15 Films That Tanked The Career Of Actors

Not all movies by our favorite actors may be well-rated, but that’s to be expected, as being an actor comes with highs and lows. However, some films go so bad for certain actors that they are pulled so far back that they sometimes don’t recover. This list will mention 15 actors and the movies that nuked their careers.

Abduction: Taylor Lautner

“Abduction” had Lautner in the lead role after he had earned some success with Twilight. It grossed over twice its budget but was bashed for poor acting and other issues. The poor perception of the movie made many people believe Lautner couldn’t pull weight as a lead actor.

Cutthroat Island: Matthew Modine

Russell Crowe probably does a little dance any time he remembers he dodged the bullet of “Cutthroat Island.” Modine, who took the role, went down in the ship with the movie. The actor, who seemed to be destined for a lead-role career, got stuck with supporting roles.

The Love Guru: Mike Myers

In Myer’s first effort as a director, he starred alongside Justin Timberlake, Jessica Alba, and Verne Troyer in a romantic comedy movie. After its release, critics and audiences had unfortunate things to say about it. It was also a box office flop and a multiple Razzies winner, which greatly harmed his career.

Son Of The Mask: Jamie Kennedy

The 2005 installment of The Mask franchise was the bullet that rocked Jamie Kennedy’s career. He starred as the father of a child born with the Mask’s power. Raspberries and Stinkers awarded it for Worst Sequel, and Golden Schmoes gave it the Worst Movie of the Year

Howard The Duck: Lea Thompson

For Marvel, “Howard the Duck” was a theatrical comeback since 1944’s “Captain America,” and for Thompson, it was another chance to bloom after featuring in a hit like “Back to the Future” (1985). However, in the eyes of critics, it turned out to be one of the worst movies ever made.

Soul Man: C. Thomas Howell

“Soul Man” taught us that not everything movie producers find funny is funny for the audience. Howell played the role of a white law student pretending to be black to earn a scholarship. Heavy criticism didn’t stop the film from succeeding commercially, but it affected Howell’s industry experience after that.

Showgirls: Elizabeth Berkley

This was the first NC-17-rated film to enjoy wide release in mainstream theaters. “Showgirls” is an MGM all-time best seller, but it hasn’t been all roses for the lead, Elizabeth Berkley, since its release. The film met negative reactions, and her career crashed after it, and she hasn’t recovered.

Rollerball: Chris Klein

Thanks to “Election” and “American Pie,” Chris Klein became a big name in Hollywood, and his charisma and talent couldn’t be denied. Klein may have been on his way to legendary status if “Rollerball” had gone well, but a RottenTomatoes approval rating of 3% tells us how hard it flopped.

Corky Ramano: Chris Katan

Katan did the honors of playing the titular character in this mafia comedy film. He stars alongside Fred Ward, Vanessa Pen, and Chris Shaw, and they grossed double the budget. But that was not all Katan needed to maintain his place as a lead actor. The film failed to appeal to critics.

Boat Trip: Cuba Gooding Jr.

Gooding Jr. seems to be in good shape right now, but that wasn’t the case years ago when he took a movie role that could have cost him his career. “Boat Trip” was terribly rated on Metacritic and other platforms, and Gooding spent years unable to impress many fans.

Josie And The Pussycats: Rachael Leigh Cook

All hope wasn’t lost after Cook auditioned for “Can Hardly Wait” as the directors gave her a role in “Josie.” However, Josie and the Pussycats crash-landed, and other lead actors seemed to have done better in the industry than she did. In her own words, the movie put her in “movie jail.”

The Godfather III: Sofia Coppola

Coppola never wanted to be an actress, but she may have had more opportunities to explore being one if her efforts had pleased viewers and critics. The backlash from “The Godfather III” was enough to make her focus on any other aspects of filmmaking besides acting.

Battlefield Earth: John Travolta

John Travolta ruled in the ’70s and entered the ’80s with acting skills that resulted in beautiful films. When he appeared on “Pulp Fiction,” it was over for his competition. Then “Battlefield Earth” came and was judged harshly, and Travolta took the fall with it.

The Master of Disguise: Dana Carvey

“The Master of Disguise” was a mainstage opportunity for Carvey, but it also became a career-bombing platform for the comedian. The film, where he acts alongside Harris Goldenberg, received a cold reception and became the lowest-rated Revolution Studios-produced film. What followed this movie was a long film hiatus.

After Earth: Jaden Smith

“The Pursuit of Happyness” and “Karate Kid” made people think Jaden was on course to be one of the greats in acting like his father. Bearing the leading role in “After Earth” proved otherwise. This movie failed, and Jaden took some harsh pounding for it—probably the harshest criticism he’s ever gotten.