History Main / HollywoodHypeMachine

* Creator/RyanReynolds had the fortune/misfortune of coming along when Hollywood had a dearth of young leading males. After getting his big break in the ABC series ''Series/TwoGuysAGirlAndAPizzaPlace'', Reynolds starred in a number of well-regarded comedic roles. However, most of his films from the late '00s and early '10s (with the exception of ''Film/{{Buried}}'') received mixed reviews at best. His intended dramatic breakout performance in 2011's ''Film/GreenLantern'' was also a critical and commercial underperformer, and then ''Film/TheChangeUp'' didn't do well either; thus he was not the bankable star Hollywood perceived him to be. It's hard to say how well his career will turn out at this point, though the success of 2012's ''Film/SafeHouse'' (though Creator/DenzelWashington was obviously the big draw, and there's a lot of debate about how much Reynolds' presence really contributed) could help him regain momentum. The bombing of ''Film/{{RIPD}}'' and the under-performance of ''WesternAnimation/{{Turbo}}'', on the same weekend no less, seems to suggest his momentum is trending downward once more. But with the critical and commercial success of ''{{Film/Deadpool}}'' film, with much praise for his performance as the lead character, this might change most especially when he earned nominations from the Golden Globe Awards, of all things. While it received mixed reviews from critics, Reynolds had another hit with ''Film/TheHitmansBodyguard''. He continues his successful streak with ''Film/DetectivePikachu''. Even better is that in light of the Disney-Fox merger, Reynold will still be able to play Deadpool while all of the other X-Men actors are recasted, meaning that he'll still have plenty of opportunities to reprise his signature role.

* 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/TheLoneRanger'' - 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 until in 2017 where he received a lot of critical praise in ''Film/CallMeByYourName''.

However, with the live-action ''Film/{{Alice in Wonderland|2010}}'' film being critically mauled while financially successful, HypeBacklash kicked in. Audiences grew tired of Depp's LargeHam tendencies in his roles, and the drug and alcohol abuse that plagued his career since the mid-to-late '80s became an issue again. In 2011, while ''WesternAnimation/{{Rango}}'' and the fourth ''Pirates'' movie were hits, ''Film/TheRumDiary'' and ''Film/DarkShadows'', the latter film released the following year, tanked. Then came ''Film/TheLoneRanger'', in which he -- despite being Caucasian -- played the title role's sidekick Tonto to much controversy (especially as he played him as a Jack Sparrow-style buffoon). The film received poor reviews and became Disney's biggest BoxOfficeBomb, leading to a studio write-down of $190 million ''and'' the end of their long-time relationship with producer Creator/JerryBruckheimer. Depp's star power faded overnight, with ''Film/{{Transcendence}}'' and ''Film/{{Mortdecai}}'' total flops. Although he did receive critical praise for ''Film/BlackMass'', that was a brief respite. In 2016 came a high-profile domestic violence case against him from his former wife, Creator/AmberHeard, who published shocking pictures of bruises on her face, allegedly from him, to back up her claims. This, combined with audience disinterest in ''Film/AliceThroughTheLookingGlass'', led to ''its'' box office failure. He's never recovered from this scandal; his days as a leading man came to a halt when ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanDeadMenTellNoTales'' became the lowest-grossing film of the franchise, resulting in Disney publicly distancing themselves from him ''and'' Warner Bros. downplaying his role in the marketing campaign for ''Film/FantasticBeastsTheCrimesOfGrindelwald''. With the #[=MeToo=] movement increasing scrutiny of him due to his domestic violence history, the struggles of the ''Fantastic Beasts'' films, and his reputation for being financially irresponsible and difficult to work with, his career may well end with that of the series.

* Creator/DemiMoore has had various ups and downs, but has been hyped a lot. She was the most successful member of the '80s Creator/BratPack, and went on to some major success in TheEighties, but a string of ''huge'' box office bombs in TheNineties completely derailed her star. ''Literature/TheScarletLetter'' was universally loathed by critics, and ''Film/{{Striptease}}'', a wannabe star-defining role for which she earned the then-highest paycheque of any female in Hollywood history, was another mega-bomb. She vanished for literally a decade, only resurfacing as Creator/AshtonKutcher's [[MrsRobinson new wife]], and a storm of hype from her hot body (despite her age) in ''Film/CharliesAngels: Full Throttle'' 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 chick who's into younger guys."

