- 2 months ago
From viral sensations to box office disappointments! Join us as we count down our picks for the content creators who tried to make the leap from YouTube fame to Hollywood stardom. Our list includes internet personalities whose acting careers didn't quite match their online success, forcing them to pivot back to digital platforms.
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00:00I know I'm gonna regret this, but let's do it!
00:03Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most famous YouTubers who attempted to make a career as a mainstream actor,
00:10but for one reason or another, it didn't work out, so they had to pivot.
00:13You can't say you didn't feel anything.
00:17Number 10, Colleen Ballinger.
00:19After taking the internet by storm with her character Miranda Sings,
00:22Ballinger became one of the earliest stars to transition from YouTube with her character into the mainstream industry.
00:27Miranda?
00:28Yeah.
00:28It's so great to have you back here on the show.
00:31I know, stop hitting on me.
00:33I didn't mind hitting on you, I just said it's great to have you back on the show.
00:35I know what that means.
00:36With her history in acting and performing, she should have had a long, stable career.
00:40However, when Ballinger's TV series, Haters Back Off, dropped on Netflix,
00:44viewers, especially those not familiar with Sings, didn't like its cringey humor and awkward acting.
00:49Someone else said, keep trying.
00:52And I will.
00:57Yeah?
00:58Yeah, I get that.
01:00Despite the show being cancelled, Ballinger still had a mainstream career, as she cameoed in 2018's Ralph Breaks the Internet.
01:07However, that security vanished in the wake of allegations of her misconduct with minors in 2020, and again in 2023,
01:13with the final nail being Ballinger's bizarre, half-apology, half-defence ukulele video.
01:19All aboard the toxic gossip train.
01:24Number nine, Ryland Adams.
01:26Long before he began publishing his own YouTube videos and becoming a power couple on the platform alongside Shane Dawson,
01:32Adams had aspirations to be an actor.
01:34We have made it to the Century City Mall, and what are you doing?
01:38After changing his name from Ryan Adams, as many performers had that name, he relocated to Los Angeles, California, to break into Hollywood.
01:46I had never taken an acting class, but I had headshots, and I thought I was going to make it big.
01:52But after about 150 auditions and booking nothing, I realized that I was probably just pretty bad.
01:59Adams secured some film gigs, including a minor role in 2011's Three Times a Charm.
02:03However, the production was panned by the audience.
02:06Adams later took part in the YouTube channel Lark Lark Who's There,
02:10which created strange, cringey sketches that gained little attention.
02:13With this experience, he developed his own channel, gaining fame from parodying stars before turning to vlogging.
02:18Like, I've gotta have my little, uh, candy pick-me-up or I get hangry.
02:23She keeps acting like if she doesn't have sugar, she'll have a meltdown in.
02:27Number 8, Louis Cruikshank.
02:29In 2006, Cruikshank debuted the high-pitched character of Fred Figglehorn.
02:34Within three years, he was the biggest thing on the platform.
02:37Hey, it's Fred!
02:37And it's really nice out, so I think I'm gonna go swimming later.
02:40This led Cruikshank to reprise the character and act in other roles on several Nickelodeon shows, such as iCarly.
02:46Yet, the high point was 2010's Fred the Movie.
02:49However, away from the fans Fred already had, the reviews were brutal.
02:53Oh my god, that was almost so embarrassing!
02:55Regardless, Cruikshank had two other TV films in his iconic role in 2011 and 2012,
03:01as well as the TV program Fred the Show.
03:03Yet, after this, Cruikshank essentially retired Fred,
03:06beyond a couple of brief returns over the years, to avoid being typecast.
03:09However, he hasn't been in a big production since one episode of the TV show Monsters vs. Aliens in 2013.
03:15I know it all! Literally!
03:18Number 7. Jake Paul
03:19After growing to fame on Vine, Paul shifted to YouTube,
03:22increasing his brand even further, as he vlogged about his life and did practical jokes.
