Top 50 Actors Who Saved Their Career with One Performance
You can call it a comeback. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most notable stars that revived their acting prospects with a single role.
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most notable stars
00:11that revived their acting prospects with a single role.
00:14What'd you do about it?
00:15The opposite.
00:16We were not smart.
00:17Captain Gene.
00:18It's just Captain.
00:19It's just Captain.
00:20It's not Captain Gene.
00:21I don't have a kiddie show.
00:23It sounds creepy, Captain Gene.
00:27Number 50.
00:28Michael B. Jordan, Creed
00:29I'm Donnie.
00:30Yeah?
00:31And I just moved in upstairs.
00:32Okay.
00:33What do you want, Donnie?
00:34It's late.
00:35Much like the Human Torch himself, Michael B. Jordan's resume burned hot and fast.
00:41It's a shame landing a gig as one of the Fantastic Four should have been a career high.
00:45Unfortunately, reviews for the film were so abhorrent, many felt no one involved could
00:49ever recover.
00:50You made it.
00:51I thought you said it was close.
00:54Not that close.
00:56And yet Jordan rose from the ashes.
00:57A mere few months after Fantastic Four set his bankability ablaze, he reaffirmed himself
01:02as a leading man with Creed.
01:03The glowing reviews and massive box office returns reignited Jordan's career just the
01:08moment it was about to go out.
01:09He's been on a hot streak ever since.
01:11Look, Bianca, come on now.
01:12You're different.
01:13How?
01:14When I'm around you, I feel like I've known you my whole life.
01:16Mm.
01:17Tell me you don't feel the same way about me.
01:19Whatever.
01:20That's passion.
01:21That's infatuation.
01:22That phase.
01:23Well, I can't see that happening.
01:24Number 49.
01:25Natasha Lyonne, Orange is the New Black
01:26I'm not gay.
01:28All right, I'm just saying I've noticed a pattern developing around breakfast time.
01:32So you come in late, just before Voss.
01:34A strategically staggered arrival?
01:36Turns out a fictional stint behind bars is exactly what Natasha Lyonne needed.
01:40Following years of guest spots, independent films, and bit roles, her turn as Nikki Nichols
01:44put her back in the mainstream conversation, both with critics and audiences.
01:48It's not true.
01:49I mean, you don't know, so watch out for the rumors, all right?
01:53What's the matter with you?
01:56Nothing.
01:58Seemingly overnight, Lyonne was an Emmy nominee, a fan favorite on a hit show and on everyone's
02:01radar.
02:02Can you blame them?
02:03There aren't many actors who could blend Orange is the New Black's blend of gravitas and comedy,
02:07but Lyonne made it look easy.
02:08Nowadays, she's busier than ever.
02:10It's clear that when Lyonne boards a project, she isn't a no-name.
02:13She's the star.
02:14All right?
02:15I'm not going on the weekend without dough.
02:16Clear eyes.
02:17Full hearts.
02:18Hey?
02:19Can't lose.
02:20Number 48.
02:21Amitabh Bachchan, Zanjeer
02:22At a time when Bollywood was full of tall and handsome leading men, Zanjeer dared to
02:35cast a wider net.
02:37Enter Amitabh Bachchan.
02:38The up-and-comer had a spotty track record at the box office and even spottier career
02:42prospects.
02:43But the film's writer insisted he was the right man for the job, and boy, was he on
02:46the money.
02:47Zanjeer became a blockbuster classic, catapulting the careers of everyone involved.
02:52The day this uniform, this chair, doesn't exist, that day, you...
02:55Shut up, you bloody...
02:56Not now, sir.
02:59You'll have a sore throat.
03:01Bachchan springboarded that success into another, and then another, and another.
03:04It's to the point that these days, he's widely considered one of, if not the most influential
03:09Indian actor of all time.
03:10Now just imagine if they'd cast anyone else.
03:12By then, every moment, every second, you'll feel my threat.
03:19Number 47.
03:20Natalie Portman, V for Vendetta
03:22I'm sorry, Evie.
03:23No, I'm the one that's sorry.
03:26I'm sorry I'm not a stronger person.
03:28I'm sorry I'm not like my parents, I wish I was, but I'm not.
03:34Despite raking in mountains of cash, the Star Wars prequels earned what you might call a
03:38mixed reception, especially towards its central romance between Anakin and Padme.
03:42Suffice it to say, Natalie Portman's phone wasn't exactly ringing off the hook afterward.
03:46But all that changed when the right movie happened to come along.
03:49Its name?
03:50V for Vendetta.
03:51I don't recall ever getting stood up by a more attractive woman.
03:53Mr. Dietrich.
03:54Gordon, please.
03:55I don't need Mr. to make this body feel any older.
03:58Gordon.
03:59I was on my way last night, but there were fingermen and I got a little scared and I
04:04went home.
04:05Portman's tour-de-force performance reminded everyone that, with the right material, she
04:08could easily shoulder a film on her own.
04:10A few hits and some Oscar nominations later, Portman officially outgrew her franchise origins
04:14to become a stalwart on the Hollywood A-list.
04:16And that's what this is all about?
04:20You're getting back at them for what they did to her.
04:23And to you.
04:24What was done to me created me.
04:26It's a basic principle of the universe, that of reaction.
04:29Number 46.
04:30Neil Patrick Harris.
04:31How I Met Your Mother
04:32You know what I love about Halloween?
04:33It's the one night of the year chicks use to unleash their inner Hobag.
04:37In this day and age, it's pretty much impossible to mention Neil Patrick Harris without also
04:41bringing up his career-defining turn as ladies' man Barney Stinson.
04:44But it wasn't always that way.
04:46Back in the day, the Doogie Howser, M.D. star struggled transitioning his childhood success
04:50into a steady career.
04:51He seemed to be destined to fade into obscurity, at least until he booked How I Met Your Mother.
04:55Here's the plan, and I crap you not.
04:57I'm getting us into the Victoria's Secret Halloween party.
05:02Trust me, by the end of the night, your Chad will not be hanging.
05:05For nine years, Harris commanded the screen with wit, finesse, and impeccable comedic timing.
05:10He endeared an entire generation to his wacky brand of humor, and he has Barney Stinson
05:14to thank for it.
05:15So what does a fella have to do to get laid around here?