* During the 1980s 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]]"). Basinger with personality traits like [[ShynessTropes shyness]] and sensitivity along with incredible physical beauty and sensuality, 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'', ''Film/TheNatural'', ''Film/FoolForLove'', ''Film/NineAndAHalfWeeks'', ''Film/NoMercy'', ''Film/BlindDate'', ''Film/{{Nadine}}'', and ''Film/MyStepmotherIsAnAlien'', Basigner 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 spent $20 million to create a film studio and festival in Braselton, Georgia which, was a commercial failure. In the 1990s, Basinger starred in ''Film/TheMarryingMan'' alongside Creator/AlecBaldwin, ''Film/FinalAnalysis'' alongside her ''No Mercy'' co-star Creator/RichardGere, Creator/RalphBakshi's ''Film/CoolWorld'', and ''Film/TheRealMcCoy'' alongside Creator/ValKilmer. All of them were commercial and critical failures that were more than often tainted by Basinger's [[WagTheDirector clashes with the production teams]]. While working on ''[[TroubledProduction/FilmMToZ 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]] to show for sick hospital children (which was ''[[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids not]]'' what Bakshi intended), which in turn drove Bakshi [[CreatorKiller away from filmmaking]].\\

* Creator/ChevyChase was '''the''' original breakout star of ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' thanks to a winning combination of deadpan humour and slapstick. He was even dubbed "Funniest Man in America" and his status as the original host of the Weekend Update led to a rumour that he would replace Creator/JohnnyCarson as the host of ''Series/TheTonightShow''. After leaving ''SNL'', he was one of the biggest comedy stars of the 1980s, thanks to the likes of ''Film/{{Caddyshack}}'', the ''Film/{{Vacation}}'' series, ''Film/{{Fletch}}'', ''Film/SpiesLikeUs'' and ''Film/ThreeAmigos''. He even appeared with Music/PaulSimon in the "Graceland" video. By the nineties, he suffered a major decline thanks to some poor choices, such as hosting his own talk show ''Series/TheChevyChaseShow'', which was such a disaster that it was cancelled after just six weeks. Not helping his case was a reputation for being difficult to work with. After years of minor roles, he experienced a CareerResurrection in ''Series/{{Community}}''. And even that was short-lived, due to him feuding with Creator/DanHarmon and complaining about the quality of the show. He recently announced that he's clean and sober and willing to work, but nobody in Hollywood wants to work with him due to his notorious status.

For many, he's now a despised joke punchline and virtually persona non grata, [[OvershadowedByControversy to the point where even those who think he's a good actor will stop well short of defending his views and behavior]]. Even his older hits such as the ''Film/MadMax'' and ''Film/LethalWeapon'' series have fallen from the pop culture landscape even as other '80s franchises were rediscovered and put through the NostalgiaFilter. As [[https://web.archive.org/web/20160110034820/http://moviebob.blogspot.com/2015/05/whos-real-speed-bump-on-fury-road.html this article]] by Creator/BobChipman noted, the ads for ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'' went out of their way to downplay any association with Gibson (who had played the title character in the original films), lest he serve as box-office poison merely through association with the series. As for Gibson himself, it's been noted that post-meltdown he's shown a willingness to take on villain roles, something he had never done before, perhaps implying he's [[NoSuchThingAsBadPublicity embraced the public perception of himself]]. He did have a [[CareerResurrection major comeback]] with ''Film/HacksawRidge'', which he directed but didn't star in, and ''Film/DaddysHome2'' was an onscreen success story, so he's not quite finished yet. At the same time, a good deal of ink has been spilled by critics about creatives and audiences who support him since he hasn't repented of/atoned for his past actions.

* Creator/MelGibson was an A-list superstar and a beloved heartthrob in the '90s. While he'd always been known to have some fairly controversial views, he kept them under wraps well enough that audiences were able to ignore them and turn out for his movies in droves. His career peaked in 2004 with ''Film/ThePassionOfTheChrist'', a retelling of UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}}' crucifixion which, despite controversy (especially over its portrayal of the Jews), was one of the most successful independent films of all time, financed largely through Gibson's own efforts. Not long after ''The Passion'', however, things changed virtually overnight thanks to the revelation of his racism, anti-Semitism, and {{Jerkass}} [[DomesticAbuse treatment]] of his girlfriend across a number of widely publicized incidents, which only made the controversy over ''The Passion'' that much more notable.\\

Nowadays, he's a despised joke punchline and virtually persona non grata, [[OvershadowedByControversy to the point where even those who think he's a good actor will stop well short of defending his views and behavior]]. Even his older films that were popular in their day, such as the ''Film/MadMax'' and ''Film/LethalWeapon'' series, have notably fallen from the pop culture landscape even as other '80s franchises were rediscovered and put through the NostalgiaFilter. As [[https://web.archive.org/web/20160110034820/http://moviebob.blogspot.com/2015/05/whos-real-speed-bump-on-fury-road.html this article]] by Creator/BobChipman noted, the ads for ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'' went out of their way to downplay any association with Gibson (who had played the title character in the original films), lest he serve as box-office poison merely through association with the series. As for Gibson himself, it's been noted that post-meltdown he's shown a willingness to take on villain roles, something he had never done before, perhaps implying he's [[NoSuchThingAsBadPublicity embraced the public perception of himself]]. He did have a [[CareerResurrection major comeback]] with ''Film/HacksawRidge'', which he directed but didn't star in, so he's not quite finished yet.

