Disregarding the last 12 months (when theaters the world over have been closed), there are those actors in Hollywood who are constant regulars on the big screen. Tom Hanks, Scarlet Johannsen, and Ryan Reynolds are just a few celebs who regularly headline high-profile movie releases.
Then, there are some actors who haven’t been seen on the big screen for quite a while or have been acting but just in lesser-known or smaller productions. There are often some very good reasons why, but for fans of these actors, there is hope that they might one day return to the kinds of roles they were once known for.
Cameron Diaz
For decades, Cameron Diaz was one of Hollywood’s most recognized stars. She famously made Jim Carrey’s jaw drop when she made her debut in 1994’s The Mask, and she went on to have an illustrious career. There’s Something About Mary, Charlie’s Angels, and Bad Teacher, were just a few of the hit movies Diaz starred in, but in recent years, she has been noticeably absent from the big screen.
Diaz’s last screen role was in the 2014 remake of Annie, but she hasn’t been seen in theaters since. The reason for this is well-known, as the actress has now retired. No longer happy to be in the public eye, Diaz retired from the spotlight to look after her own wellbeing. Sadly for fans, it seems unlikely that they will ever see her back on the big screen again.
Bruce Willis
Thanks to Die Hard and the character of John McClane, Bruce Willis was once one of the most beloved action movie stars in Hollywood. Roles in Pulp Fiction, The Fifth Element, and Looper, all contributed to his ever-increasing net worth, and for a while, he was rarely absent from the big screen. Unfortunately, times have changed for the actor.
From 2013 onwards, Willis has mainly starred in low-budget action duds that have failed to capitalize on his talented acting ability. There have been the occasional big-screen exceptions, including Glass and Motherless Brooklyn, but today, the actor’s career is far removed from that of a decade or so ago. Perhaps the rumored Die Hard reboot will bring the actor back into the spotlight.
Mo’Nique
Mo’Nique began her career as a stand-up comic, but when the acting bug bit her, she started to act on both the small and the big screen. After a string of comedy roles, her biggest acting turn came in 2009 when she took on the role of Mary in Precious. She gave an outstanding performance as the profane and abusive mother, and she deservedly won an Academy Award for the role.
In a perfect world, Mo’Nique’s career should have skyrocketed after winning her Oscar, but it stalled instead. The actor claimed she was “blackballed” in Hollywood after her award win because of the ‘difficult’ reputation that she has been said to have. While she has never stopped acting, the big movie roles that she should have received have thus far eluded her. She is starring in the upcoming thriller film, The Reading, so fans are sure to be looking forward to seeing her in a leading role.
Ashely Judd
After making her career debut in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Judd rose through the ranks in Hollywood with roles in many high-profile movies. Unfortunately, her career took a downward spiral during the mid-2000s. While she continued to act, she struggled to receive the big-screen movie roles that she was once used to, and she attributed this to Harvey Weinstein.
Talking to Amy Robach on Good Morning America about her experience with the disgraced Hollywood mogul, Judd blamed his actions for her struggling career. After rebuffing his sexual advances, Weinstein allegedly went out of his way to tarnish Judd’s reputation, and the movie roles dried up as a result. The actress deserves a big-screen comeback, and she will next be seen in the leading role in a biopic on the singer, Anita Bryant, so here’s hoping her career makes a turnaround.
Rick Moranis
Moranis starred in some of the funniest comedies of the 80s, including Ghostbusters, Spaceballs, and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Diminutive in stature but big in talent, he continued to act throughout the early part of the 90s, but then he disappeared from the screen.
After his wife died of cancer in 1991, Moranis decided to step away from movie work to be with his children. It was only meant to be a short break away from the screen, but it turned into a bigger break, and he then decided to retire for good. However, it is assumed that Moranis will make a comeback in Disney’s Honey I Shrunk The Kids reboot, so hopefully, he will decide on more acting roles after his long-awaited return.
John Cusack
For many years, Cusack was a dependable presence on the screen. He could turn his hand to any genre and received a lot of acclaim for his acting work. Say Anything, Being John Malkovich, and Grosse Pointe Blank rank among Cusack’s best movies, although there are many more successes on his resume.
Unfortunately, it has been a while since we last saw Cusack on the big screen. His last major role was in the 2014 biopic, Love & Mercy, and since then, he has largely been seen in low-budget B-movies. There are a number of reasons why Cusack’s career has stalled, including his reluctance to commit to big-budget franchises, but here’s hoping things turn around for this very talented actor. His next role is in a comedy thriller in which he co-stars with the formidable talent of J.K. Simmons, so it’s very possible.
Meg Ryan
Meg Ryan was the queen of the rom-com. Roles in such movies as When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, and French Kiss granted her this status, and for three decades, she was barely off the screen. Her movie resume also included roles in movies away from the romantic comedy genre, of course, so there was more to the actress than the kooky girl next door.
Unfortunately, Ryan’s Hollywood career has seemed to have stalled. She hasn’t starred in a big-screen movie for several years now, although she is a constant presence on the small screen. Real-life relationship dramas and burnout are just two of the reasons why Ryan has been missing from theaters, but here’s hoping she finds a comeback role in the future.
John Travolta
John Travolta is the king of comeback movie performances. After finding early fame in Grease and Saturday Night Fever, his career has been up and down like a yo-yo, but he has continued to bounce back from career decline.
In recent years, Travolta’s career hasn’t been as strong as it once was. He has largely been relegated to straight-to-DVD movies, and his Pulp-Fiction-like comeback picture, Gotti, failed to make an impact at the box office. Iffy career decisions have largely been to blame for Travolta’s recent acting slump, but he’s come back from worse, so here’s hoping he finds another career-booster soon.
Taylor Lautner
Not all of the actors from the Twilight movies have made it big in Hollywood, but great things were expected from Lautner. He was mostly known for The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl before his appearance in the popular teen franchise, but his profile rose considerably afterward.
Unfortunately, Lautner hasn’t had the career success of his Twilight co-stars, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. This isn’t for want of trying, but movies such as Abduction and Tracers failed to ignite his acting career. His last movie role was in the slightly underwhelming Run The Tide in 2016 and his last acting performance was in the British sitcom, Cuckoo. He doesn’t seem to have any other roles lined up for the future, but there is speculation that he could return as Sharkboy in We Can Be Heroes 2.
Christina Ricci
During the 90s, Ricci seemed to be much in demand. Following early performances in Mermaids, The Addams Family, and Casper, she transitioned from child roles into more adult roles with such movies as Prozac Nation and Monster.
Despite early acclaim, her career started to flag during the mid-2000s. Ricci attributed this to her fluctuating weight, which she believes held her back from true-career success. Luckily fans continue to see her on the small screen and hope her next big-screen role in the action flick Can’t Stop the Dawn re-energizes her career.