05:18Yeah.
05:19Right.
05:20Because I'm wearing a lei.
05:25It isn't funny if you explain the joke.
05:30Number 45.
05:31Catherine Hepburn.
05:32The Philadelphia Story.
05:33How did you leave Junior?
05:34Oh, we left Junior's fine.
05:35Say, that little sister of yours.
05:36Isn't he, dear, so talented?
05:37Junior's been such a lamb, isn't he?
05:38Yes, isn't he?
05:39It's a pity none of the male members of the family are going to be here tonight.
05:40Before Catherine Hepburn became, well, Catherine Hepburn, she had another name in the industry,
05:51box office poison.
05:52So with Hollywood turning their backs on her, Hepburn funded and starred in a new play,
05:56The Philadelphia Story.
05:57Only as it happens, I'm not interested in myself for the moment.
06:00Not interested in yourself?
06:01You're fascinated, Red.
06:02You're far and away your favorite person in the world.
06:03Dexter, in case you don't know...
06:04Of course, Mr. Conner.
06:05She's a girl who's generous to a fork.
06:09Following a successful run, Hepburn sold off the film rights, but they came with a
06:13massive caveat.
06:14She had final say on the film's producer, director, screenwriter, and most importantly,
06:18the cast.
06:19And of course, who better to headline the film adaptation than Hepburn herself?
06:21Clearly, she knew what she was doing.
06:23The Philadelphia Story shattered all expectations and almost single-handedly earned Hepburn
06:27her reputation back.
06:28Talk about taking matters into your own hands.
06:30My dear Tracy, I want you to know that you will always be my friend, but your conduct
06:34last night was so shocking to my ideas of womanhood that...
06:37Now, don't go.
06:38You might as well hear it, too.
06:40Number 44.
06:41Tom Cruise, Tropic Thunder
06:42You know how you handle an actor?
06:44They whine about anything.
06:45You pull down their pants and you spank their ass.
06:48You spank that ass, Les.
06:50There's such a thing as bad publicity.
06:52Just ask Tom Cruise in the early 2000s.
06:54Once a true Hollywood movie star, his connection to Scientology and tumultuous love life slowly
06:59but surely eroded his image.
07:01Soon enough, Cruise's continued bankability came into question.
07:04That's when he donned a bodysuit and stepped into Tropic Thunder.
07:06You couldn't have done it without me, Sloan.
07:11Really?
07:12No, dickhead.
07:13Of course I could.
07:14A nutless monkey could do your job.
07:17His hilarious work as Les Grossman had audiences in stitches.
07:20Given how little fuss there was when he received a Golden Globe nomination, it's obvious the
07:24masses had welcomed him back with open arms.
07:26However, it's still pretty funny that Tom Cruise is unrecognizable in the role that
07:29saved his career.
07:30We don't negotiate with terrorists.
07:34Number 43.
07:35Jennifer Coolidge, The White Lotus
07:40Not even comedic legends can escape the dreaded Hollywood dry spell.
07:43After all, Jennifer Coolidge is responsible for some of the best one-liners the 90s and
07:47early 2000s have to offer.
07:48Thank God for model trains.
07:50Oh, absolutely.
07:51You know, if they didn't have the model train, they wouldn't have gotten the idea for the
07:55big trains.
07:56But eventually, audiences grew tired of her schtick, resigning her to small supporting
08:00parts here and there.
08:01Absence makes the heart grow fonder, though, and when Coolidge returned to the limelight
08:04for The White Lotus, she took the world by storm.
08:06I brought my mother's ashes with me, you know, so I could spread them in the ocean.
08:12And I just realized yesterday, I'm going to need a boat.
08:16Tanya McQuad's unhinged antics allowed Coolidge to do what she does best, and she has an Emmy
08:21to prove it.
08:22It's safe to say we'll be seeing a lot more of Coolidge, and that's never a bad thing.
08:25Number 42.
08:26Reese Witherspoon, Wild
08:27We're getting divorced today, and we thought we should do something that bonded us together.
08:33Oh.
08:34Okay.
08:35There's no dumb blonde jokes to make here.
08:39While rom-coms were her bread and butter for years, Witherspoon's reliable audience thinned
08:43a lot in the early 2010s.
08:44So much so that with her career on Life Support, she decided to found her own production company.
08:49That's how Wild happened.
08:50Do you get lonely?
08:51Um, honestly, I think I'm lonelier in my real life than I am out here.
08:59Witherspoon both starred in and produced the film, and based on her Oscar nomination for
09:02Best Actress, we'd say it worked out pretty well for her.
09:05In the years since, Witherspoon has just spent as much time behind the camera as in front
09:09of it.
09:10But if Wild is any indication, she can reinvent herself whenever she wants.
09:13The nicest lipstick in the world can't help a girl if she doesn't take care of her personal
09:18hygiene.
09:19I have every intention of taking care of that.
09:23Number 41.
09:24Winona Ryder, Stranger Things
09:26He came home last night, right?
09:28He's not in his room?
09:29Did he come home or not?
09:30I don't know.
09:31You don't know?
09:33No.
09:34I got home late.
09:35I was working.
09:36You were working?
09:37It's hard for any controversial actor to stage a full-on return to form, but Stranger Things
09:40have happened.
09:41Long before she headlined Netflix's sci-fi triumph, several personal struggles forced
09:45Winona Ryder into a self-imposed hiatus from acting.
09:48When she returned, it was with a big question mark.
09:50Could she ever get back to the popularity she had before?
09:53The answer is resoundingly yes.
09:55He's not like you, Hopper.
09:57He's not like me.
09:58He's not like most.
10:01He has a couple of friends, but you know, they're mean.
10:04They make fun of him.
10:05They call him names.
10:06They laugh at him.
10:07His clothes.
10:08His clothes?
10:09What's wrong with his clothes?
10:10All it took was the Duffer Brothers, a great performance, and an industry-shaking television
10:14series.
10:15Stranger Things didn't just bring Ryder back to her former glory.
10:17It reintroduced her to a whole new audience.
10:20The Demogorgons got nothing on that kind of power.
10:23Lonnie, some teenager just hung up on me.
10:27Will is missing.
10:28I don't know where he is.
10:29I need...
10:30I just need you to call me back, please.
10:33Just call...