* Creator/JeremyRenner seems to be avoiding this trope so far, helped by the fact that, he is much older than most of the stars usually being hyped. While he's been working pretty consistently since 1995 and got attention for his roles in ''Dahmer'' and ''Film/TheAssassinationOfJesseJamesByTheCowardRobertFord'', it was his role in ''Film/TheHurtLocker'' in 2008 that brought him huge acclaim and an Oscar nomination. He's since followed it up with critical acclaim and another Oscar nomination for ''Film/TheTown'', a supporting role in ''Film/MissionImpossibleGhostProtocol'' and a central role in ''Film/TheAvengers2012'' as Hawkeye. While ''Film/HanselAndGretelWitchHunters'' and ''Film/TheBourneLegacy'' did well at the box-office but not so well with critics, it looks like his career will be strong for awhile.

* Creator/EmiliaClarke is slowly rising on the top ever since she was cast as Daenerys Targaryen in ''Series/GameOfThrones'' which got her an Emmy nomination. By then, she landed a role as Sarah Connor in ''Film/TerminatorGenisys'' which received negative critical reviews and most of these reviews panned her performance. Although she quickly recovered with her starring role in ''Film/MeBeforeYou'', her film career was hampered by the commercial failure of the film ''Film/{{Solo}}''. Only time will tell if she will stay on top, or instead be remembered as a one-hit wonder.

* Creator/KeanuReeves first made a splash with the ''Film/BillAndTed'' stoner comedy films. Soon after he got a big push with such films like ''Film/PointBreak1991'' and ''Film/BramStokersDracula''. However it would be 1994's ''Film/{{Speed}}'' that would cement Reeves as an A-List star. While he maintained steady work throughout the rest of the '90s, people were beginning to notice his [[DullSurprise limited acting range]] and his star power began to fade. Then came 1999 and the release of ''Film/TheMatrix'', and Reeves was once again launched into super-stardom for a time. Unfortunately, this new rise to fame went as quickly as it had come. The highly anticipated ''Matrix'' sequels left a bad taste in both audience and critics' mouths, and ''Franchise/TheMatrix'' franchise would be functionally dead by mid-decade. Coupled with, again, criticism of Reeves' acting range (or lack thereof) the rest of his films in the '00s were flops or under performers. The 2013 film ''Film/FortySevenRonin'' seemed to be one last attempt to bring him back to the A-List status, but the film was plague with a TroubledProduction and was a Box Office Bomb. He made a huge comeback with the ''Film/JohnWick'' films, making him [[CareerResurrection a household name again]] in the age of social media that dubbed 2019 as the year of "Keanussance" after his appearances in ''Film/AlwaysBeMyMaybe'', ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory4'' and ''VideoGame/Cyberpunk2077''.

'''But.''' All those roles, combined with lively talk show appearances that made him a favorite of Creator/ConanOBrien, Creator/StephenColbert, and others, endeared him to late Generation X-ers and millennials. In TheNewTens he became an affectionate subject of {{Memetic Mutation}}s, and [[AdamWesting cheerfully played up and into his natural eccentricity]] to please his fans. Combined with creatives who'd grown up with his films wanting to work with him (in particular Creator/TaikaWaititi, who cast him as the Grandmaster in ''Film/ThorRagnarok''), by the end of the decade he was enjoying success that many who were chewed up and spat out by the Hype Machine would envy.

* Creator/TomHolland. Although he started out in the stage adaptation of ''Film/BillyElliot'' and ''Film/TheImpossible'', his mainstream break-out performance came when he played Spider-Man in the MCU starting with ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar''. Holland's performance was highly praised for balancing both the wisecracking action hero and nerdy everyman aspects of Spider-Man. Although his role was primarily comedic, many fans and critics noted how Holland was also surprisingly adept at dramatic performances with Holland improvising [[spoiler: the much lauded death of Peter Parker in ''Infinity War'']]. Even with his tendency to occasionally spoil movies hasn't hurt his popularity since he goes out of his way to show utmost humility and avoid burning bridges.

'''But.''' All those roles, combined with lively talk show appearances that made him a favorite of Creator/ConanOBrien, Creator/StephenColbert, and others, ''deeply'' endeared him to late Generation X-ers and millennials -- especially women who found him the height of "geek sexiness" as a writer for Syfy Wire put it. In TheNewTens he became an affectionate subject of {{Memetic Mutation}}s, and [[AdamWesting cheerfully played up and into his natural eccentricity]] to please his fans. Combined with creatives who'd grown up with his films wanting to work with him (in particular Creator/TaikaWaititi, who cast him as the Grandmaster in ''Film/ThorRagnarok''), by the end of the decade he was enjoying success that many who were chewed up and spat out by the Hype Machine would envy, having become a larger-than-life personality with a career far more than the sum of his roles.

