- 5 months ago
Some roles are career-defining, while others are career-destroying. Join us as we count down the most notorious characters that sent actors spiraling from stardom to obscurity! From superhero flops to sci-fi disasters, these performances became Hollywood cautionary tales that haunted actors for years after the credits rolled.
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the times when an actor's
00:09career came to a screeching halt, all because of one role.
00:30After Austin Powers and Shrek, former Saturday Night Live alum Mike Myers seemed invincible.
00:43Then came The Love Guru, where his portrayal of the obnoxious self-help guru Guru Pika was
00:48met with utter disdain.
00:49The film, a slapped-together blend of racial stereotyping, cringeworthy humor, and over-the-top
00:55performances, bombed at the box office and with critics.
00:59Be loving and open-hearted with my emotions, TM.
01:06You better stop right there.
01:08Blown is a good way to remember that, blown, yeah, blown, yeah, blown, blown.
01:18You should stop.
01:19Myers' character, attempting to recreate the success of his previous comedic roles, instead
01:23left audiences uncomfortable, confused, and offended.
01:27Since then, Myers has appeared only sporadically in movies, and a Netflix TV show entitled The
01:32Pentavrit, which featured the Canadian comedy legend playing eight characters, came and went
01:37with a little fanfare.
01:39Superstar!
01:40It's me, Guru Pika!
01:41Good luck.
01:42He won't even let me in.
01:44No.
01:45No.
01:46No.
01:47No.
01:48No.
01:49No.
01:50No.
01:51No.
01:52No.
01:53No.
01:54No.
01:55No.
01:56No.
01:57No.
01:58No.
01:59No.
02:00No.
02:01No.
02:02No.
02:03No.
02:04No.
02:05No.
02:06No.
02:07No.
02:08No.
02:09No.
02:10No.
02:11No.
02:12No.
02:13turn after her portrayal of Joan Crawford and Mommy Dearest. What was intended to be a serious
02:18biographical drama about the Hollywood icon quickly turned into one of the most notorious
02:23flops in cinema history. Dunaway's over-the-top campy performance, highlighted by her infamous
02:28line, no wire hangers ever, became the stuff of legend for all the wrong reasons.
02:34No wire hangers! What's wire hangers doing in this closet when I told you no wire hangers ever?
02:51Work and work. I'm half dead and I hear people saying she's getting old.
02:56The film's failure was so profound that it almost permanently derailed Dunaway's career.
03:01Despite her Oscar-winning talent, she was now viewed as a punchline,
03:05pigeonholed by the film's colossal underperformance. It would take years for her to shed the baggage
03:09of Mommy Dearest, but the damage was done.
03:12I buy you beautiful dresses and you treat them like they were some dishrag! You two,
03:21$300 dress on a wire hanger! We'll see how many you find aidens up here! We'll see!
03:31Number eight, Alicia Silverstone as Barbara Gordon slash Batgirl, Batman and Robin.
03:36I'm on break from...
03:38Oxbridge Academy, Alfred's alma mater.
03:41Uh, the new computer sciences division.
03:44How'd you know?
03:45It says so on the patch on your sweater.
03:46The clueless star's career seemed to be on a promising trajectory after that 1995 instant classic,
03:52until she suited up as Batgirl in Batman and Robin. Intended as a major franchise boost,
03:57the film instead became a notorious disaster, with Silverstone's underwhelming portrayal of Barbara
04:02Gordon slash Batgirl becoming a symbol of the movie's campy tone and critical failure.
04:07I came to tuck you in.
04:09You came to tuck me in. That's quite a switch.
04:14Yes. What are you working on?
04:17I'm trying to find my brother, your uncle, Wilfred.
04:20The backlash was swift and harsh, and Silverstone's once rosy Hollywood future was put on hold as she became associated with one of the biggest superhero flops of all time.
04:31Now, she's set to reprise her role as Cher Horowitz in the clueless follow-up TV series on Peacock, proving that while Batman and Robin was indeed a career setback, it didn't mark the end of her Hollywood story.
04:41Well, street racing isn't exactly an acceptable major at Oxbridge, so they kicked me out.
04:47But it doesn't matter, because I've already won all the money I need to do what I've always dreamed.
04:52Well, just don't tell me you want to run off and join the circus.
04:55Alfred has supported me my whole life, and I'm going to pay him back.
04:59I'm going to take him away from this dismal life of servitude.
05:03Number seven, Elizabeth Berkley as Nomi Malone, Showgirls.
05:07You know anybody here?
05:11You got any family that you can call?
05:14I don't have any family.
05:18Where are you from?
05:21Back east.
05:22From where, back east?
05:26Different places!
05:28Elizabeth Berkley's attempt to break free from her wholesome, squeaky clean-saved-by-the-bell image went disastrously wrong in Showgirls.
05:36Cast as Nomi Malone, a stripper turned showgirl in Paul Verhoeven's notorious cult film, Berkley's performance was widely panned.
