We delve into the ten movies that unleashed chaos on the careers of unsuspecting actors, leaving them in a desperate quest for their elusive next big break.
Mike Myers – The Love Guru
Having achieved great success on ‘Saturday Night Live’, Mike Myers made a very profitable transition to the big screen. Giving us many lovable characters throughout his memorable career, Mike was hailed as a comedy guru among many. But it seems he took the title a bit too literally, with the movie that tanked his acting career, The Love Guru. The movie was horrible in depicting Indian culture and made fun of everything Indian. His career since this commercial flop has been very un-noteworthy. Apart from a part in Shrek, he hasn’t made any other real appearances in recent years, leaving many to assume that this movie is the one that destroyed his career.
Halle Berry – Catwomen
She won the academy award one year prior, was one of the most recognized actresses in the world and achieved blockbuster stardom everywhere. But then she did this poorly acted and poorly written take on DC’s superhero Catwomen. Her costume was ridiculous and impractical and it was clear that she was not someone who understood superhero culture. The film ended in commercial disaster and sadly spelled a sharp decline in her acting career. She did act in a few good movies since then, but could never really reach that level of stardom she had previously been accustomed to.
Kevin Costner – Waterworld
Costner was a massive star in the 90’s, leading many to believe this movie would only add to his impressive portfolio as an actor. However this movie’s problems started with the production. An extreme stretch of the budget led to the movie’s inevitable downfall as they could not recoup the money used and ultimately made a huge loss. Because of this Costner’s career took a massive hit and he found himself struggling to undo the damage. If the failure of ‘Waterworld’ hadn’t made such a big impact on his career, Kevin Costner could have taken his stardom to unbelievable heights. Ultimately making this movie one that tanked his career.
Lindsay Lohan – I Know the Man Who Killed Me
The oh so common story of a child star whose personal and public life went left. A lot of the time when this happens, the public doesn’t find any sympathy for the actors on the receiving end. However Lindsay’s case is particularly upsetting. She was very famous, starred in a number of movies and was loved by directors and watchers alike. Unfortunately this movie marked the end of her once bright future in the movie industry. The combination of bad acting and a ridiculous storyline destroyed her future prospects as a star.
Justin Chatwin – Dragonball Evolution
They went and messed around with classic cartoons again. Almost every time they try and do an adaptation of these, they completely bomb. Justin Chatwin took a hard hit with this badly produced take on the popular and almost sacred, Dragon Ball Z. Fans of the popular show were skeptical about a live adaptation but were soon outraged when they watched, calling it out as a mockery and disgrace. Chatwin took the brunt of this hate due to his unsatisfactory depiction of, hero, Goku. He didn’t appear in many good movies after this making his career as a star fall far below what it could have been.
Taylor Lautner – Abduction
After his starring role in the Twilight series Taylor, Lautner had accumulated a massive fan base and huge stardom along with his co-stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Patterson. He tried to play off this fame by staring in the movie Abduction, but unfortunately outed himself as a one-hit wonder and ultimately destroyed his career. He didn’t make any noteworthy appearances after this movie and still struggles to climb back up the ladder to stardom. Viewers soon saw he was not cut out as an action star and unfortunately this movie was what made him crash and burn so to speak.
Sean Connery – The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
An actor known for his works in the Bond franchise and many other blockbuster movies, Sean Connery announced his retirement after this movie ultimately bombed. His disagreements with the director along with the lack of attention to detail, ultimately led to the movie’s flop. Like many among this list, the overzealous budget paired with an inability to make profit, were both a primary factor in its demise. Sean Connery could have found work again pretty easily, but announced he was fed up with the industry and left, not appearing in any movies since then. This movie is what pushed him over the edge and ended his career.
Elizabeth Berkley – Showgirls
Remembered for her star role in ‘Saved By The Bell’, Berkley’s performance in Showgirls was one that many thought to be misogynistic and lacking. It was an inaccurate representation of Vegas nightlife and was deemed an absolute failure. After this movie, Berkley’s agent dropped her and she found herself struggling to claw her way back up the ladder of fame. The movie does have its fans, but most only appreciate the steamy moments and don’t care for the storyline. It was unfortunate she decided to take this movie on as she could have been a bright star in future endeavors.
Hayden Christensen – Jumper
Everyone knows Hayden for his performance in the star wars franchise. This movie was an attempt at making him into a massive action star. Meant to be part of a series, the Jumper was a poorly written movie that had viewers yawning in their seats, proving Hayden hadn’t the class to star in blockbuster movies. He hasn’t starred in any major movies since, but still does some acting, presumably trying to get back to his former glory.
Jennifer Love Hewitt – Jewtopia
Jennifer Love Hewitt’s performance in Jewtopia skyrocketed her into the spotlight. Just kidding, it was what destroyed her career and ultimately outed her inability to act in more mainstream movies. Without the teen flicks and raunchy comedies, Jennifer was unable to keep up with the actors who outshone her in every way. This movie was the catalyst for her demise. She most likely will never regain the fame she had in the 90’s but still features in tv shows and b-list movies from time to time.