Hollywood is a very fickle world! While being rich and famous sounds appealing, it can definitely have its downsides. Despite many incredibly successful actors and actresses reaching A-list status so quickly, it can disappear just as fast.
With Hollywood being such an ever-changing environment to work in, the pressure to constantly reinvent yourself and remain relevant is simply too much for some big names, including Oscar winner Hilary Swank, past Peter Parker Toby Maguire, and Grease star, John Travolta.
Whether they gained success as a child actor, lost touch with their audience, or simply tarnished their own reputation by being Hollywood blacklisted, many actors have found themselves not getting cast anymore. The industry has changed dramatically over the last few years, and the talent has only gotten better and better, so one's ability to truly sell a role has become much harder, so much that many can no longer do it.
Updated on September 6, 2021, by Michael Chaar: While there have been a number of hit Hollywood names that reigned the industry, their careers just aren't as big as they once were. Oscar-winner, Hilary Swank stepped away from the spotlight to help her ill father, while folks such as Brendan Fraser, and Macaulay Culkin were attacked for not aging as gracefully as others in Hollywood have. As for being blacklisted in the industry, Shia LaBeouf, Katherine Heigl, and Amanda Bynes are all too familiar with that. Despite not being cast as often, there is a glimmer of hope for a few actors, including Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz, who are slowly but surely making their way back into the limelight.
15 Hilary Swank
Hilary Swank is a prime example of being one of the biggest stars in Hollywood to completely falling off the face of the Earth. Despite Swank having two Oscars, yes TWO, she has not had success in landing a major role as of late. It appears her projects have lacked visibility, and ultimately led her to slowly fade out of the limelight. The actress later revealed why she stepped away from the limelight, sharing that she did so in order to look after her ill father.
14 Brendan Fraser
Brendan Fraser was also one of the biggest Hollywood stars throughout the 90s and early 2000s. While he managed to find work well into the past decade, things began to dry up for him after his voice works in the 2014 film The Nut Job. Many people have also scrutinized Fraser on his looks, and claim he has "aged poorly", and while that sounds awful, that is allegedly how Hollywood works.
On the bright side, in August, 2021 it was announced that he'd be returning to acting, said to be joining the cast of 'Killers of the Flower Moon'.
13 Freddie Prinze Jr
Freddie Prinze Jr stole all of our hearts when he was cast in the Scooby-Doo series. We also loved him as a male nurse in an episode of Friends, however, things would soon dry up for the actor as well. While we no longer see him in front of the camera, Freddie has managed to find work with voice acting, particularly with his role in Star Wars: Rebels. Luckily for the actor, his personal life remains successful as he's been married to Sarah Michelle Gellar now for nearly 20 years.
12 Macaulay Culkin
Macaulay Culkin will forever have a special place in all of our hearts. Culkin has managed to be one of the most successful child actors to date, however, it appears things didn't go well for him after he entered adulthood. Culkin no longer fit any of his previous roles and got lost in the mix of it all, which later led him to slip out of Hollywood for good.
11 Katherine Heigl
Katherine Heigl not only played a doctor in one of the most iconic shows to date, but she also graced the big screen in a number of huge films. Despite her success, many people were no longer interested in working with her as she was allegedly very demanding, leading her reputation to go up in flames.
10 Mike Myers
Mike Meyers played such a monumental role in many of our childhoods! Whether you knew him as Austin Powers, the voice of Shrek or through his roles in Cat In The Hat and The Love Guru, it appears Meyers managed to get lost in all his characters. In addition, many believe that those associated with the Shrek franchise have found themselves "cursed", Mike being an example of just that.
9 Eddie Murphy
In addition to the many great actors who once had it all, Eddie Murphy has also found himself in a pickle. As mentioned, those who played a role in the Shrek franchise have found themselves cursed, and considering he voiced the role of Donkey, it may have gotten to him too. With his last successful project being Dreamgirls, it is safe to say that bad luck has crept upon him.
8 Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones is yet another Hollywood actress who has found herself being tossed aside. While we don't know the formula in order to consistently remain relevant in the industry, it appears she doesn't either. Despite her success with Entrapment, Traffic, and Oceans Twelve, it appears her latest bits of work have put a bad taste in casting directors mouthes.
7 Tobey Maguire
Toby Maguire will forever be our Spider-Man! Despite the constant changes audience members see in the Spider-Man franchise, Toby will always remain one of the best. Despite his massive success during his stint as the web-spinning superhero, he hasn't managed to find himself another role as major, which is quite sad considering we sure as heck loved seeing him on the big screen.
6 Amanda Bynes
Amanda Bynes was the "it" girl and was at her prime throughout the 2000s. With loads of movies, hit television shows and constant appraisal for her good girl behaviour, she was definitely on the road for success. While all that sounds great, things took a nasty turn in 2012 when Amanda had drastically changed her look and found herself in a series of legal trouble. It was later revealed that she suffered great mental health issues, and while she is in a better place now, it is unlikely that she will return to where she once was.
5 Cameron Diaz
Cameron Diaz has been at the top of her game since her 90s debut, however, it appears things haven't been looking all that great for the star lately. Her last movie was the remake of Annie, which certainly did not do her any justice, and as previously mentioned, the former Shrek actress has also found herself to be a victim of the "Shrek curse". Well, it seems as if her hiatus from Hollywood isn't phasing Diaz at all, as she now has her very own line of wine.
4 Shia LaBeouf
Shia LaBeouf is yet another actor who managed to go from A-list to no list. The star began his career with Disney, and would later find huge success with a number of films including Holes, Transformers, and Disturbia. While it was all sunshine and rainbows for the actor, his off-screen behaviour and ego got the best of him, which later made him too much of a liability to be cast in anything any longer.
3 John Travolta
While this one might come as a shock to many, it appears John Travolta is also finding himself in quite a sticky situation. While the actor has had an immense career throughout his life, it appears he is no longer getting roles on the big screen. Many were excited to see him star in the 2017 film Gotti, however, it was dropped only 10 days before it's release date. Yikes!
2 Taylor Lautner
Taylor Lautner had a very successful career as both a kid and as an early adult. He managed to score roles in Sharkboy & Lava Girl, Cheaper By The Dozen, and of course, Twilight. Despite his massive success in the vampire versus werewolf films, it appears he lacked versatility and the star quality needed to continue on in the industry.
1 Meg Ryan
Meg Ryan paved the way for so many actresses and was truly the biggest star during her prime. One of her best movies, Sleepless In Seattle was with none other than Tom Hanks, however, things soon fizzled for the star. It can be difficult for many Hollywood actors to maintain their A-list status, including Meg Ryan, who would soon lose touch with her demographic and fall through the cracks. She still remains one of the greats, so a comeback should always be expected.
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