05:44The film's combination of softcore sleaze and absurd melodrama marked a catastrophic shift in Berkley's career.
05:50Is she going to be in your number?
05:52I'll be right there.
05:54She can't dance.
05:56Yeah, but you're going to teach her, right?
06:00She's got talent, right?
06:05You and me, we ain't got no ties.
06:07What was meant to be a daring career transition instead became her Hollywood undoing.
06:12The movie became infamous in pop culture, but for all the wrong reasons, leaving Berkley forever tethered to a role that defined the downfall of her once-promising career.
06:20Nice dress.
06:22Thanks, I bought it at Versace.
06:30In the forum?
06:32Oh yeah, Versace.
06:34I love Versace.
06:35Me too.
06:36Number 6.
06:37Halle Berry as Patience Phillips slash Catwoman.
06:40Catwoman.
06:41I can't imagine what on earth you were thinking.
06:44I am so sorry.
06:45I mean, look at this red.
06:46It's all wrong.
06:47I wanted it dark.
06:49I specifically heard you say...
06:51I know what I said.
06:55Okay, maybe I misunderstood you.
06:57Clearly.
06:57Mr. Hitter, I know I can fix it.
07:00Sometimes, even an Oscar-winning star can't escape the claws of a bad script.
07:04Halle Berry's Catwoman was poised to be a career-defining role, but instead, it became a cinematic catastrophe.
07:11As the titular anti-heroine, Berry's portrayal of Patience Phillips was mired by a laughable plot, cringeworthy dialogue, and poorly executed CGI.
07:20The film was panned by critics and bombed at the box office, earning Berry a Razzie for Worst Actress.
07:26But cats, perhaps, they seem to be taking quite an unusual shine to you.
07:31Well, this has been a really bad day for me already.
07:35I can't even remember most of yesterday.
07:37Perhaps I can help you.
07:39Right.
07:41You know, this really isn't your problem.
07:43I don't even know why I'm here, so...
07:45It's alright.
07:45Tell me, please.
07:46No, really.
07:47I'm late for work.
07:48I'm sorry.
07:48Catwoman quickly became emblematic of failed superhero adaptations and marched a sharp downturn in Berry's career.
07:55While she's since bounced back with roles in more respected films, this superhero misstep has lingered as one of the most unforgettable blunders in Hollywood history.
08:03We guess you could say it's had nine lives.
08:06You boys thought you could come in here and steal all these beautiful things.
08:12What a perfect idea.
08:15Number 5, Brandon Ruth as Clark Kent slash Superman, Superman Returns.
08:21I thought, hoped, it might still be there.
08:28You're home.
08:32That place was a graveyard.
08:35I'm all that's left.
08:37Superman Returns was meant to be the launchpad for Brandon Ruth's burgeoning career as Hollywood's next big leading man.
08:43But instead, it became the kryptonite that doomed his aspirations.
08:48Despite a charming performance, Ruth's portrayal of the iconic superhero was just one part of the film's failure to resonate with audiences.
08:55And its underwhelming box office returns darkened the forecast on the actor's future.
09:00Behind you, Mr. Kent.
09:00Superman Returns' permanently hobbled Ruth's leading man ambitions, and he was relegated to supporting roles in TV shows and films.
09:23Despite his likable presence, the painfully public fallout of this high-profile gig made it clear that the Man of Steel was not his ticket to superstardom.
09:32Clark said the reason you left without saying goodbye is because it was too unbearable for you.
09:37Personally, I think that's a load of crap.
09:41Clark?
09:42This is the guy I work with.
09:45Maybe Clark's right.
09:46Number 4, Jake Lloyd as Anakin Skywalker.
09:50Star Wars Episode 1, The Phantom Menace.
09:52Are you an angel?
09:55What?
09:56An angel.
09:57I heard the deep space pilots talk about them.
10:00They're the most beautiful creatures in the universe.
10:03They live on the moons of Diego, I think.
10:05You're a funny little boy.
10:08How do you know so much?
10:10I listen to all the traitors and star pilots who come through here.
10:13For 10-year-old Jake Lloyd, portraying the young Anakin Skywalker in The Phantom Menace was a dream role, until it became a nightmare.
10:21The film's massive success couldn't shield Lloyd from the intense backlash over his performance, with many fans and critics blaming him for the film's awkward tone.
10:29Hi.
10:30Hi there.
10:31Your buddy here was about to be turned into orange goo.
10:34He picked a fight with a dog, an especially dangerous dog called Sebulba.
10:39Mesa hate me crunching.
10:40That's the last thing Mesa want.
10:42Nevertheless, the boy is right.
10:44You're heading into trouble.
10:45Thanks, my young friend.
10:49The relentless negative attention took a toll on the young actor, and by his teenage years, Wood had distanced himself from Hollywood, citing the bullying and public ridicule he endured.
