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Reasons you don't hear from Jennifer Connelly anymore

posted 6 years ago by TMC-4 (19447)
7 replies | jump to latest

http://www.looper.com/127075/reasons-you-dont-hear-from-jennifer-connelly-anymore/

Whether playing an ingenue in The Hot Spot, a humiliated drug addict in Requiem for a Dream, the wife of a schizophrenic mathematician in A Beautiful Mind (for which she won an Academy Award), or any one of dozens of other roles in movies both big and small, Jennifer Connelly is a captivating presence on the screen. She's the best thing about bad movies, gives the best performance in great movies, and holds herself to a standard most actors cannot attain. At the same time, she is intent on raising her children and being present for her husband, a fellow actor, adjusting priorities and her schedule in a manner that tends to keep stars out of the spotlight.

This has indeed happened to Connelly. In recent years, she has taken on roles in smaller films — independent, low-budget films that might take weeks to shoot instead of months — and spread out the time between them. She has taken on causes that are important to her and spoken about them in front of the camera. She works deliberately, but not always on things that bring the most exposure. This might be about to change, but before it does, let's take a look at why Jennifer Connelly has spent so much time of late in the shadows.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

I just saw her in that fire movie.

[–] TMC-4 (19447) 6 years ago

https://www.therichest.com/world-entertainment/20-actors-that-hollywood-wont-work-with-any-longer-but-should/4/?utm_source=quora&utm_medium=referral

A masterful actor who consistently popped up in movies that garnered huge followings over the years, Jennifer Connelly is an award-winning actress that has shown her ability to find hit films too. Remembered for movies that were a big deal over several decades, she was in classics like Labyrinth, Career Opportunities, The Rocketeer, Dark City, Requiem for a Dream, and A Beautiful Mind too. However, since 2014’s Noah, it seems like Hollywood has forgotten what she can do since her only notable part came as a voice in the 2017 film Spider-Man: Homecoming, but we’re not counting that. Someone we need to see a lot more often on the big screen, there is very little that she can’t do in movies if only she was given the chance.

[–] DracTarashV2 (4475) 6 years ago

She’s got “Alita: Battle Angel” & “Top Gun: Maverick” on the way. Two high-profile movies that will certainly put her back in the spotlight again (particularly the latter).

Oh, and I’m guessing she’ll be back as “Karen” in the Spider-Man sequel. Yes, it’s a notable role in its own right. She brought more to that movie than some might give her credit for.

Anyhow, after starring in mostly indie productions in the last couple of years, it’ll be really nice to see her in some big movies again. With that said, sometimes these articles/videos never hold up! 😁

[–] TMC-4 (19447) 4 years ago

https://www.quora.com/What-happened-to-Jennifer-Connellys-career/answer/Jon-Mixon-1

The films that should have made her into a major star all bombed - Labyrinth, Career Opportunities, The Rocketeer, Requiem for a Dream, and Hulk all bombed at the box office. Connelly would be a MUCH bigger star if even ONE of the above had been a hit.

She seems to have been uncertain as to what she wanted to be - Career Opportunities and The Hot Spot had her primed to be a sex kitten. However after she underwent breast reduction surgery, she primarily went after more serious roles. It’s likely very difficult to cast her as she’s decent at comedy and a pretty good (although not great) dramatic actor.

She has three children - She seems to have decided to put family above her career and that’s a decision that comes with consequences. Not saying that it’s bad thing at all. However, it does mean that she probably lost roles and thus exposure.

She did Noah - While the 2014 film made some money, it under-performed and it dragged both Connelly and co-star Russell Crowe down with it. It was her last leading actor role in a big budget film until her 2020 turn in the Top Gun sequel, so it certainly didn’t help her out.

She’ll be 50 in 2020 - While Connelly is a very attractive woman, she’s in a business where women half her age are the desired actors for most of the roles that she would “fit”. While that’s not fair, the entertainment business’ lack of fairness is so well known that it’s a narrative trope. Connelly’s time was probably in the 1990s and it just didn’t happen for her.

Frankly, unless Top Gun: Maverick is a major hit (and that’s not looking too likely) Jennifer Connelly is going to finish her career in Hollywood as a character actor. While most people wouldn’t complain about that, it doesn’t seem to be where she wanted her career to go.

[–] Theman (1072) 2 years ago

Didn’t she get some bad publicity because she played a “Karen” even though she was not a “Karen”.

[–] TMC-4 (19447) 3 years ago

https://www.quora.com/q/gmfinfolbbfvuwot/Is-Jennifer-Connelly-still-an-A-list-actress-1

But beyond a turn in the big studio film Hulk and a few other studio films, she never hit the A-list.

And a lot of that is by choice. She decided to take on more challenging and darker roles because that’s what appealed to her most. And because of those choices, Hollywood knew not to put her on shortlists for major roles in major studio movies.

When she started having a family with Paul Bettany, she had even less desire to be cast in major roles. She still takes some now and then (she’ll be in the upcoming Top Gun: Maverick), but she prefers to spend most of her time being a loving and dedicated mother and wife.

That said, she is and always will be a sought-after actress for major roles. She’s just never been one of those A-list actresses. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. It’s partly by choice, and partly as a result of the choices she’s made in her career.

She’s one of the most underrated actresses out there.

[–] PaladinNJ (20324) 2 years ago

She's been doing Snowpiercer for the last three years. Really good job as well.