redtornado

Who are the actors/performers who were cast in the lead role of a movie that was supposed to launch them into movie stardom, but then the movie failed at the boxoffice and they were never cast in the starring role of a movie again (except maybe doing the lead voice in an animated film)?

Some that I could come up with:

Roseanne Barr

Hot off her successful TV series, Roseanne nabbed a starring role in She Devil but the movie fizzled at the boxoffice and she was never cast in a movie's lead role again.

Cindy Crawford

Her much hyped debut feature Fair Game was supposed to vault her into stardom, but after the movie bombed, Cindy went back to modeling.

Ellen Degeneres

After a hit TV sitcom, she was given the lead role in Mr. Wrong, but audiences didn't feel right about it and it's been voiceovers, supporting roles and TV talk show fame ever since.

Howie Long

Following a supporting stint in Broken Arrow, Howie got the lead role in the action flick Firestorm, but the film's boxoffice wasn't very hot and Howie went back to commenting on NFL games.

Any others?

Mondo Kane

She was actually up for both Demolition Man and Speed before that. Wonder if she still hates Sandra Bullock.

majorjoe23

George Lazenby.

Hokeyboy

Klinton Spilsbury comes to mind immediately. Mariah Carey in Glitter too.

Deadman31

I thought Mr. Wrong was awesome and I dont even like Ellen.

Ash Ketchum

Brian Bosworth in STONE COLD. I thought he was okay in it and could have had a nice career in DTV action films, so what happened?

Defiant1

Gretchen Mol. Her infamous Vanity Fair cover in '98 ("Hollywood's Next It Girl") was a Weinstein media assault to make her the next Sandra Bullock with the movie Rounders. The movie bombed and she was quickly forgotten. She's had a steady career since but nothing on her resume has even put her close to mega-stardom.

On the male side, Taylor Lautner. Now there's a career implosion from rather lofty heights.

Drexl

Vanilla Ice - Cool as Ice
Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini - From Justin to Kelly
Britney Spears - Crossroads

Although I don't know if these pop stars' films should count. They seem to be more like novelties than legitimate attempts at film careers. Eminem in 8 Mile was a case of one that worked, but he hasn't starred in anything since.

Jeff Speakman - The Perfect Weapon (he did little-known films afterward, but he never got the kind of hype that he did for that one)

magman

Caitlyn Jenner in Can't Stop the Music

TheMovieman

David Caruso - Left "NYPD Blue" to become a star in Kiss of Death and that title should've said everything. He did get a few more opportunities (Jade, Cold Around the Heart and Body Count) but they were all duds. Seems like he floundered around until 2002 when "CSI: Miami" started.

PhantomStranger

Most of the big music stars really don't need film careers, which is why they often have abbreviated careers. Eminem is the biggest-selling musician of this century and made millions from touring. Acting would be a paycut for him. The same is probably true for Britney Spears. Typically the musicians that transition to acting are the ones with cult followings that aren't big Pop sellers in their music careers.

hbilly

Brandy - I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998)

Preterite

He was my first thought, too. Not by name, of course, because who the heck remembers "Klinton Spilsbury"? Even his mom has to look him up on IMDB.

Alan Smithee

I've got this 35mm trailer (quality of this YouTube upload doesn't do it justice) :
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/StYFOURtzxk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

JeffTheAlpaca

But I assume nobody excepted Howie Long had the chops to be a major movie star.

Andrew Dice Clay?

Ford Fairlane bombed but he might have had the potential to become huge though he never faded away completely.

inri222

Mark Hamill
Linda Blair

mrhan

He sort of had it but let it slip away. Bad decisions I guess. Same with Carrie Fisher. Both sort of big in the late 70's and early 80's and then nothing.

devilshalo

Not that these guys had just one shot, but they never seemed to be able to carry a movie by themselves. If I were to equate them in wrestling terms, these guys are mid-card talent, but can't sustain that top tier level if pushed. They may have a short lived title run, but nothing like a Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Will Smith.

Sam Worthington
Ryan Philippe
Josh Hartnett
Joseph Gordon Leavitt
Ethan Hawke

writer106

There was Claire Forlani in Meet Joe Black.

astrochimp

Carrot Top

DJariya

I don't think you can really count her. She's a singer 1st and foremost and was the star of a pretty successful UPN TV series that went 5 seasons. I don't think she ever sought movie stardom.

Drexl

It may be too soon to tell on JGL. This could be a big year for him, with starring roles in The Walk and Snowden. He's in his 30s, but it's not unheard of for actors to become stars later on (Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey).

Obi-Wanma

"Weird Al" Yankovic - Even though UHF is awesome and he totally deserves another shot.

islandclaws

If we're counting pop stars...

50 Cent

He went from potentially having a big "8 Mile"-type hit with "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" to tryin' to get rich off dead scripts. That man is stuck in DTV hell for life.

JeffTheAlpaca

I don't think Ethan Hawke belongs in this group

Sam Worthington
Ryan Philippe
Josh Hartnett
Joseph Gordon Leavitt
Ethan Hawke

He goes out of his way to do smaller more indie films and Worthington sucks as an actor and too early to judge JGL.