03:27If you're new here, I'm Jake Paul, and it is lit every single day, bro!
03:30This led to Disney casting him in Bizaardvark as Dirk, an influencer who does dares.
03:35However, in 2017, Paul was suddenly fired.
03:38This was due to him causing too much negative controversy,
03:40with his channel's content, and parties causing havoc for his neighbors.
03:43Followers from around the world fill the street, chanting and screaming.
03:47They take up parking and leave graffiti on the walls.
03:50However, Paul took it in stride, and stated he'd outgrown the House of Mouse,
03:54and was looking for more mature roles.
03:55Yet, that didn't really happen.
03:57Beyond playing versions of himself in a couple of productions,
04:00and writing 2019's Airplane Mode with his brother Logan,
04:03Paul hadn't had any major roles since.
04:05You have a weird sense of humor.
04:06Number 6, Addison Rae.
04:08In TikTok's infancy, Rae became one of its first breakout stars,
04:12as her dances took it by storm.
04:14Now from the top, make it drop.
04:16That's a wrap, that's a wrap.
04:17Now get a bucky and a mop.
04:19After making a name for herself as a musician,
04:21she created a YouTube channel that focuses on her songs.
04:24With her ever-increasing fame, Rae took the plunge into acting.
04:27Firstly, she was cast as one of the leads in 2021's He's All That,
04:31a remake of 1999's She's All That.
04:33Wow, you make it sound so easy.
04:36You don't think I can do it?
04:37No, but I do think it'll be fun watching you try.
04:41A bet.
04:42Not just a bet.
04:44The bet.
04:44However, the shortage of chemistry with co-star Tanner Buchanan,
04:48and Rae's lack of presence and experience on the big screen,
04:50were seen as big issues.
04:52Rae followed this with 2023's horror flick, Thanksgiving.
04:55Yet, once again, reviewers pinpointed the TikTokers' weak acting abilities
04:59as a substantial problem in maintaining a long-term career in the industry.
05:03It was like, Waffle House level cringe.
05:05It was Waffle House.
05:06Number 5, KSI.
05:08After joining YouTube in 2009 as a content creator,
05:11KSI rose up the ranks of the platform,
05:13becoming one of the most influential people on it.
05:16Yo, what's up?
05:16It's your boy, KSI.
05:18And I'm here with Jiddy Odd.
05:20What's good?
05:20Yeah!
05:21Yet, in 2016, looking to break into the mainstream,
05:24KSI signed up to star in Laid in America,
05:27alongside fellow YouTuber, Casper Lee.
05:29However, rather than make him a force to be reckoned with in acting,
05:32the project tanked KSI's performing career before it took off.
05:35Okay, well, see ya, bro.
05:37Not helped by the film itself being panned by the audience,
05:40so was the YouTuber for essentially not acting,
05:42and seemingly playing himself as Duncan.
05:44As a result, KSI hasn't been in another film since,
05:47beyond a couple of shorts.
05:48I will see you guys in a bit.
05:50Thank you guys so much.
05:51You guys are doing awesome.
05:52Number 4, Stephen He.
05:54Trying to make a name as an actor is incredibly difficult.
05:56My mom had always told me,
05:59it's not gonna work out.
06:00You're not gonna become an actor.
06:02Not many know this better than He.
06:03The influencer has stated publicly
06:05that by the time the pandemic took effect in 2020,
06:07he'd been rejected from around 3,100 acting jobs.
06:11Most of those gigs never got back to him for an audition,
06:13as he struggled to pay his rent.
06:15I never made one month's rent.
06:17The most a theater job paid me was like $300, $350.
06:21So, he took the drastic decision to change directions
06:24and became a content creator.
06:25Backed up with his own writing and production know-how,
06:28He began creating skits,
06:29which really took off in 2021,
06:31when his phrase,
06:32emotional damage,
06:33went viral with all the memes.
06:34Finally, some action.
06:36Stephen, when you get so fed...
