretLifeOfTheAmericanTeenager''.
* '''Creator/GretchenMol''' was touted as another "It Girl" when she debuted in ''Film/{{Rounders}}''. It didn't pan out, with ''Rounders'' doing middling business, and even she (with newfound indie-cred from playing the lead role in ''Film/TheNotoriousBettiePage'') admits that it was a particularly bad example building up an unprepared starlet. She is doing quite well with films and a recurring role on critical favorite ''Series/BoardwalkEmpire''.
* '''Creator/DemiMoore''' has had various ups and downs, but has been hyped a lot. She was the most successful member of the Creator/BratPack and went on to some major success in TheEighties, but several ''huge'' box office bombs in TheNineties completely derailed her star. ''[[Film/TheScarletLetter1995 The Scarlet Letter]]'' was universally loathed by critics, and ''Film/{{Striptease}}'', a wannabe star-defining role for which she earned the then-highest paycheck of any female in Hollywood history, was another mega-bomb. She vanished for literally a decade, only resurfacing in a storm of hype from her hot body (despite entering her forties) in ''Film/CharliesAngelsFullThrottle'' and from marrying a much younger man, Creator/AshtonKutcher, which failed to amount to anything. Now, since her breakup with Kutcher and subsequent dating of an even younger man, she's best known as "that older woman who's into younger guys."
* '''Creator/CathyMoriarty''' went from being an amateur model in New York to a Hollywood sensation overnight upon getting the part of boxer Jake [=LaMotta's=] wife Vikki in ''Film/RagingBull'', directed by Creator/MartinScorsese and starring Creator/RobertDeNiro as the troubled boxer. Suggested for the role by Creator/JoePesci, who had already joined the film and was aiding the two with casting other parts, the movie, though not a box office success, was critically raved regardless, with her debut performance getting her nominated for many accolades like an MediaNotes/AcademyAward. Her next film, ''Film/Neighbors1981'', which she starred alongside Creator/DanAykroyd and the late Creator/JohnBelushi, was a financial hit despite its mixed reviews, but then her career ascent halted after she was hurt in a car accident, thus resulting in her needing back surgery. Moriarty didn't act for six years afterwards, and when she returned it was often in minor parts. While she keeps on working till this day, her ''Raging Bull'' hype has dissipated.
* '''Creator/HavilandMorris''' had a small but familiar side presence in TheEighties beginning with her supporting role as Caroline Mulford in ''Film/SixteenCandles'', and continuing with an array of other films like the sequel ''Film/Gremlins2TheNewBatch''. She worked less frequently in TheNineties, as her next film after ''Gremlins 2'' was ''Film/HomeAlone3'' seven years later and only a sparse amount of television appearances in-between. She still pops up sporadically on screen, but her main occupation nowadays is as a real estate agent.
* '''Creator/SophiaMyles''' got started on British television before moving to Hollywood in the 2000s, with things fine at first with a supporting role as Erika in ''Film/{{Underworld|2003}}'' opposite Creator/KateBeckinsale (and returning for the sequel ''Evolution''). Unfortunately, her attempts at being a film lead failed after ''Film/{{Thunderbirds}}'' plus ''Film/TristanAndIsolde'' bombed terribly. Following a failed crack at American TV when ''Series/{{Moonlight}}'' got abysmal ratings and reviews, Myles has mostly gone back and worked on British television aside from a minor part in ''Film/TransformersAgeOfExtinction''.
* '''Creator/KateNelligan''' mostly did theatre work (which got her nominated for a Tony Award four times) in her initial career, barring roles in occasional hits like ''Film/Dracula1979'' and ''Film/EyeOfTheNeedle''. But she got major exposure in the late '80s and early '90s, with her Emmy-nominated work in the Canadian drama ''Road to Avonlea'', followed by critically praised supporting performances in ''Film/FrankieAndJohnny'' and ''Film/ThePrinceOfTides'' (with the latter film getting Nelligan an Oscar nomination). Despite efforts to extend her success over the rest of the decade, she unfortunately never reached the heights of that brief period. Her last major role was in 2010, with a guest appearance on ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit''.
* '''Creator/RachelNichols''' nearly had her acting career torpedoed out of the game by her full debut (after a small appearance in an episode of ''Series/SexAndTheCity'') in ''[[Film/DumbAndDumber Dumb and Dumberer]]'', but gradually built her career up again in television, most prominently with a recurring role on ''Series/{{Alias}}'', and got a second chance at a big-screen career with ''Film/StarTrek2009'' and ''Film/GIJoeTheRiseOfCobra'', with the former being a critical and commercial hit (albeit Nichols was a bit of an AdvertisedExtra), and the latter at least being financially successful despite mediocre reviews. However, her next two roles, ''Film/ConanTheBarbarian2011'' and ''Film/AlexCross'', both ended up being critical and commercial failures which permanently sunk her career, with all her subsequent credits being in either television or direct-to-DVD/streaming films.
* '''Creator/MaryKateAndAshleyOlsen''' catapulted to household name status overnight with the immense success of ''Series/FullHouse'' and they received a huge push after the show ended but never attained the same level of stardom. Their subsequent series of straight-to-[[Platform/{{VCR}} VHS]] films received a lukewarm critical reception but proved highly profitable financially even as the twins became more known for their presence in the tabloids than any particular acting performances. After 2004's ''Film/NewYorkMinute'' was a BoxOfficeBomb the Olsen twins retired from acting to focus on their fashion career, which has been incredibly profitable. They also continue to be paid well from royalties so the lack of acting work isn't an issue for them.
* '''Creator/JuliaOrmond''' was unknown in the US when she landed lead roles in three big, very hyped-up, mid-nineties films (''Film/LegendsOfTheFall'', ''Film/FirstKnight'', and ''Film/{{Sabrina|1995}}'', the 1995 remake of [[Film/Sabrina1954 the 1954 namesake film]]), starring opposite such actors as Creator/BradPitt, Creator/AnthonyHopkins, Creator/SeanConnery, Creator/RichardGere, Creator/HarrisonFord, and Creator/GregKinnear, but all three were box-office and/or critical failures. Whereas her male co-stars were able to rebound with other projects, Ormond hasn't had a leading role since then. She's still working as a character actress, but she never became the "star" Hollywood expected. Ironically, one of her later roles was a supporting role as Creator/VivienLeigh in ''Film/MyWeekWithMarilyn''; during promotional campaigns for those three previous films, Ormond herself was hyped up as "the next Vivien Leigh."
* '''Victoria Principal's''' screen career started with roles in ''Film/TheLifeAndTimesOfJudgeRoyBean'' and ''Film/{{Earthquake}}'', among other films. However, she only became a household name later in TheSeventies when she was cast as Pamela Barnes Ewing in the prime time soap ''Series/{{Dallas}}''. During her tenure, she held unexpected power as her own advocate in contract negotiations with Creator/{{CBS}} and autonomy that few actresses were lucky enough to possess. She stayed on the series for over ten seasons before departing in 1987, during which she expanded her media influence in music (notably collaborating with then-boyfriend Music/AndyGibb, on his cover single of "All I Have to Do Is Dream") plus print (writing three books on self-care). She mostly did TV films after leaving ''Dallas'', before retiring from acting in 2001. However, she also formed her own profitable cosmetics line post-''Dallas''. The huge success of Principal Skincare, which contributes to her massive $350 million net worth, [[WealthyEverAfter shows that she has no need to worry]].
* '''Creator/DeniseRichards''' started out with mostly mediocre movies until she got the role of military pilot Carmen Ibáñez in ''Film/StarshipTroopers'' and an all-star nude role in ''Film/WildThings'', making her a household name ([[MsFanservice amongst men]]) overnight. A bit of the Hype Machine got underway, but most of her subsequent films were trashed by critics and weren't too successful at the box-office (with the exception of ''Film/TheWorldIsNotEnough'', and that was hardly down to her, it being a ''Film/JamesBond'' film; in fact, one of the most mocked/derided aspects of said film was that Richards wasn't convincing in her role of a nuclear scientist). She stopped doing nudity and vanished from Hollywood within the year. A failed marriage to Creator/CharlieSheen later, and she's now more tabloid-bait than an actual star. She now appears on ''Series/TheRealHousewives of Beverly Hills'' and ''Series/TheBoldAndTheBeautiful''.
* '''Creator/MollyRingwald''' is a notorious case of this. She seemed set for great things after the trifecta of ''Film/SixteenCandles'', ''Film/TheBreakfastClub'', and ''Film/PrettyInPink'' with writer/director Creator/JohnHughes, and she even made the cover of ''Time'' magazine when she was eighteen. However, a vicious split from Hughes and many failed attempts to extend her appeal to audiences utterly destroyed her future as a leading lady. After the failure of ''Betsy's Wedding'' in 1990, Ringwald has rarely been on the silver screen. She also declined the lead female roles in a few successful movies: like ''Film/PrettyWoman'', ''Film/{{Ghost|1990}}'', ''Film/DaysOfThunder'', ''Film/EdwardScissorhands'', ''Film/ALeagueOfTheirOwn'', ''Film/JerryMaguire'', and ''Film/{{Scream|1996}}''. She since has retreated to television.
* The [[VirtualCelebrity CGI actress]] '''Aki Ross''' from ''Anime/FinalFantasyTheSpiritsWithin'' was supposed to have a long "career". The intention was for the computer model created for the movie to be used in projects unrelated to ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' and spanning multiple media formats (movies, games, etc.). "She" even got [[PublicExposure a photo spread]] in ''Maxim'', including a plot on their "Hottest Women" list, and was promoted as the very first in what would be a long line of virtual actors. The failure of the movie to even recoup its astronomical production costs, and the subsequent [[CreatorKiller collapse of the studio that financed it]], resulted in a somewhat shorter career than numerous magazines had been predicting. It also ensured that the trend of "virtual actors" was stillborn, no doubt leading many [[UsefulNotes/UnionsInHollywood SAG]] members to breathe sighs of relief (and ensuring that the Hype Machine would remain necessary for the foreseeable future).
* '''Creator/KellyRutherford''' started out on television and eventually landed her breakout role on the primetime {{soap opera}} ''Series/MelrosePlace'' in 1996, coming on board in the fifth season and staying until it ended in 1999. Following a bit part in ''Film/Scream3'' the next year, her input was unremarkable for a temporary interval before she was cast as matriarch Lily van der Woodsen in ''Series/GossipGirl''. Though a main cast member for the entirety of its run, her career soon sank after its conclusion in 2012 when she was swamped by a litany of legal issues regarding her divorce and custody of her two children (see [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelly_Rutherford#Personal_life here]]). It got so bad that she filed for bankruptcy; she hasn't been in anything big since.
* '''Creator/MichelleRyan''' initially made a name for herself as Zoe Slater on ''Series/EastEnders'', and had several other popular roles in her native UK, causing her to become the favourite to succeed Creator/BilliePiper as the main companion on ''Series/DoctorWho'' in 2006. And while she lost out on that part to Creator/FreemaAgyeman, Ryan got what could have been an even bigger break when she was brought across the Atlantic to play the title role in ''Series/BionicWoman''. However, the series was cancelled after only eight episodes due to poor audience reactions combined with a writers' strike, forcing Ryan to return to the UK. Afterwards, she finally got her chance to appear in ''Doctor Who'' as one-off companion Lady Christina de Souza, only for her performance to get a reception that could best be described as unenthusiastic. Getting such a mediocre reaction in what had been seen as her natural role all but ended her career prospects, with only sporadic film and television roles in the years ahead before her career was derailed completely by the horribly-received 2015 Creator/AlecBaldwin vehicle ''Andròn: The Black Labyrinth''.
* ABC in the early 2000s attempted to push '''Creator/KieleSanchez''' in anything they could, first in the three-episode flop ''That Was Then'', and later in the sitcom ''Married to the Kellys'' without stirring up much in ratings or interest in the actress. Her role as the female half of the infamous [[TheScrappy Nikki and Paulo]] couple on ''{{Series/Lost}}'' finally ended any interest in building her up, upon which Nikki and Paulo were hastily dropped. After a run on ''Series/SamanthaWho'' to finish up her ABC deal, Sanchez eventually found steady work on the A&E series ''Series/TheGlades'' and [=DirecTV=]'s ''Kingdom''.
* '''Creator/MiaSara''' made a stellar debut in the mid-'80s with her first roles in ''Film/Legend1985'' and ''Film/FerrisBuellersDayOff''. She continued thriving into the next decade with films like ''Film/{{Timecop}}'', and also became the first actress to portray ComicBook/HarleyQuinn in live-action on ''Series/BirdsOfPrey2002''.[[note]]Replacing a TheOtherMarty performance by Creator/SherilynFenn[[/note]] However, her hype waned after the latter was cancelled and led her to quit acting in 2013.
* '''Reiko Sato''', who played Helen in ''Film/FlowerDrumSong'', was a new contract player for both Fox and Universal, and was getting personal coaching from Creator/MarlonBrando. She got to play his wife in ''The Ugly American'' right after this, but nothing materialized further and she quickly retired from Hollywood.
* '''Creator/AnnabellaSciorra''' debuted in the 1989 independent comedy ''True Love'' before picking up steam during TheNineties by starring in many of that decade's hit films, including ''Film/InternalAffairs'', ''Film/ReversalOfFortune'', ''Film/TheHardWay'', ''Film/JungleFever'', ''Film/TheHandThatRocksTheCradle'', and ''Film/CopLand''. She, however, slowly faded from relevance in the next decade as her input withered into television, though she did garner critical praise for her guest run on Season 3 of ''Series/TheSopranos''. She later revealed that she was sexually assaulted in the mid-'90s by Harvey Weinstein, who used his influence to limit her career opportunities afterwards. In the wake of the [=#MeToo=] movement, Sciorra's career began recovering with roles on the Creator/{{Netflix}} series ''Series/GLOW2017'' as well as the [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse MCU]] series ''Series/Daredevil2015'' and ''Series/LukeCage2016''.
* Big things were expected for '''Creator/BrookeShields''' after she appeared in ''Film/PrettyBaby'', being compared often with Creator/ElizabethTaylor. However, attempts to turn into a major star InTheStyleOf Creator/HayleyMills with ''Tilt'', ''Wanda Nevada'' and ''Just You and Me, Kid'' all failed to impress either critics or audiences. ''Film/{{The Blue Lagoon|1980}}'', while a financial success and a CultClassic nowadays, didn't receive great reviews, and she was "awarded" the first MediaNotes/GoldenRaspberryAward for Worst Actress. ''Literature/EndlessLove'' (1981) which was supposed to be her StarMakingRole, turned out to be a disappointment, only saved by its namesake BreakawayPopHit by Music/LionelRichie. Around the same time, she attempted to buy the negatives from a photo shoot her StageMom commissioned for a Playboy Press publication titled ''Sugar 'n' Spice'', but a judge rejected her plea. Two years later, she unsuccessfully fought to ban the distribution of the photos. She didn't appear in a major motion picture until ''Film/{{Sahara|1983}}'', but this time, her fall from grace became clear: she already became FamousForBeingFamous, other than being known as a model. She also declined the lead female roles in a few successful movies like ''Film/{{Splash}}'', ''Film/{{Footloose}}'', ''Film/ThePrincessBride'', ''Film/DirtyDancing'', and ''Film/PrettyWoman''. While Shields moved on to doing stage and television work, she did not become the star the mainstream press once hyped.
* '''Creator/AliciaSilverstone''' exploded into Hollywood in 1995 thanks to ''Film/{{Clueless}}'', gaining so much fame that she even had a 3-picture deal with Columbia that even gave her a production company, First Kiss Productions, to call her own. The summer of 1997 completely derailed her career before it could continue, thanks to the one-two-punch of serial career killer ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'' and her company's first (and only) project, ''Film/ExcessBaggage'', becoming a major flop. Afterwards, she choose to spend the 2000s focusing on smaller indie films and theatre. She did still show up in some big roles - notably ''WesternAnimation/{{Braceface}}'' and ''Film/ScoobyDooMonstersUnleashed'' - but the poor critical reception of ''Film/BeautyShop'', her attempted comeback in ''Film/{{Stormbreaker}}'' becoming a StillbornFranchise and several cancelled pilots didn't help. Silverstone nowadays is remembered as a quintessential OneHitWonder in the acting world, and is now more well-known for her political/social activism and promoting her [[GranolaGirl vegan lifestyle]].
* '''Creator/HelenSlater''' received a big pushback in TheEighties. It started with ''Film/{{Supergirl|1984}}'', which was unfortunately a flop. Her next project was ''Film/TheLegendOfBillieJean'', which she hoped would be her breakout role but was a box office disappointment instead. However, it did later get a cult following from TV airings. She did have notable successes in ''Film/RuthlessPeople'', ''Film/TheSecretOfMySuccess'' and ''Film/CitySlickers'' but work seemed to dry up in TheNineties. While she's still working away, she's best known as Supergirl; and her high profile work is usually something that acknowledges this, such as ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' or ''Series/Supergirl2015''.
* '''Creator/LeeleeSobieski''' started her acting career in her teens during TheNineties which, after an uneven beginning with ''Film/Jungle2Jungle'' alongside Creator/TimAllen (see Actors), steadily got better with bigger roles in ''Film/DeepImpact'', ''Film/NeverBeenKissed'', ''Film/EyesWideShut'', and ''Film/JoyRide''. She also got an MediaNotes/EmmyAward nomination for playing UsefulNotes/JoanOfArc in the [[Series/JoanOfArc 1999 miniseries]]. Sadly, ''Film/TheGlassHouse'' failing abysmally upon its 2001 release damaged her career. From then on, her filmography began dwindling in quality when films she was in next, like ''Film/TheWickerMan2006'', ''Film/InTheNameOfTheKing: A Dungeon Siege Tale'', and ''Film/EightyEightMinutes'', got even worse reception. She also developed a growing dissatisfaction towards how most roles and movies were sexualized or focused on sex. In 2012, Sobieski announced that she was quitting acting. She's now content as a mom raising her kids away from celebrity culture, as well as taking up a new career as an artist under her married name Kimmel.
* '''Creator/MiraSorvino''' followed her father Creator/PaulSorvino into acting, being cast in and winning an MediaNotes/AcademyAward for the Creator/WoodyAllen comedy ''Film/MightyAphrodite''. Sorvino, hence, got lead roles in diverse genres like romance (''Film/BeautifulGirls''), comedy (''Film/RomyAndMichelesHighSchoolReunion''), horror (''Film/{{Mimic}}''), action (''Film/TheReplacementKillers''), and drama (''Film/SummerOfSam''), but none of them were hits besides ''Romy and Michele''. She revealed decades later that Harvey Weinstein sexually harassed her and sabotaged her career, slandering her as a tough person to work with. She thus went on a mostly low-profile route while in between raising her family and supporting charitable causes. Starting in TheNewTwenties, she slowly made a return with roles in ''Series/{{Hollywood}}'', ''Series/AmericanCrimeStory: Series/{{Impeachment}}'', and ''Series/ShiningVale''. In 2023, she was on ''Series/DancingWithTheStars'' and starred in the SleeperHit ''Film/SoundOfFreedom''.
* '''Creator/ShannynSossamon''' was another teen actor turned media darling who catapulted herself into the A-List in 2001-2002 with roles in ''Film/AKnightsTale'', ''Film/FortyDaysAndFortyNights'', and ''Literature/TheRulesOfAttraction''. Afterwards, she spent the rest of the decade starring in a long string of indie films and TV work (most notably on the short-lived Creator/{{CBS}} vampire series ''{{Series/Moonlight|2007}}'') that failed to drum up any major following.
* '''Creator/ToriSpelling''' was given, as a teenager, acting lessons paid for by her father, prominent producer Creator/AaronSpelling. After several guest spots on TV, she got her breakthrough role at seventeen years old on her father's teen drama series ''Series/BeverlyHills90210'' as Donna Martin. Spelling remained onboard the series for its entire duration on the air but didn't find much success beyond it. Aside from returning for various ''90210''-related media, she doesn't appear much on screen these days besides reality TV.
* '''Creator/CatherineMaryStewart''' made her acting debut in ''Film/TheApple'', which was intended to make her a star but instead derailed it before it could begin. She continued working for the rest of TheEighties on television (with a year-long stint on ''Series/DaysOfOurLives'') and film (with minor hits including ''Film/TheLastStarfighter'' and ''Film/WeekendAtBernies''), but failed to become the star she was hyped up as initially. Stewart faded from relevance after that decade, with her output since mostly being MadeForTVMovie fare.
* '''Creator/JuliaStiles''' was poised to become a superstar in the 2000s after the successes of ''Film/TenThingsIHateAboutYou'' and ''Film/SaveTheLastDance'', as well as her association with ''Film/TheBourneIdentity'' and its sequels. But a series of questionable projects - ''Film/ThePrinceAndMe'', ''Film/AGuyThing'', and [[Film/{{The Omen|2006}} the remake]] of ''Film/TheOmen'' - caused critics to sour towards her and she found herself disappearing from the spotlight.
* '''Creator/DominiqueSwain''' received a lucky break as a teenager in 1997 with two big roles: playing the title character in Adrian Lyne's adaptation of ''Literature/{{Lolita}}'' opposite Creator/JeremyIrons, and the rebellious daughter of Creator/JohnTravolta in ''Film/FaceOff''. Unfortunately, none of her following roles or films got her the same amount of exposure or acclaim those films did. She mostly works in independent cinema nowadays.
* '''Creator/KristySwanson''' got a minor push in the late '80s and early '90s, first with OneSceneWonder roles in ''Film/PrettyInPink'' and ''Film/FerrisBuellersDayOff''. Lead roles came in the form of ''Film/FlowersInTheAttic'' and ''Film/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' - but the sequel to the former was cancelled and the latter got retooled into the more famous [[Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer TV series]] with Creator/SarahMichelleGellar as the lead. The failure of ''Film/{{The Phantom|1996}}'' caused high profile roles to dry up for her, and she drifted towards guest spots on TV and [[MadeForTVMovie TV movies]]. She's also known nowadays recently for her outspoken conservative political views.
