Caught the end of Rudy and when they showed Jon Favreau's character in the stands cheering Rudy, it got me thinking, even after Swingers who would have thought that he would go on to become a director that would help launch the MCU and then restore the collective faith of fans in Star Wars with the Mandalorian?

Who else surprised you going from an innocuous beginning to be on top or even the other way, a big bang into nothing.

I still find it hard to believe Chloe Sevigny went from an Academy Award nomination to blowing some creep in a two dollar movie.

Nicolas Cage went from the scrawny dope in Raising Arizona to an action star in the 90s with The Rock, Face/Off, and Con Air.

Speaking of Favreau, the same could be said for Robert Downey Jr. who went from being a drug addict, jailbird that no one in Hollywood wanted to touch to being the lynchpin in the biggest cinematic universe in film history.

Roland Joffe went from directing the Best Picture nominee The Killing Fields to directing a series of critically trashed movies, including the Scarlet Letter with Demi Moore and the Elisha Cuthbert torture porn flick Captivity.

Also Jordan Peele went from comedian to A-list horror movie director.



.

Morgan Freeman went from being an A List actor and playing Nelson Mandela in a movie to starring in Lionsgate Grindstone straight to video movies.

also, Sean Astin went from the underdog being carried to carrying the underdog

I feel like the ultimate riser is Jessica Lange, who went from one of the most critically-derided major feature debuts in cinema history, to becoming the first double-Oscar nominated actor in almost 40 years (and an Oscar Winner) in the span of six years.
It's like if Elizabeth Berkley was an Oscar Winner in 2001

I feel like this is less surprising and happens to a lot of great actors. They get less selective as time goes on and will do just about any movie where they put in minimal effort and results in a big payday.

Plus he’s been “Me Too’ed” so he’s no longer seeing the roles like he is used to.

Berkley would fit this thread on her own. She went from a silly, but beloved, teen comedy series on TV to baring it all as a stripper in Showgirls. She then went back to reprising her role on Saved by the Bell.

Ron Howard from child actor to Oscar-winning director.

Sally Field

From



To

From...


to...

James Cameron went from a movie sequel about flesh-eating fish to the two highest grossing movies of all time.

John Malkovich

From In the Line of Fire:



to Rogue Hostage

Well, in fairness, from a child actor to an adult actor ("American Graffiti" and "Happy Days") to an Oscar-winning director.

Todd Philips from directing Road Trip to directing an Oscar winning performance in Joker, and then convincing his star to do so a sequel.

Yeah that's a good call. Unlike Cameron, this wasn't a guy paying his dues. He had a career directing raunchy comedies and made an impressive pivot.
Same can be said for Adam McKay, who is an Oscar winner now.

Morgan Freeman??

I missed that one.

Women accuse Morgan Freeman of inappropriate behavior, harassment

wow that sucks

Cuba Gooding Jr.: From oscar winner to Walmart greeter (presumably).

I have Mel Gibson on line #2 and Bill Cosby on line #4.

James Woods went from acclaimed character actor to a troll on Twitter.

"Mr. Nicholson, the dentist will see you now".