06:38Since then,
06:42He has taken a few acting jobs,
06:44but seems content in controlling his own narrative on social media.
06:47Number 3, Lilly Singh.
06:49Formerly known as Superwoman,
06:51Singh began creating skits on YouTube in 2010.
06:53Her content soon took off,
06:55turning her into one of the platform's biggest names.
07:01This led to plenty of collaborations with mainstream stars,
07:04including Zendaya and Dwayne The Rock Johnson.
07:06In 2019, her talk show,
07:08A Little Light with Lilly Singh,
07:09debuted.
07:10While there was praise for her work,
07:12there was criticism for Singh acting in sketches.
07:14Sorry, what?
07:15I'm agreeing with you.
07:16Oh, you're agreeing with me?
07:17Some critics felt it was more like watching her early YouTube work,
07:20rather than a big, modern production.
07:22In 2024, Singh then starred in Doing It.
07:25Unfortunately,
07:26on top of the film receiving bad reviews,
07:28her performance didn't go down too well,
07:30as it was described as awkward.
07:31This film pushed me out of my comfort zone in so many ways.
07:33The people involved,
07:35the producers,
07:36the other cast members.
07:37Number two,
07:38Shane Dawson.
07:39In his heyday,
07:40Dawson was one of the top dogs of YouTube.
07:42After making his channel in 2008,
07:44he soon began dipping his toe in the acting world.
07:47Um,
07:48is this the anonymous party?
07:50Nobody will say.
07:52Oh,
07:53well,
07:54I guess it is, right?
07:55I'm just kidding.
07:57Yes,
07:57the anonymous party.
07:59In one of his biggest early works,
08:01Dawson appeared in 2012's Smiley,
08:03which,
08:04while he received some praise,
08:05the film was heavily criticized.
08:07Dawson was looking at writing and directing productions,
08:09as well as acting.
08:10As such,
08:11he created 2014's Not Cool.
08:13Oh,
08:14wow,
08:15because obviously she must be in a weird mental place
08:18to dump you,
08:18Mr. Perfect,
08:19with the amazing hair.
08:20With him as a focal point of the project,
08:29there was no escape for Dawson
08:31from critics taking shots at it.
08:32The LA Times took no prisoners
08:34by calling it an insult to the craft of filmmaking,
08:37storytelling,
08:38and entertainment in almost every way.
08:40As such,
08:41it's no surprise Dawson hasn't done much acting since.
08:43When we watched Shane's movie yesterday,
08:45I was depressed for a couple of hours at least.
08:49I found it deeply offensive.
08:52I'm angry, actually.
08:54I'm angry.
08:55Before we continue,
08:57be sure to subscribe to our channel
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09:08and switch on notifications.
09:09Number 1, Logan Paul.
09:13With his massive fan base,
09:15Paul began starring in films in 2016
09:17with YouTube Premium's The Thinning.
09:19Well, that's the last time.
09:26I didn't mean to like that.
09:28Despite the production getting negative reviews,
09:31Paul continued carving out a slice of an acting career
09:33with more productions.
09:34However, the 2018 sequel,
09:36The Thinning New World Order,
09:38brought him a lot of criticism
09:39for his acting.
09:40It didn't help that several months before its release,
09:42Paul had found himself in controversy
09:44with filming a deceased person
09:46in Japan's Aki Gohada Forest.
09:48Things obviously changed pretty drastically.
09:53This caused several productions he was involved in
09:55to be halted or canceled.
09:56One affected was 2019's Airplane Mode,
09:59which he co-wrote.
10:00He was later sued by production company
10:02Planeless Pictures for Paul's Japan scandal
10:04for causing the film to lose money,
10:06which was settled in 2024.
10:07I know it's cheesy, but...
10:09Which YouTuber has had the most successful acting career
10:11in your opinion?
10:12Let us know below.
10:13Your team is like a...
10:15How do you say that?
10:16A heated mess.
10:17...
10:27...
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