# Actors and actresses you're suprised didn't become bigger stars **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 16, 2010, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-youre-suprised-didnt-become-bigger-stars/525195 "2010-01-16T14:17:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-youre-suprised-didnt-become-bigger-stars/525195/41 "2010-01-18T08:54:39Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > What do you mean? I did do two of them a while ago (and the second one was just supposed to be a joke to amuse all the people who “got” the first one - I never intended to make it some kind of recurring thing.) But, that said, I meant the above post in earnest. I genuinely have no idea what happened to Ryan O’Neal (I swear to God, I had to go look it up on Wikipedia - I really couldn’t remember his name) - you’d think someone starring as the protagonist in a Kubrick film would go on to bigger things. Huh? Did anyone in [2001: A Space Odyssey](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062622/) go on to fame and fortune? A starring role in a Kubrick film is as good, for most actors, as entering the Witness Protection Program. ---
**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:** [January 18, 2010, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-youre-suprised-didnt-become-bigger-stars/525195/42 "2010-01-18T08:59:25Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > What do you mean? I did do two of them a while ago (and the second one was just supposed to be a joke to amuse all the people who “got” the first one - I never intended to make it some kind of recurring thing.) But, that said, I meant the above post in earnest. I genuinely have no idea what happened to Ryan O’Neal (I swear to God, I had to go look it up on Wikipedia - I really couldn’t remember his name) - you’d think someone starring as the protagonist in a Kubrick film would go on to bigger things. Just in case you’re serious: O’Neal was already a huge star when he made \*Barry Lyndon _- one of the biggest stars of the 1970’s, actually. Ht movies he made before BL include_ Love Story, What’s Up, Doc \*and \*Paper Moon. \*His career faltered in the 1980’s and never really recovered, but you can’t say he never became a bigger star: he \*was \*a bigger star. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-youre-suprised-didnt-become-bigger-stars/525195/43 "2010-01-18T09:01:18Z")
Yeah, this is clearly a generation gap thing. I have never even heard of any of those movies, let alone seen them. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-youre-suprised-didnt-become-bigger-stars/525195/44 "2010-01-18T09:06:26Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Yeah, this is clearly a generation gap thing. I have never even heard of any of those movies, let alone seen them. _Paper Moon_ at least is well worth seeing. Best thing Ryan O’Neal ( or his daughter Tatum for that matter ) ever did, _Barry Lyndon_ possibly excepted. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-youre-suprised-didnt-become-bigger-stars/525195/45 "2010-01-18T09:14:05Z")
OK, someone else: Barry Pepper. I have liked this guy in _everything_ I’ve seen him in, from _Saving Private Ryan_ to the hugely-underrated _Knockaround Guys_ (which also featured Dennis Hopper, John Malkovich, Vin Diesel and Tom Noonan) - so where the hell is Barry now? His filmography listed on Wikipedia for the past few years looks depressingly slim. Was it Battlefield Earth that destroyed his reputation? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-youre-suprised-didnt-become-bigger-stars/525195/46 "2010-01-18T13:43:33Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Rumor has it Sean Young is very hard to work with so that might explain her lack of success. She did seem (deserved or not) to have a [reputation as an unstable kook.](http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,309429,00.html) ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-youre-suprised-didnt-become-bigger-stars/525195/47 "2010-01-18T14:09:53Z")
[Noah Taylor](http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0852965/). When I first heard that “the guy who played David Helfgott in _Shine_” had been nominated for an Oscar I said “Oh yeah - the one who played him as a teenager, right?” Er, no. And not to begrudge Geoffrey Rush his accolade but I thought Taylor had acted rings around him, an opinion confirmed when I later saw him in _Simon Magus_. Mostly since then I’ve only spotted him in supporting roles, like the tech guy in the _Tomb Raider_ films or as Charlie’s dad in the Tim Burton _Charlie and the Chocolate Factory_ film. A pity, methinks. ---
**Author:** ![Jormungandr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@Jormungandr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jormungandr)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-youre-suprised-didnt-become-bigger-stars/525195/48 "2010-01-18T14:44:13Z")
Tate Donovan. His career fizzled out until recently, but his two fiances’ careers took off, Sandra Bullock and Jennifer Aniston. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-youre-suprised-didnt-become-bigger-stars/525195/49 "2010-01-18T15:30:11Z")
Brendan Fraser. Now you are probably thinking to yourself “but that guy _is_ a big star!” and yes, I agree. He works all the time. But he seems to be stuck in kids’ adventure movie roles. I was convinced he was going to become a MEGAstar, like a Brad Pitt level A list box office draw. I’m still confused that he isn’t. I don’t understand why he doesn’t do more serious film (I cannot believe I just used the phrase “serious film” in a sentence, but whatever), the kind that gets real attention from the critics … and if the guy doesn’t like drama, and I agree that he has a great comic presence, then why isn’t he doing smart comedy? ---
