Rebecca Gayheart starred in suspense-thriller movies in the 90s. She was a solid hit back in those days, popular with teenagers who loved her in “Urban Legends”, and “Scream II”.
When it was time to expand her fanbase, she took on a role in “Beverly Hills 90210”, capturing prime-time attention on TV. She made another venture into the movie industry and got ensnared into the dark comedy “Jawbreaker”. While the film enjoys cult classic status, Gayheart paid badly for it. She hasn’t had any opportunities to get back on top since then, and her career practically ended before it had really begun.
Son of the Mask Didn’t Work in Jamie Kennedy’s Favor
Jamie Kennedy knew he had big shoes to fill when he got contracted to work in a sequel to Jim Carrey’s "Mask", titled "The Son of the Mask." After all, Carrey’s type of acting apparently doesn’t work for just any actor. But Kennedy was believed to have something special, that everyone involved in the project was banking on.
He starred in three Scream films, "Malibu’s Most Wanted", and "Harold And Kumar Go to White Castle". But all that experience wasn’t enough for him to live up to Carrey’s work; particularly when working with less than stellar visual effects (okay, let’s admit it, they were godawful), and a cringe-worthy screenplay. This quite did his career in, although he still clinched a recurring role in "The Horse Whisperer", then, later on, scored a voice-over role in "The Cleveland Show".
Ben Affleck Alongside Jennifer Lopez in Gigli
Ben Affleck had less than stellar performances in "Pearl Harbour" and "Daredevil", but he was still riding high on the back of the popular films, "Good Will Hunting" and "Armageddon". In fact, he’d already won an Oscar Award before he was 25 years old, which is no easy feat. It should have been all gravy from there... but then he decided to work with Jennifer Lopez in "Gigli". He became the subject of ire and burning criticism from viewers.
Despite the nosedive, Affleck was still able to steer his career out of danger. He made it big by directing and acting in the movie "Argo", in 2012, from which he was able to win three Oscars. His strange, yet captivating "Gone Girl" movie, also got favorable reviews.
Will Smith in After Earth
Kudos to Will Smith for guiding his son, Jaden, showing him the ropes in acting, which is a warm story in itself. The father-and-son tandem has shown some glints of success in the past, but "After Earth" turned out to be a huge flop.
Perhaps it was a sacrifice Will Smith was ready to take, as he even took a back seat most of the time, to make way for Jaden’s role to unfold. The futuristic theme of the movie didn’t click. It was simply a forgettable movie, and it took Will Smith another two years to come back with a noteworthy film, titled "Concussion".
Fran Drescher in The Beautician and the Beast
Fran Drescher had been building up her career for years, through television. Who could forget her iconic role in "The Nanny"? She became widely popular through it, and casting directors felt she was ready, and so did she, for bigger challenges.
She finally got her first leading lady role on the big screen, with "The Beautician and the Beast". The title itself sounds tawdry, but that’s nothing compared to the movie itself. Drescher simply couldn’t connect to her audience. The movie was horribly written, and no one’s acting cut it. That was the last of Drescher’s leading lady role attempts.