10:3440.
10:35Kihui Kwan
10:36Everything, everywhere, all at once.
10:38After Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom made him a child star at 12, Kihui Kwan struggled
10:42to keep up the momentum.
10:44Then unable to cope with years of rejections, he even retired from acting altogether for
10:47a time.
10:48It wasn't until the late 2010s that he officially gave performing another shot, and the results
10:52are undeniable.
10:53Every rejection, every disappointment has led you here, to this moment.
11:01Kwan's acclaimed portrayal, or should we say portrayals, of Waymond Wong in Everything,
11:05Everywhere, All at Once immediately reignited his career prospects.
11:09Now with an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and a SAG Award to his name, it's safe to say this resurgence
11:14won't fade as quickly as his first one did.
11:16Thank you everyone for rooting for me.
11:18I will be rooting for you.
11:1939.
11:20Shia LaBeouf, Honey Boy
11:22From family comedies to big-budget blockbusters, Shia LaBeouf spent the 2000s as a staple on
11:26the A-list.
11:27Unfortunately, his series of personal struggles and poorly-received projects marked a major
11:31downturn in his bankability.
11:33While he still steadily worked throughout the mid-2010s, it wasn't anything on the same
11:37level as his output the decade prior.
11:39So to compensate, LaBeouf made his own material.
11:41How do you think it feels for me to have my son talk to me the way that you talk to me?
11:50He wrote and starred in Honey Boy, a film loosely based on LaBeouf's relationship with
11:53his father.
11:54The reviews were strong enough to single-handedly turn him into a serious dramatic actor.
11:58Apparently, you do catch more flies with honey, after all.
12:0338.
12:04Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?
12:07The success of 2011's Bridesmaids cemented this actress as a bona fide comedic powerhouse.
12:12But the years that followed were no laughing matter for Melissa McCarthy's image.
12:15She headlined flop after flop after flop, to the point many began to wonder if she could
12:19still bring in an audience at all.
12:20All right, all right, all right, move.
12:23You think you're the only one thinking about this stuff?
12:26Then in 2018, she silenced all of those naysayers with a head-turning performance in Can You
12:30Ever Forgive Me?
12:31The movie's sophisticated tone and thoughtful approach cemented the fact that McCarthy could
12:35do so much more than crack jokes.
12:37You don't have to take our word for it, though.
12:39Her Oscar nomination speaks for itself.
12:41I trusted you.
12:42I don't know if you've noticed this, but I don't do that.
12:45And you have reminded me why that is.
12:4737.
12:48Ben Affleck, The Town
12:49Ben Affleck's time behind the camera may have rescued his career in front of him.
12:53I'm thinking about, um, taking a trip.
12:56Or a doc for a minute.
12:59Taking a heat?
13:00I don't know.
13:01Making a change?
13:04While he does a good job acting in The Town, he was mainly singled out for praise as the
13:07movie's writer and director.
13:09Just like that, Affleck reinvented himself as not just an actor, but an auteur storyteller
13:13in his own right.
13:14Hey, next time you guys want to take pictures of me, just call ahead.
13:18It couldn't have come at a better time, either.
13:20Let's just say no one was clamoring for a sequel to Daredevil, or any of his other projects,
13:24for that matter.
13:25But thanks to his work on The Town, he's spent the years since as a well-respected artist
13:28on both sides of the camera lens.
13:3136.
13:32Martin Lawrence, Bad Boys for Life
13:34You want your legacy to be muscles, shirts, and a body count?
13:38This movie did more than reboot Bad Boys.
13:40It effectively brought back Martin Lawrence's acting prospects, too.
13:43Despite his lengthy career in some iconic comedies, his time on camera dwindled to near
13:46nothing over the years.
13:48To put it into perspective, before Bad Boys III, you could count on one hand how many
13:51films he'd been in during the 2010s.
13:53But returning to Lieutenant Marcus Miles Burnett was the perfect way to remind everyone what
13:58Lawrence could do.
13:59One last time?
14:00One last time.
14:07Even better, audiences responded with their wallets.
14:09Bad Boys for Life made bank at the box office, reigniting Lawrence as a major draw.
14:14It's no surprise he came back for a fourth stint in blue.
14:1735.
14:18Michelle Yeoh, Crazy Rich Asians
14:20With a title like that, it's not too shocking to hear that this film put a spotlight on
14:23an ensemble of underrated Asian talent, most notably Michelle Yeoh herself.
14:27But all this doesn't just happen, it's because we know to put family first instead of chasing
14:34one's passion.
14:35She was arguably the biggest name coming in, hailing from a lengthy background of acclaimed
14:39martial arts films.
14:40But here, she traded her gi for a dress and was rewarded with a showering of critical
14:45praise.
14:46She went from having slim pickings of characters to being one of the most in-demand actresses
14:50in Hollywood.
14:51Since Crazy Rich Asians, Yeoh has landed a significant role in the MCU, signed on for
14:55more blockbusters, and even won an Academy Award.
14:58Yeah, you could say she's staying busy.
15:0134.
15:02Colin Farrell, In Bruges
15:04If this proves anything, it's that the right role at the right time can do just about anything.
15:08See, early in his career, Colin Farrell made a name for himself doing smaller, independent
15:12work.
15:13But his transition into bigger fare like Alexander was a costly mistake for just about everyone
15:16involved.
15:24Then out of nowhere, he starred in a little movie called In Bruges.
15:27The small-scale feature played right into Farrell's strengths and proved why he was
15:30worth keeping an eye on in the first place.
15:32With a new golden globe in hand, Farrell's post-In Bruges career hasn't just stayed afloat,
15:36it's positively thrived.
15:3938.
15:41Renee Zellweger, Judy
15:43Nothing screams comeback quite like Oscar Gold, although it speaks to the given pull
15:46of Hollywood that Renee Zellweger needed a resurgence at all.
15:55At one point, she was the industry's it girl, and paid like it, too.
15:58Even so, after a few flops and a six-year hiatus, she was in desperate need of a hit.
16:02So she returned to the business with a victory lap of great films, capped off with a tour-de-force
16:06performance in Judy.
16:07The film's strong reception put Zellweger back on top like she'd never left.
16:11There's no knowing what's next for her, but if Judy is any indication, it'll be well worth
16:15the wait.