However, with the live-action ''Film/{{Alice in Wonderland|2010}}'' film being critically mauled while financially successful, HypeBacklash kicked in. Audiences grew tired of Depp's LargeHam tendencies in his roles, and the drug and alcohol abuse that plagued his career since the mid-to-late '80s became an issue again. In 2011, while ''WesternAnimation/{{Rango}}'' and the fourth ''Pirates'' movie were hits, ''Film/TheRumDiary'' and ''Film/DarkShadows'', the latter film released the following year, tanked. Then came ''Film/TheLoneRanger'', in which he -- despite being Caucasian -- played the title role's sidekick Tonto to much controversy (especially as he played him as a Jack Sparrow-style buffoon). The film received poor reviews and became Disney's biggest BoxOfficeBomb, leading to a studio write-down of $190 million ''and'' the end of their long-time relationship with producer Creator/JerryBruckheimer. Depp's star power faded overnight, with 'Film/{{Transcendence}}'' and ''Film/{{Mortdecai}}'' total flops. Although he did receive critical praise for ''Film/BlackMass'', that was a brief respite. In 2016 came a high-profile domestic violence case against him from his former wife, Creator/AmberHeard, who published shocking pictures of bruises on her face, allegedly from him, to back up her claims. This, combined with audience disinterest in ''Film/AliceThroughTheLookingGlass'', led to ''its'' box office failure. He's never recovered from this scandal; his days as a leading man came to a halt when ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanDeadMenTellNoTales'' became the lowest-grossing film of the franchise, resulting in Disney publicly distancing themselves from him ''and'' Warner Bros. downplaying his role in the marketing campaign for ''Film/FantasticBeastsTheCrimesOfGrindelwald''. With the #[=MeToo=] movement increasing scrutiny of him due to his domestic violence history, the struggles of the ''Fantastic Beasts'' films, and his reputation for being financially irresponsible and difficult to work with, his career may well end with that of the series.

* Creator/JeffGoldblum is someone who never ''quite'' made it to the A-list during his "prime" years of TheEighties and TheNineties. After a near-decade toiling away in minor, supporting, and ensemble roles, plus one unsuccessful (if cultishly-loved) TV vehicle in ''Tenspeed and Brown Shoe'', 1983's hit dramedy ''Film/TheBigChill'' gave him a major leg up. While ''Film/TheFly1986'' proved just ''how'' powerful he could be, Hollywood just didn't have leading roles that suited his unconventional looks, unusual speaking cadence, and eccentric intensity to offer him (aside from the flop ''Film/{{Vibes}}'', and only because Creator/DanAykroyd quit)[[note]]Geena Davis, his co-star in ''The Fly'' and two other films (and for a few years his wife), got a much bigger push from it -- see the folder for Examples That Didn't Hold Up above[[/note]]. Thus, for the next six or so years he worked primarily in independent or European productions. Then came a scene-stealing supporting turn in ''Film/JurassicPark'', and overnight he became Hollywood's go-to performer for MotorMouth and/or TallDarkAndSnarky turns. But while there was a little hype put behind him, he ''was'' in his 40s and he remained a supporting player -- often to someone getting full Hype Machine treatment or who was just past it (Creator/HughGrant in ''Film/NineMonths'', Creator/WillSmith in ''Film/IndependenceDay'', Creator/EddieMurphy in ''Holy Man''...) -- the exceptions being ''Literature/{{Hideaway}}'' and ''Film/TheLostWorldJurassicPark''. He became an easy performer to spoof and mock, having come to define the GibberingGenius trope. At the TurnOfTheMillennium he was working consistently and frequently but rarely as a lead, the key exceptions being in two TV shows (''Series/{{Raines}}'', which was tossed away by the network, and the later seasons of ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'', in which he was stuck in the shadow of original/alternate lead Creator/VincentDOnofrio).\\

'''But.''' All those roles, along with lively talk show appearances that made him a favorite of Creator/ConanOBrien, Creator/StephenColbert, and others, ''deeply'' endeared him to late Generation X-ers and millennials -- especially women who found him the height of "geek sexiness" as a writer for Syfy Wire put it. In TheNewTens and as he entered his sixties he became an affectionate subject of {{Memetic Mutation}}s, and having always had a sense of humor about his career and life [[AdamWesting cheerfully played up his natural eccentricity even more]]. Combined with filmmakers who'd grown up with his films wanting to work with him (in particular Creator/TaikaWaititi, who cast him as the Grandmaster in ''Film/ThorRagnarok''), by the end of the decade he was one of the most beloved actors in the business by creatives and audiences alike, enjoying success that many who were chewed up and spat out by the Hype Machine would envy.

