8 Hollywood stars whose career-defining roles became career killers<\/p>\n
One ambitious project was all it took to reshape public perception and alter the trajectory of these Hollywood stars<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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12 Jul 2026, 6:59 am<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Hollywood giveth, and Hollywood taketh away \u2014 sometimes in the span of a single opening weekend. Here are eight roles that turned \u2018next big thing\u2019 into \u201cwait, whatever happened to them?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
1. Elizabeth Berkley \u2014 Showgirls (1995)<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"Elizabeth](\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD\/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs=\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\nElizabeth Berkley’s bold turn in Showgirls became one of Hollywood’s most infamous career gambles<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nShe traded her Saved by the Bell good-girl image for an NC-17 Vegas stripper drama, and Hollywood never let her live it down. Directors ghosted her, her agent reportedly bailed, and the film’s Razzie sweep became the stuff of legend. Cult classic now? Sure. Career resurrection? Not so much.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\n\n2. Halle Berry \u2014 Catwoman (2004)<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nFresh off her Oscar win, Halle Berry’s Catwoman remains one of the most talked-about superhero misfires<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nTwo years removed from an Oscar win, Halle showed up to accept her Razzie in person \u2014 a savage bit of self-aware comedy that couldn\u2019t quite undo the reputational damage. The film\u2019s whip-crack one-liners live in infamy forever.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\n\n3. Taylor Lautner \u2014 Abduction (2011)<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nTaylor Lautner hoped Abduction would launch his action-hero era after Twilight, but it failed to take off<\/span>IMDb<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nRiding Twilight heat and commanding a reported $7.5 million per picture, Taylor tried to become the next action star. Critics eviscerated the movie, the offers dried up almost overnight, and unlike his werewolf-saga costars, he never quite found his second act.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\n\n4. Jaden Smith \u2014 After Earth (2013)<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nJaden Smith’s starring role in After Earth drew harsh reviews and became a major setback early in his career<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nA father-son passion project that turned into a full-blown family embarrassment. Will Smith later called it the most painful failure of his career. Jaden swept the Razzies for Worst Actor, and the fallout was so intense he reportedly considered legal emancipation at 15.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\n\n5. Alicia Silverstone \u2014 Batman & Robin (1997)<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nAlicia Silverstone’s Batgirl in Batman & Robin became overshadowed by the film’s poor reception and tabloid scrutiny<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nFresh off Clueless superstardom, Silverstone suited up as Batgirl \u2014 rubber nipples and all \u2014 only to be cruelly nicknamed \u2018Fatgirl\u2019 by tabloids despite looking exactly the same as before. She\u2019s said it drained her love of acting for years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\n\n6. Brandon Routh \u2014 Superman Returns (2006)<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBrandon Routh earned praise as Superman, but Superman Returns failed to kickstart the franchise as hoped<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nIndividually praised, commercially underwhelming \u2014 and that was enough to kill Warner Bros.\u2019 sequel plans and any hope of instant superstardom. Routh spent years in bit parts before finding redemption on The CW as The Atom.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\n\n7. Taylor Kitsch \u2014 John Carter (2012)<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nTaylor Kitsch headlined Disney’s ambitious John Carter, a box office flop that dented his leading-man momentum<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nDisney bet $250 million on turning the Friday Night Lights breakout into a franchise lead. It bombed so hard it reportedly cost a studio chairman his job. Kitsch bounced back via True Detective \u2014 but John Carter became Hollywood shorthand for catastrophic flop for a decade.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\n\n8. Rita Ora \u2014 Fifty Shades Trilogy (2015\u20132018)<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nRita Ora’s heavily promoted appearance in the Fifty Shades films ended up lasting only a few brief scenes<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nTechnically still a pop star, not a ruined actress, but the running joke was too good to leave off this list: Ora promoted the first film like a lead, only to end up with roughly a second and a half of screen time. She even joked it was a \u2018blink and you’ll miss it\u2019 role.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Elizabeth Berkley’s bold turn in Showgirls became one of Hollywood’s most infamous career gambles<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n She traded her Saved by the Bell good-girl image for an NC-17 Vegas stripper drama, and Hollywood never let her live it down. Directors ghosted her, her agent reportedly bailed, and the film’s Razzie sweep became the stuff of legend. Cult classic now? Sure. Career resurrection? Not so much.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Fresh off her Oscar win, Halle Berry’s Catwoman remains one of the most talked-about superhero misfires<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Two years removed from an Oscar win, Halle showed up to accept her Razzie in person \u2014 a savage bit of self-aware comedy that couldn\u2019t quite undo the reputational damage. The film\u2019s whip-crack one-liners live in infamy forever.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Taylor Lautner hoped Abduction would launch his action-hero era after Twilight, but it failed to take off<\/span>IMDb<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Riding Twilight heat and commanding a reported $7.5 million per picture, Taylor tried to become the next action star. Critics eviscerated the movie, the offers dried up almost overnight, and unlike his werewolf-saga costars, he never quite found his second act.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Jaden Smith’s starring role in After Earth drew harsh reviews and became a major setback early in his career<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n A father-son passion project that turned into a full-blown family embarrassment. Will Smith later called it the most painful failure of his career. Jaden swept the Razzies for Worst Actor, and the fallout was so intense he reportedly considered legal emancipation at 15.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Alicia Silverstone’s Batgirl in Batman & Robin became overshadowed by the film’s poor reception and tabloid scrutiny<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Fresh off Clueless superstardom, Silverstone suited up as Batgirl \u2014 rubber nipples and all \u2014 only to be cruelly nicknamed \u2018Fatgirl\u2019 by tabloids despite looking exactly the same as before. She\u2019s said it drained her love of acting for years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Brandon Routh earned praise as Superman, but Superman Returns failed to kickstart the franchise as hoped<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Individually praised, commercially underwhelming \u2014 and that was enough to kill Warner Bros.\u2019 sequel plans and any hope of instant superstardom. Routh spent years in bit parts before finding redemption on The CW as The Atom.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Taylor Kitsch headlined Disney’s ambitious John Carter, a box office flop that dented his leading-man momentum<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Disney bet $250 million on turning the Friday Night Lights breakout into a franchise lead. It bombed so hard it reportedly cost a studio chairman his job. Kitsch bounced back via True Detective \u2014 but John Carter became Hollywood shorthand for catastrophic flop for a decade.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Rita Ora’s heavily promoted appearance in the Fifty Shades films ended up lasting only a few brief scenes<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Technically still a pop star, not a ruined actress, but the running joke was too good to leave off this list: Ora promoted the first film like a lead, only to end up with roughly a second and a half of screen time. She even joked it was a \u2018blink and you’ll miss it\u2019 role.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n For more updates, join\/follow our WhatsApp<\/a>, Telegram<\/a> and YouTube<\/a> channels.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n2. Halle Berry \u2014 Catwoman (2004)<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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3. Taylor Lautner \u2014 Abduction (2011)<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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4. Jaden Smith \u2014 After Earth (2013)<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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5. Alicia Silverstone \u2014 Batman & Robin (1997)<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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6. Brandon Routh \u2014 Superman Returns (2006)<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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7. Taylor Kitsch \u2014 John Carter (2012)<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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8. Rita Ora \u2014 Fifty Shades Trilogy (2015\u20132018)<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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