9 Examples Of When Oscar-Winning Actors Go Bad
November 25th 2008 16:36
ANOTHER LIST
Winning an Oscar doesn't automatically mean you can pick and choose the roles you want for the remainder of your career. And even if you can, it doesn't automatically mean you make the right choice. As these examples will testify...
9. Ben Kingsley
The Good: Gandhi
Got back to his Indian roots to win the Best Actor Oscar for Gandhi (1982) early on and has put in some great follow-up performances in Without A Clue (1987), Schindler's List (1992) and Sexy Beast (2001).
But appearing in the odd garbage fantasy flick like Thunderbirds (2004) and BloodRayne (2005) also helps pay the bills, as does sending up the character that made your career in The Love Guru (2008).
The Bad: BloodRayne
8. Anthony Hopkins
The Good: Silence of the Lambs
Worked continuesly for more than two decades before finally cracking a Best Actor Oscar for The Silence of the Lambs (1991). Kept the strike-rate up, but without the killing, for Shadowlands (1993), Remains of the Day (1993) and Legends of the Fall (1994).
However, almost bored us to death in Hearts in Atlantis (2001) and was a part of the total disaster that was Alexander (2004), one of his rare genuine errors in judgment.
The Bad: Alexander
7. Dustin Hoffman
The Good: Rainman and Kramer vs Kramer
Made a big impression early in The Graduate (1967) and Midnight Cowboy (1969) and then cemented his standing as one of the finest actors going around be it playing serious in Kramer vs Kramer, and winning a Best Actor Oscar, or comedy in Tootsie (1981).
Won a second Best Actor Oscar for Rainman (1990) and was memorable in Wag The Dog (1997) and Meet the Fockers (2004), but finally lost his way in Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007). It can come with old age.
The Bad: Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
6. Robin Williams
The Good: Good Will Hunting
The funnyman showed he could play it straight with success by winning the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Good Will Hunting (1997). Also impressed earlier on in fellow dramas Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) and Dead Poets Society (1989).
Tried action-adventure in Hook (1991) but failed. Tried suspence-thriller in One Hour Photo (2002) but failed. Tried being Chevy Chase in RV (2006) but failed. Tried comedy again in License to Wed (2007) ... but failed. Go back to drama.
The Bad: License to Wed
5. Jeremy Irons
The Good: Reversal of Fortune
Warmed up for his Best Actor Oscar-winning role in Reversal of Fortune (1990) with memorable performances in Dead Ringers (1988) and The Mission (1987). Best work since though was lending his voice to The Lion King (1994).
Appearing in Die Hard With A Vengeance (1995) set the ball rolling for even worse action movies like Dungeons and Dragons (2000), The Time Machine (2002), Kingdom of Heaven (2005) and Eragon (2006)
The Bad: The Time Machine
4. Christopher Walken
The Good: The Deer Hunter
Blew everyone away by his performance to win Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Deer Hunter (1978) and followed up with memorable co-starring roles in host of films including Biloxi Blues (1988) and Pulp Fiction (1994) to name a few.
But, the acting machine has also made a career out of appearing in ... well, basically anything and everything, no matter how bad, like Joe Dirt (2001), Gigli (2003) and Balls of Fury (2007). It just gets worse.
The Bad: Balls of Fury
3. Cuba Gooding Jnr
The Good: Jerry Maguire
Began with a blaze of glory by starring in the powerful Boyz n the hood (1991), and then A Few Good Men (1992), but saw the shape of things to come in Paul Hogan's lame Lightning Jack (1994).
After winning Best Supporting Actor for Jerry Maguire (1996), he has since gone on to star in a string of straight-to-DVD B-grade comedies including Snow Dogs (2002) Boat Trip (2002), Norbit (2006) and Dady Day Camp (2007). Tried to regain some respect with a small role in American Gangster (2007).
The Bad: Daddy Day Camp
2. Nicholas Cage
The Good: Leaving Las Vegas
Renowned for playing light-hearted, even sometimes odd-ball characters for more than a decade, before getting really serious to win Best Actor for Leaving Las Vegas (1995). Found more success as an action star in movies such as Con Air (1997).
Still has the odd hit with adventure series National Treasure (2004 and (2007), but there has been more misses of late with Bangkok Dangerous (2008), Next (2007) and The Wicker Man (2006).
The Bad: The Wicker Man
1. Marlon Brando
The Good: On the Waterfront and The Godfather
Instant star after appearing in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), and followed up with hit after hit - Viva Zapata (1952), The Wild One (1953) and On The Waterfront (1954), when he won his first Best Actor Oscar. The second came via The Godfather (1972).
Didn't work much in the last 25 years of his life, before passing away in 2002. His last great role came in Apocalypse Now (1979). His last memorable role in The Island of Dr Moreau (1996) - for all the wrong reasons.
The Bad: The Island of Dr Moreau
SEE ALSO 7 Movies Hollywood Plans to Remake but Shouldn't
9. Ben Kingsley
The Good: Gandhi
Got back to his Indian roots to win the Best Actor Oscar for Gandhi (1982) early on and has put in some great follow-up performances in Without A Clue (1987), Schindler's List (1992) and Sexy Beast (2001).
