# A Listed actors whose careers are fading **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 14, 2011, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-listed-actors-whose-careers-are-fading/571368 "2011-02-14T22:04:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-listed-actors-whose-careers-are-fading/571368/21 "2011-02-15T01:20:24Z")
If I’m not mistaken Norton has a reputation of being very difficult to work with. If your vehicles are all making money I doubt most producers care if you start the day by kicking your stylist in the spleen and end it by setting fire to an orphanage, BUT if your movies stop making money I think unpopularity will accelerate your fall from Olympus (e.g. Val Kilmer, Marlon Brando [in his post heart-throb and pre-_Godfather_ days] Bette Midler, Shirley MacLaine). ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-listed-actors-whose-careers-are-fading/571368/22 "2011-02-15T01:47:35Z")
Is the love affair with Will Farrell finally over? I have only seen one of his movies (“Elf”) that I can recall, but on interviews (Conan, Leno, etc.) he seems like an attention-starved jackass, always trying way too hard to be that zany, offbeat guy, always the center of wacky hijinks… (By the way, I thought that Elf was the best Christmas movie in many, many years, in spite of my distaste for Will Farrell) ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-listed-actors-whose-careers-are-fading/571368/23 "2011-02-15T02:23:15Z")
[QUOTE=MPB in Salt Lake] (By the way, I thought that Elf was the best Christmas movie in many, many years, in spite of my distaste for Will Farrell) [/QUOTE] Yeah, I liked Talladega Nights in spite of him. _Land of the Lost_ tanked but most of his [other movies](http://www.boxofficemojo.com/people/chart/?id=willferrell.htm)in recent years have gone strong so he’s not quite played out yet. I really liked Johnny Depp’s choice of movies a lot better _before_ he was A-list and hope he’ll fall. The movie he just made with Angelina should help since it didn’t do very well. It’ll be interesting to see how tightly Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner are bound to _Twilight_. I think Lautner can go for a while on those abs but I doubt Pattinson will be able to carry a vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-listed-actors-whose-careers-are-fading/571368/24 "2011-02-15T02:49:31Z")
Zsa Zsa Gabor? ---
**Author:** ![Rrose\_Selavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rrose\_Selavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rrose_Selavy)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-listed-actors-whose-careers-are-fading/571368/25 "2011-02-15T02:52:41Z")
Michael Keaton? ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-listed-actors-whose-careers-are-fading/571368/26 "2011-02-15T03:43:27Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > …Ditto Whoopi Goldberg- she’s got an Oscar and has some major hits but they’re way behind her; she can’t open a movie. Whoopi was recently on Oprah and bluntly admitted that the reason she joined “the View” was that no one was offering her any other work. I was just having dinner with some friends, and somehow Michelle Pfeiffer’s name came up. Whatever happened to her? She seems to have disappeared off the face of the Earth after “Hairspray.” And someone upthread made a passing mention about Justin Beiber that made me think of Zac Efron. Has his career as a teen heart-throb already expired? ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-listed-actors-whose-careers-are-fading/571368/27 "2011-02-15T03:52:54Z")
> [@D\_Odds](#): > > … As for Hanks, he’s in his mid-50s and richer than God. I wouldn’t be surprised if he just doesn’t want to work as hard as he did before. I suspect Julia Roberts is in that same boat. Raising kids and rich enough to be able to afford only to work when she wishes to. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-listed-actors-whose-careers-are-fading/571368/28 "2011-02-15T03:55:33Z")
> [@Casey1505](#): > > Zsa Zsa Gabor? When was she ever A-list? > [@](#): > > **Don Draper** > I was just having dinner with some friends, and somehow Michelle Pfeiffer’s name came up. Whatever happened to her? She seems to have disappeared off the face of the Earth after “Hairspray.” I think she just got a little too old. Hollywood is much harder on actresses over 40 than it is on actors over 40. I’d add Jerry Seinfeld to the list. He used to be the biggest comedian on the planet, but I can’t remember anything he’s done since he ended his show. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-listed-actors-whose-careers-are-fading/571368/29 "2011-02-15T04:00:53Z")
I find this an odd question. First of all, A-listers have nowhere to go BUT down. By definition, 50% are on the way down to make room for the B-listers moving up. Secondly, actors age. It affects female actors more, but it still affects male actors. Tom Hanks (age 54) is too old to play leads. Michelle Pfeiffer (age 52) is way too old to play leads (in Hollywood world). Once you hit 50, you are automatically going to be on the downslide unless you are Robert De Niro or Meryl Streep. So whose career is on the way down? Every A-lister over 40 years old. It’s just a fact of life. ---
**Author:** ![oliversarmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/eb8c5e/32.png) [@oliversarmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oliversarmy)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-listed-actors-whose-careers-are-fading/571368/30 "2011-02-15T05:19:00Z")
Everyone from “Lord of the Rings.” ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-listed-actors-whose-careers-are-fading/571368/31 "2011-02-15T06:09:45Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > When was she ever A-list? > > I think she just got a little too old. > > Hollywood is much harder on actresses over 40 than it is on actors over 40. > > **I’d add Jerry Seinfeld to the list.** > > He used to be the biggest comedian on the planet, but I can’t remember anything he’s done since he ended his show. Again, he’s another example of someone who made so much money in his heyday that he can be pretty choosy about what he wants to do. I’m sure he’s turned down many a sitcom and movie role over the years to work on projects of his own like The Marriage Ref and Bee Movie. Still, even though he’s not on TV much these days, he does tour fairly regularly. He seems to come through my area every two or three years. