Actors who failed to reach their potential

Hank_Jones

Matt Dillon.

Showed a lot of promise in the 80's and on into the 90's, The Outsiders, Drugstore Cowboy, To Die For.

His performance in Crash was well received, but he never reached the heights that he should have.

Funny that his brother, Kevin Dillon is probably a bigger star at the minute.

Nolanger

Fatty Arbuckle.

Handsome Bob

leonidas83 wrote: »

3) Heath ledger, could have been one of the greats but didnt for obvious reasons

With Heath, I like to view his career as having reached his potential. He had plenty of excellent performances, from Monster's Ball to Brokeback Mountain to The Dark Knight.

Captain Darling

Bruce Campbell should have been a lot bigger. Came across as very charming and funny in the Evil Dead series. Sam Raimi threw him a lot of bit part roles in other productions but i dont know was he type cast to a certain genre (comic horror) or what. Oh well...

krudler

willmunny1990 wrote: »

macaulay culkin good child actor never did anything in adulthood!pity

he was great in Party Monster and Saved, his brothers are more talented though, especially Rory

Mickeroo

Captain Darling wrote: »

Bruce Campbell should have been a lot bigger. Came across as very charming and funny in the Evil Dead series. Sam Raimi threw him a lot of bit part roles in other productions but i dont know was he type cast to a certain genre (comic horror) or what. Oh well...

Jim Carrey always struck me as being a (tiny)bit like campbell, check out the scene in Me,Myself and Irene where he beats himself up. He could have been a major star but in a way a lot of his appeal is the fact that he's a total B-movie actor, and he knows that himself and has built his whole career around it. I always thought it was a shame Raimi never gave him a big role in anymore of his movies though, the upcoming Wizard of Oz sequel would have been perfect for him, he's be such a good cowardly lion! I genuinely won't die happy if Evil Dead 4 never gets made, the remake without Bruce doesn't count I'm afraid.

tony1kenobi

willmunny1990 wrote: »

macaulay culkin good child actor never did anything in adulthood!pity

He was in Mila Kunis for years.I would not call that a failure.

Captain Darling

LIGHTNING wrote: »

Did you see My name is Bruce? Very funny film starring the man himself, well worth a watch.

I've been meaning to watch it alright. Must give it a goo soon.

Mickeroo wrote: »

Jim Carrey always struck me as being a (tiny)bit like campbell, check out the scene in Me,Myself and Irene where he beats himself up. He could have been a major star but in a way a lot of his appeal is the fact that he's a total B-movie actor, and he knows that himself and has built his whole career around it. I always thought it was a shame Raimi never gave him a big role in anymore of his movies though, the upcoming Wizard of Oz sequel would have been perfect for him, he's be such a good cowardly lion! I genuinely won't die happy if Evil Dead 4 never gets made, the remake without Bruce doesn't count I'm afraid.

He'd be a great lion alright.

Its true, he is a B movie actor through and through. Its his hammyness or summat. His eyebrows should get an academy award!

Mr_Hat

pickarooney wrote: »

Lisa Nicole Carson (Ally McBeal, ER) went from being the hottest woman on television to never working again.

I dont know about the hottest women on tv. Maybe the one with the largest bust. I remember reading something about a nervous breakdown. But I never rated her

Stargazer7

black francis wrote: »

I’m glad someone mentioned Spader – he was in loads of stuff (and always quite good I thought anyway) up until Crash in 1996.
Then he just seemed to drop off the radar – I know he was in Secretary in 2001 but he never really appeared in any well know movies – I was always kind of surprised that he wasn’t a bigger star.

Spader is great in Boston legal....and I lurve the secretary, two of my favourite actors

Stargazer7

uncleoswald wrote: »

Lot of choices on this list that miss the point of the thread i think, and now I'm going to add another.

Harrison Ford.

What an unbelievable "they don't make them like that anymore" screen presence, the only actor who comes close to that now is Clooney. And before anyone accuses him of been a bit wooden go back and watch Frantic, Witness or Presumed Innocent.

But his film choices for the best part of 20 years have been deathly dull; at best lazy and at worst cowardly. Turning down meatier rolls in Syriana and Traffic in favour of running around saving his family type roles that require little more than furrowing his brow. Not saying he doesn't do that better than anyone, see the Fugitive, but he just went so stale, see Firewall.

Hopefully breezier roles like Morning Glory and the upcoming Cowboys & Aliens will help blow the cobwebs off.

I read up on some trivia about Ford and apparently he doesn't like overly violent films - maybe why he didn't take the grittier roles. He seems to pick his roles based on how they fit his principles....at least that's what he'll have us believe:pac:

Pink11

coconut5 wrote: »

What a waste. He looks awful now.

Ha his hair and face are the same after all these years! If he lost some weight he'd look great.

Corsendonk

Phony Scott wrote: »

I'd probably go for Charles Dance. He's the best thing about 'Alien 3' and made a great baddie in 'The Golden Child' and ramped the same type of bad guy role up a few notches with 'Last Action Hero'. That should have made a big star out of him, but I guess typecasting killed that idea off.

Timing, that was the period that anyone with a posh English accent just got offered the baddie roles in Hollywood, Curry, Rickman, Berkoff etc. Some of the actors were just happy to collect the paycheck so they could do more challenging work on stage.

