Ralek

This is a thread to list the names of any actors that you thought should have become big stars, but instead seemed to disappear for whatever reason.

My pick:

Mira Sorvino - She wont an oscar and shes a very good looking actress. Usually the combination of an oscar plus looks is pretty much a lock for stardom in Hollywood. Now all she does is made for TV movies...what happened?

FinkPish

Michael Biehn. He was in The Terminator, Aliens, and The Abyss within 5 years and never became a leading man action hero, at least not on a higher level.

Ralek

Yeah, I always wondered about that Michael Biehn guy.

GeorgeP

John Diehl
Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Courtney B. Vance
Regina Taylor
Sam Waterston
Viggo Mortenson
Eric Bogosian

Cellar Door

Bridget Fonda

FinkPish

Most of those I agree with, but Viggo Mortensen? We aren't that far out from Lord of the Rings, and already you think he's disappeared and missed his chance to become a star? Also, Sam Waterston has been on Law and Order for the last 12 years, so I wouldn't say he's not a star either.

Edit: actually, I don't see how any of those people you listed, other than Cuba Gooding, were given the chance to become a star and somehow came up short. Most of them are character actors who end up famous enough on their face, if not their name.

Count Dooku

Peter Scolari and Amy Linker

Legolas

Madchen Amick -- thought she was super hot in Twin Peaks, and then had her performance of a lifetime with Dream Lover. I guess it wasn't a big enough film for her to to launch from.

Since we're on Twin Peaks, how about Kyle MacLachlan? He had the lead role in his first three movies, and that first season of Twin Peaks was bigger than Lost.

Rockmjd23

Well, there was a little old movie called Showgirls that may have ruined it....

Charlie Goose

Ellen Barkin - After The Big Easy and Sea of Love, she seemed on her way to being the next big thing. Still a name though.

Russ Tamblyn
Ted Neeley
Maxine Bahns

j123vt_99

I think Cuba was given the chance and the public got sick of him... You can only hear "Show me the money" and see him be an idiot at The Oscars for so long before you get tired of his act... and then he takes roles in Boat Trip and Snow Dogs?? Was he really expecting great success from them?

tcoursen

You forgot Tombstone

BobDole42

I really want to see Nathan Fillion become the next Harrison Ford. If he doesn't become a star in the next few years, he deserves a spot in this thread.

NitroJMS

He was great in Slither, only that movie had a modest box office take at best. I think we'll see more of him eventually since Serenity fans love him and he has a great natural charm and charisma.

Jericho

I wouldn't agree with that statement. I don't think people said to themselves, I'd see this movie if Cuba Gooding Jr. wasn't in it. I think it's more a case of him doing movies that either: a) looked stupid (i.e. Boat Trip) or b) no one cared about (i.e. Radio, Men of Honor, Instinct). Not sure why he picked those movies (the old adage of black male not getting good parts? or jut bad choices), but I don't think the public has a problem with him.

There are some good nominees in this thread. I agree about Mira Sorvino. Even her Oscar win was in a movie no one really saw. She's been in few movies anyone's really seen. And I would have thought that would be different. Don't know why.

Patman

Marisa Tomei? (Love the Hanes commercial, though)

Dr. DVD

Elisabeth Shue- she got nominated for Leaving Las Vegas, and then appeared in a few films subsequently, but I haven't seen her in anything high profile since Hollow Man. She's still rather attractive IMO.

While she more or less is a star now, I wonder why it took so long for Diane Lane to get good parts, as she was in a whole lot of stuff in the 80s.

ChristopherS

Parker Posey
Molly Parker

Perkinsun Dzees

Here's an older thread that might give you some more names to add to the list:

http://forum.dvdtalk.com/showthread.php?t=389794

Ralek

I disagree with Cuba Gooding Jr. I find that many people are annoyed by his acting style, and he also is somewhat of a character actor.

So far in this thread, I agree with:

Marisa Tomei -
Michael Beihn
Mira Sorvino
Elizabeth Shue

A lot of people are naming random actors who have talent, but not that star quality. Talent alone usually doesn't bring an actor to stardom in Hollywood.

The ones I listed seemed to have it all. They could act well enough, they had the looks of a star, and 2 of them won oscars. Actors like them make you scratch your head and wonder how they did not become big names in Hollywood.

FRwL

Mark Hammil always perplexed me, Corvette Summer, Star Wars, The Big Red One, and then all those cartoons and tv series? Of course after Star Wars he met a dental nurse when he needed his teeth fixed up after his surgery, they got married soon after, had three kids and they're still together today... that sounds to be a success.

Palpadious

I always wondered why Michael Madsen never made it big.

slabinskia

I thought Josh Hartnett would make it big after Black Hawk Down (love that movie btw). I think the problem might be that he went on to make Hollywood Homicide.

Kudama

After 2010, I won't be surprised if Jupiter doesn't become a star. (We could do it ourselves given the initiative.)

This is the Terraforming Forum, right?

wm lopez

The guy from FLASHDANCE, his name I think is Michael Nuri.