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-listed-actors-whose-careers-are-fading/571368/32 "2011-02-15T06:13:48Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Like that means anything really. Bullock’s movies aren’t generally my cup of tea, but _The Proposal_ and _The Blind Side_–both released in 2009–are her most successful movies to date and were two of the highest grossing films that year. It pretty firmly planted Bullock at the top of the A-list. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-listed-actors-whose-careers-are-fading/571368/33 "2011-02-15T06:51:54Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > I find this an odd question. First of all, A-listers have nowhere to go BUT down. By definition, 50% are on the way down to make room for the B-listers moving up. > . But that’s only if you think that the only place you can go from the A-list is the B-list. The way I see it, that’s only one option: you can also “graduate” to being a Distinguished Elder Statesman, like Jack Nicholson or Clint Eastwood - people who don’t get leads in blockbusters, but still get at least as much respect as when they did. Hanks, IMHO, is on his way there. Barring that, you can at least become a Respected Character Actor, like Woody Harrelson or Liam Neeson (who has essentially become Anthony Hopkins). The problem with actors like Tome Cruise is that they refuse to evolve, and continue to chase the same sort of roles they’ve been doing for 20 years, which is what gives use fiascos like _Knight and Day._ ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-listed-actors-whose-careers-are-fading/571368/34 "2011-02-15T07:17:55Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > Bullock’s movies aren’t generally my cup of tea, but _The Proposal_ and _The Blind Side_–both released in 2009–are her most successful movies to date and were two of the highest grossing films that year. I must’ve been asleep throughout 2009. I had no idea. ---
**Author:** ![multimediac17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/839c29/32.png) [@multimediac17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/multimediac17)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-listed-actors-whose-careers-are-fading/571368/35 "2011-02-15T07:25:22Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > I’d add Jerry Seinfeld to the list. He hasn’t really had the chance to go downhill though, has he? After Seinfeld he basically went into semi-retirement. Apart from that TV show and Bee Movie he hasn’t done much, therefore he can be best remembered as an A-lister who stopped his own career, rather than one who attempted to continue but failed. A bit like Rick Moranis, except on a much bigger scale. Sticking with the 90s sitcom theme, my contribution is all of the Friends stars. All extremely famous and definitely A-list TV stars, and they all starred in a few big films each (well, except David Schwimmer). They’re all still well-known these days and sporadically appear in hit films or TV shows, but not like the glory days. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-listed-actors-whose-careers-are-fading/571368/36 "2011-02-15T07:55:45Z")
> [@multimediac17](#): > > Sticking with the 90s sitcom theme, my contribution is all of the Friends stars. All extremely famous and definitely A-list TV stars, and they all starred in a few big films each (well, except David Schwimmer). They’re all still well-known these days and sporadically appear in hit films or TV shows, but not like the glory days. That seems to be the rule with TV stars in general - as soon as their show ends, they drop several tiers. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-listed-actors-whose-careers-are-fading/571368/37 "2011-02-15T08:03:02Z")
Nicole Kidman: I find it hard to believe she was ever A list, but she did have some big roles and recently won an academy award. Angelina Jolie: Being a supporting voice in Kung Fu Panda is just the first step in a painful decline, imho. Lucy Liu: she just completely dropped off the map after a few straight to DVD releases. I don’t think she even was asked to be in Kung Fu panda. Entire cast of Ocean’s 11-14: It seems like those movies sucked the A right out of them. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-listed-actors-whose-careers-are-fading/571368/38 "2011-02-15T08:22:22Z")
Hey, remember when **Jude Law** was in everything just a few years ago? **Chris Rock** even made fun of that at the 2005 Academe Awards which pissed off **Sean Penn** for some reason. Also, this thread reminds me of the 90’s when **David Spade** , on his Hollywood Minute segment on SNL showed a picture of **Eddie Murphy** and said, “Look children, a falling star–make a wish.”. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-listed-actors-whose-careers-are-fading/571368/39 "2011-02-15T08:28:08Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > Also, this thread reminds me of the 90’s when **David Spade** , on his Hollywood Minute segment on SNL showed a picture of **Eddie Murphy** and said, “Look children, a falling star–make a wish.”. Yeah that one was sad, but that one isn’t as mysterious, imho. After he got married and had kids, the anger disappeared from his humor. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-listed-actors-whose-careers-are-fading/571368/40 "2011-02-15T08:38:26Z")
This list is just bizarre. > [@Superhal](#): > > Nicole Kidman: I find it hard to believe she was ever A list, but she did have some big roles and recently won an academy award. > Angelina Jolie: Being a supporting voice in Kung Fu Panda is just the first step in a painful decline, imho. > Lucy Liu: she just completely dropped off the map after a few straight to DVD releases. I don’t think she even was asked to be in Kung Fu panda. > Entire cast of Ocean’s 11-14: It seems like those movies sucked the A right out of them. Nicole Kidman is up for an Oscar this year and some people are saying she’ll win. They only reason it seems like she’s less big is because she’s been taking a lot of time off because of her new kids. Angelina Jolie was great in Wanted and Salt and even though The Tourist supposedly blew, everything I’ve read said she was good. Lucy Liu was never A-list. And the Ocean’s cast are all still huge stars. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon… all as huge as ever. Hell, even one of the bottom tier 11, Scott Caan, supposedly makes Hawaii 5-0 a good show. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-listed-actors-whose-careers-are-fading/571368.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-listed-actors-whose-careers-are-fading/571368.md?page=3)