* '''Heather Thomas''' started acting in her teens before landing the role of Jody Banks in ''Series/TheFallGuy'', which was a hit show for ABC in TheEighties which lasted five seasons. However, she also developed a cocaine addiction around that time and subsequently went into rehab. Her shot for the big screen vanished, after ''Film/Zapped1982'' with Creator/ScottBaio (see Actors) was poorly received. After several unsuccessful projects, Thomas retired from acting in 1998.
* '''Charlene Tilton''' got her StarMakingRole as J.R. Ewing's niece Lucy on the PrimeTimeSoap ''Series/{{Dallas}}'' and soon became a fan favorite, with a larger role as the series continued. At the peak of her ''Dallas'' fame, she was paid a $50,000 salary per episode and appeared on at least 500 magazine covers. Unfortunately, Tilton never found a hit career outside of ''Dallas''. Her attempts in film went nowhere, nor did any other television series she worked on nab the same popularity as ''Dallas''. After being one of the biggest starlets of TheEighties, Tilton's primarily known as a relic of that era these days. Since then, her highest-profile work was returning as Lucy Ewing for a recurring part on the 2012 revival of ''Dallas''.
* '''Creator/KathleenTurner''' acquired her breakthrough part as a merciless FemmeFatale in the 1981 neo-noir ''Film/BodyHeat'' opposite Creator/WilliamHurt, with that film's critical and commercial success making her one of the most highly sought-after actresses in TheEighties. Her popularity reached its zenith when ''Film/RomancingTheStone'', ''Film/PrizzisHonor'', ''Film/PeggySueGotMarried'' (which got her an [[MediaNotes/AcademyAward Oscar]] nomination), ''Film/TheAccidentalTourist'', and ''Film/TheWarOfTheRoses'' hit big, only to nosedive in TheNineties starting with ''V.I. Warshawski'', which was based off a book series and intended to be the first of several films derived from it, but instead became a StillbornFranchise. She soon developed worsening rheumatoid arthritis around this time which, in a sequence of increasingly bad misfortunes, ruined her good looks, made her easy fodder for negative press who called her ugly, then drove her to alcoholism. While she did acquire infamy in her heyday for supposedly being a difficult person to work with, those health problems exacerbated her mood while disinclining many filmmakers and actors from having her around. Turner's movies for most of the '90s, like ''Film/UndercoverBlues'', ''Film/SerialMom'', ''Film/ASimpleWish'', and ''Film/BabyGeniuses'', failed to be profitable, or were torn apart by critics and audiences (besides an adaptation of ''Literature/TheVirginSuicides'' by Creator/SofiaCoppola). She mostly does stage or television work following that decade, with occasional film roles like in ''Film/MarleyAndMe'' and ''Film/DumbAndDumberTo''. Still, that's a far cry from her glory days.
* '''Creator/KateUpton''' became one of the foremost models of the early-mid 2010s, and after a few roles such as in the 2012 ''Film/TheThreeStooges'' film, she was cast as one of the three female leads in ''Film/TheOtherWoman2014''. Her performance was regarded as middling at best, and the film got poor reviews, but was a financial hit regardless. Somewhat unusually, what really sank her acting career was a widely-derided commercial for the video game ''VideoGame/GameOfWarFireAge'', with Upton's acting and the general emphasis on using her as a MsFanservice at the expense of any information about the game both coming in for criticism. A few more minor film and TV roles followed until the turn of the decade, when Upton ended her acting and modelling careers and essentially retired from public life in order to focus on raising her daughter.
* '''Creator/NancyValen''' could be regarded as a starlet who unfortunately never got any traction in her career. After a couple of bit parts in movies (such as ''Film/{{Porkys}} Revenge'' and ''Loverboy'' as Creator/PatrickDempsey's love interest) and TV (such as ''Series/MiamiVice'' and ''Series/CharlesInCharge''), she got the cover of ''Magazine/TVGuide'' as one of the stars of an ill-fated attempt at a TV musical drama series on Creator/{{NBC}} called ''Hull High''. Like Creator/StevenBochco's similar show ''Cop Rock'' on ABC, it failed after only a few episodes. After that, she went back to occasional guest-starring roles on TV (like ''Series/MurderSheWrote'', ''Series/FullHouse'', ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld'', ''Series/{{Friends}}'', ''Series/WalkerTexasRanger'' and perhaps most notably, in the second season of ''Series/SavedByTheBell'' as the [[HospitalHottie sexy new school nurse]] in a role that was originally meant for swimsuit model Creator/KathyIreland) and appearing in small {{B Movie}} roles. Oddly enough, at least twice she seemed poised to get a long-term role which suddenly evaporated. The first occurred on the late-night Creator/USANetwork series ''Series/SilkStalkings''. After appearing as an IRS auditor in Season 3, she returned in Season 4 to play the role of Dr. Jillian Michaels, who became the love interest of Detective Chris Lorenzo (Rob Estes), one of the show's two main characters, but the storyline was never continued. Two years later, she got her gig on ''Series/{{Baywatch}}'' as the new lieutenant, Samantha "Sam" Thomas (which is pretty much her best-known acting role), who was brought in to replace the long-running character Lt. Stephanie Holden, played by Alexandra Paul. That particular season ended with Sam in bed with none other than David Hasselhoff himself with the two of them discussing how to break the news of their relationship to Hasslehoff's on-screen son, Hobie. So everything seemed set for her to return the next year with an expanded role as Mitch Buchanan's girlfriend and partner in command. Alas, that didn't happen. ''Baywatch'' instead returned with even more former ''Magazine/{{Playboy}}'' Playmates, including Carmen Electra and Angelica Bridges as the newer lieutenant, and Nancy Valen's character Samantha had disappeared with no explanation. After guest-appearing during the final season of ''Series/SpinCity'', Valen seemed to go into semi-retirement from acting. She only had two more roles (last appearing in the 2007 Christian drama film ''The Wager'') only to resurface as an {{infomercial}} host.
* '''Creator/NiaVardalos''' came out of nowhere to star in and write ''Film/MyBigFatGreekWedding'', which became the biggest indie film and romantic comedy of all-time. After getting an Academy Award nomination for her script, big things were expected from her. However, her star fell as soon as it rose with a series of flops (the TV spinoff ''My Big Fat Greek Life'', ''Connie and Carla'') and she faded back into obscurity. A couple attempts at a comeback (starring in 2009's ''My Life in Ruins'' and writing 2011's ''Larry Crowne'') resulted in critical drubbing and box office failure (the latter was also a rare misstep for Creator/TomHanks), before ''My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2'' saw her get her career somewhat back on-track.
* '''Creator/SusanWard''' was hyped as a potential "next big thing" after marrying one of the heads of Morgan Creek and having a movie built around her (''The In Crowd''). Then, the movie bombed and her hype fell as fast as it rose. She's better known nowadays for her extensive plastic surgeries rather than the numerous DirectToVideo films she appears in or her regular role on the first two seasons of ''Series/MakeItOrBreakIt''.
* Canadian competitive swimmer '''Creator/EstellaWarren''' got a ''huge'' push as an actress in 2001 when she starred as the love interest and femme fatale in two major Hollywood films -- ''Film/PlanetOfTheApes2001'' and the Creator/SylvesterStallone racing film ''Film/{{Driven}}''. That, along with dating her ''Driven'' co-star Kip Pardue and landing a spot on Maxim's Hot 100 Babe List before she had a single film out, did a lot to jumpstart her fledgling career in spite of both films' middling box office and scathing reviews. However, ''Film/KangarooJack'' killed any momentum she had. What followed were a string of unsuccessful direct-to-video flops and indie films, along with an unsuccessful marketing push in 2005 (features in ''FHM'' and a supporting role in ''Film/MrAndMrsSmith2005'', which was cut prior to the film's release). These days, she's more well-known for her tabloid antics (including trying to break out of a police station after being arrested) than her film career.
* '''Claudia Wells''' did television prior to being cast as Jennifer Parker in ''Film/BackToTheFuture1'', whose huge success would've made it her StarMakingRole. But when her mother was diagnosed with cancer shortly after its release, Wells took an acting hiatus to tend to her and told studios she would be unable to reprise her role for the sequels (with Creator/ElisabethShue being cast [[TheOtherDarrin as her replacement]] for them). She returned to acting in TheNewTens, but often in DirectToVideo work. Her boutique Armani Wells, which she opened in 1991, is her main source of income now.
* '''Gabriella Wilde's''' claim to fame was initially as a model in the UK before moving to screen work, with bit parts in ''Film/StTrinians2TheLegendOfFrittonsGold'' and ''Series/DoctorWho''. She then got bigger roles in ''Film/TheThreeMusketeers2011'', ''Film/Carrie2013'', and the 2014 remake of ''Film/EndlessLove'', but they each garnered mixed to negative reception. Wilde later starred on the British historical drama ''Series/{{Poldark}}'' and made a small appearance in ''Film/WonderWoman1984'', but hasn't been in anything since that last one in 2020.
* '''Meadow Williams''' started out doing bit parts in various '90s films, like ''Film/TheMask'' and ''Film/Apollo13''. After years as an actress failed to generate any success, Williams pivoted to producing instead. This venture was bolstered in 2015 when she, following the death of her husband, vitamin tycoon multi-millionaire Gerald Kessler, inherited the bulk of his $800 million estate, which was contested by his children from his past marriage. Among the films she produced (and starred in) was ''Film/{{After}}''. She later produced ''American Traitor: The Trial of Axis Sally'' in 2021, additionally casting herself as the lead role of American-born Nazi propagandist Mildred Gillars. Despite finagling such eminent actors like Creator/AlPacino and Creator/ThomasKretschmann into starring in the film, it was horribly received. Pacino later declared his unhappiness working on the film, saying that her conduct as an actor and a producer was unprofessional and bad.
* '''Creator/MaraWilson''' was a self-inflicted example. A child star in TheNineties, she received lots of fame for her memorable turn in ''Film/MrsDoubtfire'', and was enough to convince Creator/JohnHughes to cast her in the planned [[GenderFlip male role]] in the remake of ''Film/MiracleOnThirtyFourthStreet''. The film was a massive success, and her next was probably her most iconic - the title character in ''{{Film/Matilda}}''. During ''Matilda'''s production, her mother passed away and led to several years of her struggling with the grief for that while also trying to keep working (even though she was only eight) - as well as struggling with body image issues as she entered puberty. [[ContractualPurity Her father's refusal to let her do films and TV work that would potentially destroy her family-friendly image]] led to her passing on scripts like ''Film/Thirteen2003'' and ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment''. Her final film was ''WesternAnimation/ThomasAndTheMagicRailroad'', after which she decided to quit acting to focus on schoolwork. She never went back, and instead found renewed success in voice acting and as a writer – to the extent that some people know her more for her writing than ''Matilda''.
* '''Creator/SeanYoung''' first showed promise as Rachael in ''Film/BladeRunner'', and got a major push with ''Film/NoWayOut1987'' and ''Film/WallStreet''. But then the one role that could really cement her as a star, Vicki Vale in ''Batman'', wound up landing with the aforementioned Kim Basinger after Young injured herself in a horseback accident. What followed were poor role choices to hamper a possibility of taking off as a leading lady, and Hollywood also turned on her for less than savory off-screen behavior (most infamously, she showed up at Warner Bros. studios in a homemade Catwoman costume downright demanding to get the role in ''Film/BatmanReturns''), ultimately leading to a CreatorBreakdown with well-publicized drug and alcohol issues. After 1994's ''Film/AceVenturaPetDetective'', Young's most high profile acting gigs revolved around returning to Rachael, first voicing her in a ''Blade Runner'' game, and decades later having her likeness used in ''Film/BladeRunner2049''.
* '''Creator/PiaZadora''' is a notorious example from TheEighties. After years of bit parts (including a small role in ''Film/SantaClausConquersTheMartians'' as a child), her bid for fame started when she married billionaire Meshulam Riklis in 1977. Her career peaked in 1981 when she won the Golden Globe for Best New Star of the Year for the film ''Butterfly'', which was largely financed by Riklis. However, it has long been rumored that Riklis had [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney "bought"]] Pia her Golden Globe by financing lavish trips to UsefulNotes/LasVegas for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, allegations not helped by the fact that her performance also won her two Razzies for Worst Actress and Worst New Star. She won the Worst Actress Razzie ''again'' the following year for her performance in ''Film/TheLonelyLady''[[note]]She would go on to be named "Worst New Star of the Decade" in 1990 and being nominated for "Worst Actress of the ''Century''" in 2000.[[/note]], a film that essentially killed her acting career and left her doing small parts and cameos. She wound up having far more success as a singer, even earning a Grammy nomination in 1984.

* '''Creator/TimAllen'''. With his pre-teenage life marred by the loss of his father, and his adult years disfigured by drug use, Allen managed to make a name of himself in the stand-up circuit, both on television and record, so that his life can go on the right track. He never conceived himself to be an actor, having stated at one point that he could only act based on "personal experience," but he eventually found his big break when he became the star of the ABC sitcom ''Series/HomeImprovement'', which became one of the highest-rated sitcoms of TheNineties. A chart-topping book from him soon followed, his first major film role, ''Film/TheSantaClause1'', became the 4th highest-grossing domestic release of 1994, and then he voiced Buzz Lightyear in a little animated project known as ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory1'', which became a pop-culture behemoth overnight. Hollywood soon began courting him for more film roles, but he turned down most of them due to his limited acting experience. Consequently, the only studio he received film roles from was Creator/{{Disney}}, who produced both ''The Santa Clause'' and ''Home Improvement'' and whom Allen had a close relationship with. During that time, he starred in the films ''Film/Jungle2Jungle'' and ''Film/ForRicherOrPoorer'', whose theatrical runs were overshadowed by Allen's highly-publicized DUI arrest in Michigan, with his troubled past having caught up with him. After ''Home Improvement'' was cancelled in 1999, he seemed to be heading back on the road to stardom, starring in ''Film/GalaxyQuest'' and reprising his role as Buzz in ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'', but quickly fell back into recession after starring in a few more forgettable film roles after that. Except for the ''Franchise/ToyStory'' franchise, his only notable success on TV was the sitcom ''Series/{{Last Man Standing|2011}}'', which aired for nine seasons.
* '''Creator/ChristopherAtkins''' was pushed in the early '80s as a new, teenage Hollywood hunk, only for studios' efforts at turning him into a star to go nowhere. He headlined ''Film/{{The Blue Lagoon|1980}}'' with Creator/BrookeShields and ''Film/ThePirateMovie'' with Creator/KristyMcNichol (each mentioned in Actresses), both of which were torn to shreds by critics and audiences (though ''The Blue Lagoon'' performed fine financially). He tried moving towards television with a recurring role on ''Series/{{Dallas}}'' which only lasted one season. Further efforts at reestablishing his film career failed after ''A Night in Heaven'' and ''Film/ListenToMe'' did, which netted him {{MediaNotes/Golden Raspberry Award}}s. Since that decade, his screen career has been rather spotty at best.
* '''Creator/ScottBaio''' made his screen debut as the title role in ''Film/BugsyMalone'', before going on to play Fonzie's cousin Chachi Arcola in the {{sitcom}} ''Series/HappyDays'': with his character becoming so popular he headlined his own spin-off, ''Joanie Loves Chachi'', alongside Erin Moran as Joanie Cunningham. While his film career attempts went nowhere following the horribly reviewed ''Film/Zapped1982'', Baio's television career continued thriving with ''Series/CharlesInCharge'' and ''Series/DiagnosisMurder''. But starting in the 2000s, Baio receded into reality TV and cameos (besides his recurring role in ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment''). Baio tried nabbing a comeback with the sitcom ''Series/SeeDadRun'', but low ratings and reception killed those hopes. He's become notorious lately for many controversies, notably spreading conspiracy theories that the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was a hoax, being accused by ''Charles in Charge'' co-star Nicole Eggert of sexual assault and for his outspoken conservative political views.
* '''Creator/ZachBraff''' had much expected from him after the massive success and popularity of ''Film/GardenState'' and ''Series/{{Scrubs}}''. Then, ''Film/TheLastKiss'', which he got near-total creative control over in an attempt to create another ''Garden State'', fared so terribly with critics and audiences alike that Braff practically disappeared for a couple of years following the cancellation of ''Scrubs''. A comeback attempt with ''Wish I Was Here'', which he had to rely on Kickstarter to get the necessary funding, didn't turn out so well when it underperformed in 2014.
* '''Creator/EdwardBurns''' was heavily hyped as being a future voice in independent film after starring and directing in the acclaimed ''The Brothers [=McMullen=]'' in 1995. However, several attempts at trying to recapture the success of that film and his follow-up ''She's the One'', combined with attempts to break into acting (despite those talents not being as good as his directing skills) and a botched effort at making his ex-girlfriend a star, failed to catch on as his hype died out fast. Although still around, most of his films (starring or directing), like ''Film/ASoundOfThunder'' and the ''Film/OneMissedCall'' remake, were critical and financial failures that either go DirectToVideo or, if lucky, barely get enough of a theatrical release.
* '''Creator/KirkCameron''' became a TeenIdol overnight with his role in TheEighties {{sitcom}} ''Series/GrowingPains'', with its massive success propelling his lucky streak. During the peak of his fame, he was paid a salary of $50,000 per week for starring on the show and made the cover of many magazines. Midway through production of the series, however, Cameron, an atheist in his early teenage years, became a born-again Christian, and objecting to what he viewed as some of the show's more objectionable content, [[WagTheDirector assumed greater control behind the scenes]], sometimes even cutting whole storylines, which many felt contributed to its decline in quality. Regardless of his rising sanctimony, the show managed to last all the way until 1992. He failed to grab much success during and after ''Growing Pains'', suffering a huge flop in 1989 with ''Film/ListenToMe'' opposite Christopher Atkins, while his follow-up sitcom ''Kirk'' was cancelled after two seasons in 1997. He retreated to Christian media post-TheNineties plus his other gig as an evangelical minister, before making ''Film/SavingChristmas'' in 2014. That dud got unanimously awful reviews for the shoddy quality of its filmmaking and its excessive shilling of Cameron's Christian beliefs, with its many dishonors including a 0% score on Website/RottenTomatoes and a position on the [=IMDb=]'s Bottom 100 list. He tried playing the victim card in response to the bad reception, declaring himself a target of "anti-Christian" critics and urging others across various forms of media to watch it and prove them wrong. This failed when the few people who were convinced to see the film gave it just as bad (if not worse) reviews, which led Cameron to further double down on his assumed victimhood while dismissing the barrage of negativity. The incident made him a laughingstock to everybody outside of his Christian Right demographic, while some within it began giving him a wide berth. ''Saving Christmas'' has now garnered notoriety as one of the worst films ever made, killing his career for good.
* After a few minor roles, '''Creator/DanaCarvey''' got his big break in 1986 with ''Film/ToughGuys'', where he managed to hold his own alongside Creator/KirkDouglas and Creator/BurtLancaster. Shortly thereafter, he joined ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'', and was one of the people to help reverse its declining popularity and make it "must-see TV" once again. After his success in the ''Film/WaynesWorld'' movies, it seemed like he was destined for great things. However, his work afterwards was a story of disappointment and missed opportunities. His first movie after ''Film/WaynesWorld2'' was the critical flop ''Film/CleanSlate'', a pattern that would continue for ''Film/TheRoadToWellville'' and ''Trapped In Paradise''. In 1995, he turned down a role in ''Film/BadBoys1995'' because he felt overwhelmed by fatherhood. 1996 gave him an opportunity at a return to form with [[Series/TheDanaCarveyShow his own eponymous sketch show]]. However, Carvey made the ill-advised decision to try out raunchier, edgier material, despite ''The Dana Carvey Show'' airing during primetime. While it notably launched the careers of Creator/SteveCarell and Creator/StephenColbert (''The Ambiguously Gay Duo'' first appeared on the show), ratings declined and it was cancelled after only seven episodes. Carvey attempted a comeback in 2002 with ''Film/TheMasterOfDisguise'', but it failed in its intended purpose after being unanimously panned by critics. Since then, he has mostly retired from the screen and stuck to stand-up.
* '''Creator/JustinChatwin''' had an unremarkable start in the early 2000s with two-bit roles (most infamously in the widely hated BoxOfficeBomb ''[[Film/BabyGeniuses Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2]]'', notorious for its 0% critical score on Website/RottenTomatoes) before being cast as Robbie Ferrier in ''Film/WarOfTheWorlds2005''. The film's success gave Chatwin exposure to a wider audience, and he was cast as the lead in the supernatural thriller ''Film/TheInvisible'' two years later. Although that film wasn't as successful at the box office and received negative reviews from critics, its failure paled in comparison to his next attempt at a headliner: ''Film/DragonballEvolution''. He was cast as Son Goku in the American adaptation of [[Franchise/DragonBall the popular Japanese franchise]], which already attracted near-universal scorn for its RaceLift of the source material's Asian-based lead even in 2009. It was unanimously reviled by critics, audiences, and ''Dragon Ball'' fans alike, and unlike ''Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2'', Chatwin didn't even have the small mercy of not being the film's face. He retreated into direct-to-video fare afterwards, with his biggest projects since being a recurring role on the Creator/{{Showtime}} comedy-drama ''Series/ShamelessUS'' and a lead role on the Creator/{{Netflix}} sci-fi series ''Series/AnotherLife2019'' – the latter of which was cancelled after just two seasons.
* [[Creator/AmericanBroadcastingCompany ABC]] threw '''Creator/EddieCibrian''' in every single "beefcake [[LatinLover Latin Lothario]]" role they could think of for a three-year period, including ''Series/UglyBetty'' and the failed ''Football Wives'' pilot, even though nobody was interested in him and the ''Ugly Betty'' fan reaction when he was paired up with Betty's sister was 'anyone but him'. ABC eventually gave up and after the mess of his personal life involving his affair and eventual tabloid-ready marriage with Music/LeAnnRimes was dredged up (we also have him to blame for his ex-wife and mistress becoming ''Real Housewives'' regulars) and a quick season of ''Series/CSIMiami'' where he did nothing memorable, he was poison, and his derided role in ''Series/ThePlayboyClub'' assured his star burned out quickly; everything he's done since then has been C-level cable network work, and his 2014 Creator/VH1 reality series with his wife saw substandard ratings which should make sure he never sees a major television role again.
