MovieChat Forums > General Discussion > One Hit Wonder actors.

One Hit Wonder actors.

posted 3 years ago by Drooch (5333)
52 replies | jump to latest

Can you think of any actors that slayed in an early role, only to never reach the same heights again despite being cast loads? I’ll start...

1. Matthew Broderick. Ferris Bueller is an icon, an institution, a legend - expertly brought to life by Broderick. The only things I recall him doing since were Godzilla ‘98 and The Cable Guy, and he was creepy and bland in both.

2. Jason Patrick. Incredibly cool and sullen as ‘Michael... Michael’ in The Lost Boys, now plays bland cucks like in Sleepers and In The Valley Of Elah.

It’s like both men had a great debut then had their edges sanded off once they turned 30.

So, who else can you think of that suffered the same fate?

[–] Wint3rFir3 (6923) 3 years ago

Edward Furlong always comes to mind.

[–] Drooch (5333) 3 years ago

Good call.

[–] Wint3rFir3 (6923) 3 years ago

Thanks.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

Christopher Lambert (highlander).
Claire Forlani (Meet Joe Black).
Farrah Fawcett (Charlie's Angels)
David Carindine (Kung Fu)
Chris Tucker (Rush Hour)
Brandon Lee (The Crow)

Of course, with Brandon he died shooting the Crow, but I don't think he would have gotten anything noteworthy afterwards given his lackluster movies that preceded The Crow.

[–] Who (5146) 3 years ago

Mark Hamill - Star Wars
Karen Lyn Gormey - Saturday Night Fever
Ray Liotta - Goodfellas
Macauley Culkin - Home Alone
Alicia Silverstone - Clueless
Jennifer Beals - Flashdance
Billy Zane - Titanic

[–] Drooch (5333) 3 years ago

I don’t really think of Liotta and Zane as one hit wonders, they’ve had pretty solid careers, but the others I agree with. What the hell happened to Alicia Silverstone??

[–] Knish (1721) 3 years ago

that kid that was in the shining

[–] bobbydallas (8059) 3 years ago

i only liked Matthew Broderick in 'Glory'
otherwise he is just meh.

[–] BullSchmidt (3189) 3 years ago

Add me to that list. I thought I had a promising career after my part in Stripes, where I played Some Guy In The Background -- I was an extra in the graduation scene -- but I never got work again. I certainly wasn't "cast loads."

You could add a lot of child actors to that list, even the ones who were cast a lot after their hit parts. Eve Plumb and Gary Coleman both worked steadily after The Brady Bunch and Diff'rent Strokes, but neither is well known for anything other than those series.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

[deleted]

[–] yatzo376 (7449) 3 years ago

Jason Miller father Damien in The Exorsist
He was also very good in The Nickel Ride then poof ...gone