Why was Kelly McGillis’ career so short lived?

She turned down what became Jodie Foster's role in The Accused because it was too close to home.

https://www.datalounge.com/thread/30187043-actresses-who-were-going-to-be-the-next-big-thing...but-weren-t-

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio was too ethnic, thus hard to cast (that amazing hair!). Then she married that Irish director and moved to the UK.

I think Kelly McGillis's personal demons were a big factor in her failure to go further.

Anne Heche got lucky in the first place. Not surprised she didn't last. Unremarkable actress, unremarkable looks.

Diana Scarwid had a string of strong supporting roles in quality projects throughout the nineties and into the 2000s. But she never had the charisma of a leading lady.

The hype surrounding Julia Ormond was based on two things: the industry obsession with finding another Julia Roberts while JR was off on her strung-out sabbatical, and the fact that Ormond was Mike Ovitz's mistress. She's a good actress who has done solid work for years now, but she never had the makings of a real Hollywood star. That was all Ovitz.

Shailene Woodley is another one who just got lucky. When I watched Big Little Lies I couldn't get over her presence in that cast. She is totally average in every way.

by Anonymous reply 37 January 30, 2022 12:14 PM

The filming of Cat Caller seemed to be the breaking point.

https://lebeauleblog.com/2016/08/16/what-the-hell-happened-to-kelly-mcgillis/

So, what the hell happened?

McGillis became famous practically overnight. Top Gun was only her third theatrical film. That level of fame is tough for anyone to deal with, but McGillis was completely unprepared. She was dealing with some crippling personal issues as a closeted gay woman and a rape survivor. Unfortunately, she dealt with those problems by self-medicating. The drugs and alcohol only made things worse.

Eventually, something had to give. Unhappy with her career, McGillis walked away from Hollywood. She never fully stopped acting, but she avoided the harsh spotlight of a mainstream movie career. Today, she continues to work on television, stage and screen.