* '''Creator/StephenCollins''' made a name of himself beginning with his critically-praised role in ''Film/StarTrekTheMotionPicture'' and the cult series ''Series/TalesOfTheGoldMonkey'', but he wouldn't hit the big time until seventeen years later when he was cast as the Reverend Eric Camden in the television drama ''Series/SeventhHeaven'', which became the highest-rated program of Creator/TheWB for much of the network's existence and caused studios left and right to offer Collins roles in various films and shows. However, none of these roles offered Collins the star power he had with ''7th Heaven'', and thus the spotlight began turning away from him, especially following the cancellation of ''7th Heaven'' after just one season on Creator/TheCW. Since then, Collins tried to find suitable roles and avoid being [[{{Typecasting}} cast as Eric Camden again]], to little success. He made several appearances in the ABC series ''Series/PrivatePractice'' and ''Series/{{Scandal}}'', but all that became overshadowed by his highly-publicized divorce with Faye Grant and the nasty proceedings that followed. And then came TMZ leaking an audiotape of Collins admitting to Grant during a private therapy session that he had molested several children decades prior. RoleEndingMisdemeanor doesn't even begin to describe the immediate fallout from the scandal, with his character in ''Scandal'' getting [[ActorLeavesCharacterDies killed off]], Collins resigning from his position at the Screen Actors Guild board, getting fired from the production of ''Film/Ted2'', and multiple stations and networks yanking reruns of ''7th Heaven'' from their schedules. With the scandal causing such a negative domino effect, it's a safe bet to say Collins may never be able to repair his career.
* '''Creator/AndyComeau''' appeared in several music videos before nabbing his first big role, starring alongside Creator/JoePesci in ''Film/EightHeadsInADuffelBag''. However, its massive failure failed to establish his stardom while also damaging Pesci's. With his film career DOA, he retreated towards an unremarkable career on television besides his recurring role on the fourth season of ''Series/{{House}}''.
* '''Gaelan Connell''' already had a handful of roles as a child actor in the 2000s before he was cast as the male lead in the 2009 teen musical dramedy ''Film/{{Bandslam}}'', starring opposite rising Creator/DisneyChannel starlets Creator/VanessaHudgens and Creator/AlysonMichalka. But while it got fairly decent reviews, it was an immense BoxOfficeBomb whose failure was attributed to a bad marketing campaign. His co-stars ascended to further success, but his acting career afterwards comprised of nothing big besides the live-action Creator/CartoonNetwork series ''Series/LevelUp''. He since has gone to directing, filming a few commercials and independent projects.
* There was at one point in the late 2000s when there were three movies made in an attempt at turning '''Creator/DaneCook''' into a movie star, beginning with ''Film/{{Employee of the Month|2006}}'' and continuing with ''Film/GoodLuckChuck''. The last film, ''Film/MyBestFriendsGirl'', ended up a flop, and showed that success as a comedian doesn't always translate into a successful acting career. Since then, Cook has mostly done stand-up and supporting roles in both films and TV.
* '''Creator/BudCort''' got moderate buzz early in TheSeventies after Creator/RobertAltman cast him in ''Film/{{MASH}}'' and ''Film/BrewsterMcCloud'', with Cort playing the titular role in the latter. Following those, he played the title male lead in ''Film/HaroldAndMaude''. Though not a major success upon release, it later became a CultClassic and is now considered one of the best films of the decade. But in 1979, Cort's trajectory was unfortunately halted when he was involved in a horrific car accident on the Hollywood Freeway that severely disfigured him. He was out of commission for many years and, upon returning to work, struggled to land a sizable role. While he eventually became a respected character actor, he didn't hit the heights of his '70s heyday and hasn't starred in a project since 2015.
* '''Creator/JaiCourtney''' was this in the mid-2010s where a lot of people joked that he was Hollywood's next attempt at a big white male-lead after their attempt to make Creator/SamWorthington a big leading star fell apart a few years earlier. During the mid-2010s, Courtney popped up in several leading or major blockbuster roles in ''Film/AGoodDayToDieHard'' (2013), two of the ''Literature/{{Divergent}}'' films (2014-2015), ''Film/TerminatorGenisys'' (2015), and ''Film/SuicideSquad2016''. Since then, his films have been a lot more spread out, and not as high-profile. ''Suicide Squad'' being the only role people truly praised him for in his role as Captain Boomerang, which he returned to play the character five years later for ''Film/TheSuicideSquad''.
* '''Creator/EddieDeezen''' became synonymous with the image of a StereotypicalNerd with his screen debut in three 1978 films (''Film/{{Grease}}'', ''Film/{{Laserblast}}'', and ''Film/IWannaHoldYourHand''), after first getting known for his work in stand-up comedy. He promptly forged a career out of playing similar geeky characters in various films (''Film/MidnightMadness'', ''Film/Zapped1982'', ''Film/WarGames'', etc.), but his live-action career sputtered out after starring in the Creator/LeslieNielsen-led spoof ''Film/SpyHard'' in 1996. Deezen promptly turned to voice work in animation, with his recognizable cadence lending itself well towards several projects (like ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'' as Mandark). But in TheNewTwenties, his career has gotten snuffed out after countless public misdemeanors (stalking a waitress and writing derogatory posts on Website/{{Facebook}} about her, attacking a police officer, breaking and entering into a nursing facility, etc.).
* '''Creator/AndyDick''' got his start in sketch comedy with ''Series/TheBenStillerShow'', which was well-reviewed despite getting axed after one season. He established his comic career with sitcoms such as ''Series/NewsRadio'' and ''Series/LessThanPerfect'', plus a supporting gig in film. However, he's also infamous for very... off-color behavior. He has grappled with drug and alcohol abuse over the years, leading to many failed attempts at sobriety. Though that alone isn't bad enough to destroy his career, he has also been charged time and again with, among other lewd and/or criminal acts, [=DUI=]s, indecent exposure, disorderly conduct, sexual battery, misconduct, assault, etc. While his misbehavior was barely tolerated in his heyday, Dick now is ''persona non grata'' in the aftermath of [=#MeToo=] and the crackdown against sexual harassment in Hollywood. The fact he still continues to be arrested for such crimes doesn't help.
* '''Creator/StephenDorff''' had an unremarkable beginning to his acting career in TheEighties and TheNineties, working in small parts on film and television. He then became better known among audiences when he was cast as the main villain Deacon Frost in ''Film/{{Blade}}'', with its box office success indicating future good luck. Unfortunately, he appeared in many big flops afterwards (''Film/CecilBDemented'', ''Film/{{FeardotCom}}'', ''Film/{{Alone in the Dark|2005}}'', etc.) which ground his hype into mulch. Dorff nearly snagged a comeback with a critically acclaimed lead role in Creator/SofiaCoppola's ''Film/{{Somewhere}}'', which left as quickly as it came following further failures like ''Bucky Larson: Born To Be A Star'' and ''Film/{{Immortals}}''.
* '''Creator/DavidFaustino''' got his big break as a child actor playing Bud Bundy on ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'', but never got similar levels of success after its conclusion. Faustino, to his credit, is at ease poking fun at himself for his place (or lack of) in Hollywood, like [[AdamWesting lampooning his status]] as a FormerChildStar in the web series ''Star-ving'' alongside Creator/CorinNemec. His live-action career has hit the skids, although he has found a niche as a voice actor in animation like playing Mako on ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra''.
* '''Creator/JamesFranco''' had a slower climb to the top than most, with noted roles in the short-lived ''Series/FreaksAndGeeks'' and the ''Film/SpiderManTrilogy''. His push didn't really pick up until his MediaNotes/AcademyAward-nominated performance ''Film/OneHundredAndTwentySevenHours'' and being named the Sexiest Man Alive in 2009. For the next three or so years, he headlined a lot of big films – some did well and others less so. He took a step back from acting to focus on his education, and has leaned more towards becoming a producer and director in addition to acting. Things seemed to be going well for him when he won a MediaNotes/GoldenGlobe for his role as Creator/TommyWiseau in ''Film/TheDisasterArtist'', but almost immediately afterwards, accusations of sexual misconduct (most of them from several of his former acting students) were thrown at him, which probably contributed to him not getting an Oscar nomination for the film. Following the scandal, he hasn't starred in a screen project since 2019.
* '''Creator/EdwardFurlong''' got his [[StarMakingRole big break]] with his role as John Connor in ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay'' when an agent approached him in a Boys Club, despite him not having any interest in acting beforehand. While starring in the biggest movie of 1991 kickstarted a productive career, it ultimately fell on both poor role choices and [[https://lebeauleblog.com/2015/08/21/what-the-hell-happened-to-edward-furlong/ a very troubled life]]. He has starred in a lot of films since then - around 40 since 1991 - although a lot of them are lesser known. During the filming of ''Terminator 2: Judgment Day'', he began dating the adult woman who served as his tutor while he was out of school. They remained together for years, despite his guardians attempting to have her prosecuted for statutory rape. He was also known for his drug problems in his teens and 20s, but is allegedly clean now.
* '''Vincent Gallo's''' career in film first started as an actor, but it really took off on the independent circuit in TheNineties beginning with ''Film/Buffalo66''. His directorial debut, which he also starred in, wrote, and composed, was a big hit with critics who praised Gallo as a jack-of-all-trades. A lot was anticipated from Gallo's follow-up ''Film/TheBrownBunny'' before it premiered at Cannes in 2003, only for its primarily negative reception to kill any goodwill he could've had as an actor or a director. Though Gallo generally didn't take the poor response well, a particularly damning statement from the late Creator/RogerEbert, who called ''The Brown Bunny'' the worst film ever to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, riled him so rancorously that the two fell into a verbal dispute, with Gallo hitting below the belt by immaturely mocking Ebert's weight and wishing he would get colon cancer (which was harsher in retrospect, after Ebert was later actually diagnosed with cancer, albeit of his thyroid and salivary glands), while Ebert stood by his criticism. The film also became an infamous BoxOfficeBomb, grossing a measly $1 million against a budget of $10 million. He didn't make another movie for seven years, which never received wide distribution following its premiere at the Venice Film Festival. In the years since, Gallo's acting career has also hit the gutter aside from playing the lead in ''Tetro'' by Creator/FrancisFordCoppola in 2009.
* '''Gil Gerard''' had been acting throughout TheSeventies before landing the role of Captain William "Buck" Rogers in ''Series/BuckRogersInTheTwentyFifthCentury''. Inspired by the success of ''[[Film/ANewHope Star Wars]]'' two years prior, the series pilot was retooled as a theatrical release in 1979. It grossed nearly $22 million on a $3.5 million budget, igniting interest in the series before it aired on television months later. The series lasted for two years and seasons, but Gerard had a hard time getting work after its conclusion since nobody could see him as anything other than Buck Rogers. The bulk of his filmography afterwards has comprised of direct-to-video and/or TV movies, besides a minor role in ''Film/TheNiceGuys''.
* '''Creator/ThomasGibson''' had a promising start to his acting career when he played as a villainous rival in Creator/RonHoward's ''Film/FarAndAway''. Later on, he got his breakthrough TV role in ''Series/ChicagoHope'' and showed his comedy chops in ''Series/DharmaAndGreg'', which gave him two Golden Globe nominations. He was at his peek when he played the role of Aaron Hotchner in ''Series/CriminalMinds''. Unfortunately, he got into [[HostilityOnTheSet an on-set altercation with one of the writers]] which [[RoleEndingMisdemeanor got him fired from the show]]. That incident damaged his career and reputation, which never recovered.
* '''Creator/TomGreen''' did stand-up comedy in the early stages of his career before he was given his own self-titled VarietyShow in 1994. ''Series/TheTomGreenShow'' soon became notorious for its usage and blend of {{surreal|humor}} and shock humor, along with its recurrent implementation of the CandidCameraPrank (which became a potent influence on similar shows such as ''Series/{{Jackass}}''). This didn't stop him from becoming popular with younger audiences, and in fact led him to get roles in hit movies like ''Film/CharliesAngels2000''. He also was temporarily married to his ''Charlie's Angels'' co-star Creator/DrewBarrymore for a year. In 2001, Green used the clout he earned to star in, co-write, and direct his passion project, ''Film/FreddyGotFingered''. It, though, was released to a widely negative response, became a BoxOfficeBomb, and went on to win five [[MediaNotes/GoldenRaspberryAward Razzie Awards]] including Worst Picture, practically killing his career, aside from the equally reviled ''Film/StealingHarvard'' the following year.
* '''Creator/ArmieHammer''' has suffered repeated disappointments, including one legendary bomb. After several years of TV roles he got a breakthrough part (or [[ActingForTwo parts]]) in ''Film/TheSocialNetwork''. All of Hammer's subsequent projects - ''Film/MirrorMirror'', ''Film/JEdgar'' and ''Film/TheLoneRanger2013'' - have flopped critically and financially. He's still getting high-profile roles, including the ''Film/TheManFromUNCLE2015'' remake... but it failed to light the world on fire. It's only in 2017 where he received a lot of critical praise in ''Film/CallMeByYourName''. In 2021, his career ground to a halt when he was accused of sexual abuse, not to mention cannibalistic fantasies.
* Might come as a surprise, but '''Kadeem Hardison''' was actually fairly popular in the early '90s (at least in the black community). It was assumed (perhaps naively) that he was going to become a huge breakout star after ''Series/ADifferentWorld'' ended. Needless to say, for whatever reason that never happened. It might be a case of both CriticalDissonance and PopCultureIsolation. Same could be said for Creator/JasmineGuy and Creator/LisaBonet.
** This actually happens to ''a lot'' of up and coming black actors, who ended up with mediocre or stalled careers after a fairly huge beginning. Examples include Creator/NiaLong, Creator/LarenzTate, Creator/BokeemWoodbine, Creator/DerekLuke, and Creator/SeanPatrickThomas. Basically, let's just say every black "it" actor/actress that's not Creator/WillSmith, Creator/SamuelLJackson, or Creator/DenzelWashington has faced this. Again, a mix of PopCultureIsolation, industry politics, and arguably racism play a part.
* '''Creator/JonHeder''' became a sensation in 2004 when he starred as the title character in ''Film/NapoleonDynamite''. Premiering at that year's Sundance Film Festival, it became a surprise hit with youth of the zeitgeist once it gained a wide release during the summer. Filmed on a miniscule budget of $400,000, it surpassed expectations to gross over $46 million during its theatrical release and seemingly established Heder as an up and coming star in comedy. Unfortunately, his star power fell not long after with the 2006 flops ''Film/TheBenchwarmers'' and ''School for Scoundrels''. Besides ''Film/BladesOfGlory'' the following year (and its success was primarily because Creator/WillFerrell was his co-star), most of his films since then have received limited releases or otherwise gone straight-to-video. He has recently branched out into voice-over work, while he now is viewed as a OneHitWonder for ''Napoleon Dynamite''.
* Much was expected from '''Creator/FreddieHighmore''' after his roles in ''Film/FindingNeverland'' and ''Film/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory'' (both of which paired him with megastar Creator/JohnnyDepp). However, a series of flops (such as ''Film/ArthurAndTheInvisibles'', ''WesternAnimation/AstroBoy'', and ''Film/AugustRush'') and criticisms that his acting talent never improved past his earlier successes derailed his chances of a successful career in his teenage and adult years. An attempt to do an edgier role in ''The Art of Getting By'' resulted in awful reviews and low box office, signaling an end to his career as a leading man on the big screen. But the small screen turned out to be a much more fruitful frontier for him anyway, first with ''Series/BatesMotel'' and second with ''Series/TheGoodDoctor''.
* '''Creator/EmileHirsch''' was a rising star who had built up much acclaim from films such as ''Film/IntoTheWild'' and ''Film/AlphaDog''. Then the failure of ''Film/SpeedRacer'' (an attempt to turn him into a big star) more or less led his hype to dry up, as he would not appear in another lead role until the 2011 flop ''Film/TheDarkestHour''. Though he still has the occasional supporting role (most recently in ''Film/OnceUponATimeInHollywood''), Hirsch's time seems to have passed. Also not helping his case was his 2015 assault conviction.
* '''Creator/CThomasHowell''' was a notable TeenIdol in TheEighties, starring in many hits like ''Film/TheOutsiders'' and ''Film/{{Red Dawn|1984}}''. However, Howell blew it all with 1986's ''Film/SoulMan''. Although a box office success, it garnered controversy because he spent the bulk of the film in {{blackface}} which, in the '80s and beyond, [[ValuesDissonance was extremely taboo for obvious reasons]]. Since then, he has appeared in a bunch of B-movies and TV shows.
* '''Creator/KevinJames''' rose to become the next top comedy star with the popularity of ''Series/TheKingOfQueens'' and the success of ''Film/{{Hitch}}'' marking high notes in his career. Then, just two months after the cancellation of ''Queens'', he co-starred with longtime partner Creator/AdamSandler in ''Film/INowPronounceYouChuckAndLarry'', which critics everywhere tore apart for alleged [[UnfortunateImplications gay stereotyping]]. He bounced back a couple years later with ''Film/PaulBlartMallCop'', which was also panned but became the highest-grossing film released in January, only to take another downturn in the next two years with ''Film/GrownUps'' and ''Film/{{Zookeeper|2011}}'', both of which received bad reviews and did mediocre business at the box-office. After yet another Sandler-James collaboration, ''Film/{{Pixels}}'', bombed critically and financially, he decided to go straight back to television in the Creator/{{CBS}} sitcom ''Series/KevinCanWait''. That series got canned after its second season due to CBS attempting to make it more like ''The King of Queens'': going as far as to fire Creator/ErinnHayes, [[ActorLeavesCharacterDies kill off her character]], and replace her with ''Queens'' co-star Creator/LeahRemini, a decision met with largely unfavorable reactions.
* '''Creator/BlakeJenner''' got a huge push after winning the second season of ''Series/TheGleeProject'', which landed him a role in Season 4 of ''Series/{{Glee}}'' as Ryder Lynn. That show's popularity made Jenner a recognizable face and led to more high-profile parts in ''Film/EverybodyWantsSome'' and ''Film/TheEdgeOfSeventeen''. Then, he was afflicted by scandal when his ex-wife Creator/MelissaBenoist, whom he met on the set of ''Glee'', disclosed a few years following their divorce that he had been physically and emotionally abusive during their marriage. His career quickly tanked following this revelation, with Creator/RichardLinklater replacing Jenner as the lead in the director's planned adaptation of ''Theatre/MerrilyWeRollAlong'' with Creator/PaulMescal. Meanwhile, projects he already filmed were buried quietly or given only a token limited release.
* '''Sam J. Jones''' had kind of a similar story to "[[Film/OnHerMajestysSecretService one and done]] James Bond" Creator/GeorgeLazenby. Jones had the chance of a lifetime with ''Film/FlashGordon1980'', but his own attitude undermined his potential career. He was, though, able to find success elsewhere, while still occasionally accepting acting jobs, most notably cameoing {{as himself}} in ''Film/{{Ted}}'' and [[Film/Ted2 its sequel]], whose titular character and his best friend are portrayed as die-hard ''Flash Gordon'' fans.
* '''Creator/JamieKennedy''' became a horror icon after starring as the GenreSavvy Randy Meeks in ''Film/Scream1996'', returning for its first two sequels. But he struggled to continue a decent career afterwards in the early 2000s, before it was killed for good with the failures of ''Film/SonOfTheMask'' and ''Film/KickinItOldSchool''. He hasn't appeared in a major film since then, while television bore no success beyond a role in the final two seasons of ''Series/GhostWhisperer''. After a career spanning several decades, Randy remains his best-known role.
* '''Creator/TaylorKitsch''' has had a rough time with this trope. He first rose to prominence in 2006 with his role in the NBC series ''Series/FridayNightLights'', which was a critical darling despite never having massive ratings. He gained more exposure when he played ComicBook/{{Gambit}} in 2009's ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine'', which was a moderate box office success despite receiving mixed reviews. Kitsch's portrayal in particular was considered one of the film's saving graces, with many critics and comics fans calling him its EnsembleDarkhorse. Unfortunately, his career after ''Friday Night Lights'' ended in 2011 has been very rough. 2012 notoriously proved to be a disastrous year with ''three'' high-profile disasters in ''Film/{{Battleship}}'', ''Film/{{Savages}}'', and ''Film/JohnCarter'', the last of which was one of the biggest box-office disasters in recent memory. He does have an advantage in that he wasn't blamed for any of the failures, with ''John Carter'''s attributed to a very poor marketing campaign and an enormously bloated budget, and the fact that critics and audiences already know how well he can act. He was cast for the second season of ''Series/TrueDetective'' but earned mixed reception for his performance, although it didn't help that the second season wasn't as praised as the first.
* '''Creator/ShiaLaBeouf''' - who ironically ''didn't'' get the hype machine from Disney like his contemporaries, has had the most post-Disney success. While being featured in several big blockbusters in a supporting role (such as ''Film/IRobot'' and ''Film/{{Constantine}}'') helped to establish his cred, it was his relationship with Creator/StevenSpielberg that pushed him over the edge. Through Spielberg, [=La=]Beouf got cast as the lead in the ''Film/TransformersFilmSeries'' and one of the leads of ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkull''. This already started polarizing him among fans of the franchises, who felt such a young actor was basically getting handed roles on a silver platter without having put in his dues to earn them, especially in contrast to fellow ''Transformers'' star Creator/MeganFox who had to fight tooth and nail for roles that didn't just revolve around her being MsFanservice. Then over time, [=La=]Beouf developed a negative reputation when he started to [[CreatorBacklash publically slam the movies he was part of.]] Though unlike most, [=La=]Beouf's falling off ended up being his own decision [[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/shia-labeouf-abandoning-big-budget-movies-361943 after revealing he hates the studio system.]] Then he was found to be plagiarizing a Daniel Clowes comic for a short film that he premiered at a festival and was reviled for months (to the point where he wore a paper bag over his head), though the backlash eventually died down. He later got a supporting role in Creator/DavidAyer's UsefulNotes/WorldWarII film ''Film/Fury2014'' and this seemed like it was supposed to be his transition from brainless action star to OscarBait material. It didn't work, given that the movie didn't make much of a splash or had any lasting traction. His star only further faded when it was revealed his bizarre MethodActing on the set had him doing such things as ''cutting his face, pulling out a tooth, and refusing to bathe'', the latter making him smell so bad he got kicked out of the cast accommodations. While he has worked steadily since he doesn't appear to be eager to get back up to his former heights of fame, but it's a bit doubtful he could even if he tried at this point. If anything, he moved onto a niche role as a performance artist starring in bizarro stage acts and public one-man theater shows. Things did seem to get better in 2019, with his writing debut in ''Film/HoneyBoy'' and his performance in ''Film/ThePeanutButterFalcon'', but his newfound success was shot down after allegations of domestic abuse from his ex-girlfriend Music/FKATwigs. This resulted in his Oscars campaign for ''Pieces of a Woman'' getting cancelled, as well as Marvel dropping him for consideration as Iceman in their rebooted X-Men franchise. He's announcing that he will attend counseling and take a hiatus, so time will tell.