* 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/{{Ten}}'', and while Bo Derek (see Actresses below 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/{{Arthur}}'' was THE comedy of 1981 and even saw him nominated for a Best Actor Oscar. He was promptly being offered star vehicles left and right.\\

Alas, an attempt to branch out into a drama led to the FollowUpFailure ''Six Weeks'' at the end of 1982, 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 into other genres 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 Creator/KirkCameron's presence than his). ''Arthur 2: On the Rocks'' put the coffin in the ground, with only one leading man vehicle afterward (''Crazy People''). 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 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/JeffGoldblum is someone who never ''quite'' made it to the A-list during his "prime" years of TheEighties and TheNineties. After a near-decade toiling away in minor, supporting, and ensemble roles, plus one unsuccessful (if cultishly-loved) TV vehicle in ''Tenspeed and Brown Shoe'', 1983's hit dramedy ''Film/TheBigChill'' gave him a major leg up. While ''Film/TheFly1986'' proved just ''how'' powerful he could be, Hollywood just didn't have leading roles that suited his unconventional looks, unusual speaking cadence, and eccentric intensity to offer him (aside from the flop ''Film/{{Vibes}}'', and only because Creator/DanAykroyd quit)[[note]]Geena Davis, his co-star in this and two other films (and for a few years his wife), notably got a much bigger push at the time -- see the folder for Examples That Didn't Hold Up[[/note]]. Thus, for the next six or so years he worked primarily in independent or European productions. Then came a scene-stealing supporting turn in ''Film/JurassicPark'', and overnight he became Hollywood's go-to performer for MotorMouth and/or TallDarkAndSnarky turns. But while there was a little hype put behind him, he ''was'' in his 40s and he remained a supporting player -- often to someone getting full Hype Machine treatment or who was just past it (Creator/HughGrant in ''Film/NineMonths'', Creator/WillSmith in ''Film/IndependenceDay'', Creator/EddieMurphy in ''Holy Man''...) -- the exceptions being ''Literature/{{Hideaway}}'' and ''Film/TheLostWorldJurassicPark''. He became an easy performer to spoof and mock, having come to define the GibberingGenius trope. At the TurnOfTheMillennium he was working consistently and frequently but rarely as a lead, the key exceptions being in two TV shows (''Series/{{Raines}}'', which was tossed away by the network, and the later seasons of ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'', in which he was stuck in the shadow of original/alternate lead Creator/VincentDOnofrio).\\

* Creator/JeffGoldblum is someone who never ''quite'' made it to the A-list during his "prime" years of TheEighties and TheNineties. After a near-decade toiling away in minor, supporting, and ensemble roles, plus one unsuccessful (if cultishly-loved) TV vehicle in ''Tenspeed and Brown Shoe'', 1983's hit dramedy ''Film/TheBigChill'' gave him a major leg up. While ''Film/TheFly1986'' was a hit that proved just how powerful he could be, Hollywood didn't have leading roles that suited his unconventional looks, unusual speaking cadence, and eccentric intensity to offer him (aside from the flop ''Film/{{Vibes}}'', and only because Creator/DanAykroyd quit). Thus, for the next six or so years he worked primarily in independent or European productions. Then came a scene-stealing supporting turn in ''Film/JurassicPark'', and overnight he became Hollywood's go-to performer for MotorMouth and/or TallDarkAndSnarky turns. But while there was a little hype put behind him, he ''was'' in his 40s and he remained a supporting player -- often to someone getting full Hype Machine treatment or who was just past it (Creator/HughGrant in ''Film/NineMonths'', Creator/WillSmith in ''Film/IndependenceDay'', Creator/EddieMurphy in ''Holy Man''...) -- the exceptions being ''Literature/{{Hideaway}}'' and ''Film/TheLostWorldJurassicPark''. He became an easy performer to spoof and mock, having come to define the GibberingGenius trope. At the TurnOfTheMillennium he was working consistently and frequently but rarely as a lead, the key exceptions being in two TV shows (''Series/{{Raines}}'', which was tossed away by the network, and the later seasons of ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'', in which he was stuck in the shadow of original/alternate lead Creator/VincentDOnofrio).\\

