17 Films That Ended Up Destroying Their Actors’ Careers
Some movies make stars, while others bring them down hard.
Behind all the glitz and premiere lights, a few films became turning points that actors couldn’t bounce back from.
Bad scripts, messy productions, and roles that completely missed the mark turned promising careers into cautionary tales. What started as a shot at success ended in setbacks that lingered for years.
1. Showgirls – Elizabeth Berkley
Fresh off her wholesome role on Saved by the Bell, Berkley took a massive gamble with this notorious 1995 drama. Critics savaged the film for its over-the-top performances and exploitative content.
What should have been a breakthrough became a punchline. Her career never recovered from the backlash, despite the film later gaining cult status. Sometimes taking risks backfires spectacularly.
2. Batman & Robin – Alicia Silverstone
After Clueless made her America’s sweetheart, Silverstone suited up as Batgirl in this superhero disaster.
The film became infamous for its campy tone, terrible dialogue, and those controversial bat-nipples on the costumes.
Critics and fans alike demolished it. Her promising career momentum screeched to a halt. The franchise went into hibernation for nearly a decade afterward.
3. The Love Guru – Mike Myers
Myers built comedy gold with Austin Powers and Wayne’s World, but this 2008 misfire changed everything. Audiences found the humor offensive rather than funny, and critics were merciless in their reviews.
Box office numbers were embarrassing for such a big star. He basically disappeared from movies after this bomb. Even comedy legends can stumble hard enough to end their reign.
4. Tank Girl – Lori Petty
Petty looked like the next big action star after A League of Their Own, but this punk-rock comic adaptation tanked spectacularly.
The film’s chaotic style confused audiences who expected straightforward entertainment.
Studio interference ruined the director’s vision completely. Petty found herself typecast and struggling for decent roles afterward.
5. Mommie Dearest – Faye Dunaway
An Oscar winner with serious credentials, Dunaway tackled this Joan Crawford biography with intense commitment.
Her performance became legendary for all the wrong reasons, spawning endless parodies and memes.
The over-the-top wire hanger scene became cultural shorthand for camp. Hollywood stopped taking her seriously after this. Ironically, the film gained cult classic status while destroying her reputation.
6. Mallrats – Shannen Doherty
Coming off Beverly Hills 90210 fame, Doherty joined Kevin Smith’s sophomore effort hoping for indie credibility.
The film bombed hard at the box office despite eventually finding a devoted fanbase on home video.
Her difficult reputation on set made things worse. Studios became hesitant to hire her for major projects. Sometimes timing and temperament combine to sink careers.
7. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – Jake Lloyd
Landing young Anakin Skywalker seemed like every kid’s dream come true, but the reality became a nightmare.
Fans ruthlessly criticized his performance, blaming a child for dialogue and direction beyond his control.
Relentless bullying followed him through school and beyond. He quit acting entirely, unable to escape the shadow. The toxic fandom destroyed his childhood and mental health.
8. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen – Sean Connery
Bond himself couldn’t save this muddled adaptation of Alan Moore’s brilliant comic. Production was reportedly nightmarish, with constant script rewrites and tension between Connery and the director.
The legendary actor became so frustrated with modern filmmaking that he retired completely. One terrible experience ended the career of cinema royalty. He never appeared in another film afterward.
9. The Island of Dr. Moreau – Val Kilmer
This production became legendary for all the wrong reasons, with Kilmer’s difficult behavior making headlines. The original director quit, Brando acted bizarrely, and chaos reigned throughout filming.
Kilmer’s reputation for being impossible to work with solidified after this disaster. Major studios started avoiding him for leading roles.
Behind-the-scenes nightmares can destroy careers as effectively as box office bombs.
10. Catwoman – Halle Berry
An Oscar winner taking on a beloved comic character should have worked perfectly.
Instead, this became one of the worst superhero movies ever made, with Berry’s costume and the ridiculous basketball scene becoming instant memes.
She famously accepted her Razzie Award in person. Her A-list status took a serious hit. Even Academy Award winners aren’t immune to career-damaging disasters.
11. Battlefield Earth – John Travolta
Travolta’s passion project based on L. Ron Hubbard’s novel became a spectacular failure. The bizarre camera angles, ridiculous plot, and hammy performances made it an instant laughingstock.
His Scientology connections made the backlash even worse. The film regularly appears on worst-ever lists.
12. Heaven’s Gate – Kris Kristofferson
This infamous western nearly bankrupted United Artists and became Hollywood’s cautionary tale about runaway budgets. The production was a disaster, and the final cut was incomprehensible to audiences.
Kristofferson, the lead actor, saw his film career evaporate overnight. The entire New Hollywood movement collapsed partly because of this. Financial disasters leave everyone involved scrambling for work.
13. Pluto Nash – Eddie Murphy
Murphy was one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, but this futuristic comedy lost over $90 million at the box office. The jokes fell flat, the special effects looked cheap, and audiences stayed far away.
His box office power evaporated after this bomb. Studios stopped offering him huge paychecks for comedies.
14. Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot – Sylvester Stallone
Stallone himself calls this his worst movie ever, which says everything. The action star paired with Estelle Getty in a comedy that nobody wanted to see.
Critics destroyed it, and audiences ignored it completely. His tough-guy image took serious damage from this embarrassing misfire. Stallone spent years trying to rebuild his credibility.
15. Waterworld – Kevin Costner
The most expensive movie ever made at the time became a punchline for Hollywood excess. Production problems plagued filming, with the budget ballooning out of control.
Costner’s reputation as a golden boy evaporated overnight. Though the film eventually broke even, his A-list status was permanently damaged. Box office kings can fall hard when ambition exceeds execution.
16. Glitter – Mariah Carey
Music superstars often struggle with acting, but Carey’s vanity project crashed spectacularly. Released days before September 11th, the film disappeared quickly amid terrible reviews.
Her acting was panned, and the soundtrack underperformed. She suffered a publicized breakdown shortly after.
The disaster derailed her film ambitions completely. Crossing over from music to movies remains treacherous territory for even megastars.
17. Swept Away – Madonna
Madonna’s acting career never gained traction, but this remake directed by her then-husband Guy Ritchie hit rock bottom. Critics savaged her wooden performance and the film’s outdated gender politics.
It won multiple Razzies and killed any remaining film ambitions. Her marriage to Ritchie also ended badly. Some pop stars should stick to music instead of pursuing Hollywood dreams that never materialize.