* '''Creator/LorenzoLamas''' tried becoming a star in TheEighties. Though his film hopes quickly died after his [[MediaNotes/GoldenRaspberryAward Razzie]]-nominated role in ''Body Rock'', he established himself decently on television with a role on the PrimeTimeSoap ''Falcon Crest'' alongside Creator/JaneWyman. It was a hit lasting nine seasons, with Lamas starring for its entire run. Lamas had a slight measure of success in the following decades with his lead role in the '90s action series ''Series/{{Renegade}}'' and a short stint on the daytime SoapOpera ''Series/TheBoldAndTheBeautiful'' between 2004 and 2006, but his acting career after the latter has fizzled out.
* '''Creator/MartinLawrence''' was one of the fastest rising comedic stars of TheNineties. His sitcom ''Series/{{Martin}}'' was incredibly popular, and then in 1995, he starred along with Creator/WillSmith in ''Film/BadBoys1995'', which was the StarMakingRole for both actors.[[note]]For more emphasis on how far he's fallen, he was billed '''ahead''' of Will Smith.[[/note]] Unfortunately, real-life drug issues and a sexual harassment suit would stain his career. On the film side, while Smith went on to star in other smash hits, such as ''Film/MenInBlack'' and ''Film/IndependenceDay'', Lawrence stuck with acting in comedies that only produced lukewarm responses (the first ''Film/BigMommasHouse'' and ''Film/WildHogs'' arguably being exceptions).
* '''Creator/JoshLucas''' co-starred in films like ''Film/AmericanPsycho'' and ''Film/ABeautifulMind'' before he had his breakthrough in 2003 with two blockbusters: the Creator/ReeseWitherspoon romantic comedy ''Film/SweetHomeAlabama'' and the Creator/AngLee-directed comic book adaptation ''Film/{{Hulk}}''. He played Witherspoon's estranged ex-husband in the former and played one of the villains in the latter. Hollywood began pushing him as their next, big leading man and gave him major roles in four films: ''Film/{{Stealth}}'', ''Film/AnUnfinishedLife'', ''Film/GloryRoad'' and ''Film/{{Poseidon}}''. However, each one underperformed to varying degrees at the box office while also garnering a negative to mixed reception. Lucas has thereafter turned back to supporting roles, in which capacity he has maintained a steady career.
* In the early 2000s, '''Eli Marienthal''' was getting a push as a child star following his OneSceneWonder role as Stifler's younger brother in ''Film/AmericanPie''. He was the voice of Hogarth in ''WesternAnimation/TheIronGiant'' and given a major role in ''Film/TheCountryBears''. Both films bombed at the box office, though the former became a CultClassic on home video. He was tested out as the star of his own sitcom ''{{Series/Tucker}}'', which lasted just one season. His role as the love interest in ''Film/ConfessionsOfATeenageDramaQueen'' alongside Creator/LindsayLohan (see Actresses) was commercially successful but trashed by critics, and he retired from acting shortly afterwards.
* Australian actor '''Creator/JulianMcMahon''' came to national attention for his MrFanservice roles on ''{{Series/Charmed|1998}}'' and ''Series/NipTuck'', and got something of a push – even being considered as a potential James Bond. His turn as ComicBook/DoctorDoom in the blockbuster ''Film/FantasticFour2005'' was critically panned, but the movie was a success. His attempt at headlining a project alongside Sandra Bullock in ''{{Film/Premonition}}'' was a critical disappointment, and he didn't make another film after ''Film/FantasticFourRiseOfTheSilverSurfer'' bombed. He has stuck mainly to TV and smaller roles since ''Nip/Tuck'' ended its run. However, he did get a role as the BigBad in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse webseries ''{{Series/Runaways|2017}}''.
* '''Creator/TJMiller''' was a rising comedian in TheNewTens whose potential staying power was quickly destroyed by one RoleEndingMisdemeanor after another. He started out in the prior decade doing stand-up and improv comedy, before making his film debut with a role in 2008's ''Film/{{Cloverfield}}'' (having starred on a short-lived sitcom, ''Carpoolers'', the year before). By the 2010s, Miller was everywhere ranging from television on the popular Creator/{{HBO}} sitcom ''Series/SiliconValley'' to film. His extensive credits comprises animation (''Franchise/HowToTrainYourDragon'', ''WesternAnimation/BigHero6'') to live-action hits (including ''Film/ShesOutOfMyLeague'', ''Film/OurIdiotBrother'', ''Film/{{Deadpool|2016}}'', ''Film/OfficeChristmasParty'', ''Film/ReadyPlayerOne'', etc.). Even the occasional dud like ''Film/TransformersAgeOfExtinction'' (which got very negative reviews from critics despite being a box office smash) or ''WesternAnimation/TheEmojiMovie'' couldn't seemingly bring him down. However, he was impacted by a number of scandals in the months before the releases of ''Ready Player One'' and ''Film/Deadpool2'' in 2018. Not only was he named in the sexual abuse allegations that arose following the Weinstein effect, he also, in order, was accused of transphobia by a former friend and bullying his ''Silicon Valley'' co-stars on-set (which explains his departure from the show in 2017), had a vicious altercation with an Uber driver in 2016 come to light, and ultimately culminated in him phoning in a fake bomb threat at Penn Station during a tantrum, a move which got him booted off the train and ''very'' fortunately didn't lead to mass death. Miller had his lines for ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragonTheHiddenWorld'' re-dubbed and was confirmed by ''Deadpool'' actor Creator/RyanReynolds to not be coming back for ''Film/DeadpoolAndWolverine''. He hasn't been in any screen projects since 2020, after ''Film/{{Underwater}}'' and ''The Stand-In'' bombed.
* '''Sasha Mitchell's''' screen career first took off with his role as James Beaumont in the final two seasons of the PrimeTimeSoap ''Series/{{Dallas}}'', but he became far more recognizable upon being cast as cousin Cody Lambert on the {{sitcom}} ''Series/StepByStep''. Outside of TV, Mitchell proved himself as an action star with the DirectToVideo ''Film/{{Kickboxer}}'' sequels (replacing original lead Creator/JeanClaudeVanDamme). However, he hasn't acted in anything as prolific after that slight burst in TheNineties.
* '''Creator/DudleyMoore''' was already a comedy star in his native United Kingdom as part of a wildly popular double act with Creator/PeterCook in TheSixties, but as that partnership dissolved in TheSeventies he struck out on his own and to Hollywood. A movie-stealing turn in ''Film/FoulPlay'' led to a lead in ''Film/Ten1979'', and while Bo Derek (see Actresses on ''her'') was the focus of the marketing campaign, his career promptly skyrocketed as well. While ''Film/WhollyMoses'' was a disappointment (despite a strong opening weekend), the straight-up star vehicle ''Film/Arthur1981'' was THE comedy of 1981 and even saw him nominated for a Best Actor Oscar. He was promptly being offered projects left and right. Alas, an attempt to branch out into drama led to the FollowUpFailure ''Six Weeks'' and was followed by a run of five star vehicles, mostly romantic comedies -- one was even '''titled''' ''Romantic Comedy'' -- trying to recapture his ''Arthur'' heat, over 1983-84 that were modest successes at best and {{Box Office Bomb}}s at worst. Trying to branch out with ''Film/SantaClausTheMovie'' and ''Like Father, Like Son'' did him no favors; the latter film ''was'' a minor hit, but that was more due to the presence of Creator/KirkCameron (amidst his ''Series/GrowingPains''-hype phase) than his. ''Arthur 2: On the Rocks'' put the coffin in the ground with only one leading man vehicle since (''Film/CrazyPeople''). In TheNineties he found more success in his other career as a jazz and classical pianist than as an actor, but a disastrous marriage to his ''Arthur 2'' co-star Brogan Lane (who was abusive) and health issues (above all progressive supranuclear palsy, diagnosed in 1999) permanently derailed him professionally, and he died in 2002.
* '''Creator/MikeMyers''' was one of the bigger stars of ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' at the turn of TheNineties, especially after a movie based on the ''Film/WaynesWorld'' sketches he toplined was a hit. The sequel and ''Film/SoIMarriedAnAxeMurderer'' weren't as successful, but a few years after those he struck gold with the first ''Film/AustinPowers'' film and [[ActingForTwo his two highly quotable characters in it]]. Though not a box-office blockbuster, it proved so successful on the video market that the 1999 sequel ''was''. His star rose even higher after he voiced the title character in ''WesternAnimation/Shrek1''. However, he developed a reputation for being egotistical and tough to work with, walked out of a planned movie adaptation of the ''SNL'' "Sprockets" sketches, and the ''Austin Powers'' sequels were met with frostier critical reactions (primarily due to vulgarity and {{Sequelitis}}) than the original had. A StarDerailingRole came with his critically roasted turn as ''Film/TheCatInTheHat'' in 2003, which was so terrible that Creator/DrSeuss' [[FranchiseKiller estate has prohibited any more live-action adaptations of his works]], and it was his last live-action leading role for five years. In the interim he continued with the ''Shrek'' franchise, but ''that'' went into decline with the third installment. 2008's ''Film/TheLoveGuru'' was intended as a comeback vehicle but bombed spectacularly. With the ''Shrek'' saga closing out quietly in 2010, and no leading roles in the pipeline, early hopes that he would be the second coming of Creator/PeterSellers have proven unfounded. In the summer of 2017, ABC relaunched ''Series/TheGongShow'' with "English presenter" Tommy Maitland, who just happens to be Myers under heavy makeup and a Scottish accent (though of course the network is denying that). Following a cameo in ''Film/BohemianRhapsody'', he starred in and executive produced ''Series/ThePentaverate'', a comedy series for Netflix, with him playing multiple characters over six episodes. Time will tell if it helps Myers' career, but the initial reaction to the show has not been promising. There are also rumors that a fourth Austin Powers movie might be in the works.
* '''Creator/CorinNemec''' became a household name playing the titular protagonist in ''Series/ParkerLewisCantLose'', making him a TeenIdol in TheNineties. He maintained a solid career for the rest of the decade and in the first years of the next one, notably with roles in ''Series/TheStand1994'' and ''Series/StargateSG1''. The latter was the last major project he had a role in as he has now been reduced to made-for-TV B-movies. Various health concerns, notably suffering critical injuries and enduring extensive surgeries on-set of one of those movies, has impacted his ability to work too.
* '''Creator/ShaquilleONeal''' got a big hype push during his hugely successful [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation NBA]] career when he announced his intent to break into acting. This had ''disastrous'' results due to Shaq's limited acting range and choices of roles. ''Blue Chips'' came out in 1994 to mixed reviews and performed poorly at the box office, followed by the universally panned box-office bomb ''Film/{{Kazaam}}''. Things went from bad to worse with ''Film/{{Steel}}''. Shaq was notably the first high profile actor to portray a black superhero but the film was such a critical and commercial disaster that it (along with other high profile failures like ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'') killed the superhero genre for nearly a decade. Being the star of it was the deathblow to Shaq's aspiring acting career. He's had plenty of success in other fields but his acting credits mostly include cameos and joke scenes these days.
* ''Film/TheSixthSense'' got the then-eleven-year-old '''Creator/HaleyJoelOsment''' an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 1999, making him the hottest child actor since Creator/MacaulayCulkin. Unfortunately, his first film role afterward was as the saintly hero of ''Film/PayItForward'', a failed piece of OscarBait that became a target of mockery instead. He had one more chance to prove himself as a star with ''Film/AIArtificialIntelligence'' the following summer, but that film proved to be a divisive box-office underperformer. Afterward he did several films' worth of voiceover work for Disney and ''Film/SecondhandLions''; his highest-profile gig since then is as the voice of Sora in the ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' video game franchise.
* Back in the early '90s, '''Creator/LukePerry''' was given a huge PR push to be the next big movie star. After his [[BreakoutCharacter breakout role]] on ''Series/BeverlyHills90210'', Perry appeared in films such as ''Film/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', ''8 Seconds'', and ''Film/TheFifthElement''. With his [[BroodingBoyGentleGirl brooding]] intensity, Perry was hyped up as the {{second coming}} of Creator/JamesDean. But soon after ''90210'' ended in 2000, he fell off the radar. Come the [[TheNewTens 2010s]] however, Perry would enjoy a [[CareerResurrection resurgence]] with his role as [[Characters/RiverdaleResidents Fred Andrews]] on ''Series/{{Riverdale}}'' and a supporting role in ''Film/OnceUponATimeInHollywood'' until his untimely death in 2019.
* '''Creator/AlexPettyfer''' was being given an A-list push as the star of several young adult adaptations in the 2000s - starting with ''Film/{{Stormbreaker}}'' and then as a TeenIdol with ''Film/{{Beastly}}'' and ''Literature/IAmNumberFour''. He ended up reportedly destroying his reputation in Hollywood with his partying antics, and the films he was in flopped. ''Film/MagicMike'' did well, but he didn't return for the sequel.
* '''Creator/FreddiePrinzeJr''' became known in the mid-'90s when he starred in the slasher ''Film/IKnowWhatYouDidLastSummer'' opposite Creator/JenniferLoveHewitt, Creator/RyanPhillippe and his own future wife Creator/SarahMichelleGellar (who's also mentioned in Actresses). Despite receiving mixed reviews, the horror film was a profitable hit with audiences. Its success resulted in a sequel, ''Film/IStillKnowWhatYouDidLastSummer'', being made with Prinze reprising his role, which was still a box office hit despite receiving even worse reviews than the first one nor matching its financial gross. His next starring role after that film was as the male lead in ''Film/ShesAllThat'' opposite Creator/RachaelLeighCook (also mentioned in Actresses), which made him a sex symbol and THE go-to guy for leading men in teen romantic comedies overnight. Prinze enjoyed a comfortable run as a romantic lead for the next few years, until it came to a swift end in 2001 when ''Summer Catch'' failed to match the financial success of his past films while also being torn to shreds by critics. He got a temporary reprieve when he played Fred in the live-action adaptation of ''Film/ScoobyDoo2002'' and its 2004 sequel ''[[Film/ScoobyDooMonstersUnleashed Monsters Unleashed]]'' (reuniting him with Gellar, who played Daphne in those films), but promptly squandered the tiny amount of credibility he regained when he headlined his own eponymous sitcom, ''Freddie'', which was widely criticized as a shoddily-made {{vanity project}}. Besides a recurring role in season 8 of ''Series/TwentyFour'' [[note]]which he has no fond memories of, having [[HostilityOnTheSet butted heads]] with lead actor Creator/KieferSutherland out of exasperation with the latter's alleged unprofessional behavior[[/note]], he has mainly stuck to voice-over work in animation, most notably with an acclaimed turn as Kanan Jarrus in ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels''.
* During the late [[UsefulNotes/The2000s 2000s]], '''Matt Prokop''' began to make a name for himself as a [[TeenIdol teen idol]] with the aid of Creator/{{Disney}}. He first appeared in an episode of ''Series/HannahMontana'' and then more prominently as Jimmie Zara in ''Film/HighSchoolMusical3SeniorYear''. This was followed by Prokop's appearance as Creator/BrendanFraser's son in the film ''Film/FurryVengeance''. Then in 2011, Prokop played the male lead in the Creator/DisneyChannel TV movie ''Film/GeekCharming'' alongside ''Series/ModernFamily'' star Creator/SarahHyland. Prokop later guest starred on ''Modern Family'' during its third season as Hyland's love interest. However, after four years of dating, Prokop and Hyland split. It was soon revealed that Hyland had gotten a three-year long restraining order against Prokop, claiming that he'd been physically and verbally abusive towards her during their relationship. Hyland ultimately managed to secure a permanent restraining order against Prokop, meaning that he was no longer able to have any contact with her at all. The revelation of Prokop's [[DomesticAbuse domestic abuse]] all but [[PersonaNonGrata killed his future acting prospects]]. He hasn't appeared in any film or TV projects since 2013 with his last on-screen acting credit being in 2013's ''April Apocalypse''.
* After appearing in a number of well-regarded supporting appearances in various films and TV shows, '''Creator/BrandonRouth''' got a massive push when he was cast in the role made famous by Creator/ChristopherReeve in ''Film/SupermanReturns'' in 2006. His StarMakingRole ended up being a dead end when the film received mixed reviews, general viewer apathy, and (despite making $400 million at the box office) negative profit due to prior production costs. This was made all the worse because there were actually repeated attempts at making a sequel and he was contractually obligated to clear his schedule whenever each attempt started up, meaning he couldn't pursue any big projects. Routh then disappeared for two years before landing a pair of cameo roles in a couple of films (''Film/ZackAndMiriMakeAPorno'', ''Film/ScottPilgrimVsTheWorld'') and a guest spot on the third season of ''Series/{{Chuck}}'', all of which failed to make much impact with audiences. His intended comeback in ''ComicBook/DylanDog: Dead of Night'', based on a bestselling comic series, also flopped at the box office ($4 million against a $20 million budget). Barring a major hit, it seems like he'll be stuck making small indie projects for quite some time. He did get a major role in ''Series/{{Arrow}}'' as Ray Palmer aka Comicbook/TheAtom and reprised the role as a main cast member of the spin-off ''Series/LegendsOfTomorrow'', so playing another superhero doesn't hurt at least.
* '''Creator/AntonioSabatoJr''' initially became famous as a model before moving towards acting, which started out fine in TheNineties with a starring role on ''Series/GeneralHospital''. Further parts in shows such as ''Series/MelrosePlace'' and ''Series/TheBoldAndTheBeautiful'' followed, although he never became a major star. However, his popularity mostly dissipated when he, while talking at the 2016 Republican National Convention (already controversial in itself among Hollywood circles), publicly stated both his support for Creator/DonaldTrump and his belief that then-president UsefulNotes/BarackObama was a Muslim. This killed his career overnight when he lost all of his representation and got fired from many projects being filmed, while those that were finished were suspended pending distribution.
* '''Creator/RobSchneider''' got his start through stand-up comedy, which paved his path towards sketch comedy when he was hired as a staff writer for ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' late in TheEighties. He was soon upgraded to the cast at the dawn of TheNineties, providing several of that era's prominent impersonations and recurring bits. He also met many major comedians such as Creator/AdamSandler and Creator/DavidSpade during his tenure, with whom he would often collaborate in the future. Schneider left ''SNL'' in 1994 with hopes of becoming a movie star, frequently popping up in many of Sandler's films. Unfortunately for him, his own efforts as the lead begot a string of steadily worsening failures. ''[[Film/DeuceBigalow Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo]]'', ''Film/TheAnimal'', and ''Film/TheHotChick'' made enough of a profit despite each film receiving worse reviews than the last, but the sequel ''Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo'' became such a reviled disaster that he never headlined a live-action film solo again. It actually incited a noteworthy war of words when Schneider scolded ''Los Angeles Times'' film critic Patrick Goldstein for giving the film a bad review, proclaiming he had no authority to do so because he hadn't won a MediaNotes/PulitzerPrize. Pulitzer-winning film critic Creator/RogerEbert promptly stepped in and gave his two cents about the matter, bluntly telling Schneider, "[his] movie sucks". Subsequently, he "won" a Razzie award for Worst Actor for his performance in ''European Gigolo''. He then starred as part of the ensemble for ''Film/TheBenchwarmers'' alongside the aforementioned Jon Heder, which ground his career further into the dirt. Schneider's screen presence has been barely sustained since by being part of the ensemble in Sandler's films, while he has now acquired more notoriety for his conservative views, Islamophobia, and anti-vaccine stance. His most-recent projects are limited to ones he finances himself and conservative Christian media. His daughter, singer Elle King, has acquired more recognition in recent years.
* '''Creator/DougrayScott''' got a lot of hype after his role as Prince Charming in ''Film/EverAfter'' and soon became the front-runner for roles such as Wolverine in the ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'' and Film/JamesBond. But after ''Film/MissionImpossibleII'' went over schedule, he was forced to give up the Wolverine role to a little-known Australian actor named Creator/HughJackman. While Jackman became a huge star, Scott's career fell into a tailspin as he's spent much of his career toiling away in TV movies, short-lived TV series (plus a single season on ''Series/DesperateHousewives'', just as the show was beginning its long descent in ratings and buzz) and little-seen movies (his possible low point being the 2011 film ''Love's Kitchen'', which grossed just £121 at the UK box office). He managed to land a role in ''Series/Batwoman2019'', but that was hit by many production problems and damaging accusations about his onset behavior, something which he strongly disputes.
* '''Creator/TomEverettScott''' was working sporadically in television before he made his film debut in 1996's ''Film/ThatThingYouDo'' Notable for also being the directorial debut of Creator/TomHanks, the film was a mild success and appeared to place the actor on the road to future stardom. Scott's next lead role, unfortunately, was in 1997's ''Film/AnAmericanWerewolfInParis'', the reviled sequel to the hit '80s horror film ''Film/AnAmericanWerewolfInLondon''. Its failure snuffed his good fortunes for the rest of the decade, with the few successes he had (like the AcclaimedFlop ''Film/OneTrueThing'') being brought down by far bigger failures (''Film/DeadManOnCampus'', ''The Love Letter'', etc.). He later went on to star in films like ''Film/BoilerRoom'' and ''Film/LaLaLand'', but usually in bit parts.