But appearing in the odd garbage fantasy flick like Thunderbirds (2004) and BloodRayne (2005) also helps pay the bills, as does sending up the character that made your career in The Love Guru (2008).
The Bad: BloodRayne
8. Anthony Hopkins
The Good: Silence of the Lambs
Worked continuesly for more than two decades before finally cracking a Best Actor Oscar for The Silence of the Lambs (1991). Kept the strike-rate up, but without the killing, for Shadowlands (1993), Remains of the Day (1993) and Legends of the Fall (1994).
However, almost bored us to death in Hearts in Atlantis (2001) and was a part of the total disaster that was Alexander (2004), one of his rare genuine errors in judgment.
The Bad: Alexander
7. Dustin Hoffman
The Good: Rainman and Kramer vs Kramer
Made a big impression early in The Graduate (1967) and Midnight Cowboy (1969) and then cemented his standing as one of the finest actors going around be it playing serious in Kramer vs Kramer, and winning a Best Actor Oscar, or comedy in Tootsie (1981).
Won a second Best Actor Oscar for Rainman (1990) and was memorable in Wag The Dog (1997) and Meet the Fockers (2004), but finally lost his way in Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007). It can come with old age.
The Bad: Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
6. Robin Williams
The Good: Good Will Hunting
The funnyman showed he could play it straight with success by winning the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Good Will Hunting (1997). Also impressed earlier on in fellow dramas Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) and Dead Poets Society (1989).
Tried action-adventure in Hook (1991) but failed. Tried suspence-thriller in One Hour Photo (2002) but failed. Tried being Chevy Chase in RV (2006) but failed. Tried comedy again in License to Wed (2007) ... but failed. Go back to drama.
The Bad: License to Wed
5. Jeremy Irons
The Good: Reversal of Fortune
Warmed up for his Best Actor Oscar-winning role in Reversal of Fortune (1990) with memorable performances in Dead Ringers (1988) and The Mission (1987). Best work since though was lending his voice to The Lion King (1994).
Appearing in Die Hard With A Vengeance (1995) set the ball rolling for even worse action movies like Dungeons and Dragons (2000), The Time Machine (2002), Kingdom of Heaven (2005) and Eragon (2006)
The Bad: The Time Machine
4. Christopher Walken
The Good: The Deer Hunter
Blew everyone away by his performance to win Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Deer Hunter (1978) and followed up with memorable co-starring roles in host of films including Biloxi Blues (1988) and Pulp Fiction (1994) to name a few.
But, the acting machine has also made a career out of appearing in ... well, basically anything and everything, no matter how bad, like Joe Dirt (2001), Gigli (2003) and Balls of Fury (2007). It just gets worse.
The Bad: Balls of Fury
3. Cuba Gooding Jnr
The Good: Jerry Maguire
Began with a blaze of glory by starring in the powerful Boyz n the hood (1991), and then A Few Good Men (1992), but saw the shape of things to come in Paul Hogan's lame Lightning Jack (1994).
After winning Best Supporting Actor for Jerry Maguire (1996), he has since gone on to star in a string of straight-to-DVD B-grade comedies including Snow Dogs (2002) Boat Trip (2002), Norbit (2006) and Dady Day Camp (2007). Tried to regain some respect with a small role in American Gangster (2007).
The Bad: Daddy Day Camp
2. Nicholas Cage
The Good: Leaving Las Vegas
Renowned for playing light-hearted, even sometimes odd-ball characters for more than a decade, before getting really serious to win Best Actor for Leaving Las Vegas (1995). Found more success as an action star in movies such as Con Air (1997).
Still has the odd hit with adventure series National Treasure (2004 and (2007), but there has been more misses of late with Bangkok Dangerous (2008), Next (2007) and The Wicker Man (2006).
The Bad: The Wicker Man
1. Marlon Brando
The Good: On the Waterfront and The Godfather
Instant star after appearing in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), and followed up with hit after hit - Viva Zapata (1952), The Wild One (1953) and On The Waterfront (1954), when he won his first Best Actor Oscar. The second came via The Godfather (1972).
Didn't work much in the last 25 years of his life, before passing away in 2002. His last great role came in Apocalypse Now (1979). His last memorable role in The Island of Dr Moreau (1996) - for all the wrong reasons.
The Bad: The Island of Dr Moreau
SEE ALSO 7 Movies Hollywood Plans to Remake but Shouldn't
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Comment by Cibbuano
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Comment by Cass
But then, actors are into work as well and no one really knows the outcome of a script though judgment is crucial. Again, I think it sometimes boils down to the bills.
Comment by Morgan Bell
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Artist Quirk
Walken made that film what it was, i wouldnt have been nearly as funny without him!
also, i dont know how you could pick just ONE Nicholas Cage movie that was embarrassing . . . that could be a whole another post!
however he was brilliant in The Weather Man and Moonstruck!