16:2032.
16:25Channing Tatum, 21 Jump Street
16:27Most actors would kill to be known as a tall, dark, and handsome leading man.
16:30The issue?
16:31That's all Channing Tatum was.
16:32His success in the romance genre had typecast him out of other kinds of work, at least until
16:362012.
16:37Don't try hard at anything, okay?
16:40Two, make fun of people who do try.
16:43Three, be handsome.
16:44Four, if anyone steps you on the first day of school, you punch them directly in the
16:49face.
16:50When 21 Jump Street hit theaters, Tatum defied everyone's expectations by showing he was
16:53more than a pretty face.
16:54He could be funny, too.
16:56Tatum's role as the too-cool-for-school jock redefined him as a genuine movie star apart
17:00from any one genre.
17:01He hasn't abandoned his roots in romance, and he still makes plenty of comedies, too.
17:04But it's clear they're not holding him back the way they once were.
17:07That's what I'm talking about!
17:08That's what I'm talking about!
17:09I love this science shit!
17:10That's what you guys do all day?
17:11Let's do it again!
17:1231.
17:13Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
17:14Quentin Tarantino is a knack for impeccable casting, and this 2015 Western is no different.
17:15Look no further than Jennifer Jason Leigh.
17:16Despite a few noteworthy roles here and there, she seemed to be much more comfortable flying
17:17under the radar in independent film.
17:18I'm a call worse.
17:19And yet, she still proved up to the task of playing crazy Daisy Domergue.
17:20Leigh had always garnered positive marks in the underground circuit, but this quasi-breakthrough
17:21put her at the forefront of the conversation.
17:22In the ensuing years, the scale of her work hasn't actually changed all that much, but
17:23rest assured there are a lot more eyes on it now.
17:24And this 2015 Western is no different.
17:25Look no further than Jennifer Jason Leigh.
17:26Despite a few noteworthy roles here and there, she seemed to be much more comfortable flying
17:27under the radar in independent film.
17:28And yet, she still proved up to the task of playing crazy Daisy Domergue.
17:29Her Oscar nomination implies so, at least.
17:30Leigh had always garnered positive marks in the underground circuit, but this quasi-breakthrough
17:31put her at the forefront of the conversation.
17:32up to the task of playing crazy Daisy Domergue. Her Oscar nomination implies so, at least.
17:37Lee had always garnered positive marks in the underground circuit, but this quasi-breakthrough
17:41put her at the forefront of the conversation. In the ensuing years, the scale of her work
17:45hasn't actually changed all that much, but rest assured there are a lot more eyes on
17:49it now.
17:50When you get to hell, John, tell them Daisy sent you.
17:56Number 30. Sylvester Stallone – Rocky Balboa
18:00Back in 1990, Rocky's fifth round in the ring left a sour taste in everyone's mouth. Worse,
18:04that became a running theme with all of Sylvester Stallone's work. After years and years of
18:08waning audience interest, the actor had no choice but to pick up the boxing gloves for
18:11a career Hail Mary.
18:12I mean, maybe you're doing your job, but why you gotta stop me from doing mine?
18:16As it turns out, that's just what Stallone's resume needed. The critical and commercial
18:19success of Rocky Balboa repositioned him as a true modern-day action star. Later, Stallone
18:24spun this win into a slew of other well-received projects. He was officially back in the game,
18:28and he didn't even need a training montage to do it.
18:31Now, if you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you're worth. But you
18:34gotta be willing to take the hits.
18:36Number 29. Jamie Lee Curtis – Halloween
18:38Forty years after Michael Myers first picked up a butcher knife, he returned and made an
18:42actual killing at the box office. Despite the bloodshed, this reboot only proved that
18:46Jamie Lee Curtis' image was far from dead.
18:48Do you know that I pray every night that he would escape?
18:53What the hell do you do that for?
18:57I know I can kill him.
18:59Her career lull wasn't because of any one flop, anyway. It was an intentional break
19:02to focus on her family. So when she finally returned to Laurie Strode in 2018, the pent-up
19:07demand delivered the highest opening weekend gross for any film with a lead actress over
19:1155 years old. Those unprecedented numbers slingshotted Curtis back into the forefront
19:16of the industry, a place she's comfortably stayed ever since.
19:19Happy Halloween, Michael.
19:22Number 28. Sandra Bullock – The Blind Side
19:24Miss Congeniality herself almost fumbled this career-saving opportunity. Even though her
19:28more contemporary work was struggling to connect, Bullock turned down her role in The Blind Side
19:32three separate times. But after meeting with the real-life Leigh-Anne Tuohy, Bullock went
19:36as far as taking a pay cut to join the film.
19:38Honey, you're changing that boy's life.
19:41No. He's changing mine.
19:45That turned out to be for the best, since the movie was a bona fide smash hit across
19:48the 2009 holiday season. The box office and awards shows didn't hurt, but the real benefit
19:53of The Blind Side was reaffirming Bullock as an undisputed household name. After all,
19:57she isn't considered one of the most influential people in the world for nothing.
20:00I said you could thank me later. It's later, Bert.
20:06Number 27. Brendan Fraser – The Whale
20:08It's always hard to pinpoint exactly why a career flounders. In Brendan Fraser's case,
20:12you could blame it on his personal issues, his rumored blacklisting, or his habit of
20:16choosing poorly-received work. Either way, the fact of the matter is that Fraser's struggled
20:20to get back in the limelight for a while now.
20:22Who would want me to be a part of their life?
20:25And yet that underdog story made his riveting turn in The Whale all the more empowering.
20:29Fraser's authenticity as the overweight recluse Charlie became the must-see performance
20:33of 2022, earning him just about every industry award an actor could hope for. There's no
20:38better way to announce that Brendan Fraser is back, and better than ever.
20:41I need to know that I have done one thing right with my life!
20:48Number 26. Lauren Bacall – Murder on the Orient Express
20:51As this Golden Age actress learned the hard way, charging full steam ahead is a dual-edged
20:55sword.
20:56You don't know what I found this morning on top of the magazine I've been reading to send
21:00myself to sleep.
21:01Just as soon as her trademark lustful voice made her a sensation, Lauren Bacall was branded
21:05difficult to work with and went through a major career drought. Then, after a forced
21:08eight-year sabbatical, Bacall made her grand return to the silver screen in Murder on the
21:13Orient Express. The rest is film history.