* '''Creator/StevenSeagal''' is a classic story of an actor who worked his way up the ladder, had a brief time as a big star, overreached himself, and sunk into obscurity, becoming a punchline to countless jokes about washed-up celebrities. He started work in movies as a stunt coordinator and martial arts instructor (including on ''Film/NeverSayNeverAgain'', where he infamously broke Creator/SeanConnery's wrist during a spar), but made the transition to actor when one of his aikido students, superstar talent agent Michael Ovitz, arranged for him to demonstrate his martial arts skills on the Creator/WarnerBros lot. Creator/WarnerBros decided to take a chance on him, and in 1988, he wrote and starred in ''Film/AboveTheLaw1988'', which was a commercial success despite mixed reviews. His next two movies, ''Film/HardToKill'' and ''Film/MarkedForDeath'', both opened at #1 at the box office, and while the former was a critical flop, the latter received good reviews. 1991 saw the release of ''Film/OutForJustice'', his third straight number one box office opening. To promote the movie, he hosted an episode of ''Series/SaturdayNightLive''... and is still widely considered to be the worst host in the show's history, which many consider in retrospect to be a portent of things to come. While he was a niche actor up to this point, his appearance in the critically acclaimed blockbuster ''Film/UnderSiege'' allowed him to break out to general audiences and compete with A-list action heroes. Seagal used his newfound clout to make an [[GreenAesop environmentally conscious]] movie called ''Film/OnDeadlyGround'', which was his directorial debut. The movie was a critical and commercial flop, and the following year's ''Film/UnderSiege2DarkTerritory'' was a box office disappointment and received poor reviews. While 1996's ''Film/ExecutiveDecision'' was a success, it didn't do much for his career, and stories of prima-donna behavior on set began to adversely affect his reputation. Still, he would continue to appear in high-budget action movies, but after ''The Glimmer Man'' and ''Film/FireDownBelow'' both flopped and his original multi-picture contract with Warner Bros. ended, his next major role was in a 1998 direct-to-video movie titled ''Film/ThePatriot1998''. In 2001, he seemed slated for a comeback after ''Film/ExitWounds'', but the disappointing performance of ''Film/HalfPastDead'' would push him off the big screen for good. Aside from ''Film/{{Machete}}'', he's been stuck in direct-to-DVD movies and Reality TV and has become notorious for his [[FormerlyFit considerable physical decline]] and the poor quality of his fight scenes which try to cover up that fact and his own blatant disinterest with limited success. It doesn't help that he's since been OvershadowedByControversy, due to being hit with allegations of sexual misconduct and his apologia for authoritarian leaders like UsefulNotes/FidelCastro and UsefulNotes/VladimirPutin (not to mention participating in propaganda to support the invasion of UsefulNotes/{{Ukraine}} for the latter). These days, he's widely regarded as a joke with even his earlier hits now praised more for their directors and supporting cast.
* '''Creator/TomSelleck''' was supposed to be one of the biggest action stars in Hollywood thanks to his starring role in ''Series/MagnumPI'', one of the most successful action shows of the '80s. However, he preferred to [[PlayingAgainstType play against type]] when it came to movies. His first breakthrough film role was ''Film/ThreeMenAndABaby'', which got decent reviews and was the biggest box office hit of 1987. After ''Magnum P.I.'' was cancelled, Selleck decided to take his action personality to film with ''Film/AnInnocentMan'' and ''Film/QuigleyDownUnder''. Although neither were box office hits, they went on to become cult classics, and Selleck would continue to build up his film career throughout the '90s while still being a television favorite. And then came 1999's ''The Love Letter'', which despite Selleck being in a supporting role got poor reviews and failed to turn a profit. Not helping matters was when Selleck decided to show up on Rosie O'Donnell's talk show to promote the movie only to be confronted by O'Donnell over his appearance on a recent National Rifle Association advertisement, a move that O'Donnell received heavy criticism for and forced her to apologize. Even though the moment didn't harm Selleck as much, the failure of ''The Love Letter'' did, as he would only appear in three more films, with nothing since 2010. His TV career was also flagging simultaneously, eventually culminating in the romantic comedy ''Film/{{Killers}}'', which bombed and killed Selleck's film prospects for good. These days he's starring on the Creator/{{CBS}} {{cop show}} ''Series/BlueBloods'', which has aired for 14 seasons.
* '''Creator/PaulyShore''' (the son of The Comedy Store co-founders Mitzi and Sammy Shore) followed in his folks' stand-up comedy footsteps (and cultivated his onstage persona "the Weasel", a spaced-out, Californian stoner/surfer dude) before becoming an Creator/{{MTV}} VJ in 1989, a position he retained for five years. He starred in the comedy ''Film/EncinoMan'' during this period, which was a slight box office hit despite receiving mostly negative reviews. Shore tried turning himself into a comedic movie star with four consecutive films per year from ''Film/SonInLaw'' to ''Film/BioDome'', but each was greeted with worse reviews than the last. After ''Bio-Dome'' (which since earned a not-undeserved reputation as one of the worst films ever made) and his short-lived self-titled sitcom were ravaged, he retreated to stand-up comedy: where he's found a decent living. Shore's quick rise and fall on the screen, though, has made him the butt of jokes and a walking punchline. What little work he gets outside of stand-up is usually limited to voice work in animation.
* '''Creator/JussieSmollett''' got his start as a child actor with films like ''Film/TheMightyDucks'' and ''Film/{{North}}'', before appearing with his real-life siblings (including sister {{Creator/Jurnee|Smollett}}) on the short-lived ''Series/OnOurOwn''. He took a hiatus for over a decade before returning back to prominence in TheNewTens, gaining newfound exposure with his role as Jamal Lyon on ''Series/{{Empire}}''. Smollett collaborated with series creator Creator/LeeDaniels to shape the character based on their shared experiences as homosexual African-American men. It was successful while Smollett, who got notable praise for his performance, later attained roles in blockbusters like ''Film/AlienCovenant'' and ''Film/{{Marshall}}''. In January 2019, Smollett allegedly claimed to authorities that he had been physically assaulted by two men in what was very quickly designated a hate crime. Inconsistent details in the story, however, were reported by police, and the resulting investigation revealed that the attack was staged by Smollett himself, with the help of two work acquaintances who he paid to rough him up while using racist and homophobic language. The hoax killed his hype overnight as he was suspended from his ''Empire'' role before being fired, just as it came to light that he was caught in a pay dispute with Creator/{{FOX}}. Getting convicted on five of six charges of disorderly conduct in December 2021, before being sentenced to 150 days in jail, plus having to pay restitution and further fines, has left his career and reputation in ruins.
* '''Creator/DanielStern'''. While he wasn't much of a big name to begin with, he had supporting roles in smaller fare in the early 1980s, but then he changed when he co-starred in the 1982 comedy-drama ''Film/{{Diner}}'', a film that was largely applauded by critics that it gave Stern a shed of light to being the next young comedy star in Hollywood (to the point where the producers of the ''Franchise/BackToTheFuture'' series offered him the role of Biff Tannen, which he unfortunately turned down), and years later he narrated the hit sitcom ''Series/TheWonderYears'', which would last over six seasons. His biggest career pushes came with ''Film/HomeAlone1'' and ''Film/CitySlickers'', which grossed over $100 million at the box office and renewed Hollywood producers' attention. \\\
His newfound success, however, did not last long. While he tried to look for main roles in films, he still was degraded to the supporting role he had played in many of his works, and his works after ''City Slickers'' suffered heavily as a result. ''Film/HomeAlone2LostInNewYork'' ended up grossing less than its predecessor, ''Film/RookieOfTheYear'' (which he also directed) wasn't much of a hit, and ''Film/CitySlickersIITheLegendOfCurlysGold'' nearly flopped[[note]]it was presumably made because main star, producer, and writer Creator/BillyCrystal suffered a severe SmallNameBigEgo case after the first film was released[[/note]]. After these snags, he was finally given a starring role in the two comedy movies ''Film/{{Bushwhacked}}'' and ''Film/CelticPride'' (which he intended to be {{Star Making Role}}s for him), both of which fared so badly with critics that they were massive box office flops that [[StarDerailingRole literally obliterated all the hype]] Stern had built for his entire career. Since then, he's only made television appearances and direct-to-video movies, including turning down offers to reprise his role in the third and fourth ''Home Alone'' movies, and his comeback attempt in ''Film/WhipIt'' was a box office disaster, despite being applauded for his role. He was cast in a supporting role alongside Creator/MirandaCosgrove in the NBC sitcom ''Girlfriend in a Coma'', but the series didn't go ahead. However, he did get cast in ''Series/{{Manhattan}}'', which was a critical success despite low ratings throughout its two seasons.
* '''Nick Swardson''' was already a familiar supporting player in comedy (notably with his role on ''Series/Reno911''), before creating his own sketch series titled ''Pretend Time'' on Comedy Central and nabbing his first leading man role in the film ''Bucky Larson: Born To Be A Star''. Both projects were unanimously panned, with ''Bucky Larson'' becoming a big BoxOfficeBomb while Comedy Central cancelled ''Pretend Time'' after two seasons. He promptly receded back into supporting roles after those two failures.
* '''Creator/ChrisTucker''' was actually considered to be "the next Creator/EddieMurphy" after ''Film/{{Friday}}'' and the first ''Film/RushHour'' movie in the mid-late '90s. Unfortunately, Tucker wasn't much motivated to branch out and capitalize immediately; he had become born-again during that time, and declined to reprise his role in ''Next Friday'' due to its raunchy content. Tucker has only appeared in a handful of movies since 1998, two of which were the sequels to ''Rush Hour'' (Tucker was apparently paid $20 million for ''Rush Hour 2''). Tucker has seemed to be more passionate about his charity work, buddying up with the late Music/MichaelJackson, and his stand-up. Rumor has it he was offered the same type roles over and over again, and turned them down out of frustration. Since the ''Rush Hour'' trilogy ended, he has only appeared in three theatrical films: ''Film/SilverLiningsPlaybook'' (2012), ''Film/BillyLynnsLongHalftimeWalk'' (2016), and ''Film/Air2023'', all in supporting roles.
* During the [[The80s 1980s]], Hollywood tried to sell '''Ken Wahl''' as a sort of an [[TheEveryman Average Joe]] who could play [[AllGirlsWantBadBoys bad boys]] and [[ResignedToTheCall reluctant heroes]] in action movies. His first acting job was in the lead role in the 1979 film ''Film/TheWanderers''. Although the film wasn't initially a financial success, Wahl got good reviews from some prominent critics. He was able to parlay that into a lengthy series of starring roles in smaller films, and co-starring roles in bigger films such as 1981's ''Film/FortApacheTheBronx'' and 1982's ''Jinxed'' opposite Creator/BetteMidler. The latter film, was Wahl not only was slammed by critics and [[BoxOfficeBomb bombed at the box office]], making less than $3 million against its $13 million budget, but Wahl [[HostilityOnTheSet clashed relentlessly]] on-set with Midler. In 1987, Wahl was cast as in the lead role of Vinnie Terranova in the Creator/{{CBS}} crime show ''Series/{{Wiseguy}}''. By the time that Wahl left the series after third season, he had received an [[MediaNotes/PrimetimeEmmyAwardForOutstandingLeadActorInADramaSeries Emmy nomination for best lead actor]] in a dramatic series, had won a [[MediaNotes/GoldenGlobeAwardForBestActorInADramaSeries Golden Globe in the same category]], and had an additional Golden Globe nomination from the year before. Wahl's next feature film was 1991's ''Film/TheTakingOfBeverlyHills'', which ultimately got a small release and [[InvisibleAdvertising no advertising]], and made no money [[VindicatedByCable until it was released on VHS]] a few years later. A similar fate befell 1994's ''The Favor'', a movie that he had actually shot in 1990 with a [[RetroactiveRecognition then-unknown]] Creator/BradPitt. In 1992, Wahl was at the home of a woman he was seeing when he [[StaircaseTumble slipped and fell down a marble staircase]]. He suffered a broken neck and damaged spinal column. The surgery to repair it went poorly, and he was [[CareerEndingInjury left with a permanent injury]]. As a result of the ongoing pain, Wahl became [[TheAlcoholic addicted to alcohol]] and then drugs. Wahl's final acting job was in a 1996 ''Wiseguy'' [[ReunionShow reunion TV movie]] for [[Creator/AmericanBroadcastingCompany ABC]]. Wahl said in his biography that he was barely able to finish the 16 day shoot, and when it was over, he knew he had to retire.
* '''Billy Warlock's''' career began when he made his debut with a small part in ''Film/HalloweenII1981'', which he parlayed into supporting runs on the television series ''Series/HappyDays'' and ''Series/DaysOfOurLives''. He landed his first leading role as Eddie Kramer on ''Series/{{Baywatch}}'' near the end of the decade, remaining a part of the cast for its first two seasons before leaving at the beginning of season 3. Warlock joined the casts of many {{soap opera}}s (''Series/GeneralHospital'', ''Series/TheYoungAndTheRestless'', ''Series/OneLifeToLive'', etc.), but couldn't extend success beyond those before retiring in 2011.
* '''Creator/DamonWayans''' started off TheEighties with bit parts in movies and TV series as well as a run as a featured player on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'', which infamously ended after he portrayed a bit role as a CampGay type. But as TheNineties began, he was finally put on the map when he was one of the cast members of the sketch comedy show ''Series/InLivingColor''. Becoming one of the breakout stars from the series, Wayans left after three seasons to begin his movie career. His first films, ''Film/TheLastBoyScout'' and ''Film/MoMoney'', were all modest box office successes. Then came ''Film/{{Blankman}}'', who blanked out with both critics and audiences. After another base hit with ''Film/MajorPayne'', Wayans attempted to break into the A-list with three pictures in 1996: ''Film/CelticPride'', ''Film/TheGreatWhiteHype'', and ''Film/{{Bulletproof}}''. All three films bombed critically and commercially, leading Wayans to go back to TV with very little success for the rest of the decade. After a dramatic turn in ''Film/{{Bamboozled}}'', which would go on to be a CultClassic, Wayans found success on TV once again with ''Series/MyWifeAndKids'', lasting five seasons. During his time on the show, Wayans would take one more crack headlining a motion picture with ''Film/MarciX''. The movie would flop with critics and audiences, permanently ending his movie career for good. After doing nothing noteworthy for the rest of the 2000s-into-the 2010s, Wayans would go back to television once more, playing Roger Murtaugh on the TV adaptation of ''Series/LethalWeapon''. While it lasted three seasons, it was notable for its TroubledProduction, with Wayans clashing with his co-star Creator/ClayneCrawford. Wayans would leave the series shortly before it got cancelled.
* '''Creator/JustinWhalin''' started out as a child actor on various shows like ''Series/GeneralHospital'', before he played Andy Barclay in ''Film/ChildsPlay3'' ([[TheOtherDarrin replacing]] original actor Creator/{{Alex Vincent|Actor}} temporarily). He later portrayed Jimmy Olsen in Season 2 of ''Series/LoisAndClark: The New Adventures of Superman'' and stayed onboard until that show's conclusion. He got plenty of hype from the popularity of that series, which vanished after starring in the notorious ''Film/DungeonsAndDragons2000'' alongside Creator/ThoraBirch and Creator/ZoeMcLellan (see Actresses). Following numerous botched efforts to rebuild his career from that huge flop, Whalin quit acting in 2009 and is now a teacher.
* '''Creator/WilWheaton''' gained a lot of praise as a kid in TheEighties, especially with his breakthrough performance in the critically acclaimed ''Film/StandByMe''. He was subsequently cast as Wesley Crusher in ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'', only for the character to become one of the series' most polarizing to the point of being TheScrappy. While he's continued acting since then (notably playing [[AdamWesting a parody of himself]] on ''Series/TheBigBangTheory''), his career has never hit the heights of his '80s heyday.

!!Actresses:
* '''Creator/TriniAlvarado''' had already been working as a child actress from the late '70s to TheEighties when she seemingly pivoted towards a successful adult career in TheNineties, with her roles in ''Film/LittleWomen1994'' and ''Film/TheFrighteners''. Sadly, Hollywood, unsure of what to do with Alvarado given her heritage (derived of mixed Spanish-Puerto Rican descent but didn't look conventionally Hispanic, leaving her unable to occupy the roles most Latina actresses were {{typecast}} into back then, yet studios were reluctant to cast her in non-Hispanic lead roles), dithered for so long that she lost the hype she gained. She has only worked intermittently since the '90s.
* '''Creator/LoniAnderson''' nabbed her StarMakingRole in 1978 as the savvy receptionist Jennifer Marlowe in the sitcom ''Series/WKRPInCincinnati''. Anderson remained onboard the series for its entire duration and was nominated twice for an MediaNotes/EmmyAward for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. However, her career after it concluded went nowhere as the bulk of her post-''WKRP'' TV appearances were recurring or guest spots. Her attempt at becoming a movie star failed when ''Film/StrokerAce'', which she starred in opposite Creator/BurtReynolds (whom she was briefly married to after this film was made), bombed badly with critics and audiences alike in 1983, with Anderson getting nominated for a Worst Actress MediaNotes/GoldenRaspberryAward. She too has only worked intermittently since the '90s.
* '''Creator/SusanAnton''' started out as Miss California before becoming the runner-up in the 1970 [[BeautyContest Miss America Pageant]]. In 1976, Anton beat out 400 hopefuls and became the spokeswoman for Muriel Cigars. Anton's new found notoriety lead to her appearing on talk shows, singing on variety shows, performing on Creator/BobHope specials, and being featured in her own [[AdmiringThePoster pinup posters]]. Anton also regularly popped up in the tabloids due to her romances with the likes of Creator/SylvesterStallone and Creator/DudleyMoore. Come 1979, Magazine/TimeMagazine would list her as one of the most promising faces to keep an eye on. Also in 1979, Anton would star in her prospective [[StarMakingRole breakout role]] as an actress, ''Film/{{Goldengirl}}'', which saw her as a genetically engineered athlete who was training to compete in the then real life upcoming UsefulNotes/OlympicGames in UsefulNotes/{{Moscow}}. While ''Goldengirl'' was a theatrical release, production for the film was partially funded by Creator/{{NBC}}, who had planned on later broadcasting a [[ReCut special four hour version]] of the film over the course of two nights during its own Summer Olympic coverage in 1980. However, following the United States' real life boycott of Moscow Olympics, NBC ended up [[ReleaseDateChange delaying their broadcast]] of ''Goldengirl'' until January of 1981 [[ScrewedByTheNetwork in only a three hour time slot]]. To add insult to injury, at the box office itself, ''Goldengirl'' [[BoxOfficeBomb only made]] three million dollars against a seven million dollar budget. While Anton would continue to act, sing (Anton did land a top 10 [[CountryMusic country]] hit with her song "Killin' Time") and perform in movies, TV and on stage (perhaps most notably, in ''Film/CannonballRunII'' and in a recurring role on ''Series/{{Baywatch}}''), she would never get another high-profile starring role again following the failure of ''Goldengirl''.
* '''Creator/LysetteAnthony''' was already known for modeling work in her native Britain before pursuing acting, first with a moderately successful stage career before transitioning to the screen. However, her film debut in the fantasy epic ''Film/{{Krull}}'' was a flop that set her career back many steps. She retreated to television afterwards, where she's cultivated a fine career with roles in several British soap operas like ''Series/{{Hollyoaks}}''. Her attempts at a return to film, unfortunately, proved futile following even more worse-received flops like ''Film/LookWhosTalking Now'', ''Film/DraculaDeadAndLovingIt'', and ''Film/DrJekyllAndMsHyde'' in TheNineties. She recently made headlines when she revealed she was raped by Harvey Weinstein in the late '80s.
* '''Creator/FairuzaBalk''' made her film debut as a child playing Dorothy in ''Film/ReturnToOz'', which got a mixed reception in its initial release in 1985 but later became a CultClassic. Balk continued working away into her teenage years and adulthood before getting more recognition for her role in ''Film/TheCraft''. Its popularity made her a goth icon and led to more high-profile work (''Film/AmericanHistoryX'', ''Film/TheWaterboy'', ''Film/AlmostFamous'', etc.), but mostly in supporting roles. Studios had no idea how to market Balk as a lead outside of horror, which soon led her hopes for greater stardom to slip from her grasp.
* '''Creator/JacindaBarrett''' moved from her native Australia to pursue modeling work in Europe, before making her screen debut in the mid-'90s on the Creator/{{MTV}} reality show ''The Real World: London''. Barrett pivoted into further television roles as well as film, but her prospects were unremarkable for the next couple of years. In 2006, she seemingly got her big break when she attained significant roles in three films: ''Film/{{Poseidon}}'', ''Film/TheLastKiss'', and ''School for Scoundrels''. Unfortunately, each of them underperformed at the box office and were trashed by critics. Barrett saw her potential as a leading lady killed by those failures. She hasn't starred in any high-profile films since, while her successes on television are few and far between. At best, she had a recurring role on ''Series/{{Suits}}'' opposite her husband Creator/GabrielMacht and a starring role on the Creator/{{Netflix}} drama ''Series/Bloodline2015'', which was enough of a hit to last three seasons to 2017.
* '''Creator/MischaBarton''' debuted as a child actress in TheNineties, notably playing a ghost opposite Creator/HaleyJoelOsment (see Actors) in ''Film/TheSixthSense''. Later in the TurnOfTheMillennium, she further established herself as a TV it girl with Rachel Bilson in ''Series/TheOC''. However, Barton, unlike Bilson, didn't remain for the whole series, leaving after the third season because of alleged on-set animosity between the cast and crew. She also struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction at the time which worsened after her departure. Barton attempted to extend her success into film, but none of her movies were able to procure the same popularity as ''The O.C.''. She branched out into fashion instead by modeling for many brands while designing her own product lines. Barton's most noteworthy recent screen appearance, ironically, has been as part of the main cast on the first season of the Creator/{{MTV}} reality show ''The Hills: New Beginnings'', whose parent shows, ''Series/LagunaBeach'' and ''Series/TheHills'', were inspired by ''The O.C.''.
