Every so often, the glimmering lights of Hollywood shine brightly on a star, only for them to fade into obscurity shortly afterward. The phenomenon of one-hit wonders is not limited to the music industry; Hollywood has its fair share of actors who experienced a meteoric rise, only to plummet after just one memorable role. These actors often find themselves struggling to replicate the success that brought them fame, leaving audiences to wonder what went wrong. So, why do some actors get pigeonholed into one iconic role while others enjoy a long and varied career?
As we explore the stories of these unfortunate stars, we’ll discover that the reasons behind their rapid falls from grace are as varied as the roles they played. Some struggled with the expectations that came after their breakout performances, while others faced industry shifts that left them with fewer opportunities. Despite their talent and potential, many were never able to recapture the magic of that initial breakthrough.
Join us as we delve into the lives of these actors who Hollywood seemingly abandoned after one hit role. From beloved teen stars to iconic horror film child actors, their experiences serve as a sobering reminder of the unpredictable nature of fame and success in the entertainment industry.
Table of Contents
- Maybe he's got a big movie coming out on October 3rd
- Unfortunately, we only see Alicia Silverstone sporadically
- The star of Almost Famous was...well, you know
- His big-screen run wasn't so super, man
- Linda Blair's trajectory will make your head spin
- Goodbye, nurse
- What a croc!
- A big fat Greek disappointment for Nia Vardalos
- Jake Lloyd skywalked right out of Hollywood
- Shannon Elizabeth couldn't get a piece of the pie
Maybe he's got a big movie coming out on October 3rd
Mean Girls had the potential to turn Jonathan Bennett, who played Lindsay Lohan's high school crush, into a bona fide star. The hugely popular 2004 teen movie made many members of the female cast very famous — particularly Lohan, Rachel McAdams, and Amanda Seyfried — and spawned an annual "Mean Girls" day on October 3. Why Bennett never rose to John Travolta post-Grease or even Ryan Phillippe post-Cruel Intentions levels of dreamboat remains one of Hollywood's weirdest mysteries.
In the decade since Mean Girls hit theaters, Bennett has starred in about 20 forgettable projects, some of which didn’t even make it to the multiplex, including the likes of Bachelor Party Vegas, a direct-to-video Van Wilder prequel in which he takes over for Ryan Reynolds, and Christmas Crush. His most notable appearance probably came via Dancing with the Stars, during which judge Julianne Hough accidentally kind-of-sort-of outed him as gay on Extra. (That is so not fetch, Julianne.) But hey, he at least landed that fun and steady job hosting Cake Wars on Food Network.
Unfortunately, we only see Alicia Silverstone sporadically
Fresh from star-making turns in the Aerosmith videos "Cryin'" and "Crazy," Alicia Silverstone landed a starring role in 1995's Clueless, launching her to "Hollywood's Next 'It' Girl" status. Twenty years later, we're still wondering what went wrong. Maybe she did permanent damage to her career with her next big movie, 1997's Batman & Robin, a flick so poorly received that star George Clooney apologized for it. Silverstone was just along for the ill-fated ride, co-starring as Batgirl.
Maybe movie viewers only wanted to see Silverstone play a rebellious music video teen or a sweet, ditzy, and spoiled teen, because her next movies bombed, including Blast from the Past with Brendan Fraser and Excess Baggage with Benicio Del Toro. Either way, it's been a real bummer to see her quickly go from MTV Movie Award-winning actress to playing the mom in the reboot of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid franchise.
The star of Almost Famous was...well, you know
After a long career of writing and/or directing poignant romantic dramedies such as Jerry Maguire and Say Anything, Cameron Crowe took the old dictum to "write what you know" to heart in 2000 and made Almost Famous, a film based on his own experiences as a teenage rock journalist embedded with bands on tour. The actor Crowe picked to play "William Miller," the fictionalized version of his younger self, was Patrick Fugit, who had just a few TV credits to his name at the time. Still, Fugit ably anchors the movie and plays the part beautifully.
Yet for some reason after Almost Famous, Fugit struggled to find work, appearing mostly in interesting but low-profile movies such as the meth comedy Spun, the searing family drama White Oleander, and the religious satire Saved! He more recently popped up in David Fincher's Gone Girl and starred on the short-lived Cinemax supernatural thriller Outcast, so maybe he's not quite done.
His big-screen run wasn't so super, man