21:15I've always heard she wanted to play comedy parts, but her husband wouldn't have it.
21:19Result or not, the Agatha Christie mystery made it clear that Bacall was a box office
21:23draw, especially in the right role.
21:24Still, the results weren't instantaneous. It took a few more years, but Murder's enduring
21:28legacy eventually put her career back on track.
21:32Number 25. Joaquin Phoenix – The Master
21:34It's no hyperbole to say Joaquin Phoenix has no one to blame for his hiatus other than
21:38himself.
21:39He made the head-scratching decision to star in I'm Still Here, a mockumentary about Phoenix
21:42allegedly retiring from acting.
21:44It was all a meta-commentary, but the point got lost amidst middling reviews, leaving
21:48many thinking he'd actually left the business.
21:50Are you concerned with the impression you make?
21:57I don't understand.
21:58Thankfully, he didn't stay down for long, and in 2012 the actor rose like, well, a phoenix.
22:04He delivered the performance of his career in Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master, and
22:07has an Oscar nomination to prove it.
22:09It's good thing Phoenix didn't retire, since he's quickly become one of the most respected
22:12actors of his generation.
22:13Tell me why you're not with her if you love her so much.
22:15I told her I'd come back, and I never went back, and now I just, I gotta get back to her.
22:19Why don't you go back?
22:20I don't know.
22:21Why don't you go back?
22:22I don't know!
22:23Number 24.
22:24Brad Pitt – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
22:26Another Quentin Tarantino film, another actor pulled from the brink of disaster.
22:30Before boarding this movie, Brad Pitt's highly-publicized divorce from Angelina Jolie threatened to
22:35torpedo his entire image, and it very well might have if Once Upon a Time hadn't come
22:39along.
22:40It don't matter, George.
22:41We were colleagues from the past, and I just wanted to make sure you're doing okay.
22:46Pitt turned in a performance so riveting it practically demanded he be taken seriously
22:50again.
22:51Suddenly, the headlines about Brangelina's breakup were replaced with reviews for Pitt's
22:55stellar work.
22:56It was just the kind of support he needed to leave the scandal in the past and re-establish
22:59himself as a worthy solo act.
23:01The fact that he won his first acting Oscar, too, was just the cherry on top.
23:04Hey, I'm not gonna die.
23:05I may get a limp, but I ain't gonna die.
23:08It's not my time yet, man.
23:10Number 23.
23:11Ellen Burstyn, Requiem for a Dream
23:13From 1972 to 1981, Ellen Burstyn was nominated for a staggering five Academy Awards, and
23:18even took home one.
23:19I'm somebody now, Harry.
23:22Everybody likes me.
23:24Pair that with starring roles in genre fare like The Exorcist, and she seems set for life.
23:28Unfortunately, that's not how Hollywood works.
23:30She saw heavy diminishing returns in the 80s and 90s, but soon enough, Requiem for a Dream
23:34brought her right back to the top.
23:36I'm gonna be on television.
23:40I just have to find out when.
23:43She earned her sixth career Oscar nomination, and with it came the support of the masses.
23:47Her fame was more or less restored.
23:49Burstyn's legacy became even more unshakeable, and she's taken advantage of that by being
23:53much more selective with her projects.
23:55Number 22.
23:56Eddie Murphy, Dolomite is My Name
23:58After a performance like this, it's hard to imagine how Eddie Murphy ever left the mainstream.
24:02But boy, did he ever.
24:03His comedic reign of the 2000s plummeted off a cliff thanks to some notoriously awful projects.
24:08Looking at you, Norbit.
24:09There's your tag.
24:10Now go get me something to drink.
24:11Oh!
24:12Oh!
24:13Audiences were so burned out on him that prior to Dolomite, he hadn't worked for three
24:23years.
24:24Before that, he'd already been out of a job for four.
24:25But somehow, someway, his lauded work in Dolomite is My Name turned all that around.
24:29So you know what they say, brother.
24:32Nowadays, Murphy has more high-profile projects in development than he made in the entirety
24:37of the 20s ends.
24:38If that's not the sign of a renaissance, we don't know what is.
24:42Number 21.
24:43James Stewart, It's a Wonderful Life
24:44The end of World War II left the movie industry in a weird place, particularly for actors
24:49like James Stewart.
24:50Once hailed as the great American bachelor, he'd abandoned all that to enlist in the war
24:54effort.
24:55After five years away from the screen, It's a Wonderful Life was a big test for Stewart's
24:58post-war career.
24:59What is it you want, Barry?
25:00What do you want?
25:01You want the moon?
25:02Just say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down.
25:03Hey, that's a pretty good idea.
25:04But it just couldn't meet those lofty expectations.
25:05Despite good marks for Stewart's work, the movie flopped at the box office.
25:06Luckily, a few re-releases and television broadcasts turned it into the iconic holiday
25:07staple it is today.
25:08If anything, it made Stewart an even hotter commodity than he was before the war.
25:09Talk about a welcome home present.
25:10What's that?
25:11That's a Christmas present for you.
25:12Oh, thank you.
25:13You're welcome.
25:14Number 22.
25:15The New York Times
25:16The New York Times was a big hit in the 20s.
25:17The New York Times was a big hit in the 20s.
25:18We've known for a long time that Adam Sandler could act, whether it be from his grounded
25:42performance in Punch-Drunk Love or the surprisingly serious Funny People.
25:47However, he's developed a reputation for seeming much more comfortable screwing around
25:51on screen.
25:52Through, let's just say, eccentric characters.
25:55I'm so sick of that.
25:57Why are you so afraid to admit that we are connected?
26:01Faces!
26:02We shared mom's womb.
26:03We were roommates.
26:04Oh, that is just disgusting.
26:07Yet, in 2019, he blew everyone out of the water with his manic energy in Uncut Gems.
26:13I can't figure it out.
26:16I don't know what I'm supposed to do.
26:18Everything I do is not going right.
26:20Everything I do is not going right.
26:22I don't know what to do.
26:23I really don't.
26:24It's too soon to tell where his career will take him from here, though he did threaten
26:28to make a movie that is so bad on purpose if he wasn't nominated for an Oscar, which
26:33he wasn't.