* During TheEighties and early '90s, '''Creator/KimBasinger''' was not only one of the most sought after actresses in Hollywood but also one of its biggest [[MsFanservice sex symbols]] (serving as Hollywood's epitome of "[[EveryoneLovesBlondes the blonde bombshell]]"). With a mixture of sensitivity and sensuality, Basinger was arguably the closest '80s equivalent to Creator/MarilynMonroe. After working as a fashion model and gradually paying her dues in films like the unofficial Film/JamesBond film ''Film/NeverSayNeverAgain'', Basinger officially reached the A-list when she was cast as [[Characters/BatmanFilmSeries Vicki Vale]] in Creator/TimBurton's 1989 blockbuster ''Film/{{Batman|1989}}''. Shortly after ''Batman'' however, a series of [[BoxOfficeBomb commercial duds]] and her [[SmallNameBigEgo ego problems]] badly damaged her career. Around the same time that ''Batman'' was out, Basinger squandered $20 million on a failed film studio and festival in Braselton, Georgia. In the 1990s, Basinger starred in high profile flops like ''Film/TheMarryingMan'' alongside Creator/AlecBaldwin and Creator/RalphBakshi's ''Film/CoolWorld''. Most notably, Basinger developed a reputation as a diva for her [[WagTheDirector clashes with the production teams]]. While working on ''[[TroubledProduction The Marrying Man]]'' in particular, Basinger demanded that the director of photography be replaced and stalled production with having her makeup completely removed and re-applied between takes. Her collaboration on ''Cool World'' was particularly disastrous as she [[{{Bowdlerise}} censored the movie]] for sick hospital children (which was ''[[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids not]]'' what Bakshi intended), which in turn drove Bakshi [[CreatorKiller away from filmmaking]].\\\
However, the biggest story of 1993 for Kim Basinger was ''Film/BoxingHelena'', a movie that she backed out of at the last minute. To make a long story short, just before filming began, Basinger got cold feet about playing a woman who is held hostage by a surgeon who amputates her limbs. Not surprisingly, the makers of ''Boxing Helena'' [[ContractualObligationProject sued]][[note]]The makers of the film ''Boxing Helena'' said that Kim Basinger agreed to star in the film, had been fitted for wardrobe and then she suddenly dropped out without making any effort to help them find a replacement. Basinger did not come off as honest or credible on the witness stand.[[/note]] and [[ScrewedByTheLawyers Basinger was forced to pay a settlement]] of $3.8 million dollars[[note]]She was initially ordered to pay the filmmakers about $8.1 million in damages, but it was cut down on appeal.[[/note]]. But the damage was done; combined with her costly legal battles and failed Braselton buyout, Basinger filed for bankruptcy. It still might have been worthwhile, though, as the film ended up as a notorious disaster that outright annihilated the career of its eventual female lead, Creator/SherilynFenn. In 1994, Basinger co-starred with her then-husband Alec Baldwin in the remake of the 1972 crime drama film ''Film/TheGetaway''. Despite some buzz if not controversy over some steamy sex scenes, it was [[CoupleBomb not enough]] to make ''The Getaway'' a hit. Ultimately, the aforementioned lawsuits, bankruptcy, and box office flops caused Basinger to [[CelebrityIsOverrated retreat from Hollywood]] for a few years.\\\
Three years later, Basinger was primed for a [[CareerResurrection comeback]] in the form of Creator/CurtisHanson's 1997 film noir, ''Film/LAConfidential''. Basinger's performance as a glamorous, sexy FemmeFatale earned her an [[MediaNotes/AcademyAward Oscar]] for Best Supporting Actress, putting her back on Hollywood's A-list. Despite the overwhelming success of ''LA Confidential'', Basinger didn't jump right back into starring roles until ''I Dreamed of Africa''[[note]]A [[VanityProject passion project]] of Basinger's.[[/note]] and ''Film/BlessTheChild'' in 2000. Both received bad reviews and underwhelmed at the box office, [[StarDerailingRole killing the momentum]] of her Oscar win. Shortly after that one-two punch, Basinger and Alec Baldwin entered a tumultuous divorce proceeding and custody battle over their daughter, further [[OvershadowedByControversy overshadowing her professional work]]. Since then, her career has been on a slow decline with Basinger only starring in [[DirectToVideo low-budget]] movies (or participating in small, borderline "[[MoneyDearBoy money for hire]]" parts in films like ''Film/TheSentinel2006'', ''Film/CharlieStCloud'', ''Film/TheNiceGuys'', and ''[[Film/FiftyShadesOfGrey Fifty Shades Darker]]''[[note]]Which earned Basinger a MediaNotes/GoldenRaspberryAward for Worst Supporting Actress in 2017.[[/note]]) and becoming a [[ReclusiveArtist recluse]]. Her most high-profile role since was in ''Film/EightMile'' with Music/{{Eminem}}, where she played his character's mother. Once she won her Oscar, it seemed as if Hollywood stopped paying her much attention even when she appears in high profile movies. To put things in proper perspective, Basinger appeared alongside Creator/RobertDeNiro, Creator/SylvesterStallone, Creator/AlanArkin, and Creator/KevinHart in 2013's ''Film/GrudgeMatch'' yet was [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg nowhere to be found]] in the movie's marketing. Nowadays, Basinger is more known for her failed marriage to Alec Baldwin, uncooperative ego, animal rights activism, and lack of financial success than her actual acting abilities. Even most of Kim Basinger's filmography, aside from films like ''Batman'', ''LA Confidential'', and ''8 Mile'', are only remembered largely as vehicles in launching the [[RetroactiveRecognition careers]] of such stars as Creator/BruceWillis (''Film/BlindDate''), Creator/BradPitt (''Film/CoolWorld''), Creator/JenniferLawrence (''The Burning Plain''), and Creator/ChrisEvans (''Film/{{Cellular}}'').
* '''Kimberly Beck's''' acting career began as a child actor (notably playing one of the kids in the 1968 version of ''Film/YoursMineAndOurs''), with her biggest role as an adult being the FinalGirl in ''Film/FridayThe13thTheFinalChapter'' (the fourth entry in the ''Franchise/FridayThe13th'' franchise, and definitely not the last). She never appeared in a major project after that one before retiring in 2009.
* '''Creator/IreneBedard''' received plenty of hype with her Golden Globe-nominated performance in ''Lakota Woman'' and voicing [[WesternAnimation/{{Pocahontas}} Pocahontas]], being named the most recognizable Native American actress and getting featured on several 'Most Beautiful Women' lists. Sadly, she's still best known as Pocahontas - though she has been working away, so it seems more to do with lack of opportunities for indigenous actresses rather than talent.
* '''Creator/CamillaBelle''' started her career as a child star in the mid-'90s with parts in ''Film/ALittlePrincess'' and ''Film/TheLostWorldJurassicPark'', among other films. She even worked with Creator/DanielDayLewis in 2005's ''The Ballad of Jack and Rose''. Her adult career, though, was far less successful, with many stinkers including ''Film/TheQuiet'', ''Film/WhenAStrangerCalls'', ''Film/TenThousandBC'', and ''Film/{{Push}}''. Belle's now known more for having once dated Music/JoeJonas and for feuding with Music/TaylorSwift.
* '''Creator/MonicaBellucci''' was a famous model in Italy before becoming an actress in TheNineties, having modeled for labels like Dolce & Gabbana and Dior. Her fluency in both French and English, as well as her native Italian, gave her the ability to set her star up across the pond, with roles in Italy (''Film/TheRaffle'', ''Film/{{Malena}}''), France (''Film/BrotherhoodOfTheWolf'', ''Film/{{Irreversible}}''), and Hollywood (''Film/BramStokersDracula'', ''Film/UnderSuspicion''), with her best-known hits being ''Franchise/TheMatrix'' sequels ''Film/TheMatrixReloaded'' and ''Film/TheMatrixRevolutions'', plus ''Film/ThePassionOfTheChrist''. Then, her hype started diminishing in the mid-2000s when ''Film/TheBrothersGrimm'' and ''Film/ShootEmUp'' underperformed. Aside from a widely publicized yet ultimately minor part as a Bond girl in ''Film/{{Spectre}}'', Bellucci hasn't been in a major Hollywood film since. She mostly sticks to making French or Italian films nowadays.
* '''Creator/ElizabethBerkley''' gained a lot of popularity for her role as Jessie Spano in the series ''Series/SavedByTheBell'', and as such the next logical step for her to be the Next Big Thing was to make the move to a film career. In her case, it appeared that she could do so by winning the lead role of Nomi Malone with ''Film/{{Showgirls}}'', which attracted a lot of publicity, as the sex- and nudity-laden film was the complete opposite of how Jessie Spano on ''Saved by the Bell'' was portrayed as a strong feminist activist, ensuring a lot of morbid curiosity towards her role. Too bad that trainwreck of a film completely derailed whatever film career she may have had. The fallout was so bad that when she requested $2,500 to be interviewed for the V.I.P. DVD edition of the film, she was ''turned down''. Ouch.
* '''Creator/RachelBilson''' was something of a TV It Girl during her days on ''Series/TheOC'' Once that ended, Bilson made a few forgettable TV appearances or underperforming films like ''Film/TheLastKiss'' and ''Film/{{Jumper}}''. She's now primarily known for attending various Hollywood functions or getting paparazzi photos of herself performing mundane daily tasks, although she scored a TV series with ''Series/HartOfDixie'' (which lasted four seasons from 2011 to 2015).
* '''Creator/ThoraBirch''' is a FormerChildStar who struggled to maintain a successful adult career. She began as a kid in TheNineties with roles in ''Film/PatriotGames'', ''Film/HocusPocus'' and ''Film/ClearAndPresentDanger'' before seemingly establishing herself as an adult actress with ''Film/AmericanBeauty''. Unfortunately, her next part in the ''Film/DungeonsAndDragons2000'' film was her StarDerailingRole upon getting a widely negative reception. She later won acclaim for ''Film/GhostWorld'', but threw any momentum away when she refused to part ways with her [[StageMom Stage Dad]] once his tendencies started to cost her many major roles. Her highest-profile role since was a recurring role on season 10 of ''Series/TheWalkingDead''.
* '''Yasmine Bleeth''' was already known for her tenures on soap operas like ''Series/RyansHope'' and ''Series/OneLifeToLive'' before getting the role of Caroline Holden on ''Series/{{Baywatch}}'', co-starring alongside Pamela Anderson. She left the show after a couple of seasons to establish herself in film with the raunchy sports comedy ''Film/{{BASEketball}}'', only for its rather bad reception (which included a Worst Actress MediaNotes/GoldenRaspberryAward nomination for Bleeth) to snuff that chance before it could go anywhere. Since that flopped in 1998, Bleeth worked infrequently on TV shows and films before her cocaine addiction (which was present for most of her career) got so uncontrollable she got arrested and checked into rehab multiple times. After 2003, Bleeth wouldn't appear in another screen project for eighteen years (which turned out to be a low-budget mob comedy that never got a wide release).
* '''Creator/NikkiBlonsky''' is a rather sad example of this. After being heavily hyped for her role in the 2007 remake of ''Film/{{Hairspray|2007}}'', a lot was expected of her. Sadly, Hollywood didn't know what to do with her and she's been mostly stuck being typecast as the fat girl in little-seen TV movies and the short-lived ''Literature/{{Huge}}''. Her first post-''Hairspray'' film role wasn't until four years later (a small role in the critically panned ''Waiting For Forever'') and it since has been discovered that she's been working in a salon to pay the bills.
* '''Creator/KateBosworth''' had bit parts and a cancelled-after-one-season TV show on Creator/TheWB called ''Young Americans'' before her starring role in ''Film/BlueCrush''. Once that hit, she was catapulted to the position of "It Girl", hyped as the greatest and most beautiful actress of her generation (sometimes this phrase was used verbatim), and she became a regular tabloid and fashion mag staple because she was dating the premiere heartthrob of the time, Creator/OrlandoBloom. The point where her hype started to push credulity, however, seemed to come when she was cast in ''Film/SupermanReturns'' as the title character's iconic love interest, Lois Lane, a seasoned veteran reporter (which in the film is also mother of a five-year-old child) despite the fact that Bosworth was only 23 at the time, attracting a great deal of eyebrow-raising and mockery. Fast-forwarding to 2024 and just about every film since ''Blue Crush'' and ''Superman Returns'', with the exception of ''Film/StillAlice'', has been a critical and/or commercial failure, though not for lack of trying for that great comeback.
* Silent film actress '''Creator/ClaraBow''' was [[TropeMakers the original]] "It Girl" (because she starred in [[TropeNamers a movie called]] ''Film/{{It|1927}}''). Natural charisma and an earthy sexuality uncommon for that era made her a huge star in the latter 1920s. She was able to overcome a thick Brooklyn accent and transition to talkies, but an exceedingly fragile psyche combined with an adversarial relationship with Paramount Pictures led to a nervous breakdown in 1931. Creator/{{Paramount}} fired her, and after an abortive comeback attempt she retired from movies at the age of 28.
* '''Creator/LaraFlynnBoyle''' nabbed her StarMakingRole as Donna Hayward on ''Series/TwinPeaks'', and remained onboard the series for its initial run in the early '90s. Its popularity led to Boyle receiving a variety of high-profile roles including ''Film/WaynesWorld'' and ''Film/{{Happiness}}'', which left her unable to return for the prequel (she was [[TheOtherDarrin replaced]] by Creator/MoiraKelly for ''Film/TwinPeaksFireWalkWithMe''). Her biggest role after ''Twin Peaks'' finished was as Helen Gamble on ''Series/ThePractice'', which got her nominated for an MediaNotes/EmmyAward in 1999. However, a combination of the underperformance of ''Film/MenInBlackII'' (which was generally considered to have suffered {{Sequelitis}} after [[Film/MenInBlack the first one]], while Boyle's performance got particularly criticized and a MediaNotes/GoldenRaspberryAward nomination) plus her dismissal from ''The Practice'' due to ExecutiveMeddling and budget cuts hindered her career. Her input since the mid-2000s has been rather erratic.
* Back in the 1940s, a former Rockette called '''Lucille Bremer''' impressed officials at Creator/{{MGM}} with her screen test and they began to test her as a potential star. She made a successful debut playing Rose in ''Film/MeetMeInStLouis'', with director Creator/VincenteMinnelli saying more than once that he felt she came close to stealing the film from Creator/JudyGarland. However her first starring role ''Yolanda and the Thief'' flopped at the Box Office (despite good reviews) because [[FantasyGhetto of its fantasy theme]]. She took the blame for this and, despite a few more starring roles, MGM soon lost interest in promoting her. She opted to retire from films before the decade was over.
* '''Creator/AmandaBynes''' is a rather sad example. Debuting on ''Series/AllThat'' as a preteen before segueing into her own spinoff ''Series/TheAmandaShow,'' her knack for physical comedy drew multiple comparisons to Creator/LucilleBall. She was able to successfully graduate off the children's networks to the WB's ''Series/WhatILikeAboutYou'' and did moderately well in her ventures to lead roles in films (and even better in supporting roles such as ''Film/{{Hairspray|2007}}'' and ''Film/EasyA.'') However, in TheNewTens, it started to unravel. Several brushes with the law and bizarre behavior in real life and on Twitter made people worry for her mental health. As of 2024, she hasn't worked in over a decade and has repeatedly been put under psychiatric holds. During this period, Bynes was also placed under the conservatorship of her mother – although it has recently ended with approval from both of them and a judge. Only time will tell if she can properly make a comeback.
* '''Mary Cadorette''' got what was presumed to be her [[StarMakingRole big break]] in 1984, when she was selected among over 500 women to portray [[Characters/ThreesCompany Jack Tripper's]] love interest, Vicky Bradford in a [[SpinOff spin-off]] of the sitcom ''Series/ThreesCompany'' entitled ''Three's a Crowd''. Cadorette first appeared in ''Three's Company's'' final three episodes as a means of setting up ''Three's a Crowd''. During and around this time frame, Cadorette also appeared as a contestant on several game shows as a such as'' [[Series/{{Pyramid}} The $25,000 Pyramid]]'', ''[[Series/{{Password}} Super Password]]'', and ''Series/BodyLanguage''. Unfortunately however, [[Creator/AmericanBroadcastingCompany ABC]] would cancel ''Three's a Crowd'' after only one season in 1985. One of the big criticisms that was levelled at the series was Cadorette's apparent [[NoSparks lack of chemistry]] with her leading man played by Creator/JohnRitter. After ''Three's a Crowd's'' one and done season, Cadorette would never again get close to having such a leading role on-screen. A majority of her subsequent acting work was comprised of one-off guest starring roles on TV shows . In 1986, Cadorette appeared in the feature film ''Film/StewardessSchool'', which [[BoxOfficeBomb only grossed]] $136,158 against an estimated budget of $8 million. Cadorette's highest profile acting role after her stint on ''Three's Company''/''Three's a Crowd'' was probably in a four episode stint from 1990-91 on ''Series/NightCourt'' as [[Characters/NightCourt Judge Harry Stone's]] love interest Margaret Turner. Cadoertte would continue to work on film and television through the year 2000 with her final on-screen credit being as "Marissa's Mother" on an episode of ''Series/BeyondBeliefFactOrFiction''.
* '''Creator/CharismaCarpenter''' got her StarMakingRole as Cordelia Chase in ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' opposite Creator/SarahMichelleGellar, leaving after the third season ended to reprise her part for the spin-off show ''Series/{{Angel}}''. Upon leaving ''Angel'' following the fourth season[[note]]she herself claimed that series creator Creator/JossWhedon fired her because she was pregnant around this time[[/note]], she continued finding work on TV (with roles in ''Series/VeronicaMars'' and ''Series/TheLyingGame'') and film (with a bit part in ''Film/TheExpendables'' and [[Film/TheExpendables2 its sequel]]). However, she hasn't gotten any big roles since 2013.
* '''Creator/KeishaCastleHughes''' was regarded as the next big thing back in 2004 after many critics and viewers praised her role in ''Film/WhaleRider'' where she's nominated for Best Lead Actress at the Oscars, making her the youngest Best Lead Actress nominee at the age of 13 (until 9-year-old Quvenzhané Wallis beat the record in 2013). Then, she appeared in ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'' and had another lead role in ''Film/TheNativityStory''. But after that, she didn't seem to get much impressive roles as she got pregnant too young. She did get a guest role in ''Series/TheWalkingDead'' and eventually got in Season 5 of the worldwide TV phenomenon ''Series/GameOfThrones'' as Obara Sand, the oldest Sand Snake daughter of fan-favorite Oberyn Martell. Unfortunately, the Sand Snakes themselves [[TheScrappy were hated]] by viewers and critics alike due to the {{Narm}}y lines, flimsy characterization and horrible acting. Though this didn't seemed to put a dent on Keisha's career as she still got more TV roles, it's a long way for her to get back on the A-list. Unlike that of nearly every other actor involved in the show, her role on ''Game of Thrones'' has not been able to supplant that of ''Whale Rider'' as her best known, and she is widely considered a OneHitWonder for it.
* '''Creator/KimCattrall''' started off as a promising [[TheIngenue ingenue]] in the late [[TheSeventies '70s]]. During that time, she appeared in some quality television series (''Series/{{Columbo}}'', ''Series/CharliesAngels'') and movies (''Tribute'', with Creator/JackLemmon). When the [[TheEighties '80s]] came, however, she found herself slumming in forgettable fluff (''Film/{{Porkys}}'', ''Film/PoliceAcademy'', ''Film/{{Mannequin}}''), indie movies, and [[BoxOfficeBomb flops]] (''Film/BigTroubleInLittleChina'', ''Literature/TheBonfireOfTheVanities''). In the [[TheNineties '90s]], before ''Series/SexAndTheCity'', she mostly landed [[OneShotCharacter one-off]] TV appearances and [[MadeForTVMovie Made-for-TV Movies]], with the exception being ''Film/StarTrekVITheUndiscoveredCountry'', the final film to feature the entire ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' cast, where she starred as Lt. Valeris (a SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute for Lt. Saavik from ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan''). After ''Sex and the City'', she struggled to get any major success before landing the role of the narrator, Future Sophie, in the sitcom ''Series/HowIMetYourFather'', the spinoff to ''Series/HowIMetYourMother''. Cattrall herself mused on her place in Hollywood, saying that after ''Porky's'', she began losing roles to Creator/MichellePfeiffer, another actress of her physical type, leaving Cattrall as a PoorMansSubstitute to Pfeiffer. She could've reprised her ''Sex and the City'' role in the Creator/{{Max}} continuation ''Series/AndJustLikeThat'', but HostilityOnTheSet with erstwhile co-star Creator/SarahJessicaParker motivated her refusal.
* '''Creator/DaveighChase''' was a notable kid actress in the early 2000s, with roles in animation (voicing Lilo in ''WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitch'' plus its related follow-up media, along with Chihiro for the English-language dub of ''Anime/SpiritedAway'') and live-action (as the protagonist's sister Samantha in ''Film/DonnieDarko'' and as Samara in ''Film/TheRing''). But she struggled to transition to an adult acting career, which began well as part of the main cast in ''Series/BigLove'' only to sink after wrapping in 2011. She hasn't starred in a screen project since 2016, with what scant headlines she makes now centering on multiple misdemeanors and resulting arrests.
* '''Creator/VanessaLeeChester''' was never a big star but did have some supporting roles in some moderately successful children's movies of TheNineties, such as ''Film/ALittlePrincess1995'' and ''Film/HarrietTheSpy''. She then landed her first part in a major blockbuster, ''Film/TheLostWorldJurassicPark''. While a slight success financially, it was widely considered inferior to the original ''Film/JurassicPark'' by critics and audiences. One would think this film would've helped make her into a big name; but given the film's abysmal reception, it did nothing to help her career. In fact, it might've hurt it. Chester has followed it up since then with only doing some sporadic film and television work, where she usually plays characters like "Student #2".
