actors/actresses who could have been great but squandered their potential

her34 · 07-21-07, 05:24 PM

when you think about actors who could have been great but never happened, who do you think of and why (scandal, poor movie choices, etc)?

DthRdrX · 07-21-07, 05:50 PM

First name that comes to mind ... River Phoenix

Super X · 07-21-07, 05:53 PM

Jan-Michael Vincent (was great when he was sober, lost his way when the booze took over)

Cuba Gooding Jr. (I've been scratching my head over every film choice this guy has made since "Jerry Maguire".)

Robert Forster (Poor movie choices for several decades.)

JPRaup · 07-21-07, 06:00 PM

Edward Norton, he is great, but lately :/

7Keys · 07-21-07, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JPRaup

Edward Norton, he is great, but lately :/

Is that a reflection of Norton phoning it in or just because there hasn't been any great roles for him to choose from?

scott1598 · 07-21-07, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DthRdrX

First name that comes to mind ... River Phoenix

but....he died, so how can you make a statement like that with only the few movies (most he got good reviews for) he made prior to, um...dying?

clemente · 07-21-07, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scott1598

but....he died, so how can you make a statement like that with only the few movies (most he got good reviews for) he made prior to, um...dying?

I think it falls under the "squandered" category since he died of an OD.

GeorgeP · 07-21-07, 07:05 PM

John Belushi (looking burned out as early as "Continental Divide")

Todd Bridges ("Different Strokes")

Macaulay Culkin (Kit's a helluva dad

)

Bobby Driscoll ("Song of the South")

Woody Harrelson (could have been A-list after "Natural Born Killers")

Lukas Haas ("Witness")

Anne Heche ("Psycho" remake)

Olivia Hussey (what happened after "Romeo and Juliet"?

)

David Janssen ("The Fugitive")

Juliette Lewis (see Harrelson)

Sal Mineo ("Rebel Without a Cause")

Jay North ("Dennis the Menace")

Dana Plato (see Bridges)

Freddie Prinze ("Chico and the Man")

PopcornTreeCt · 07-21-07, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scott1598

but....he died, so how can you make a statement like that with only the few movies (most he got good reviews for) he made prior to, um...dying?

River Phoenix is the definitive answer to the thread question.

Rockmjd23 · 07-21-07, 07:17 PM

Had the most potential...

cleaver · 07-21-07, 07:27 PM

Christian Slater was huge coming out of the 80's with Heathers and Gleaming the Cube but he can't stay out of jail. Robert Downey, Jr. is having a rebirth but he really could have been great. Likewise Charlie Sheen.

Defiant1 · 07-21-07, 07:30 PM

Val Kilmer's reported on-set behaviour really killed his career. His looks have really taken a beating too. I've seen him in a few movies and really liked him.

The Bus · 07-21-07, 08:35 PM

Val Kilmer? Really? If squandering means doing stuff like Spartan and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, I hope he continues.

7Keys · 07-21-07, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeorgeP

Todd Bridges ("Different Strokes")
Dana Plato (see Bridges)
Freddie Prinze ("Chico and the Man")

They could have been great?

Jericho · 07-21-07, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockmjd23

Had the most potential...

classic!

DthRdrX · 07-21-07, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scott1598

but....he died, so how can you make a statement like that with only the few movies (most he got good reviews for) he made prior to, um...dying?

I'd say ODing on drugs is the same as squandering your own downfall.

Perkinsun Dzees · 07-21-07, 09:59 PM

DthRdrX · 07-21-07, 10:09 PM

Wesley Snipes is definitely another good suggestion. I have to wonder if he was blacklisted?

Sweet Baby James · 07-21-07, 10:12 PM

I really thought that Rutger Hauer was going to be great after seeing him play Roy Batty. Unfortunately(although I do enjoy some of these movies), he went the B movie route. I also thought that Mickey Rourke was going to have a bigger career after seeing him in The Pope of Greenwich Village.

PopcornTreeCt · 07-21-07, 10:39 PM

Gerard Butler comes off the box office smash 300 to star in an Escape from NY remake!

UAIOE · 07-21-07, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Perkinsun Dzees

Wesley Snipes career: what happens when you always bet on black.

Sweet Baby James · 07-21-07, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UAIOE

Wesley Snipes career: what happens when you always bet on black.

His career is so bad right now that it's only a matter of time until he takes Joe Rogan up on a smackdown.

FRwL · 07-21-07, 11:34 PM

Steven Seagal

cranberries fan · 07-22-07, 12:15 AM

George Reeves-(Superman)-and then the show goes off the air the man could not get job.