26:34Well, then bring on Grown Ups 3.
26:36We deserve it.
26:37Number 19.
26:38Johnny Depp, Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Curse of the Black Pearl.
26:44I never really doubted Johnny Depp's abilities as an actor prior to 2003.
26:48But aside from Sleepy Hollow, he hadn't really starred in anything that had mass appeal,
26:53seeming to prefer off-kilter fare like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
26:57Though it's easy to forget now, the prospect of Depp headlining an adaptation of Disney's
27:02Pirates of the Caribbean ride didn't sound all too appealing.
27:05You are without doubt the worst pirate I've ever heard of.
27:09But you have heard of me.
27:11When the first installment in the franchise was released, it was a massive success, and
27:15legions of fans popped up overnight to support Depp, who would even earn an Oscar nomination
27:20for his work.
27:21If you were waiting for the opportune moment, that was it.
27:26From there, he went on to become one of the biggest stars in Hollywood for the better
27:29part of 15 years.
27:31Number 18.
27:32Jim Carrey, Dr. Robotnik, Sonic the Hedgehog.
27:36Back in the 90s, Jim Carrey rose to fame portraying wacky characters like Ace Ventura, The Mask,
27:42Lloyd Christmas, and The Riddler, just to name a few.
27:45However, his typical schtick became more and more seldom in the decades to come, with his
27:492004 turn as Count Olaf in a series of unfortunate events being arguably the last true Carrey
27:56performance.
27:57Throw in some personal troubles, and it seemed like the Carrey we knew and loved was gone.
28:02I'm doing just fine.
28:04There's no meaning to any of this.
28:07I wanted to find the most meaningless thing that I could come to and join, and here I am.
28:15Enter Sonic the Hedgehog, where his zany portrayal of classic video game baddie Dr. Robotnik
28:20was praised for harkening back to his previous work.
28:28Though the film was plagued with post-production issues, Carrey is certainly one of the reasons
28:31the sequel was greenlit.
28:33I was not expecting that.
28:35But I was expecting not to expect something, so it doesn't count.
28:43Though Paul Bettany was technically a member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe from the
28:46beginning, voicing Jarvis in 2008's Iron Man, he had to wait to get his real shot.
28:53Jarvis, you there?
28:54At your service, sir.
28:55In those intervening years, he starred in a slew of critical and commercial failures,
29:00be it movies he headlined like Legion and Priest, or those where he acted as a supporting
29:05player like The Tourist and Transcendence.
29:08Just when it seemed like he didn't know how to pick them, Bettany's MCU investment
29:11paid off with the advent of Vision in Avengers Age of Ultron.
29:15It's a privilege to be among them.
29:17You're unbearably naive.
29:20Well, I was born yesterday.
29:25With a bright spot in a decent enough sequel, Bettany was perfectly cast to play the android,
29:30a role he's gone on to reprise in multiple MCU properties.
29:35Wanda and Vision, aren't we a fine pair?
29:38This is our home now.
29:39I want us to fit in.
29:47From one MCU cast member to another, Chris Evans got his first chance to play a superhero
29:52in the first two Fantastic Four movies as Johnny Storm, also known as Human Torch.
29:57However, that franchise fizzled out early, and his later attempts to participate in superhero
30:02comic book adaptations like Push and The Losers also failed.
30:06Proving that the fourth time's the charm, Evans finally landed the perfect role in that
30:10of Steve Rogers and the titular hero in Captain America The First Avenger.
30:15How do you feel?
30:19Taller.
30:23You look taller.
30:25His popularity as the character growing with each subsequent appearance, Evans rounded
30:29out his time in the MCU by making fans everywhere weep.
30:33Now let's see what he does outside the comic sphere.
30:36Very nice.
30:37Matter of fact, eat shit.
30:39How's that?
30:40Not the last actor to be marred by the Twilight
30:47saga that we'll talk about on this list.
30:49Kristen Stewart found herself one of the most disliked actors in Hollywood by the series
30:53end in 2012.
31:00Her affair with Snow White and The Huntsman director Rupert Sanders, and subsequent breakup
31:04with Twilight co-star Robert Pattinson, didn't help matters.
31:08Coming in somewhat out of the limelight, Stewart built her career back up with a string of
31:12indie movies.
31:13But the one that made doubters prove she could act came in 2014 with Clouds of Sills Maria.
31:18At 20, you saw Sigrid's ambition and you saw her violence because you felt it in yourself.
31:25So?
31:26So that's what I'm saying.
31:28The text is like an object.
31:30It's going to change perspective based on where you're standing.
31:33She more than held her own working against veteran actor Juliette Binoche, and has since
31:37returned to the blockbuster scene with 2019's iteration of Charlie's Angels.
31:46Much like another entry on this list, Jennifer Lopez couldn't be mentioned without evoking
31:50the string of romantic comedies she made throughout the 2000s.
31:54Though some are popular among a certain demographic like Maiden Manhattan and The Wedding Planner,
31:58few were positively received from a critical standpoint, with the worst of the bunch coming
32:03in the form of Gigli.
32:05It's turkey time.
32:08Huh?
32:11Gobble, gobble.
32:13Another surprise 2019 performance, her role in Hustlers as Ramona Vega reminded people
32:18why she was such a magnetic star to begin with, receiving a bulk of the praise for the film.
32:23Though she wasn't nominated for an Oscar like many had hoped, it did show that J.Lo's
32:28still got it.
32:29You know, we used to say, if only we had known each other back then, you know?
32:38Maybe we could've looked out for one another.
32:46Even during his critical heyday around the turn of the 21st century, Nicolas Cage could
32:50still be described as an unorthodox and mesmerizingly manic screen presence.
32:55It's a little obvious, don't you think?
32:57Okay, but here's the twist.
32:59We find out that the killer really suffers from multiple personality disorder, right?
33:04See, he's actually really the cop and the girl.
33:08All of them are him.
33:10Exacerbated by a slew of financial troubles, it started to seem as if Cage accepted every
33:14offer that came his way to make ends meet, greasing us with such esteemed classics such
33:19as Knowing and Season of the Witch, whereby his eccentricities turned into overacting.
33:25Just when the world began to get nostalgic for him, we were graced with the perfect combination
33:29of manic Cage with actual quality in Mandy.