* '''Creator/HollyMarieCombs''' had acted throughout her childhood before landing her first major role on the Creator/{{CBS}} drama ''Series/PicketFences'', which received good reviews despite frequently low ratings as part of the FridayNightDeathSlot. Her popularity grew when she was cast as Piper Halliwell on ''Series/Charmed1998'', becoming the only cast member to remain onboard for all episodes of all eight seasons. Though Combs never broke out in film, she continued her TV career with her role in ''Series/PrettyLittleLiars''. However, she hasn't acted in anything significant since it finished in 2017.
* '''Creator/RachaelLeighCook''' first came to fame thanks to her role in, of all things, a famous anti-heroin PublicServiceAnnouncement, a twist on the "This Is Your Brain on Drugs" ad [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMwxWHaZUro in which she demolishes a kitchen]], and became a star proper when ''Film/ShesAllThat'' came out. The flop of ''Film/JosieAndThePussycats2001'' and, to a lesser extent, ''Film/{{Antitrust}}'' and ''Texas Rangers'' (she had supporting roles in those films, and unluckily for her, they came out the same year as ''Josie'') derailed her career, and she spent the following decade playing bit parts on television and various forgettable straight to DVD flicks. In recent years, however, she has had some success as a voiceover artist and plum guest roles in the likes of ''Series/{{Psych}}'' and ''Series/GhostWhisperer'', and even remade her anti-drug PSA (this time as a TakeThat to the War on Drugs), so a comeback isn't a fully unrealistic possibility. She later starred in ''Series/{{Perception|2012}}'' alongside Eric [=McCormack=], and had a supporting role in the remake ''Film/HesAllThat''.
* '''Creator/StaceyDash''' received her big break with a supporting role in ''Film/{{Clueless}}'' opposite Creator/AliciaSilverstone, then returning for the [[Series/{{Clueless}} spin-off TV series of the same name]]. However, her career didn't reach greater heights after the show finished in 1999. She's gotten exposure plus controversy recently for her outspoken conservative views, most infamously her support for Creator/DonaldTrump. For a short while, Fox News kept her around as a contributor.
* '''Creator/MarionDavies''' is a famous historical example, since it was William Randolph Hearst who financed her bid for movie stardom. While her looks were as good as people expected from a former Ziegfeld girl, and she was far more talented and off-screen amiable than her RomanAClef opera singer counterpart in ''Film/CitizenKane'', Hearst kept pushing for her to be cast in heavy-duty "respectable" dramatic roles when [[ComedyGhetto she was better at comedy]].
* '''Creator/GeenaDavis''' started in television comedy in TheEighties but found a StarMakingRole with ''Film/TheFly1986'', which showed her to be beautiful, funny, ''and'' capable of handling drama all at once. She immediately had a major push; come 1988 she had both a box-office smash in ''Film/{{Beetlejuice}}'' and an Oscar-winning supporting turn in ''Film/TheAccidentalTourist''. Seeking the most interesting roles she could find rather than conventional leading lady fare, her next big success was 1991's ''Film/ThelmaAndLouise'' (which saw her and Susan Sarandon nominated for Best Actress Oscars), with ''Film/ALeagueOfTheirOwn'' coming right on its heels in '92. However, her next few leading turns – ''Hero'', ''Angie'', and ''Speechless'' – did little business. And then there was ''Film/CutthroatIsland'', a pirate movie directed by her husband at the time, Creator/RennyHarlin, that suffered a massively TroubledProduction and became a ContractualObligationProject. Its catastrophic failure and that of their follow-up flop ''Film/TheLongKissGoodnight'' dissolved their marriage and permanently harmed their film careers. She has noted that her turning 40 in 1996, the year of the latter film, didn't help her career prospects any; she wouldn't act again until ''Film/StuartLittle'' in 1999. At the TurnOfTheMillennium she returned to TV, but both an eponymous sitcom and ''Series/CommanderInChief'' were short-lived (the latter yet another TroubledProduction to boot – she won a Golden Globe for it, though).\\\
Nonetheless she found life after the A-list: Out of frustration with the lack of good roles for women in Hollywood (especially in shows aimed at children), in 2004 she founded the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media to research and advocate for change in the industry. She does still appear on TV and in independent films, specifically ones that are female-centric – in 2019 she appeared in the Netflix shows ''WesternAnimation/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPower'' and ''Series/GLOW2017'' in guest roles. That year, she also won an ''honorary'' Oscar for her advocacy work.
* '''Creator/KayleeDeFer''' was already acting in her teens on TV upon landing her first starring role in ''Series/TheWarAtHome'', which got awful ratings and reviews. A few years later, she got more exposure being on ''Series/GossipGirl'' as con artist Ivy Dickens and stayed on the show until its conclusion in 2012. However, in 2013 she announced her retirement in order to raise her growing family.
* Big things were expected of '''Creator/BoDerek'''. After a minor role in ''Film/OrcaTheKillerWhale'', she got her big break in ''Film/{{Ten|1979}}'', which propelled both her and Creator/DudleyMoore to stardom.[[note]]In fact she, born Mary Cathleen Collins, got her stage name "Bo" from ''Ten'''s extensive use of Music/MauriceRavel's ''Boléro''.[[/note]] She was even unironically compared to Creator/MarilynMonroe. However, her follow-up movie, 1980's ''A Change in Seasons'', got unfavorable reviews and disappointed at the box office. The 1981 movie ''[[Film/TarzanTheApeMan1981 Tarzan, the Ape Man]]'', while doing better financially, was mutilated by critics and earned her a Worst Actress Razzie (shared with Creator/FayeDunaway for ''Film/MommieDearest''). She didn't get another film offer until 1984's ''Film/{{Bolero}}'', which bombed at the box office and earned her another Razzie. She took a five-year hiatus, but her intended comeback film, ''Film/GhostsCantDoIt'', only put her career even further in the ground. She spent the next few years making TV films, not returning to the big screen until ''Woman of Desire'' came out to very little fanfare. She also co-starred in ''Film/TommyBoy'', but was overshadowed by the film's comedic performances. After that, her most prominent role was in the 2006 telenovela ''Fashion House''. By this point, it's safe to say that her career is toast, with some even going so far as to ask how she even got so big in the first place.
* '''Creator/SusanDey''' was a successful teen model before she landed her StarMakingRole role as Laurie Partridge on the [[The70s 1970s]] TV series ''Series/ThePartridgeFamily''. Following the end of its four year long run in 1974, Dey attempted to [[PlayingAgainstType play against]] the [[ContractualPurity wholesome teen girl image]] that she got from playing Laurie Partridge in MadeForTVMovie films such as ''Cage Without a Key'' and ''Mary Jane Harper Cried Last Night'' as well as her portrayal of [[Characters/LittleWomen Jo March]] in a 1978 television adaptation of ''[[Literature/LittleWomen Little Women]]''. Dey also appeared in a few feature films, 1977's ''First Love'', 1981's ''Film/{{Looker}}'', and 1986's ''Echo Park''. None of these projects however, left as big of a cultural footprint as ''The Partridge Family''. It was also reportedly during this time, that Dey turned down the part of [[Characters/{{Grease}} Sandy]] in ''Film/{{Grease}}'' (which would ultimately go to Music/OliviaNewtonJohn) because following ''The Partridge Family'', she didn't want to play another teenage girl. She would eventually though, [[CareerResurrection land the second best known role of her career]] come 1986 in the form of district attorney [[Characters/LALaw Grace Van Owen]] on the Creator/{{NBC}} legal drama ''Series/LALaw''. Dey ultimately appeared in 126 episodes (that's more than ''The Partridge Family'', which only produced 96 episodes) before departing in 1992. During her time on ''LA Law'', Dey was nominated for multiple [[MediaNotes/EmmyAward Emmy awards]] and won the [[MediaNotes/GoldenGlobeAward Golden Globe]] for [[MediaNotes/GoldenGlobeAwardForBestActressInADramaSeries Best Actress in a Drama Series]] in 1988. In February 1992, while still a castmember on ''LA Law'', Dey guest hosted an episode of ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'', where she even participated in a sketch that [[AdamWesting poked fun]] at her ''Partridge Family'' past. Later that year, Dey would headline the Creator/{{CBS}} sitcom ''Series/LoveAndWar'' only to be ousted after the first season and replaced by Creator/AnniePotts due to a purported [[NoSparks lack of chemistry]] with her co-star, Creator/JayThomas. While Dey would continue to work for the work (primarily in TV movies) after her abrupt departure from ''Love and War'', her acting career was for all intents and purposes, winding down by the end of [[The90s 1990s]]. And her final credited acting role before her retirement was on an episode of NBC's ''Series/ThirdWatch'' in 2004.
* '''Creator/ShannenDoherty''' became a star in the late '80s and early '90s with hits such as ''Film/{{Heathers}}'' and three respectable TV shows - ''Series/LittleHouseOnThePrairie'', ''Our House'' and ''Series/BeverlyHills90210''. The late 90s were kind to her as well, when she headlined the supernatural drama ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}''. But cracks started to appear as early 1994 when she was fired from ''90210'' for getting into fights with her co-stars. Stories surfaced about her difficulty on the ''Charmed'' set too - with actor TW King leaving after the first season being rumoured to be because she didn't like him. Tension between her and co-star Creator/AlyssaMilano caused her to be fired again. After being fired from two hit network shows, she was given a few reality TV projects to headline - all of which did middling business. She stuck to doing TV movies afterwards, and her star power soon faded. Her recent battles with cancer have also put her career on ice.
* '''Nicole Eggert''' started out as a child actress in TheEighties, before landing a role on the {{sitcom}} ''Series/CharlesInCharge'' with Creator/ScottBaio (mentioned in Actors). She transitioned to more adult work upon being cast as Summer Quinn in Season 3 of ''Series/{{Baywatch}}'', joining the show at the same time as Pamela Anderson. Eggert left the series after Season 4 while none of her resulting acting work got the same level of popularity as ''Baywatch''.
* '''Creator/CarmenElectra''' started out as a singer/dancer before meeting Music/{{Prince}}, who signed her to his record label and produced her eponymous debut album. After it was released to poor sales and reviews, Electra pivoted towards acting work instead. Upon attaining her StarMakingRole as Lani [=McKenzie=] on ''Series/{{Baywatch}}'' (coming onboard after the departures of Pamela Anderson, Yasmine Bleeth, and Nicole Eggert), she got a minor but notable part in the horror parody ''Film/ScaryMovie''. Electra saw her status as MsFanservice set up with those in the 2000s, only to spend the rest of her career afterwards {{typecast}}. Despite hits like ''Film/StarskyAndHutch'', many of Electra's later films like ''Film/DirtyLove'', ''Film/CheaperByTheDozen2'', and various Creator/SeltzerAndFriedberg spoofs, bombed or were reviled. She doesn't do much these days.
* '''Erika Eleniak''' made her film debut as a kid in ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'' before taking up modeling as a teenager, notably posing for ''Magazine/{{Playboy}}'' magazine's July 1989 cover. She then landed the role of Shauni [=McClain=] on ''Series/{{Baywatch}}'' [[note]]Noticing a pattern here?[[/note]], which increased her popularity even more. Upon leaving ''Baywatch'' and returning to film in 1992, she played the female lead opposite Creator/StevenSeagal in ''Film/UnderSiege''. Humorously enough, part of her character's backstory has her being ''Playboy's'' "Miss July 1989" – just like Eleniak was in real life. However, none of her films afterwards got the same success and she soon drifted to obscurity.
* '''Angie Everhart''' made her screen debut opposite Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger in the action spoof ''Film/LastActionHero''. Despite its critical and commercial underperformance, that film got her a bit of exposure and she soon parlayed it into a successful modeling career for ''Magazine/SportsIllustrated'' and ''Playboy'' (notably posing nude for the latter magazine's February 2000 issue). Everhart's attempts at making a successful film career, however, proved futile, with the bulk of her screen work since 2000 consisting of reality television.
* '''Pamelyn Ferdin''' was a FormerChildStar of TheSixties and TheSeventies who was pushed into it by her StageMom. [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pamelyn_Ferdin#Filmography Despite a prolific filmography mostly consisting of kid-friendly fare]], she never was especially happy with acting before accepting a role in ''Film/TheToolboxMurders''. That film, which signified a prominent departure for Ferdin as a violent, scary ExploitationFilm, was a massive failure, with Ferdin distancing herself from acting after it flopped. She hasn't starred in anything since 2009, and currently is better known for her work as an animal rights activist.
* '''Creator/LindaFiorentino''' made her theatrical debut in 1985 with three films: the drama ''Film/VisionQuest'', the action comedy ''[[Film/Gotcha1985 Gotcha!]]'', and the Creator/MartinScorsese-directed ''Film/AfterHours''. While she kept working throughout TheEighties, it was only in TheNineties that she truly had her breakthrough with the 1994 neo-noir ''Film/TheLastSeduction''. She garnered unanimous critical praise for her performance, with talk of her getting an [[MediaNotes/AcademyAward Oscar]] nomination even circulating around Hollywood. However, the film, which premiered on Creator/{{HBO}} at the producers' behest before its theatrical release, [[AwardSnub was ineligible to receive any Oscar nominations]], not even for Fiorentino's performance. She did attain further fame with big roles in ''Film/MenInBlack'' and ''Film/{{Dogma}}''; unfortunately, Fiorentino also became entangled in HostilityOnTheSet of the latter film. Director Creator/KevinSmith often butted heads with the actress, bemoaning how difficult and demanding she had been to work with in the Main/DVDCommentary for ''Dogma'' (though the two would eventually patch things up many years later). Her films released in the early 2000s, ''Film/WhatPlanetAreYouFrom'', ''Where The Money Is'', and ''Liberty Stands Still'', were critically panned and underperformed financially. In fact, ''Liberty Stands Still'' had its theatrical release revoked in 2002 and was shunted DirectToVideo. She starred in one more film seven years later, ''Once More With Feeling''. It struggled to nab a theatrical run in 2009 before also going straight to video, leading Fiorentino to call it quits and vanish from the screen entirely.
* '''Deborah Foreman's''' StarMakingRole came in the form of the female lead in 1983's ''Film/ValleyGirl'' opposite a then-unknown Creator/NicolasCage as the leading man. Its massive popularity and influence on '80s pop culture made her big, but it soon proved to be ephemeral stardom. Her next leading role was in 1986's ''My Chauffeur'', which wasn't a hit. Foreman tried to restyle herself as a scream queen in the latter half of the decade, but none of the horror films she starred in made much of an impact. She rarely acts nowadays, with her most notable appearance being a cameo in the 2020 remake of ''Valley Girl''.
* '''Creator/ClaireForlani''' was a major starlet on the rise in TheNineties. Numerous blockbusters that she starred in, such as ''Film/{{Mallrats}}'', ''Film/TheRock'', and ''Film/MeetJoeBlack'', gave her the chance to share the screen with many prolific leading men. However, most of her films afterwards were disappointments. She promptly appeared in several infamous bombs, like ''Film/MysteryMen'' and ''Film/InTheNameOfTheKing: A Dungeon Siege Tale''. Forlani quickly faded from leading roles and turned towards television instead.
* '''Creator/MeganFox''' came out of ''Film/{{Transformers|2007}}'' as the new "It Girl" sex symbol, and promptly rode it to tons of covers, press coverage, etc. However, ''Film/JennifersBody'' and ''Film/{{Jonah Hex|2010}}'' were spectacular failures that stuck to her, her attempt to go indie with ''Passion Play'' failed (though her performance itself was praised), and she either left or got booted from ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon'' following her statements comparing working under Creator/MichaelBay to [[GodwinsLaw working for Hitler]]. (Bay said that Fox was fired on orders of executive producer Creator/StevenSpielberg, who being Jewish took particular exception of her comments.) She later did get supporting roles in ''Film/FriendsWithKids'' and ''Film/ThisIs40'' and she reunited with Bay for the ''TMNT'' reboot, so while she's not quite the hot commodity people were expecting, she's still getting work nonetheless, and motherhood and marriage have mellowed her considerably. ''Film/JennifersBody'' ended up experiencing being VindicatedByHistory, especially with regards to her performance, and 2020 saw her starring in several high profile roles. There has also been an increase in public sympathy towards her now with greater awareness of how she was objectified as a teenager (she was reportedly reduced to using botox in her mid-20s under pressure to maintain her TeenIdol looks), plus better understanding of obsessive–compulsive disorder and that her erratic behavior was the result of said disorder.
* '''Sadie Frost''' is an actress who was getting lots of buzz in the early '90s thanks to notable appearances in the music videos for Spandau Ballet (she was married to member Gary Kemp) and indie films in her native UK. She was poised to become a star when Francis Ford Coppola selected her to play Lucy Westenra in ''Film/BramStokersDracula'' after being impressed with her performance in ''Diamond Skulls''. There was a lot of buzz around her and she recalls being given all these offers - as well as told she should move to Los Angeles at once - but she chose to take a part in the small British film ''Shopping'' and opted to focus on indie films and raising her children. She found more success as a producer and fashion designer in the 2000s.
* '''Creator/JennieGarth''' got her breakout role starring on ''Series/BeverlyHills90210'' opposite fellow up-and-coming actresses Shannen Doherty and Tori Spelling, and remained onboard the show for its entire run. Garth later had another hit on television with ''Series/WhatILikeAboutYou'' alongside Amanda Bynes, and also competed on ''Series/DancingWithTheStars'' in its fifth season. But after a brief return to the ''90210'' franchise in the 2008 revival series (where she had a recurring role for the first two seasons), she's mostly done reality TV afterwards.
* '''Creator/SarahMichelleGellar''' turned into a star with the success of ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', then she was suddenly everywhere in the late '90s. Despite the fiscal success of ''Film/CruelIntentions'', ''Film/IKnowWhatYouDidLastSummer'', ''Film/ScoobyDoo2002'' and ''Film/TheGrudge'', plus attempts to resist typecasting, audiences, unfortunately, couldn't see her as anybody other than Buffy Summers. The failures of ''The Return'' and ''Film/SouthlandTales'' in 2006 saw her turn to voice-over work and/or DirectToVideo films, with Gellar soon fading from the mainstream. She tried returning to television to mixed results after ''Series/{{Ringer}}'' and ''Series/TheCrazyOnes'' got a mediocre reception. She also took some time off to raise her children.
* '''Susan George's''' acting career began in her native Britain with a series of risqué roles that established her as a sex symbol of TheSixties, with international fame coming her direction after she starred opposite Creator/DustinHoffman in ''Film/StrawDogs1971'' from director Creator/SamPeckinpah. Despite its controversy and graphic content, the movie received good reviews and was a financial hit. The boost it gave George led her to book several similarly scandalous films, although they weren't as well-received. ''Straw Dogs'' remains her most well-known work in her decades-long career, with none afterwards coming close.
* '''Creator/JamiGertz''' became famous in TheEighties with her role as Muffy Tepperman on the CultClassic sitcom ''Series/SquarePegs'' and a diverse variety of films (''Film/SixteenCandles'', ''Film/{{Crossroads}}'', ''Film/TheLostBoys'', ''Film/LessThanZero'', ''Film/ListenToMe'', etc.). Gertz's biggest project came in 1996 when she co-starred in ''Film/{{Twister}}'' alongside Creator/HelenHunt and Creator/BillPaxton, though her performance was widely panned as weak and got her a [[MediaNotes/GoldenRaspberryAward Razzie]] nomination for Worst Supporting Actress amidst the film's overall success. She hasn't had a role in a major film following ''Twister'', but found slightly more success on television afterwards (notably with roles on ''Series/StillStanding'' and ''Series/TheNeighbors''). One shouldn't feel too sorry for Gertz though since her net worth is now estimated to be at least [[WealthyEverAfter $3 billion]]. This is due in no small part, to her investments in sports franchises like the [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation Atlanta Hawks]] and [[UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseball Milwaukee Brewers]].
* '''Creator/HeatherGraham''' got her big break in the early '90s with a supporting role on ''Series/TwinPeaks'', later reprising her role in the prequel film ''Film/TwinPeaksFireWalkWithMe''. She followed that up with supporting roles in ''Film/{{Swingers}}'', ''Film/BoogieNights'', and ''Film/AustinPowersTheSpyWhoShaggedMe'', which were all very popular hits that seemed to certify her rise into stardom. However, many critically panned {{Box Office Bomb}}s released in the early 2000s – ''Film/SayItIsntSo'', ''Film/FromHell'', ''Killing Me Softly'', and ''Film/TheGuru2002'' – ground her career to a halt. She hasn't had a role in any high-profile movies since besides a minor part in ''Film/TheHangover''.
* '''Creator/ErinGray''' got her big break as Colonel Wilma Deering in ''Series/BuckRogersInTheTwentyFifthCentury'', co-starring opposite Gil Gerard (see Actors). The role was significant at the time as one of the first strong female characters in a sci-fi setting alongside [[Franchise/StarWars Princess Leia]] and [[Franchise/{{Alien}} Ellen Ripley]]. Unfortunately, Gray, like her co-star Gerard, had a difficult time finding work after ''Buck Rogers'' ended, because nobody could view her as anyone other than Wilma Deering. Her filmography since then has comprised primarily of guest spots on television, direct-to-video and/or TV movies. After ''Buck Rogers'' finished its run, Gray's most prolific role was undoubtedly that of Kate Summers-Stratton on the [[TheEighties '80s]] sitcom ''Series/SilverSpoons''. She now primarily works as a casting agent.
* '''Creator/DanielleHarris'''. She got her start as a child actress with lead and supporting roles in films like ''Film/Halloween4TheReturnOfMichaelMyers'', ''Film/DontTellMomTheBabysittersDead'', and ''Film/FreeWilly''. By the mid-'90s, she was building a steady career as a teen actress with a high-profile supporting role in ''Series/{{Roseanne}}''. She later co-starred with Katherine Heigl in the Disney Channel film ''Wish Upon a Star'', and with Creator/SylvesterStallone in ''Film/{{Daylight}}''. The June 1998 issue of ''Teen People'' featured her on the cover alongside Creator/ScarlettJohansson, Creator/KirstenDunst, and Creator/JessicaBiel. Sadly, it was not to last. Aside from voicing Debbie Thornberry in Nickelodeon's ''WesternAnimation/TheWildThornberrys'', her career never really took off as once expected, something Danielle herself acknowledges, saying she never really truly got a breakout lead in a mainstream film. She confessed that she was even working at a hair salon in the early 2000s to make ends meet. Danielle did undergo a minor CareerResurrection in 2007 by returning to the ''Franchise/{{Halloween}}'' franchise in Rob Zombie's [[Film/{{Halloween2007}} reboot]] of the franchise, getting her typecast as a scream queen in the years that followed. She also dabbed in directing with 2012's ''Among Friends.'' These days, she's largely put acting on hold to focus on her family.
