5 Actor Comebacks That Revived Careers & 5 That Ended Them
5 Actor Comebacks That Revived Careers, 5 That ENDED Them
Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re looking at film and TV performances that were marketed as an actor’s big return, based on whether the project reinvigorated or finished off their career.
Fail: Mike Myers
“The Love Guru” (2008)
From the heights of “Saturday Night Live” and hit movies, Mike Myers fell into a creative rut. His reputation for difficulty further limited opportunities outside of multiple franchises that were declining by the mid-2000s. So he manufactured his own reinvention as co-writer, co-producer and star of the irreverent satire about a celebrity spiritual guide. The immediately controversial “The Love Guru” was ultimately not just a commercial disaster, but widely panned as one of the worst movies of its era. Myers retreated almost entirely from public view for a decade, then crawled back on supporting roles and nostalgia. His gradual comeback would feel more triumphant if “The Love Guru” weren't a permanent warning about pushing the boundaries of vanity projects and taste.
Success: Pamela Anderson
“The Last Showgirl” (2024)
Pop culture had for too long underestimated model-turned-actress Pamela Anderson. Scandals and typecasting slowly eroded the ‘90s icon into a cautionary tale about how the entertainment industry perceives women. This was the main theme of “The Last Showgirl,” which follows a Las Vegas starlet’s midlife quest for respect. Audiences had nothing but respect for Anderson’s Golden Globe-nominated performance, quickly followed by a hilarious team-up with Liam Neeson in 2025’s “The Naked Gun.” This show of range was part of a carefully mounted return that empowered the public with Anderson’s intellectual, artistic and entrepreneurial range. Being Glamour magazine’s 2024 pick for Woman of the Year was just the beginning of her stunning next chapter.
Fail: Chevy Chase
“Community” (2009-15)
Decades of being one of the biggest names in Hollywood comedy didn't count for much with Chevy Chase’s reputation for volatility. The 2000s was a decade of bit parts until he owned the toxic brand as the lovably difficult Pierce Hawthorne on NBC’s “Community.” For most screen legends, stealing the show on one of the most acclaimed sitcoms of a generation would ignite a triumphant career upswing. For Chase, it was co-stars speaking out about his continued habit of disruptive on-set antics and often cruel button-pushing. He was thus fired from “Community” after Season 4, more uncastable than ever. Chase goes to show that talent is only half of what gets people to work with you.
Success: Winona Ryder
“Stranger Things” (2016-25)
We’ll never forget how Winona Ryder dominated Hollywood as the “It Girl” of the late ‘80s and ‘90s. But it was looking like Hollywood would never forgive her shoplifting scandal in 2001 or the many duds and minor roles that followed. It was the former reputation that landed Ryder the role of Joyce Byers on Netflix’s throwback to the golden age of Hollywood genre cinema. For almost ten years, her performance was singled out as the mature heart of “Stranger Things.” In the meantime, she won further praise for prestigious and nostalgic hits in both film and television. “Stranger Things” may have at long last ended, but Ryder’s renaissance is only just beginning.
Fail: Lindsay Lohan
“The Canyons” (2013)
The wholesome facade that launched Lindsay Lohan’s career was cracked by personal struggles. Her attempts at edgier projects like the 2007 thriller “I Know Who Killed Me” only further soured her reputation. But maverick writer-director Paul Schrader took a chance on Lohan by casting her as the lead in the erotic melodrama “The Canyons.” This move wouldn't just be regrettable for the film’s critical and commercial failure, even with a miniscule budget. Reports of Lohan’s unreliability during the production and promotion signaled a sort of professional rock bottom. So she stepped away to focus on her sobriety, and emerged to reclaim her wholesome image with lighter movies. If Lohan has another edgy turn ahead, she can't sink much lower than “The Canyons.”
Success: Pam Grier
“Jackie Brown” (1997)
After the ‘70s Blaxploitation era, even stars on the level of Pam Grier were relegated to supporting roles and TV guest spots. She went more than 20 years without top billing before Quentin Tarantino wrote “Jackie Brown” specifically with her in mind. Much of the crime drama’s immense acclaim was directed at Grier, who was nominated for a Golden Globe and a SAG Award. Her long-overdue reappraisal as a legendary talent commanded respect from then on. While her most steady work remained on the small screen, the principal role of Kit Porter on Showtime’s “The L Word” solidified her new prestige. Now there’s no regard for Grier’s stardom as anything other than timeless.
Fail: Warren Beatty
“Town & Country” (2001)
Rigid perfectionism and a sporadic output had faded Warren Beatty’s once-glowing stardom by the 2000s. After a string of prestige projects the previous decade, the wannabe highbrow rom-com “Town & Country” aimed to renew his mainstream appeal. It instead brought out the worst of his need for creative control, resulting in years of retooling and rewrites. In the end, the initially modest picture cost over $100 million, received disastrous reviews, and grossed just over $10 million. It would be 15 years before Beatty returned to the screen as writer, director, co-producer and star of “Rules Don’t Apply,” another career-killing bomb. But “Town & Country” remains the standard rule among Hollywood flops that no screen icon could survive.
Success: Michael Keaton
“Birdman” (2014)
There’s a lot of risk in admitting to a professional slump the way Michael Keaton did in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s “Birdman.” Riggan Thomson’s attempt to reclaim prestige on the stage, after a hit superhero franchise and a drop in profile, was an obvious nod to his actor’s real-life struggles. At least for Keaton, the risk more than paid off. “Birdman” was a massive box office success that swept the Academy Awards, with particular praise aimed at the lead actor. His stardom continued to flourish through meta casting, including a return as Batman in 2023’s “The Flash.” And with more acclaimed prestige projects to match, Keaton has soared from Comeback King to one of Hollywood’s most exciting headliners.
Fail: Sharon Stone
“Basic Instinct 2” (2006)
Paul Verhoeven’s erotic thriller “Basic Instinct” launched Sharon Stone as one of the premier leading ladies of the ‘90s. So when her status tragically dipped following a medical crisis in 2001, she hoped that Catherine Tramell would strike again. Maybe Stone should have followed her instincts after Verhoeven turned down “Basic Instinct 2” because he loathed the script. Sure enough, the sequel was a historic commercial and critical failure, whose Golden Raspberry awards included Worst Actress. Stone has since acted very sparingly, and hardly ever in a main role. At least she’s earned greater praise for her humanitarian work. But in the end, the femme fatale tropes that made her career wound up basically putting it down.
Success: Brendan Fraser
“The Whale” (2022)
A series of professional missteps and personal hardships drove the lovable leading man Brendan Fraser underground by the late 2000s. The following decade saw a very slow return that included show-stealing TV roles on “The Affair,” “Trust” and “Doom Patrol.” Finally, in 2022, Fraser took on the daunting lead role in “The Whale.” His physical and emotional commitment to this Darren Aronofsky tragedy was widely covered all the way to his Best Actor win at the Academy Awards. Fraser has since lived up to the hype with acclaimed projects like “Rental Family” and 2026’s “Pressure.” It’s been called one of the great Hollywood comeback stories in recent memory, though it really reminds us to not completely count out such talented artists.
What are some other actor comeback attempts that you feel did or didn’t work? Tell their stories in the comments below.