33:47It remains to be seen what kind of career renaissance may be over the horizon, but if
33:51it's anything like Mandy, we're here for it.
33:55Chris Pratt, Star-Lord, Guardians of the Galaxy
33:59Beginning in 2009, Chris Pratt showed the world just how funny he could be on the NBC
34:04sitcom Parks and Recreation as fan-favorite Andy Dwyer.
34:13However, his presence in film remained rather limited for several years, inhabiting only
34:18small roles in good movies like Zero Dark Thirty, and roles that were memorable for
34:22the wrong reasons like his turn in Movie 43.
34:25Yet Pratt shocked the world in 2014 when he ditched his schlubby, slacker persona and
34:30bulked up for Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, proving he could be funny and kick-ass.
34:40This led him to being one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood, following up with more
34:44blockbusters like Jurassic World.
34:48Michael Keaton, Regan Thompson, Birdman
34:52In time, you screech.
34:55It'll explode into millions of eardrums.
34:59You'll glimmer on thousands of screens around the globe.
35:03Back in the day, people were skeptical of Keaton's casting as the caped crusader in
35:07Tim Burton's Batman movie, though many were silenced when they saw him don the cape and
35:11cowl on the big screen.
35:13After a single sequel, Keaton stepped away from the franchise, which got significantly
35:18worse while Keaton did, well, Jack Frost.
35:21You the man!
35:22No, you the man!
35:23Nope, I'm the snowman!
35:25Keaton stayed relatively quiet for much of the 2000s, but we're sure the meta-commentary
35:30on his career in 2014's Birdman was too good to pass up.
35:34Listen, hold on.
35:37That wasn't an accident.
35:40What do you mean?
35:42I made it happen.
35:44Oh, okay.
35:45The film was a critical sensation, ultimately winning Best Picture and making Keaton an
35:50Oscar nominee.
35:51Since then, Keaton has been in a slew of big movies, in addition to being another Bird-themed
35:56character in a superhero movie as the MCU's Vulture.
36:00There you go, Mason.
36:06Business is good.
36:12Screw the FBA.
36:14I'm gonna be DOA.
36:15DOA?
36:17Like, I gotta sue the hospital to get my medicine?
36:20For much of his career, Matthew McConaughey was ridiculed for making a throng of lazy
36:24romantic comedies, from Failure to Launch to Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.
36:29It had been the end of me, so I cut it short.
36:32Then a little thing called the McConnaussance happened, which started slow with movies like
36:37The Lincoln Lawyer and Mud, allowing McConaughey to reveal his acting chops in a big way.
36:43McConaughey crested it in 2013 when he gave an absolutely transformative performance in
36:46Dallas Buyers Club, which saw him pick up numerous critic accolades, culminating in
36:51an Oscar for Best Actor.
36:53Now we live in a world where McConaughey starring in serious projects like Interstellar and
36:57True Detective isn't taken as jokes, but as good marketing ploys, to which we can only
37:03say,
37:04All right, all right, all right.
37:079.
37:08Mickey Rourke – Marv – Sin City
37:16While you could argue that his Oscar-nominated turn in 2008's The Wrestler put Mickey
37:20Rourke back in the winner's circle, we maintain that came a little earlier in 2005 with Frank
37:26Miller's Sin City.
37:28In the neo-noir thriller, he plays Marv, a hard-hitting brute out for revenge and to
37:33clear his name for the death of his lover.
37:36Although the ensemble film has plenty of memorable characters, he was especially so, as he adopted
37:41the tough-guy persona we'd know him for then on.
37:44In typical career resurgence fashion, he then joined a superhero movie in Iron Man 2, and
37:50even reprised his role as Marv in 2014's Sin City a Dame to Kill For.
37:55Looks like trouble.
37:57Well, looks like Christmas.
38:028.
38:03Liam Neeson – Brian Mills
38:05– Taken
38:06Believe it or not, there was a time when Liam Neeson was better known as a dramatic actor,
38:10with only limited action set pieces in movies like The Phantom Menace and Batman Begins.
38:15Though he wasn't exactly starved for work, his career took a turn for the badass in 2008
38:20with a little movie called Taken, in which he single-handedly takes down a procession
38:25of scumbags as he rescues his daughter from a sex trafficking ring.
38:29If you let my daughter go now, that'll be the end of it.
38:32I will not look for you.
38:34I will not pursue you.
38:36But if you don't, I will look for you.
38:40I will find you, and I will kill you.
38:44Opening the floodgates for other middle-aged actors to become action stars, virtually everything
38:49Neeson made afterward was an action romp of sorts, from The A-Team to The Grey to Nonstop
38:55to The Commuter.
38:56Seriously, the list goes on and on.
38:59There's a plan in everything, kid, and I love it when a plan comes together.
39:05Number 7.
39:06Ryan Reynolds – Deadpool
39:08Deadpool.
39:09Oh!
39:10Oh, hello.
39:11I know, right?
39:14Whose balls did I have to fondle to get my very own movie?
39:18I can't tell you, but it does rhyme with pulverine.
39:22Despite being one of the most likable movie stars in the business, Ryan Reynolds was hit
39:26with a barrage of box-office bombs in the early 2010s.
39:29As he'll gladly tell you now, 2011's Green Lantern was far from the crowd-pleaser DC
39:35had in mind for their iconic hero's first feature.
39:37And please don't make the super suit green or animated.
39:42We knew he was right for the Merc with a Mouth, but the studio's botching of the character
39:46in X-Men Origins Wolverine hardly inspired confidence.
39:50Wait, is that you?
39:55Your striker finally figured out how to shut you up.
39:59Fortunately, he got the comics-accurate solo film we'd been dreaming of in 2016, and
40:03it did not disappoint.
40:05We just have to thank whoever released the test footage that got the ball rolling.
40:09Whether or not that person's name rhymes with Shmian Shmenalds.
40:13Besides, nobody's getting hurt.
40:21That guy was already up there when I got here.
40:24Number 6.
40:25Keanu Reeves.
40:26John Wick.
40:27John Wick.
40:28You, uh, working again?
40:29No, just sorting some stuff out.
40:30Oh, well.
40:31I'll leave you be then.
40:32Goodnight, John.
40:33Goodnight, Jimmy.