* '''Creator/AnneHeche''' made a big splash in 1997 for two reasons: her critically-acclaimed supporting roles in box-office hits ''Film/IKnowWhatYouDidLastSummer'' and ''Film/WagTheDog'', and her coming out of the closet and becoming one-half of what was then Hollywood's biggest gay power couple alongside Creator/EllenDeGeneres. Both of these reasons made up for the fact that her first leading role in a Hollywood film, ''Film/{{Volcano}}'', flopped at the box-office. Nevertheless, the studios decided to parlay her newfound fame into an A-list acting career, but the resulting films were ''Film/SixDaysSevenNights'', ''Return to Paradise'' and Creator/GusVanSant's infamous ''Film/{{Psycho|1998}}'' remake. The former film was a modest success and the latter were money-losers. The fact that America was still too homophobic to accept an LGBT woman as a female lead may have played a part in her losing more jobs (she was outright told that people didn't want to cast her because of it) and her increasing mental instability (the product of a very broken home), which led to her crashing at a random person's house, didn't help either. And on top of that, [=DeGeneres=] and Heche broke off their engagement after a three-year relationship. Her subsequent career was spent mainly in indie films and on TV, and she was probably solely known for being Ellen's ex-girlfriend than anything else. In August 2022, she was seriously injured in an auto accident and died a week later from her injuries.
* '''Creator/KatherineHeigl'''. After several years of TV appearances in stuff like ''Series/{{Roswell}}'' and ''Series/GreysAnatomy'', she gained a lot of fans for her starring role in ''Film/KnockedUp''... only to throw them all away within weeks. She was on her way to becoming a household name before leaving ''Grey's Anatomy'' presumably to pursue more film work, and went on to star in flops like ''Film/{{Killers}}'', ''Film/NewYearsEve'', ''Film/OneForTheMoney'', and ''Film/TheBigWedding'', and developed a reputation of being difficult to work with, in part thanks to her [[StageMom mother/manager]]. Not long after ''Knocked Up'' came out, however, she did a very vocal interview where she attacked basically everyone involved in the film, calling director Creator/JuddApatow a sexist and lead actor Creator/SethRogen a slob, among other things. Despite the backlash, her next two works, ''Film/TwentySevenDresses'' and ''Film/TheUglyTruth'', did very well at the box office despite mediocre reviews. However, her reputation was battered again when she criticized the writing of ''Series/GreysAnatomy'' publicly on multiple occasions and was eventually PutOnABus (so bad was the backlash to her behavior that she did an interview with ''Entertainment Weekly'' to apologize for her antics). Since 2009, her films have opened under $16m and have grossed less than $60m total domestically, and her latest try at television, in 2014-15 with ''Series/StateOfAffairs'', was derided by critics and canned after one season despite airing behind ''Series/TheVoice''. In 2017, she made another television attempt with ''Series/{{Doubt}}'', which got cancelled after two episodes aired, and then made another movie ironically called ''Film/{{Unforgettable|2017}}'', which flopped critically and commercially. Her career and reputation are basically in tatters at this point.
* '''Kam Heskin''' got her start with a role on the soap opera ''Series/SunsetBeach'', which subsequently led to bit parts in hit films like ''Film/CatchMeIfYouCan''. However, her first significant film role was a supporting part in the Creator/JennyMcCarthy film ''Film/DirtyLove'' (also starring Carmen Electra). This RomanticComedy was intended to be a star vehicle for [=McCarthy=], but its near-unanimously negative response put a stop to those notions. [=McCarthy=] remained slightly famous for being on reality TV and talk shows, but her co-stars faded from relevance. Heskin had a temporary run on ''Series/{{Passions}}'' and eventually [[TheOtherDarrin replaced]] Creator/JuliaStiles in DirectToVideo sequels for ''Film/ThePrinceAndMe'', but hasn't been in anything since making the last one in 2010.
* '''Creator/ParisHilton'''. Unlike the other people on this list, this heiress and socialite did not earn her fame through "legitimate" routes (film, TV, music), but through a HomePornMovie that was "leaked" online in advance of the debut of her RealityShow ''The Simple Life''. Not only did [[NoSuchThingAsBadPublicity the video turn her into a mega-star virtually overnight]], it also established the home sex tape as a viable route for would-be celebrities and fading stars to boost their careers. She went on to channel her fame into careers in music and (non-pornographic) film, both of which have been non-starters, and the latter notable only for producing her performance in ''Film/RepoTheGeneticOpera'' (though ''Film/HouseOfWax2005'' was extremely profitable, because audiences turned up in droves [[JustHereForGodzilla just to watch her character get killed off]]). Despite these failures to branch out she remained a tabloid mainstay till about 2008, when she was replaced as America's favorite reality TV starlet by Creator/KimKardashian (who rose to fame under similar circumstances as Hilton; ironically, she first gained media attention as a friend and stylist of Hilton). Because of this, by and large the media stopped paying attention to her. She attempted a comeback in 2011 with a new reality show ''The World According To Paris'', but the series was cancelled after only one season. Since then she's kept a pretty low profile, [[PopCultureIsolation with only an occasional mention in the local Hollywood papers]]. Hilton has since found moderate success as a DJ and continues to be popular on social media. A 2020 [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOg0TY1jG3w YouTube documentary]] detailing Hilton's troubled childhood and teen years was extremely well received, leading to what was deemed a successful "rebranding" of her image – which she followed up by launching her successful podcast.
* '''Creator/LaurenHolly''' first gained notice on the critically-acclaimed series ''Series/PicketFences'' and gained even more notice as Linda Lee in ''Film/DragonTheBruceLeeStory'' and as Mary in ''Film/DumbAndDumber'', [[RomanceOnTheSet where she met and later married]] Creator/JimCarrey. It was assumed that Holly would successfully make the transition to movies, but she unfortunately wound up in a string of high-profile flops, including ''Film/DownPeriscope'', ''Film/{{Turbulence}}'', and ''A Smile Like Yours''. Ultimately, Holly was destined to become only known for being Jim Carrey's wife, but their marriage was short-lived. Nowadays, she's been stuck doing B-movies and supporting roles on TV, including a recent turn on the third (and last) season of ''Series/DesignatedSurvivor''.
* '''Creator/JulianneHough''' first gained fame after appearing on ''Series/DancingWithTheStars'' as a professional dancer (winning two seasons), and from then on the ball kept rolling. The remake of ''Film/{{Footloose}}'' was a decent hit, while the critical and financial flop ''Film/RockOfAges''... wasn't. However, ''Literature/SafeHaven'' and ''Film/DirtyGrandpa'' were slightly profitable despite lack of critical praise. She hasn't had a major film role since 2017, and instead returned to ''Dancing with the Stars'' as a judge and later as a co-host.
* '''Creator/SeasonHubley''' had a somewhat sedate start in TheSeventies before she got her breakthrough in 1979 with two films, the theatrically released ''Film/{{Hardcore}}'' and a MadeForTVMovie biopic of Music/ElvisPresley. In the former film (which was directed by Creator/PaulSchrader), she starred as a prostitute aiding a worried father (played by Creator/GeorgeCScott) search for his missing daughter. It got mostly positive reviews from critics. She portrayed Priscilla Presley in the latter film alongside Creator/KurtRussell as Elvis, whom she was subsequently married to for four years. However, she struggled to sustain success after that initial bump and never had a substantial role in a major project again (aside from a stint on ''Series/AllMyChildren'' in TheNineties). She quit acting in 1999 and is nowadays mostly known as Kurt Russell's ex-wife.
* '''Joyce Hyser's''' initial career in TheEighties mostly consisted of supporting roles in various films (''Film/ValleyGirl'', ''Film/StayingAlive'', ''Film/ThisIsSpinalTap'', etc.), before she portrayed the lead role in 1985's ''Film/JustOneOfTheGuys''. A reimagining of [[Creator/WilliamShakespeare Shakespeare's]] ''Theatre/TwelfthNight'' in the decade's high school milieu, it was a slight success and entered the long list of raunchy teen comedies of the era. Hyser, however, didn't appear in a film again for five years, which wasn't a hit, and none of the films afterwards were either. She mostly did one-off episode roles on TV before retiring in 2014.
* '''Creator/AmyIrving''' (who came from a big family in showbiz, with her father being theatrical director and producer Jules Irving and her mother being actress Priscilla Pointer) began working on the stage before making her film debut as Sue Snell in ''Film/Carrie1976''. Its success led Irving to reunite with director Creator/BrianDePalma as the lead in ''Film/TheFury''. Her popularity seemed like it could only rise up, only to come plummeting down in the early '80s when she won the MediaNotes/GoldenRaspberryAward for Worst Supporting Actress for ''Honeysuckle Rose''. She later earned the dubious honor of getting a Razzie and an [[MediaNotes/AcademyAward Oscar]] nomination for the same performance for ''Film/{{Yentl}}''. While she has continued working in Hollywood films (like collaborating with Creator/StevenSoderbergh with supporting roles in ''Film/Traffic2000'' and ''Film/{{Unsane}}''), her moment as an "it girl" has come and gone.
* '''Ann Jillian''' began her career working steadily as a child star, perhaps most notably as Millie Ballard, Steve Baxter's teenage receptionist on the fifth and final season of ''Series/{{Hazel}}'' and in a 1963 ''[[Series/TheTwilightZone Twilight Zone]]'' [[Recap/TheTwilightZone1959S4E5Mute episode]] as a mute telepath. Come 1980, Jillian was finally poised for her [[StarMakingRole big breakthrough]] in the form of the ABC sitcom ''Series/ItsALiving''. With her striking platinum [[SciFiBobHaircut bob hairstyle]], alabaster skin, and [[ImpossibleHourglassFigure voluptuous figure]], Jillian became an instant [[MsFanService sex symbol]]. Plus, Jillian on ''It's a Living'' as waitress Cassie Cranston, drew comparisons to Creator/JeanHarlow due to her sassy line deliveries. Despite her status as the BreakoutCharacter, ABC would cancel ''It's a Living'' after two seasons in 1982. Despite this setback, Jillian soon landed an [[MediaNotes/EmmyAward Emmy]] and [[MediaNotes/GoldenGlobeAward Golden Globe]] nomination for her portrayal of Creator/MaeWest. A year later, Jillian had a predominate supporting role in the hit film ''Film/MrMom'' opposite Creator/MichaelKeaton. Later that fall, Jillian got another crack at sitcom stardom, this time, as a ghost on Creator/{{NBC}}'s ''Jennifer Slept Here''. Unfortunately for Jillian, NBC would cancel ''Jennifer Slept Here'' after its lone, 13-episode long season. Jillian soon would earn another Emmy nomination though, this time for the Creator/{{CBS}} [[{{Miniseries}} miniseries]] ''Ellis Island''. In 1985, Jillian portrayed [[Characters/AlicesAdventuresInWonderlandInhabitantsOfLookingGlassLand The Red Queen]] in ''[[Film/AliceInWonderland1985 Alice in Wonderland]]'' for CBS. Also in 1985, less than three years after its initial run on ABC ended, ''It's a Living'' was [[UnCanceled revived]] for the [[FirstRunSyndication first-syndication]] market. It was during this same time frame, that Jillian was diagnosed with breast cancer. Jillian would leave the revived ''It's a Living'' after only only season since it was her main condition in agreeing to come back in the first place. Jillian would later document her cancer battle in a 1988 MadeForTVMovie for NBC. This led to Jillian to be once again nominated for an Emmy and Golden Globe Award, the later of which, earned her the Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV. A year later, Jillian made one final stab at a sitcom in the form of ''Ann Jillian'' on NBC, which would be canceled after only 10 episodes of the 13 produced episodes were broadcast. After the ''Ann Jillian'' sitcom was canceled, Jillian primarily made sporadic appearances in TV movies before retiring in the year 2000. Jillian would ultimately begin work as a motivational speaker. Jillian's last credited screen performance was from [[Recap/WalkerTexasRanger an episode]] of ''Series/WalkerTexasRanger''.
* '''Creator/AshleyJudd''' took off in the mid-'90s and had nearly a decade of big roles. Then ''De-Lovely'' and ''Twisted'' derailed her career in 2004 when they flopped badly, making her focus on modestly-budgeted ensemble and independent features ever since along with prominent political activism. She also revealed that rejecting the sexual advances of Harvey Weinstein made him blackball her in revenge from coveted projects like ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings''.
* '''Creator/JaimeKing''' already was established as a model in TheNineties before pursuing an acting career in the next decade. Her first lead role was in ''Film/BulletproofMonk'' opposite Creator/ChowYunFat and Creator/SeannWilliamScott, which soon became a critically reviled BoxOfficeBomb in 2003. King's next high-profile role came only two years later with a dual role in 2005's ''Film/SinCity'', which was received more positively. However, none of her following films (''Film/CheaperByTheDozen2'', ''Film/TheSpirit'', etc.) earned any major acclaim. The final nail in the coffin, ironically, came from reprising her role for the 2014 follow-up ''Film/SinCityADameToKillFor'', which wasn't as big a hit as the first film. King's found better luck in television with a supporting role on ''Series/HartOfDixie'' opposite Creator/RachelBilson.
* '''Ariane Koizumi''' was prominent as one of the most successful Asian models in TheEighties before Hollywood tried making her a movie star, making her film debut alongside Creator/MickeyRourke in the 1985 thriller ''Film/YearOfTheDragon''. Unfortunately, the film, which was the first in a few years from director [[Creator/MichaelCiminoDirector Michael Cimino]] after the disgrace that was ''Film/HeavensGate'', got a mixed reception upon its release, neither reaffirming his stature, nor affirming her stardom. Her performance, in particular, was lambasted as a caricature pandering to Oriental stereotypes. Besides a minor cameo in ''Film/KingOfNewYork'' from Creator/AbelFerrara, she never acted again. Koizumi later retired from modeling in 1989 and promptly vanished from the public eye.
* '''Creator/NancyKwan''' rocketed to popularity with ''Film/TheWorldOfSuzieWong'' and ''Theatre/FlowerDrumSong'', and was named the leading Asian-American actress of her day. Kwan's fame, though, peaked in 1962, and those still remain the roles she's best known for. Much like Creator/AnnaMayWong before her, she had to travel to Europe and Hong Kong to escape getting typecast in stereotypical Asian roles in Hollywood.
* After wowing critics with her debut performance in ''Film/WishYouWereHere1987'', '''Emily Lloyd''' was pushed as the next big thing from her native Britain to Hollywood. Her success in America, though, proved minimal, with her one real hit being ''Film/ARiverRunsThroughIt''. Bad luck and choices, like declining the lead role in ''Film/PrettyWoman'' to star in ''Film/{{Mermaids|1990}}'' only to be replaced by Creator/WinonaRyder in the latter, plus personal crises, dampened her potential fame.
* '''Creator/LindsayLohan'''. This one wasn't related to any lack of talent – Creator/MerylStreep, of all people, vouched for her acting ability, as did her ''Film/MeanGirls'' co-star Creator/TinaFey. Instead, her decline came from a combination of a disastrous relationship with [[StageMom her parents]], chronic [[HardDrinkingPartyGirl partying]] and drug/alcohol abuse (which did quite the number on [[http://www.buzzfond.com/16-gorgeous-stars-who-have-aged-badly/9/ her looks]] and eventually led to legal troubles), and a reputation for being [[SmallNameBigEgo a diva]] who often showed up to the set late and hungover (if not completely missing filming days altogether). Attempts to revitalize her career – such as the {{Lifetime|MovieOfTheWeek}} biopic ''Film/LizAndDick'' – have mostly flopped, with the qualified success of her 2014 West End theatre debut in ''Speed-the-Plow'' the one exception. Nowadays, she's far better known for her appearances in the tabloids and is considered a cautionary tale for the FormerChildStar. It's also been joked that Creator/EmmaStone has the career she would have had. However, she has started making strides for the better in TheNewTwenties. After achieving sobriety, she released the song ''Back to Me'' in 2020, which was her first single in over twelve years. She also signed a deal in 2021 to headline three films for Creator/{{Netflix}}, with the first one ''Film/FallingForChristmas'' released in 2022.
* '''Creator/AlisonLohman''' is notable for suddenly walking away from Hollywood stardom when she was on the cusp of becoming a bigger celebrity. Becoming famous around the TurnOfTheMillennium by playing the lead role in the 2002 drama ''Film/WhiteOleander'', critics, taking note of her talent, commented how she held her own alongside many illustrious actresses such as Creator/MichellePfeiffer, Creator/ReneeZellweger, and Creator/RobinWright. Parts in further critical darlings like ''Film/BigFish'' and ''Film/MatchstickMen'' followed throughout the decade, before Lohman finally got her first lead role in a Hollywood blockbuster playing the protagonist of ''Film/DragMeToHell''. The horror-comedy directed by Creator/SamRaimi was a big success in 2009, with viewers lauding her performance. Lohman, however, stunned many upon announcing her retirement following its release, despite the exposure she got. Besides occasionally making cameos in movies her husband Mark Neveldine directs, Lohman has left fame behind in favor of raising their children and working as an acting coach online.
* '''Creator/KristannaLoken''' became briefly popular after starring as the T-X in 2003's ''Film/Terminator3RiseOfTheMachines'', which was a mild success. Unfortunately, her next major films were two flops directed by Creator/UweBoll: ''Film/BloodRayne'' and ''Film/InTheNameOfTheKing: A Dungeon Siege Tale''. Their failures killed off studios' interest in promoting her by the end of the decade. Her films since have mostly gone DirectToVideo.

* '''Mary Cadorette''' got what was presumed to be her [[StarMakingRole big break]] in 1984, when she was selected among over 500 women to portray [[Characters/ThreesCompany Jack Tripper's]] love interest, Vicky Bradford in a [[SpinOff spin-off]] of the sitcom ''Series/ThreesCompany'' entitled ''Three's a Crowd''. Cadorette first appeared in ''Three's Company's'' final three episodes as a means of setting up ''Three's a Crowd''. During and around this time frame, Cadorette also appeared as a contestant on several game shows as a such as'' [[Series/{{Pyramid}} The $25,000 Pyramid]]'', ''[[Series/{{Password}} Super Password]]'', and ''Series/BodyLanguage''. Unfortunately however, [[Creator/AmericanBroadcastingCompany ABC]] would cancel ''Three's a Crowd'' after only one season in 1985. One of the big criticisms that was levelled at the series was Cadorette's apparent [[NoSparks lack of chemistry]] with her leading man played by Creator/JohnRitter. After ''Three's a Crowd's'' one and done season, Cadorette would never again get close to having such a leading role on-screen. A majority of her subsequent acting work was comprised of one-off guest starring roles on TV shows . In 1986, Cadorette appeared in the feature film ''Film/StewardessSchool'', which [[BoxOfficeBomb only grossed]] $136,158 against an estimated budget of $8 million. Cadorette's highest profile film role after her stint on ''Three's Company''/''Three's a Crowd'' was probably in a four episode stint from 1990-91 on ''Series/NightCourt'' as [[Characters/NightCourt Judge Harry Stone's]] love interest Margaret Turner. Cadoertte would continue to work on film and television through the year 2000 with her final on-screen credit being as "Marissa's Mother" on an episode of ''Series/BeyondBeliefFactOrFiction''.

* '''Creator/SusanDey''' was a successful teen model before she landed her StarMakingRole role as Laurie Partridge on the [[The70s 1970s]] TV series ''Series/ThePartridgeFamily''. Following the end of its four year long run in 1974, Dey attempted to [[PlayingAgainstType play against]] the [[ContractualPurity wholesome teen girl image]] that she got from playing Laurie Partridge in MadeForTVMovie films such as ''Cage Without a Key'' and ''Mary Jane Harper Cried Last Night'' as well as her portrayal of [[Characters/LittleWomen Jo March]] in a 1978 television adaptation of ''[[Literature/LittleWomen Little Women]]''. Dey also appeared in a few feature films, 1977's ''First Love'', 1981's ''Film/{{Looker}}'', and 1986's ''Echo Park''. None of these projects however, left as big of a cultural footprint as ''The Partridge Family''. It was also reportedly during this time, that Dey turned down the part of Sandy in ''Film/{{Grease}}'' (which would ultimately go to Music/OliviaNewtonJohn) because following ''The Partridge Family'', she didn't want to play another teenage girl. She would eventually though, [[CareerResurrection land the second best known role of her career]] come 1986 in the form of district attorney [[Characters/LALaw Grace Van Owen]] on the Creator/{{NBC}} legal drama ''Series/LALaw''. Dey ultimately appeared in 126 episodes (that's more than ''The Partridge Family'', which only produced 96 episodes) before departing in 1992. During her time on ''LA Law'', Dey was nominated for multiple [[MediaNotes/EmmyAward Emmy awards]] and won the [[MediaNotes/GoldenGlobeAward Golden Globe]] for [[MediaNotes/GoldenGlobeAwardForBestActressInADramaSeries Best Actress in a Drama Series]] in 1988. In February 1992, while still a castmember on ''LA Law'', Dey guest hosted an episode of ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'', where she even participated in a sketch that [[AdamWesting poked fun]] at her ''Partridge Family'' past. Later that year, Dey would headline the Creator/{{CBS}} sitcom ''Series/LoveAndWar'' only to be ousted after the first season and replaced by Creator/AnniePotts due to a purported [[NoSparks lack of chemistry]] with her co-star, Creator/JayThomas. While Dey would continue to work for the work (primarily in TV movies) after her abrupt departure from ''Love and War'', her acting career was for all intents and purposes, winding down by the end of [[The90s 1990s]]. And her final credited acting role before her retirement was on an episode of NBC's ''Series/ThirdWatch'' in 2004.