However, with the live-action ''Film/{{Alice in Wonderland|2010}}'' film being critically mauled while financially successful, HypeBacklash kicked in. Audiences grew tired of Depp's LargeHam tendencies in his roles, and the drug and alcohol abuse that plagued his career since the mid-to-late '80s became an issue again. In 2011, while ''WesternAnimation/{{Rango}}'' and the fourth ''Pirates'' movie were hits, ''Film/TheRumDiary'' and ''Film/DarkShadows'', the latter film released the following year, tanked. Complete derailment came in the summer of 2013 with ''Film/TheLoneRanger'', in which he -- despite being Caucasian -- played the title role's sidekick Tonto to much controversy (especially as he played him as a Jack Sparrow-style buffoon). The film received poor reviews and became Disney's biggest BoxOfficeBomb, leading to a studio write-down of $190 million ''and'' the end of the studio's long-time relationship with producer Creator/JerryBruckheimer. Depp's star power faded overnight, with his next films, ''Film/{{Transcendence}}'' and ''Film/{{Mortdecai}}'', total flops. Although he did receive critical praise for ''Film/BlackMass'', that was a brief respite. In 2016 came a high-profile domestic violence case against him from his former wife, Creator/AmberHeard, who published shocking pictures of bruises on her face, allegedly from him, to back up her claims. This, combined with audience disinterest in ''Film/AliceThroughTheLookingGlass'', lead to ''its'' box office failure. He's never recovered from this scandal; his days as a leading man came to a halt when ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanDeadMenTellNoTales'' became the lowest-grossing film of the franchise, resulting in Disney publicly distancing themselves from him ''and'' Warner Bros. downplaying his role in the marketing campaign for ''Film/FantasticBeastsTheCrimesOfGrindelwald''. With the #[=MeToo=] movement increasing scrutiny of him due to his domestic violence history, the struggles of the ''Fantastic Beasts'' films, and a reputation for being financially irresponsible and difficult to work with, his career may well end with that of the series.

* 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'' 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 ''Film/TheArtOfGettingBy'' resulted in awful reviews and low box office, signaling an end to his career as a leading man on the big screen. The small screen turned out to be a much more fruitful frontier for him, first with ''Series/BatesMotel'' and second with ''Series/TheGoodDoctor''.

* Creator/JohnnyDepp. Making his debut as [[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet1984 Freddy Krueger's first victim]], he spent much of the 1990's starring in critically-acclaimed and financially successful films, such as ''Film/EdwardScissorhands'' (his first film with Creator/TimBurton), ''Film/BennyAndJoon'' and ''Film/DonnieBrasco''. However, he wouldn't hit the A-list until the ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' series, which turned his Jack Sparrow character into a pop culture icon, catapulted him to the top. Magazine covers of him soon followed, and nearly every film he starred in thereafter turned a major profit for the studios who released them.\\\
However, with the live-action ''Film/{{Alice in Wonderland|2010}}'' film being critically mauled but financially successful, HypeBacklash soon kicked in. Many audiences grew tired of Depp's LargeHam tendencies in his roles, and also got caught in some bad press whenever he plunged into drug and alcohol abuse, which have plagued his career since the mid to late '80s. In 2011, while ''WesternAnimation/{{Rango}}'' and the third ''Pirates'' movie proved to be successful, ''Film/TheRumDiary'' and ''Film/DarkShadows'', the latter film released the following year, tanked. Complete derailment came in the summer of 2013 with ''Film/TheLoneRanger'', in which he played the title role's sidekick Tonto and thus subject to massive backlash over the character's [[RaceLift whitewashing]]. The film received mediocre reception and became Disney's biggest box office bomb in the studio's history, leading to a studio write-down of $190 million and the end of the studio's long-time relationship with producer Creator/JerryBruckheimer. Depp's star power faded overnight, with his next films, ''Film/{{Transcendence}}'' and ''Film/{{Mortdecai}}'', being critically panned and failing at the box office. Although he did receive critical praise for his performance in ''Film/BlackMass'', that only turned out to be a brief respite for in 2016 came a high-profile domestic violence case against him from his former wife, Creator/AmberHeard, who published shocking pictures of bruises on her face, allegedly from Depp, to back up her claims. The public fallout of the case led to audiences staying away from ''Film/AliceThroughTheLookingGlass'', the sequel to the aforementioned live-action ''Alice in Wonderland'', leading to its box office failure. He never recovered from the scandal and his days as a leading man came to a halt when ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanDeadMenTellNoTales'' became the lowest-grossing film of the franchise to date, resulting in Disney publicly distancing themselves from him and Warner Bros. downplaying his role in the marketing campaign for ''Film/FantasticBeastsTheCrimesOfGrindelwald'' in the wake of the #[=MeToo=] movement increasing scrutiny of him due to his domestic violence history.

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 offer juicy roles for women -- in 2019, for example, she appeared in the Netflix shows ''Series/GLOW2017'' and ''WesternAnimation/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPower'' in guest roles. That was also the year she won an ''honorary'' Oscar for her advocacy work.

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 offer juicy roles for women -- in 2019, for example, she appeared in the Netflix shows ''Series/GLOW'' and ''WesternAnimation/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPower'' in guest roles. That was also the year she won an ''honorary'' Oscar for her advocacy work.