40:34We've known for a long time that Keanu Reeves can kick ass on film, as is evidenced by
40:47the first Matrix movie.
40:48However, the poor reception to that film's two sequels, and later deads like The Day
40:53the Earth Stood Still and 47 Ronin, signaled that perhaps the action star's best days
40:58were behind him, as expressed in the sad Keanu memes.
41:01Though we never thought of him as a powerhouse actor, ardent fans of his hoped the perfect
41:06role for him would come around.
41:08Someone must have been listening, as the John Wick movies slowly evolved from sleeper hits
41:12to blockbuster sensations.
41:15People keep asking if I'm back, and I haven't really had an answer.
41:20No, yeah, I'm thinking I'm back.
41:23Number 5.
41:24Robert Pattinson, Connie Nikas.
41:27Good time.
41:28You think I could have done that without you standing next to me being strong?
41:31No.
41:32Are you feeling this?
41:33Are you feeling what you guys aren't feeling right now?
41:35For much of his early career, Robert Pattinson couldn't be mentioned without someone groaning
41:39at his identification with the Twilight Saga.
41:42Though many defend his involvement citing poor source material, Pattinson spent the
41:46better part of five years trying to clear his name.
41:48Earning consistently decent marks for several lesser-known indies, it was inevitable that
41:53one would put him over the top.
41:55And that came in 2017 with Good Time.
41:57I think I was a dog in a previous life.
42:00In fact, I know I was.
42:03That's why they love me so much.
42:06Pattinson gave a commandingly manic performance as a criminal evading capture all throughout
42:10New York City.
42:12Along with The Lighthouse, this gave Pattinson the freedom to do basically whatever he wanted.
42:17And apparently what he wants is to be Batman.
42:21You don't know what I'm talking about at all.
42:23Number 4.
42:24Marlon Brando, Vito Corleone.
42:26The Godfather.
42:27I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse.
42:31Everyone knew Brando was a heavyweight actor from the get-go with his early work in movies
42:35like A Streetcar Named Desire and On the Waterfront.
42:38The latter of which he won an Oscar for in 1955.
42:41You don't understand.
42:42I could have had class.
42:43I could have been a contender.
42:46However, the 60s saw Brando grow increasingly cynical towards the craft as an uncharacteristic
42:52multi-picture studio signing led to a string of disappointing flops.
42:56Despite his infamy for being difficult to work with, Brando transcended all criticisms
43:01in 1972 with his embodiment of Mafia Don Vito Corleone in The Godfather.
43:07Look how they massacred my boy.
43:11Brando commanded the screen yet again, winning his second Oscar and later proved that some
43:16of his best work was still ahead with Apocalypse Now.
43:19Though the less said about the island of Dr. Moreau, the better.
43:22This is the most outrageous spectacle I have ever witnessed.
43:28Look at yourself.
43:29I understand that I must be shocking to you.
43:33Number 3.
43:34Drew Barrymore, Casey Becker.
43:35Scream.
43:36Wait, wait.
43:37Don't hang up.
43:38What?
43:39Let me talk to you for a second.
43:41Long referred to as America's Sweetheart, then-child actress Drew Barrymore fell out
43:46of fashion in her adolescence due to issues attributed to a troubled upbringing.
43:50By the time Scream came out in 1996, people were intrigued to see what she would do in
43:55her 20s as the star of a meta, satirical slasher movie.
43:59You never told me your name.
44:01Why do you want to know my name?
44:02Because I want to know who I'm looking at.
44:05They were in for a huge surprise as the movie's biggest draw was killed off in the opening
44:10scene.
44:11Naturally, it was a small part, but boy was it the shocking, memorable one she was looking
44:15for.
44:16She springboarded off that into a career as a romantic comedy lead in films like The Wedding
44:20Singer and Never Been Kissed.
44:22Suffice it to say, Drew's still got us screaming.
44:33Number 2.
44:34John Travolta – Vincent Vega
44:36Pulp Fiction
44:37But you saying a foot massage don't mean nothing, I'm saying it does.
44:40And look, I've given a million ladies a million foot massages, and they all meant something.
44:45Back in the 70s, John Travolta could do nothing wrong with back-to-back hits in Saturday Night
44:49Fever and Grease.
44:51However, the 80s were not so kind, as his sequel to the former Staying Alive was panned
44:55by critics.
44:56Well, in case you don't know this, I used to be pretty incredible myself when I lived
45:00in Brooklyn.
45:01Really?
45:02And what happened?
45:03I moved to Manhattan.
45:04Director Quentin Tarantino has made a career building back up the careers of former stars,
45:09but it all started with John Travolta as the alliteratively named Vincent Vega in 1994's
45:14Pulp Fiction.
45:16Without this, we probably wouldn't have gotten another fan-favorite performance of
45:19his in Face Off.
45:21Of course, Travolta would soon re-tarnish his image in the year 2000 with Battlefield
45:25Earth, from which his career has never fully recovered.
45:28But that doesn't take away from this entry's impact.
45:30Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified
45:40about our latest videos.
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45:45If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
45:511.
45:52Robert Downey Jr. – Tony Stark – Iron Man
45:55Could it really have been anyone else?
45:57As is now public knowledge, Robert Downey Jr. went through a severe dark period in the
46:02late 90s and early 2000s that saw him battle substance use disorder.
46:07You have a lot of nerve showing up here tonight.
46:10Can I at least get a reaction from you?
46:13Panic.
46:14I would say panic.
46:15This took a huge toll on his career, and people were genuinely shocked by his casting as Marvel's
46:19Iron Man despite his recently sustained sobriety.
46:22I'm just not the hero type, clearly.
46:25With this laundry list of character defects, all the mistakes I made, largely public.
46:31All reservations evaporated when the film was released, as Downey rode a wave of critical
46:35acclaim as the star of one of the best superhero movies of all time.
46:40From this, the highest-grossing movie franchise was shaped in the form of the Marvel Cinematic
46:44Universe, which employed Downey for an additional 11 years and made him one of the highest-paid
46:49stars on the planet.
46:51I am Iron Man.
46:59What other actors rescued themselves from the brink of irrelevance?
47:02Sound off in the comments below.
47:04If the way I raised your mother means that she hates me, but that she's prepared for
47:13the horrors of this world, then I can live with that.
47:18Did you enjoy this video?
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