Actors whose careers were derailed by one terrible role

A bad performance, a flop at the box office, or an ill-conceived choice can all lead to a swift and merciless downfall.

Here, we take a look at some of the actors whose careers were derailed by one role and the impact it had on their trajectory in Hollywood.

Once America’s favorite teen heartthrob with starring roles in hit ’90s films like “She’s All That” and “I Know What You Did Last Summer” Freddie Prinze Jr.’s career took a major hit with the release of the live-action “Scooby-Doo” movies in the early 2000s.

While the beloved cartoon franchise may have attracted a loyal fanbase, the big-screen adaptations were met with scathing reviews and failed to connect with audiences, leaving Prinze’s reputation as a leading man in tatters.

Since the disappointing box office returns of “Scooby-Doo,” Prinze’s film career has taken a backseat to other creative pursuits. Nevertheless, Prinze has found success in other areas, including voice acting on famous TV shows like “Star Wars Rebels” and video games, as well as producing and writing for World Wrestling Entertainment.

Mike Myers was a comedic powerhouse in the 1990s and early 2000s, thanks to his iconic roles in “Wayne’s World,” “Austin Powers,” and “Shrek.” However, aside from these few successes, the SNL alum’s portfolio is littered with more flops than hits. From the lackluster “So I Married an Axe Murderer” to the cringeworthy “The Cat in the Hat,” Myers’ star had seemingly lost its luster. But it was one ill-fated movie that truly struck the fatal blow.

We’re talking, of course, about the 2008 “The Love Guru” This cringe-worthy flop, which saw Myers play a self-proclaimed guru trying to revive a failing hockey team, was not just bad; it was catastrophic. The film bombed at the box office, won three Razzie Awards, and marked the end of Myers’ reign as a Hollywood comedic favorite.

Myers eventually resurfaced in 2017 as the host of a “Gong Show” revival, playing the character of “Tommy Maitland.” He later had roles in “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Terminal,” but his bad luck continued with his most recent film, “Amsterdam,” which was met with scathing reviews.

Alicia Silverstone’s career was as hot as a Valley girl’s cell phone in the ’90s, but things took a drastic turn after her portrayal of Batgirl in Joel Schumacher’s “Batman & Robin.” The campy superhero flick’s poor reception led to Silverstone winning a Razzie for her performance. As if panning her performance in the movie was not enough, Silverstone was mercilessly body shamed by journalists during the press tour.

This entire experience caused the actress to grow wary of Hollywood.

“That definitely wasn’t my favorite film-making experience,” Silverstone told The Guardian. “I stopped loving acting for a very long time,” she added.

In the years following the cinematic disaster, Silverstone took a step back from the limelight and worked as an activist to help protect elephants in Africa and the rainforest in Peru. While she never fully stopped acting, for the next decade, Silverstone struggled to find roles that would showcase her range beyond her signature “Cher” persona.

Elizabeth Berkley captured audiences’ hearts with her charm and wit as the brainy Jessie Spano on “Saved by the Bell.” However, after the show ended, her career took a rocky turn. Despite winning the lead role in the much-hyped “Showgirls,” Elizabeth Berkley’s career took a hit when the film was a critical and commercial disaster, earning her a Razzie Award for Worst Actress.

Naturally, Hollywood seemed to turn its back on the actress as she struggled to land major roles in big-budget features.

“I was left out in the cold and I was a pariah in the industry I had worked so hard for.” Berkly revealed in a 2020 interview with People.

Since then, Berkley has primarily appeared in small parts on shows such as “CSI: Miami,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” and “The L Word,” with only sporadic returns to the big screen. While her fans continue to support her, it’s clear that the promising career she once had has dimmed considerably.

When the actor Hayden Christensen landed the role of Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequels, it seemed that the force was strong with the young Canadian actor. Alas, both installments of the “Star Wars” franchise were critically panned at the time, and Christensen’s career failed to take off after his time in the galaxy far, far away.

He appeared in a few smaller films and indie projects but never quite achieved the same level of success as he did in the “Star Wars” prequels.

Jamie Kennedy was known for portraying the horror-obsessed Randy Meeks in the iconic “Scream” franchise. But then, in 2005, Jamie Kennedy took on the unenviable task of starring in “Son of the Mask,” the belated and unnecessary sequel to Jim Carrey’s 1994 hit “The Mask.” The film was so bad that it “won” the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture of the Year, and critics brutally panned his performance. So much so that it derailed his Hollywood career and inspired the actor to direct the 2007 documentary

“Heckler” — about the destructive power of movie blogs.

“My whole thing is, ‘review the piece, not the person,'” Kennedy told IFC. “If I make a movie about a baby that flies and turns green, that’s one thing, but don’t start attacking me, my family, my life and my faith personally.”

Demi Moore’s early career was a whirlwind of success and critical acclaim. She starred in the 1980 mega-hit “Ghost,” which raked in over $500 million worldwide on a $22 million budget. By the mid-90s, she was the highest-paid actress in Hollywood, commanding a record-breaking $12.5 million paycheck for “Striptease.”

The erotic comedy was a massive flop, earning six Razzies, including Worst Picture, turning Moore overnight from being a hot property to “box office poison.” Disney even reportedly worried about releasing the 1997 “G.I. Jane,” which starred Moore, fearing that audiences wouldn’t turn up.

“People just don’t want to see her. We would have to drag them kicking and screaming to see this movie,” a senior executive reportedly told Newsweek.

Sadly, their fears were realized, and “G.I. Jane” failed to make an impact at the box office and was a critical disaster.

Moore’s career never quite recovered from the double whammy of “Striptease” and “G.I. Jane,” and she gradually faded from the spotlight, becoming more famous for her turbulent personal life than her onscreen roles.

Academy Award-winning actress Geena Davis had made a name for herself in Hollywood with critically acclaimed performances in films like “The Accidental Tourist” and “Thelma & Louise.” However, her career took an unexpected turn with the 1995 action-adventure film “Cutthroat Island.”

Directed by Davis’ then-husband Renny Harlin and boasting a budget of $98 million, the film was a commercial and critical failure, with Davis herself being singled out for her underwhelming performance. The film’s poor performance at the box office not only resulted in significant financial losses for the studio but also dealt a severe blow to Davis’ career.

Davis struggled to find her footing in Hollywood, only appearing on the silver screen twice over the next decade in “Stuart Little” and “Stuart Little 2.”