10 Exact Roles That Killed an Actor's Career

“Basic Instinct 2” (2006) It makes sense that Sharon Stone wanted to revisit the iconic role that turned her into a certified star, even if the studio wasn’t interested. Although MGM pulled out, Stone claimed her contract entitled her to at least $14 million whether or not the sequel went forward. Notably, Michael Douglas was paid $14 million for the first film while Stone only received $500,000. Douglas opted not to return for “Basic Instinct 2,” which was produced following a legal battle. The studio would’ve been better off giving Stone $14 million and canning the project. Instead, they wasted $70 million on one of the worst and most unnecessary sequels ever. 14 years after Catherine Tramell made Stone a household name, the same role killed her bankability.

“After Earth” (2013) Nepotism is a term that gets tossed around a lot these days, but many so-called “nepo babies” have gotten out from under their parents’ shadow, forging a unique path. Alas, “After Earth” highlighted two sad facts about Jaden Smith. 1) He’s only an actor because of who his father is. 2) He doesn’t have his father’s leading man charisma. Underneath this sci-fi film’s bland characters and uninspired story, there seems to be an allegory for Jaden and Will Smith’s real-life dynamic. The story, which Will devised, casts Jaden as Kitai, the son of a renowned military leader who must strike out on his own, proving to his father that he’s worthy. All Kitai proved, though, is that Jaden’s acting career peaked when he was younger.

Tom Green

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“Freddy Got Fingered” (2001) With a character as awful as Gord Brody, one must ponder, “Did Tom Green purposely sabotage his career?” When he showed up to accept multiple Razzies for the 2001 comedy, Green proudly proclaimed that he set out to win this award. It’s not as if Green expected or even wanted his feature directorial debut to be liked by the masses. If the intent was to alienate audiences, we suppose “Freddy Got Fingered” was a success. Green doesn’t see the film as a failure, arguing that it technically made a profit. Yet, even Green would acknowledge that the production killed his odds of ever directing another major Hollywood picture. Whether that was by design or a fatality of Green’s demented humor, we may never know.

“Godzilla” (1998) It was a “Godzilla” movie so bad that neither fans nor Toho will even acknowledge it as a real “Godzilla” movie. Fortunately, the franchise would recover in time. So would the cast… except for Maria Pitillo, who’s best known for playing Matthew Broderick’s love interest in the film. At the time, Audrey Timmonds seemed like a breakthrough role for Pitillo, who was signed on for two sequels. While “Godzilla 2” entered early development, the studio sensed few would show up and TriStar let the rights expire. Pitillo’s career expired as well. After winning a Razzie, Pitillo only appeared in two low-profile films, both released in 2000. A couple of minor TV roles later, Pitillo left acting, becoming an interior designer with her husband.

“The Legend of the Lone Ranger” (1981) Some famous characters are better left in the past. The Lone Ranger, aka John Reid, is one example. The role did Armie Hammer zero favors, although something else killed his career. For Klinton Spilsbury, the Lone Ranger ended his fifteen minutes of fame less than one minute in. His 1981 turn as the masked hero would be Spilsbury’s first and last film role. Fans were already furious at the producers for legally ordering actor Clayton Moore to no longer portray the character he originated. Spilsbury was a less-than-worthy successor, so much so that the filmmakers had James Keach redub his lines. If Spilsbury’s lackluster line delivery wasn’t enough to ruin his reputation, his unprofessional behavior on set would. Hi-yo, Silver! Away… and don’t come back!

“The Master of Disguise” (2002) Dana Carvey is a master impressionist, but few productions outside of “SNL” have put his talents to effective use. Following some creative missteps and a break from the spotlight, Carvey returned to the silver screen with a new character, Pistachio Disguisey. If you think that name sounds painfully lazy, just wait until you endure 80 minutes of comedy crucifixion. While Carvey as a master of disguise sounds promising, Pistachio and his various alter egos possess no charm, wit, or remotely humorous components. Sorry to all of you Turtle Guy stans. Since then, Carvey has popped up in small roles and brought back some of his classic characters, but Pistachio ended any prospects of movie stardom. Carvey wanted to focus on stand-up and his family anyway.

“I Know Who Killed Me” (2007) Several factors hurt Lindsay Lohan’s career in the mid-2000s, but we all know what role killed her career: Aubrey Fleming… or is it Dakota Moss? By the end of this confusing and unpleasant psychological thriller, you won’t care. Lohan doesn’t seem to care much either on screen, sleepwalking her way to more than one Razzie. Over the following years, Lohan attempted to stage a comeback on multiple occasions, although she’s never been able to live down her legal setbacks or creative setbacks like this film. Living off residual goodwill from “Mean Girls,” Lohan will always have a fan base rooting for her to recapture the glory days. For now, though, Lohan’s career renaissance seemingly came full circle, beginning and ending with her playing twins.

“Mommie Dearest” (1981) It’s not hard to see why Joan Crawford left acting after starring in 1970’s “Trog.” Almost a decade later, Faye Dunaway portrayed Crawford in a career-ending turn. To be fair, Dunaway still found work here and there, but her career can essentially be split into two eras: Before and After “Mommie Dearest.” Guess which era brought more Oscar nominations. Dunaway gives the ultimate scenery-chewing performance in a film that aims for prestige drama, instead delivering campy comedy. While this earned “Mommie Dearest” a cult following, it’s difficult for many to take joy in a film where Crawford repeatedly torments her daughter. It does so without providing any genuine insight into who Crawford was, damaging her legacy while pulling Dunaway’s career down with it.

“The Godfather Part III” (1990) Sofia Coppola might’ve been a decent enough child actor, but let’s be honest. Directing and writing were her true calling. She wasn’t destined to be a movie star. Coppola seemed to know this when her father asked her to fill in for Winona Ryder as Michael Corleone’s daughter, Mary. Sofia’s casting was the primary criticism surrounding “Godfather III,” and while we’re not going to pretend it’s a good performance, it’s not exactly her fault. Coppola had no real aspirations of being a Hollywood starlet. She was doing her dad a favor and in return, people blamed her for ruining an anticipated sequel that admittedly had other issues. It might’ve killed any acting ambitions Coppola had, but her filmmaking career was thankfully just getting started.

Marlon Brando

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“The Island of Dr. Moreau” (1996) Marlon Brando is one of the greatest actors of all time. He was also the wildest of wild cards. Directors never knew what they were going to get when he showed up. Sometimes, his unpredictable, even maddening behavior paid off. Other times, you get Dr. Moreau. Following a family tragedy, Brando went AWOL with the production crumbling to pieces. When Brando finally arrived, he lived up to his notorious reputation, refusing to learn his lines and opting to improvise when he could. Brando was responsible for several other bizarre choices, such as Dr. Moreau’s makeup, which he applied himself. Brando’s career had gone through several deaths and resurrections, although his role in this cinematic disaster was seen as the final nail in the coffin.