**Author:** ![Jormungandr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@Jormungandr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jormungandr)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-youre-suprised-didnt-become-bigger-stars/525195/50 "2010-01-18T15:33:45Z")
> [@delphica](#): > > Brendan Fraser. Now you are probably thinking to yourself “but that guy _is_ a big star!” and yes, I agree. He works all the time. But he seems to be stuck in kids’ adventure movie roles. I was convinced he was going to become a MEGAstar, like a Brad Pitt level A list box office draw. I’m still confused that he isn’t. > > I don’t understand why he doesn’t do more serious film (I cannot believe I just used the phrase “serious film” in a sentence, but whatever), the kind that gets real attention from the critics … and if the guy doesn’t like drama, and I agree that he has a great comic presence, then why isn’t he doing smart comedy? He’s in “Extraordinary Measures” with Harrison Ford, which seems to be a serious drama. [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1244659/](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1244659/) ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-youre-suprised-didnt-become-bigger-stars/525195/51 "2010-01-18T15:34:21Z")
> [@delphica](#): > > Brendan Fraser. Now you are probably thinking to yourself “but that guy _is_ a big star!” and yes, I agree. He works all the time. But he seems to be stuck in kids’ adventure movie roles. I was convinced he was going to become a MEGAstar, like a Brad Pitt level A list box office draw. I’m still confused that he isn’t. > > I don’t understand why he doesn’t do more serious film (I cannot believe I just used the phrase “serious film” in a sentence, but whatever), the kind that gets real attention from the critics … and if the guy doesn’t like drama, and I agree that he has a great comic presence, then why isn’t he doing smart comedy? You must not watch much TV. There are tons of ads for his upcoming drama with him starring opposite Harrison Ford. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-youre-suprised-didnt-become-bigger-stars/525195/52 "2010-01-18T15:40:40Z")
> [@Wilbo523](#): > > You must not watch much TV. There are tons of ads for his upcoming drama with him starring opposite Harrison Ford. This is true, I don’t watch TV commercials, so I haven’t seen the trailers. I’m glad to see he is taking steps to address the concerns I have about his career. 😛 I noted on IMDB the other movie he has coming out is called _Furry Vengeance_, so I sincerely hope that the Harrison Ford drama is what sticks. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-youre-suprised-didnt-become-bigger-stars/525195/53 "2010-01-18T17:07:17Z")
> [@Justin\_Credible](#): > > Remember Farrah Forke? She played Alex on a couple seasons of Wings. She was really pretty and a good actress, and I was disappointed when she left the show. She’s barely done anything else since then, which is a shame. Might this have something to do with it?[ > [@](#): > > Suffered health problems when her silicone breast implants leaked. After having them removed in 1993, she sued the manufacturer and her surgeon for damages. ]([Farrah Forke - Biography - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0286294/bio)) mmm, I guess not, she was in \*Wings \*just after. ---
**Author:** ![Lethal\_Babydoll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3be4f8/32.png) [@Lethal\_Babydoll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lethal_Babydoll)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-youre-suprised-didnt-become-bigger-stars/525195/54 "2010-01-18T17:40:43Z")
Back when \*\*North Dallas Forty \*\*came out, I was sure I’d be seeing a lot of [Dayle Haddon](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0352731/). But, alas, no. I also thought **Linda Kelsey** from (Billie Newman on Lou Grant) would have a big career in TV. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-youre-suprised-didnt-become-bigger-stars/525195/55 "2010-01-18T18:53:49Z")
[Chris O’Donnell.](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000563/) ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-youre-suprised-didnt-become-bigger-stars/525195/56 "2010-01-18T19:13:38Z")
> [@delphica](#): > > This is true, I don’t watch TV commercials, so I haven’t seen the trailers. I’m glad to see he is taking steps to address the concerns I have about his career. 😛 > > I noted on IMDB the other movie he has coming out is called _Furry Vengeance_, so I sincerely hope that the Harrison Ford drama is what sticks. From what I’ve seen of him in interviews, and articles about him, he’s somewhat of a goofball in real life, so he may choose goofy comedies and Mummy-type of adventure movies for fun, rather than they’re all he can get. He is one of my favorite actors though, and I agree that he has dramatic talent as well, so I would like to see him do more movies in general. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-youre-suprised-didnt-become-bigger-stars/525195/57 "2010-01-18T19:41:18Z")
**Terry O’Quinn** has been a working supporting actor since the 80s, where I became a fan due to his regular roles in shlocky horror movies. I always kept saying “Man, this guy is good and will break it big soon.” **Lost** has given him a mainstream gig, but I still think he should have been A-list DeNiro/Pacino level. ---
**Author:** ![Mikemike2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikemike2/32/305_2.png) [@Mikemike2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikemike2)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-youre-suprised-didnt-become-bigger-stars/525195/58 "2010-01-18T20:15:16Z")
[Teri Garr](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000414/) had a decent acting career, but never really broke out as a star like I thought she would. She was gorgeous in [Young Frankenstine](http://blogs.e-rockford.com/movieman/files/2008/07/inga.jpg). Maybe she was typecast as just a comedic actress. ---
**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:** [January 18, 2010, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-youre-suprised-didnt-become-bigger-stars/525195/59 "2010-01-18T21:27:24Z")
[Debra Winger](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debra_Winger) ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-youre-suprised-didnt-become-bigger-stars/525195/60 "2010-01-18T21:37:23Z")
Pete Postlethwaite Dragonheart, The Usual Suspect, ummm . . . something else. Very good dramatic actor that had a dry sense of humor in his roles. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-youre-suprised-didnt-become-bigger-stars/525195.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-youre-suprised-didnt-become-bigger-stars/525195.md?page=4)