* 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.
Davis 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).\\

* Creator/JeffGoldblum is someone who never ''quite'' made it to the A-list during his "prime" years of TheEighties and TheNineties. After a near-decade toiling away in minor, supporting, and ensemble roles, plus one unsuccessful (if cultishly-loved) TV vehicle in ''Tenspeed and Brown Shoe'', 1983's hit dramedy ''Film/TheBigChill'' gave him a major leg up. While ''Film/TheFly1986'' was a hit that proved just how powerful he could be, Hollywood didn't have leading roles that suited his unconventional looks, unusual speaking cadence, and eccentric intensity to offer him (aside from the flop ''Film/{{Vibes}}'', and only because Creator/DanAykroyd quit). Thus, for the next six or so years he worked primarily in independent or European productions. Then came a scene-stealing supporting turn in ''Film/JurassicPark'', and overnight he became Hollywood's go-to performer for MotorMouth and/or TallDarkAndSnarky turns. But while there was a little hype put behind him, he ''was'' in his 40s, and he was usually a supporting player to someone getting full Hype Machine treatment or who was just past it (to Creator/HughGrant in ''Film/NineMonths'', to Creator/WillSmith in ''Film/IndependenceDay'', to Creator/EddieMurphy in ''Holy Man''...), the exceptions being ''Literature/{{Hideaway}}'' and ''Film/TheLostWorldJurassicPark''. On top of that he became an easy performer to spoof and mock, having come to define the GibberingGenius trope. At the TurnOfTheMillennium he was working consistently and frequently but rarely as a lead, the key exceptions being in two TV shows (''Series/{{Raines}}'', which was tossed away by the network, and the later seasons of ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'', in which he was stuck in the shadow of original/alternate lead Creator/VincentDOnofrio).\\

'''But.''' All those roles (along with lively talk show appearances that made him a favorite of Creator/ConanOBrien, Creator/StephenColbert, and others) turned out in TheNewTens to have ''deeply'' endeared him to late Generation X-ers and millennials, especially women who found him the height of "geek sexiness" as a writer for Syfy Wire put it. He became an affectionate subject of {{Memetic Mutation}}s, and having always had a sense of humor about his career and life [[AdamWesting cheerfully played up his natural eccentricity even more]]. Combined with filmmakers who'd grown up with his films wanting to work with him (in particular Creator/TaikaWaititi, who cast him as the Grandmaster in ''Film/ThorRagnarok''), by the end of the decade he was one of the most beloved character actors in the business by creatives and audiences alike, enjoying success that many who were chewed up and spat out by the Hype Machine would envy.

'''But.''' All those roles (along with lively talk show appearances that made him a favorite of Creator/ConanOBrien, Creator/StephenColbert, and others) turned out in TheNewTens to have ''deeply'' endeared him to late Generation X-ers and millennials, especially women who found him the height of "geek sexiness" as a writer for Syfy Wire put it. He became an affectionate subject of {{Memetic Mutation}}s, and having always had a sense of humor about his career and life [[AdamWesting cheerfully played up his natural eccentricity even more]]. Combined with filmmakers who'd grown up with his films wanting to work with him (in particular Creator/Taika Waititi, who cast him as the Grandmaster in ''Film/ThorRagnarok''), by the end of the decade he was one of the most beloved character actors in the business by creatives and audiences alike, enjoying success that many who were chewed up and spat out by the Hype Machine would envy.

* Creator/JeffGoldblum is someone who never ''quite'' made it to the A-list during his "prime" years of TheEighties and TheNineties. After a near-decade toiling away in minor, supporting, and ensemble roles, plus one unsuccessful (if cultishly-loved) TV vehicle in ''Tenspeed and Brown Shoe'', 1983's hit dramedy ''Film/TheBigChill'' gave him a major leg up. While ''Film/TheFly1986'' was a hit that proved just how powerful he could be, Hollywood didn't have a lot of leading roles that suited his unconventional looks, unusual speaking cadence, and eccentric intensity to offer him (aside from the flop ''Film/{{Vibes}}'', and only because Creator/DanAykroyd quit). Thus, for the next six or so years he worked primarily in independent or European productions. Then came a scene-stealing supporting turn in ''Film/JurassicPark'', and overnight he became Hollywood's go-to performer for MotorMouth and/or TallDarkAndSnarky turns. But while there was a little hype put behind him, he ''was'' in his 40s, and he was usually a supporting player to someone getting full Hype Machine treatment or who was just past it (to Hugh Grant in ''Film/NineMonths'', to Creator/WillSmith in ''Film/IndependenceDay'', to Creator/EddieMurphy in ''Film/Holy Man''...), the exceptions being ''Literature/{{Hideaway}}'' and ''Film/TheLostWorldJurassicPark''. On top of that he became an easy performer to spoof and mock, having come to define the GibberingGenius trope. At the TurnOfTheMillennium he was working consistently and frequently but rarely as a lead, the key exceptions being in two TV shows (''Series/{{Raines}}'', which was tossed away by the network, and the later seasons of ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'', in which he was stuck in the shadow of original/alternate lead Creator/VincentDOnofrio).\\