10:58Though his life has, in the end, taken a different path, The Phantom Menace remains a shadow that defined, and in many ways, derailed his career, and his peace of mind.
11:07How did you end up out here in the Outer Rim?
11:11Our ship was damaged, and we're stranded here until we can repair it.
11:15I can help.
11:17I can fix anything.
11:19I believe you can.
11:21Number 3.
11:22Topher Grace as Eddie Brock slash Venom.
11:25Spider-Man 3.
11:26Never wound.
11:28But you can't kill.
11:34Eddie!
11:35The suit!
11:36You gotta take it off!
11:38Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you?
11:41Topher Grace's career was on the rise after his leading role in that 70s show, until Spider-Man 3 turned it into a nosedive.
11:48Cast as Eddie Brock slash Venom in Sam Raimi's superhero prequel, Grace's portrayal of the character was widely criticized for lacking the necessary intensity to match the comic book villain's fearsome reputation.
11:58Oh yeah, I know all about you.
12:02Like the fact that Spider-Man won't let you help your poor daughter?
12:07It's just, that doesn't seem right to me.
12:10Look, I want to kill the spider.
12:13You want to kill the spider.
12:15Together, he doesn't stand a chance.
12:17The film's bloated plot and lumpy pacing left Venom's potential unrealized, and fans were not happy.
12:25For Grace, it meant being typecast in underwhelming roles and struggling to reclaim the momentum he once had.
12:31Sure, Grace has mostly been able to turn it around, but Spider-Man 3 dashed any hopes he may have had in becoming the next James Franco.
12:37Hey Parker, my god, Eddie.
12:41Ooh, my spider sense is tingling.
12:44If you know what I'm talking about.
12:47Number 2, George Lazenby as James Bond, on Her Majesty's Secret Service.
12:52Good morning, my name's Bond, James Bond, Miss, uh...
12:58Don't move, Mr. Bond.
12:59When it comes to James Bond, some actors are born to play 007, while others, well, they give it the old college try.
13:08George Lazenby's lone outing as the iconic secret agent in Honor of Majesty's Secret Service didn't exactly leave audiences shaken, but it sure left them stirred.
13:17By confusion, mostly.
13:18Why do you persist in rescuing me, Mr. Bond?
13:21It's becoming a habit, isn't it, Contessa Teresa?
13:24Teresa was a saint. I'm known as Tracy.
13:26Well, Tracy, next time, play it safe and stand on five.
13:30People who want to stay alive, play it safe.
13:34Please stay alive. At least for tonight.
13:37Lazenby, an Australian model with no prior acting experience, took over the role from Sean Connery,
13:43and while the film is often considered one of the more underrated entries in the Bond franchise,
13:47Lazenby's performance was anything but smooth.
13:49His attempt at embodying the suave super spy didn't quite stick,
13:53and after a single film, he was given the boot.
13:55I guess it's true what they say.
13:57When it comes to Bond, you're either in the club, or you're out back.
14:02Epidemics of sterility.
14:04Nothing is born, no seed even begins to sprout.
14:08They'll find an antidote.
14:09Of course!
14:10If I give them enough time.
14:13I'll have time.
14:15Once they're warned, you'll have a problem dispensing the stuff.
14:18That problem has already been solved.
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14:34Number 1.
14:38Ahmed Best as Jar Jar Binks.
14:40Star Wars Episode 1, The Phantom Menace.
14:43Oh, muy, muy, I love you!
14:44You almost got us killed.
14:45Are you brainless?
14:47I spec.
14:48The ability to speak does not make you intelligent.
14:51Now get out of here.
14:51No, no, me stay!
14:54Me call Jar Jar Binks.
14:55Me see your humble servant.
14:57That won't be necessary.
14:58Oh, but it is!
14:59It is demanded by the gods, it is!
15:01Sometimes, a character is so divisive, they can make or break a career.
15:06Enter Jar Jar Binks, the most controversial creation in The Phantom Menace,
15:11whose bumbling antics and comical voice quickly became the film's most polarizing feature.
15:16Ahmed Best found himself at the center of intense criticism,
15:19even receiving death threats from outraged fans.
15:22You saved my again!
15:24What's this?
15:25A local.
15:26Let's get out of here before more droids show up.
15:28More?
15:29More did you speak?
15:31The impact on his career was immediate and profound.
15:34While he has since expressed gratitude for his work,
15:37and even returned to the Star Wars universe and other projects,
15:40Jar Jar remains a character that, for better or worse, defined his career.
15:44In the end, Best's Star Wars journey was definitely the Force that shaped his future.
15:49Why were you banished, Jar Jar?
15:51It's a long hotel, but a small part of it would be Miss, uh, uh, clumsy.
15:58You were banished because you were clumsy?
16:00Uh, you so mightn't be saying that.
16:02Which character on our list made you cringe the hardest?
16:05Are there any career implosions we missed?
16:07Be sure to let us know in the comments below.
16:09Do you remember?
16:13Do you remember what you did to me?
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