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.
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.
Brandon Routh’s Superman
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".
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.
Johnny Depp in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Anticipation was palpable when word got out that Johnny Depp would play Willy Wonka in the classic Roald Dahl tale. Coming out of "Edward's Scissorhands" and other dark and whimsical endeavors with Tim Burton, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" seemed like the perfect pitch.
While Wilder brought a gravitas to the character, Johnny Depp in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" was anything but. His character was supposed to be quirky, but all we saw was cringy. Let Hollywood take this as a huge lesson: never remake a Wilder classic.