* Creator/JeffGoldblum is someone who never ''quite'' made it to the A-list during his "prime" years of TheEighties and TheNineties. After a near-decade toiling away in minor, supporting, and ensemble roles, plus one unsuccessful (if cultishly-loved) TV vehicle in ''Tenspeed and Brown Shoe'', 1983's hit dramedy ''Film/TheBigChill'' gave him a major leg up. While ''Film/TheFly1986'' was a hit that proved just how powerful he could be, Hollywood didn't have a lot of leading roles that suited his unconventional looks, unusual speaking cadence, and eccentric intensity to offer him (aside from the flop ''Film/{{Vibes}}'', and only because Creator/DanAykroyd quit). Thus, for the next six or so years he worked primarily in independent or European productions. Then came a scene-stealing supporting turn in ''Film/JurassicPark'', and overnight he became Hollywood's go-to performer for MotorMouth and/or TallDarkAndSnarky turns. But while there was some hype put behind him, he ''was'' in his 40s at that point, and he was usually a supporting player to someone getting full Hype Machine treatment or who was just past it (to Hugh Grant in ''Film/NineMonths'', to Creator/WillSmith in ''Film/IndependenceDay'', to Creator/EddieMurphy in ''Film/HolyMan''...), the exceptions being ''Film/{{Hideaway}}'' and ''Film/TheLostWorldJurassicPark''. On top of that he became an easy performer to spoof and mock, having come to define the GibberingGenius trope. At the TurnOfTheMillennium he was working consistently and frequently but rarely as a lead, the key exceptions being in two TV shows (''Series/{{Raines}}'', which was tossed away by the network, and the later seasons of ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'', in which he was stuck in the shadow of original/alternate lead Creator/VincentDOnofrio).

* Creator/ScarlettJohansson. An indie darling in the [[TheNineties late '90s]], she was crowned the new "It Girl" in 2003 on the back of her two acclaimed performances in ''Film/LostInTranslation'' and ''Film/GirlWithAPearlEarring''. Her failure to secure an Oscar nomination for either film did a lot to stall her momentum, and her follow-ups were not nearly so well received. Luckily for her, Creator/WoodyAllen declared her his latest muse and they made three films together, including one of his most popular latter-day films, ''Film/MatchPoint''. This kept her career on life support until she made a stab at a mainstream comeback with ''Film/IronMan2'' and ''Film/TheAvengers2012''. She followed this up with acclaimed turns in ''Film/{{Her}}'' and with ''Film/{{Lucy}}'' being her biggest hit outside the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse (and her first film as a solo lead to pass $100 million). However, ''Film/UnderTheSkin'', albeit a smashing success with critics, flopped at the box office. Ironic, as she was brought into that film because a star with a big draw was needed. Her next solo movie, ''Film/GhostInTheShell'', was also a BoxOfficeBomb after being hit with the controversial RaceLift casting, costing Paramount more than 60 million. ''Rough Night'' landed with a thud with both critics and audiences as well. Though she still had other movies, it remains uncertain if she can still have a leading role.

* Similar to Eddie Murphy, Creator/JimCarrey was ''the'' big comedian of the 1990s. Carrey started off playing supporting or minor roles in movies in TheEighties, but after the back-to-back successes of ''Film/AceVentura'', ''Film/TheMask'', and ''Film/DumbAndDumber'' in 1994, his star shot up like a rocket. Unfortunately for him, while his comedic roles brought a major bank, it made him severely {{typecast|ing}} as an actor. [[TomHanksSyndrome Attempts at more dramatic fare]], such as ''Film/TheTrumanShow'', ''Film/ManOnTheMoon'', ''Film/TheMajestic'', and ''Film/EternalSunshineOfTheSpotlessMind'', while earning him praise from critics, under-performed if not flopped at the box office[[note]]''Film/TheTrumanShow'' was the exception due to [[NeverTrustATrailer the trailer downplaying the drama]].[[/note]] compared to his broad comedies. Unlike most however, Carrey's status is more self-imposed, making a conscious decision to [[TomHanksSyndrome pursue more serious works]] rather than continue with the comedies that made him incredibly popular. After making a second Ace Venture film, he repeatedly refused to star in sequels to his comedic works (except for ''Dumb & Dumber''), which was likely a wise choice given the critical receptions those films wound up getting.

* Creator/OrlandoBloom appeared in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' and ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' trilogies and was one of the biggest stars of the [[TurnOfTheMillennium early-mid '00s]]. Since then, his career has suffered several hits, including critical thrashing and HypeBacklash, but he works steadily in highly regarded (if small) productions, for which he is finally starting to receive positive attention from the critics. His career appears to be thriving, but it's doubtful it will reach its former stratospheric heights. By all accounts, this seems to be his intention (he reportedly turned down Jake Gyllenhaal's role in ''Film/PrinceOfPersiaTheSandsOfTime'').[[note]] It seems fairly obvious that the role was written with him in mind and that Gyllenhaal was basically told "act as much like Orlando Bloom as possible." So he isn't wholly out of the loop...[[/note]]

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