William Holden great actor by loved to drink way to much,he got very old very fast because of it

.
Marilyn Monroe she could had be much better actress if she had tried harder.

TheStoicPaisano · 07-22-07, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cranberries fan

\ Last edited by cranberries fan : 07-22-07 at 12:17 AM. Reason: missing a few things

Try again.

07-21-07, 05:24 PM	#1
her34 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 300	actors/actresses who could have been great but squandered their potential when you think about actors who could have been great but never happened, who do you think of and why (scandal, poor movie choices, etc)?

07-21-07, 07:05 PM	#8
GeorgeP Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Phoenix Posts: 319	John Belushi (looking burned out as early as "Continental Divide") Todd Bridges ("Different Strokes") Macaulay Culkin (Kit's a helluva dad ) Bobby Driscoll ("Song of the South") Woody Harrelson (could have been A-list after "Natural Born Killers") Lukas Haas ("Witness") Anne Heche ("Psycho" remake) Olivia Hussey (what happened after "Romeo and Juliet"? ) David Janssen ("The Fugitive") Juliette Lewis (see Harrelson) Sal Mineo ("Rebel Without a Cause") Jay North ("Dennis the Menace") Dana Plato (see Bridges) Freddie Prinze ("Chico and the Man") __________________ "The Fugitive": best television drama series ever, no matter what your Bochco-worshiping, Dick Wolf-gorging friends say. Now on DVD! Last edited by GeorgeP; 07-21-07 at 07:18 PM.

07-21-07, 07:27 PM	#11
cleaver DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Jobland Posts: 2,630	Christian Slater was huge coming out of the 80's with Heathers and Gleaming the Cube but he can't stay out of jail. Robert Downey, Jr. is having a rebirth but he really could have been great. Likewise Charlie Sheen. __________________ The list is long, but distinguished. http://theskinnypost.blogspot.com/ Oh get a job? Just get a job? Why don't I strap on my job helmet, and squeeze into a job cannon, and fire off into job land, where jobs grow on jobbies?

07-21-07, 07:30 PM	#12
Defiant1 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 480	Val Kilmer's reported on-set behaviour really killed his career. His looks have really taken a beating too. I've seen him in a few movies and really liked him. __________________ "In war, the law falls silent."

07-21-07, 08:35 PM	#13
The Bus DVD Talk Hero Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Delaware Posts: 44,412	Val Kilmer? Really? If squandering means doing stuff like Spartan and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, I hope he continues. __________________ XBL/PSN/Steam: Chiwotweiler \| hd dvdaf \| last.fm \| Movies: 2002 / 03 / 04 / 05 / 06 / 07 / 08 / 09 / 10 "That wasn't logic. Don't soil the word.'" - nevermind

07-21-07, 05:50 PM	#2
DthRdrX DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Pa Posts: 5,418	First name that comes to mind ... River Phoenix

07-21-07, 05:53 PM	#3
Super X Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 322	Jan-Michael Vincent (was great when he was sober, lost his way when the booze took over) Cuba Gooding Jr. (I've been scratching my head over every film choice this guy has made since "Jerry Maguire".) Robert Forster (Poor movie choices for several decades.)

07-21-07, 06:00 PM	#4
JPRaup Banned Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: NY Posts: 1,722	Edward Norton, he is great, but lately :/

07-21-07, 07:17 PM	#10
Rockmjd23 DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: MA Posts: 14,639	Had the most potential...

07-21-07, 09:59 PM	#17
Perkinsun Dzees DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: CA Posts: 1,405

07-21-07, 10:09 PM	#18
DthRdrX DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Pa Posts: 5,418	Wesley Snipes is definitely another good suggestion. I have to wonder if he was blacklisted?

07-21-07, 10:12 PM	#19
Sweet Baby James DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Connecticut Posts: 8,581	I really thought that Rutger Hauer was going to be great after seeing him play Roy Batty. Unfortunately(although I do enjoy some of these movies), he went the B movie route. I also thought that Mickey Rourke was going to have a bigger career after seeing him in The Pope of Greenwich Village.

07-21-07, 10:39 PM	#20
PopcornTreeCt DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 15,802	Gerard Butler comes off the box office smash 300 to star in an Escape from NY remake! __________________

07-21-07, 11:34 PM	#23
FRwL Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 781	Steven Seagal

07-22-07, 12:15 AM	#24
cranberries fan DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: West Richland,WA Posts: 1,470	George Reeves-(Superman)-and then the show goes off the air the man could not get job. William Holden great actor by loved to drink way to much,he got very old very fast because of it . Marilyn Monroe she could had be much better actress if she had tried harder. Last edited by cranberries fan; 07-22-07 at 12:17 AM. Reason: missing a few things