Actors Who Can't Find Work And Why Hollywood Isn't Hiring Them

The majority of people who move to Hollywood come with dreams of making it big. Some make it to superstardom after just one or two big roles, but then, almost as if out of nowhere, it can all come to an abrupt end. Having a successful career in Hollywood involves more than just one or two big roles; it's about making the right choices to ensure that you stay in demand. In the world of acting, nothing stays the same for very long because there are always new stars arriving on the scene. It can be a ruthless place where one wrong move, step, or action can ruin a career in the blink of an eye.

Hilary Swank has starred in several blockbuster films such as Boys Don't Cry and Million Dollar Baby. She has also been nominated for an Academy Award twice and won both times. She has proven that she has the ability to transform her body and persona, take on challenging roles, and give them depth. 

Chris Owen quickly made a name for himself as Chuck Sherman in the hit coming-of-age comedy film American Pie. He also played that character for all of the film's sequels, including American Pie Presents: Band Camp. 

Ashley Greene is best known for her role as Alice Cullen in The Twilight Saga film franchise. Her performance earned her five Teen Choice Awards, and she was named Female Superstar of Tomorrow at the Young Hollywood Awards. 

Hayden Christensen did some of his best work in the film Life as a House, which won him praise from critics. He also received praise from critics for his portrayal of fraudster reporter Stephen Glass in the film Shattered Glass. 

Drew Barrymore was lucky enough to be born into a family of actors, so it wasn't a surprise that she also ended up in Hollywood. She started as a child actor, and her transition to an adult actor was far from smooth. She struggled with drug addiction and family issues, but she straightened out her life, and her career took off. 

Macaulay Culkin actually started in Hollywood at the young age of four, and he was only ten years old when he took on the role of Kevin McCallister in Home Alone. Home Alone and Home Alone 2 made him an overnight sensation all over the world, and his career continued with roles in Richie Rich, The Good Son, and The Pagemaster. 

Catherine Zeta-Jones wanted to be an actress from a very young age, and by the early 2000s, she looked unstoppable. Almost every film she did was a great success, like Entrapment, The Legend of Zorro, and Traffic. In addition, her role as Velma Kelly in the musical Chicago won her a Best Supporting Actress Oscar. 

Brendon Fraser is best known for his role in The Mummy trilogy, which took place from 1999 until 2008. He mainly did odd, zany roles, which you can only do so long if you are trying to build a career as a serious actor. 

Kevin Costner became a famous actor after starring in movies like The Bodyguard, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and Dances with Wolves. He is clearly very talented as he has received two Academy Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and one Emmy Award. 

Jessica Alba is a beautiful actress, but looks will only get you so far. She has won a Choice Actress Teen Choice Award and the Saturn Award for Best Actress on Television for her role in the TV series Dark Angel. However, she has also made some bad decisions; for example, starring in Fantastic Four, Awake, and The Eye. 

Julia Stiles rose to fame in the early 2000s when she starred in Down to You, 10 Things I Hate About You, and Save the Last Dance. In addition, she won several Teen Choice Awards for her roles. However, she then took roles in Mona Lisa Smile, The Omen, and A Guy Thing, which all crashed at the box office. Julia's career declined as fast as it had risen. 

Jim Carrey's career was at its highest in the mid-90s and early 2000s. He was the comedy king of the box office with hits like Dumb and Dumber, Liar Liar, and The Mask. Each one of those hits brought in one hundred million dollars. 

Sarah Michelle Gellar first became famous after appearing in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She then starred in the moderately successful films Scream 2, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and Cruel Intentions. 

John Cusack became famous for his roles in Better Off Dead and Sixteen Candles in the 1980s. In the 1990s, he still had successful roles in Con Air, Pushing Tin, Serendipity, Being John Malkovich, Grosse Pointe Blank, and High Fidelity. 

Jennifer Love Hewitt seemed to have a bright future in the acting world in the mid to late 1990s. She became famous after starring in Party of Five, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and its sequel. However, after appearing in The Tuxedo, her career cooled off considerably. 

Kirk Cameron started in Hollywood at a young age and was a child actor in several television shows and films. He is probably best known for his role as Mike Seaver on the sitcom Growing Pains. He also appeared in Like Father Like Son and Listen to Me. 

Roseanne Barr became famous for her role in Roseanne, but she is also one of Hollywood's most controversial figures. In 2018, she went too far, writing a racist tweet about Valerie Jarrett, a Senior Advisor to former President Barack Obama. 

Tippi Hedren started her career as a fashion model but was later discovered by Alfred Hitchcock. She got her big break when she starred in The Birds and Marnie. However, the relationship between Tippi and Alfred soon became ugly. 

Isaiah Washington is a Hollywood veteran with dozens of films and television credits to his name. He is best known for his role as Preston Burke in Grey's Anatomy. Unfortunately, he was let go from the show and basically blacklisted by Hollywood after he used a homophobic slur about a castmate. 

Mel Gibson was very popular and successful throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. He starred in blockbusters like The Year of Living Dangerously, Hacksaw Ridge, Braveheart, What Women Want, and Lethal Weapon. 

Thora Birch has been in several popular films such as Hocus Pocus, Now and Then, and American Beauty. She started as a child actor and became a bona fide star in the late 1990s and early 2000s. 

Charlie Sheen is a talented actor and was once one of the highest-paid TV actors. He is most known for his roles on Two and a Half Men, The Rookie, Wall Street, and Young Guns. 