JennyBurke101

Ok I hate the fact Christian Bale never recieved an Oscar for American Psycho!!!! Also if you like that film ...its being shown in the cinema check out my post on it ...support my husband Bale!!!!

paddyismaddy

ok laugh but i'm serious charlie sheen

Marty McFly

paddyismaddy wrote: »

ok laugh but i'm serious charlie sheen

You know i some what agree with that statement. His early career was very promising, then he just started to make some horrible film decisions, while I love Hot Shots it sure wouldnt have done his career any favours.

When you look at his filmography he really did make an awful amout of shiite films. If only he had of stuck to the likes of Platoon, Wall Street and Young Guns.

Mindkiller

JennyBurke101 wrote: »

Ok I hate the fact Christian Bale never recieved an Oscar for American Psycho!!!! Also if you like that film ...its being shown in the cinema check out my post on it ...support my husband Bale!!!!

Gee, you sure like American Psycho.

MissKK

Handsome Bob wrote: »

With Heath, I like to view his career as having reached his potential. He had plenty of excellent performances, from Monster's Ball to Brokeback Mountain to The Dark Knight.

I agree he had reached his potential with some amazing performances. The real tragedy was that there could have been so many more of them in even more diverse roles. It's sad to think the talent that we have lost..

BostonB

paddyismaddy wrote: »

ok laugh but i'm serious charlie sheen

If you consider Platoon and Wall Street. He then fell out with Oliver stone, took on comedy roles then fell of the wagon big time. Hence a load of bad movies. Hes so intense he could probably still do a great role, but I doubt many would work with him now, on a big movie.

Nolanger

A lot of film actors reach their potential by working mostly in the theatre.

mikemac

grohlisagod wrote: »

Jennifer Connelly is a name that comes to mind also. Powerful performances in A Beautiful Mind and Requiem for a Dream but not much since.

She got the leading role in House of Sand and Fog
Didn't get nominated for an Oscar but two of her co-stars did
Great film

Goose81

I watched a time to kill recenty (great film) Mathew McConaughey puts in a great performance, its a pity he has been wasting his talents doing rom coms for most of his career.

Sam V Smith

A lot of people equate being a successful actor with being famous. The two do not go hand in hand at all.

Some of the busiest and best actors I know - some personally - are not common 'names' but are well respected within their trade and work more than many famous names.

godspal

Alec Baldwin: Beetlejuice, GlenGarry Glenross
Sam Rockwell: Moon, The Assassination of Jesse James
Adam Sandler: Punch Drunk Love
William H. Macy: Fargo, Boogie Nights, Magnolia
John C. McGinley: Platoon
Nick Cage: Leaving Las Vegas, Raising Arizona, Adaptation.
Harvey Keitel: Bad Lieutenant
John Cusack: Say Anything, High Fidelity, Being John Malkovich

Sad Professor

godspal wrote: »

Alec Baldwin: Beetlejuice, GlenGarry Glenross
Sam Rockwell: Moon, The Assassination of Jesse James
Adam Sandler: Punch Drunk Love
William H. Macy: Fargo, Boogie Nights, Magnolia
John C. McGinley: Platoon
Nick Cage: Leaving Las Vegas, Raising Arizona, Adaptation.
Harvey Keitel: Bad Lieutenant
John Cusack: Say Anything, High Fidelity, Being John Malkovich

You think all those actors failed to reach their potential? Why? The examples you give would suggest the opposite.

irishh_bob

Goose81 wrote: »

I watched a time to kill recenty (great film) Mathew McConaughey puts in a great performance, its a pity he has been wasting his talents doing rom coms for most of his career.

always found that movie very by the numbers

racists southern setting = check
liberal ( by southern standards ) local boy lawyer = check
wise eccentric alcoholic mentor ( donald sutherland ) - check
amoral but ambitious opposition prosecutor ( kevin spacey ) = check
north east full blown ACLU card carrier liberal social justice campaigner ( sandra bullock ) who breezes into conservative small town and ruffles everyones feathers = check

MissKK

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

I always thought the likes of James Purefoy, Robert Carlyle and Tim Roth would have bigger careers

I have to agree with James Purefoy..really thought he would go places

godspal

Alec Baldwin hasn't had a memorable leading role since Beetlejuice.
Sam Rockwell has never made it big.
Adam Sandler, do I really have to explain this?
William H. Macy was in Marmaduke and Wild Hogs, enough said.
John C. McGingley was amazing in Platoon, and now he's going to be eternally remembered for playing the pretty 2-D Dr. Cox.
Nick Cage... This would be a very long list, but The Wicker Man re-make stands out the most.
Harvey Keital, will be remembered for like 4 films, Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. In three of those films he only has a handful of dialogue.
John Cusack, has done nothing of interest since High Fidelity.

Edit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-AXTx4PcKI

I really think this justifies Alec Baldwin without a shadow of a doubt.

grohlisagod

luvbulmers01 wrote: »

You know i some what agree with that statement. His early career was very promising, then he just started to make some horrible film decisions, while I love Hot Shots it sure wouldnt have done his career any favours.

When you look at his filmography he really did make an awful amout of shiite films. If only he had of stuck to the likes of Platoon, Wall Street and Young Guns.

Hot Shots seems to have been a bit of a turning point alright. F***ing love that movie though.

grohlisagod

mikemac wrote: »

She got the leading role in House of Sand and Fog
Didn't get nominated for an Oscar but two of her co-stars did
Great film

I've seen that film since I made the comment and couldn't agree more. Top film which she is excellent in. I'm just disappointed she gets typecast as a walking tragedy and I don't think she's quite got the profile she deserves.

With regard to Harvey Keitel, I can see the argument for it but The Piano hasn't been mentioned yet AFAIK which is another of his excellent films. I'd
say he's done pretty well for himself.