Comic book fans had high expectations following the announcement of Brandon Routh’s role as Clark Kent, in 2006’s “Superman Returns”. Routh undoubtedly had the right look, even described by some as similar to a young Christopher Reeve. He’d already appeared in several TV shows, too, and so the bar was set higher than ever.
As it turns out, it was the perfect recipe… for destruction. Routh’s acting appeared stilted and stiff; though, to be fair, it was not as bad as some put it. The movie itself made decent returns at the box office, and a Saturn Award was given to Routh for his role. However, the fans wouldn’t have any of it, seething with disappointment, albeit perhaps unfairly. He struggled to land a major role after copping such ire. However, he finally secured himself a win as Ray Palmer/Atom in “Arrow” and “Legends of Tomorrow”.
Sofia Coppola Had a Rough Debut
There’s a reason why casting in a movie is vital. The actors must be able to prove they are fit for the role, skill-wise, and their addition must add value. Film critics accuse Sofia Coppola of pulling the ranks to land a role in the movie "The Godfather: Part III". With no acting resume to show, they believe she would not have gotten the role if the movie had not been directed by her father.
Instead of gaining all the advantages from starring in a very popular movie, Coppola was panned by critics and chastised for bad acting. It jeopardized her father’s career as well, for his purported role in casting his daughter.
Susan George in Mandingo
Going sexy in the film industry can bring much-needed attention to an actress’ fledgling career, and that can be used to jump-start something of more value, as the starlet strives to rake in better roles moving forward.
This was a strategy Susan George used when she starred in "Mandingo". Unfortunately, it backfired badly. The sexy image she wanted to portray, led her to be typecast in similar roles in a string of made-for-TV series. Luckily, she was able to snag better roles in films like "Straw Dogs", and "Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry" which helped her realign her acting career with her goals.
Jake Lloyd in The Phantom Menace
Jake Lloyd was that sweet smiling kid people fell in love with, in "Jingle All the Way." Working alongside none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger, that film opened many doors of opportunities for Lloyd, the red carpet unrolled before him, and everyone thought he’d made the right choice in signing up to play the young Darth Vader. It was purportedly the break of a lifetime; a role no budding child actor could refuse.
In hindsight, though, it seems that he should have. Lloyd ended up becoming a target of bullying at school, the result of backlash from not being able to live up to people’s expectations for the crucial role he played in "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace" in 1999. Struggling to take the harshness of the criticism, the young lad quit acting.
Leonardo DiCaprio in The Beach
Based on the novel by Alex Garland, "The Beach" was Leonardo DiCaprio’s first post-Titanic film, and it fell flat. The adventure-romance movie in the tropical islands of Thailand was an obvious letdown after the success of "Titanic".
By now, cinephiles are diving into nostalgia, taking a second look at the 2000 film, and seeing it as a lost classic. But nothing will make that Razzie nom for DiCaprio in"The Beach" go away.