Vince Vaughn was once one of the most successful and busiest actors in the business. He was popular for being quick-witted and a lovable guy in Swingers, Old School, and Wedding Crashers. He has since disappeared from Hollywood, mainly because of his own limited range as an actor and his political views. 

Stacey Dash is an actress and talk show host who became well known for her roles in Clueless and Outnumbered. However, she then started publicly sharing her controversial views. 

Rose McGowan is best known for her role in Charmed. However, she is also known as one of the people who called out the disgusting acts of Harvey Weinstein. Sadly, Weinstein has tried to blacklist her from Hollywood. 

Katherine Heigl was a leading lady at one point and was heavily sought after for lead roles. She starred in Grey's Anatomy, Knocked Up, Love Comes Softly, and The Ugly Truth. Lately, she hasn't been in any high-profile roles, and there is a reason for that. 

Eddie Murphy was a huge star in the 1980s and 1990s for his acting and stand-up comedy. He starred in films such as The Nutty Professor, Coming to America, and Beverly Hills Cop. It looked like he would be in the spotlight for a long time. 

Taylor Lautner is best known for his role as Jacob Black in The Twilight Saga and became an instant sex symbol. Taylor was named the highest-earning teen actor by People Magazine in 2010. 

Cameron Diaz rose to fame after starring in There's Something About Mary, Charlie's Angels, and The Mask. It was the film The Mask that launched her career, but interestingly enough, she didn't know how to act before it. 

John Travolta was a megastar in Hollywood after starring in Pulp Fiction, Grease, Face/Off, Saturday Night Fever, and Hairspray. John has been nominated and won several awards throughout his career. Sadly, his last several years haven't been the easiest, with his young son dying in 2009 and his wife, Kelly Preston, dying in 2020 from cancer. 

Hugh Grant was a big star at one point with lead roles in Love Actually, 4 Weddings and A Funeral, and Notting Hill. He has received several awards, including a Golden Globe Award and a BAFTA Award. 

Nicolas Cage was extremely popular from the mid-1990s until the mid-2000s. He starred in Leaving Las Vegas, National Treasure, Lord of War, Face/Off, and so many more hits. 

Seann William Scott is best known for his role as Stifler in the American Pie films. He then went on to have moderate success in films like Ice Age and Dukes of Hazzard. 

Lindsay Lohan hasn't had the easiest life and seems to always find trouble. She is best known for her role in Mean Girls. She is also known for her constant partying and goofiness, along with struggling with addiction. 

Jennifer Lopez is a well-known actress and singer. She has starred in Selena, Enough, and Monster-In-Law. However, many have said that she comes with a long list of demands that need to be met in order for her to be in a movie. 

Thomas Gibson is most known for his role in Criminal Minds, and he has also starred in Far and Away and Chicago Hope. Gibson is also known for having some serious anger management issues. 

Sharon Stone became popular after starring in Basic Instinct, Casino, and Total Recall. She is also known for throwing fits like a young girl on movie sets if she doesn't get what she wants. 

Shia Labeouf is best known for his role in the Transformers films. He appeared to have a bright future ahead of him, but his career has slowed down because of his bizarre behavior. 

Russell Crowe was a hot commodity at one point in Hollywood. He starred in hits such as Beautiful Mind, Robin Hood, and Gladiator. Unfortunately, Russell has been known to have a bad temper, often shouting at people on set. 

Edward Norton has starred in American History X, Fight Club, and The Illusionist. His career looked to be on the rise, but he got in his own way. He has a habit of hindering the movie's creative process by asking the director to have the final say in post-production, which created tension with many directors on set.

Gwyneth Paltrow is most known for her role in the Iron Man movies. Many that have worked with her have said that she doesn't do well with other actors in the movie who might threaten her monopoly in a film or might overshadow her character. 

Lea Michele is best known for her role in Glee and her relationship with the late Cory Monteith. Several actors from Glee have stated that Lea was extremely hard to work with and downright mean sometimes. 

Teri Hatcher is best known for her role in Desperate Housewives, where she was the lead actress. Her being the lead actress reportedly got between her and the rest of the cast. Nicollette Sheridan called Teri the "meanest woman in the world." 

Chevy Chase got his big break with Saturday Night Live, and then he went on to star in Caddyshack. He is also very well known for his role in the National Lampoon movies. However, his past co-stars have stated that they couldn't stand working with him. 

Shannen Doherty is best known for her role as Brenda Taylor in the popular series Beverly Hills, 90210. Unfortunately, she has earned a reputation as a difficult actress and has been known to have diva-like behavior. 

Mike Myers is known for his silly roles in Wayne's World, Austin Powers, and Shrek. He comes across as a fun-loving person, but others say that he is far from it. He pretty much halted his career when he starred in The Love Guru, which flopped hard. 

Randy Quaid had been a solid comedic actor, and his roles in the National Lampoon movies and Independence Day were great. In fact, he was nominated for an Oscar in 1974. However, everything started to go wrong for the actor. 

Paul Reubens became an overnight sensation after starring as Pee-Wee Herman in the 1980s. He was the subject of two feature films as well as an Emmy-winning children's TV series. However, in 1991 his image changed drastically when he was arrested for indecent exposure at an adult movie theater. 

Jamie Kennedy is best known for his role in Scream and the prank show called The Jamie Kennedy Experiment. But then he took on roles in movies that flopped, such as Son of the Mask and Malibu's Most Wanted.