# Hot '80s actresses with fading careers **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 18, 2002, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-80s-actresses-with-fading-careers/132898 "2002-10-18T21:37:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-80s-actresses-with-fading-careers/132898/1 "2002-10-18T21:37:33Z")
From the IMDb poll of 10/18/02: [“Of the following actresses who were at one time incredibly in demand in the '80s, whose lack of long-term (acting career) success surprises you the most?”](http://poll.imdb.com/Poll/) As I write this, the top three are Daryl Hannah, Molly Ringwald, and Kelly McGillis. I voted for Annabeth Gish. I saw her in _Mystic Pizza_ and she had Rising Star written all over her (I completely missed Julia Roberts, by the way). ---
**Author:** ![Skip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@Skip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skip)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-80s-actresses-with-fading-careers/132898/2 "2002-10-18T21:52:30Z")
Don’t forget Sean Young. She was on her way up in the 80’s. Blade Runner, The Boost etc etc. And then it just all fell apart for her after she got a (undeserving) rep as being a psycho bitch. ---
**Author:** ![andymurph64](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e57/32.png) [@andymurph64](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andymurph64)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-80s-actresses-with-fading-careers/132898/3 "2002-10-18T21:56:16Z")
Ok, she might not have been in incredible demand during the eighties but the actress that was the hotest of the hot, the one fantasies are made of, the one who should have been in many movies just because: … Jennifer Connelly ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-80s-actresses-with-fading-careers/132898/4 "2002-10-18T22:22:32Z")
Molly turned out goooood. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-80s-actresses-with-fading-careers/132898/5 "2002-10-18T23:20:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by andymurph64 \* > \*\*Jennifer Connelly \*\* I beg to differ. She may have been popular in the 80’s but that was solely due to her :ahem: assets. I predict that her career will experience a strong resurgence due, in no small part, to her oscar-winning performance in the otherwise forgettable _A Beautiful Mind_. My own nomination is Wynona Ryder. Her 90’s career has been one long slow slide from leading performer to co-star to walk-on bit parts. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-80s-actresses-with-fading-careers/132898/6 "2002-10-19T00:03:29Z")
Kay Lenz got a lot of supporitng television work in the eighties, but never quite made it to stardom. ---
**Author:** ![poohpah\_chalupa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@poohpah\_chalupa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/poohpah_chalupa)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-80s-actresses-with-fading-careers/132898/7 "2002-10-19T00:54:34Z")
Hey, if **Ellen Barkin** isn’t too busy right now, she can have my baby… ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-80s-actresses-with-fading-careers/132898/8 "2002-10-19T01:03:36Z")
The chick in _Flashdance._ I think the term “Sophomore Slump” was coined to explain _The Bride._ ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-80s-actresses-with-fading-careers/132898/9 "2002-10-19T01:12:00Z")
I figured Mare Winningham for a huge star when she kicked our asses (“our” being the Hollywood High Shakespeare competitors. I played the nurse in R&J) in the Shakespeare Festival. She acted in or directed 3 or 4 of the winning scenes, and they were so well done, so imaginatively and brilliantly conceived, she was burned on my consciousness. When she emerged as a working actress in the 80’s I was not even slightly surprised. That she did not become huge I attribute both to her personal decisions and to her appearance, which is more character than leading. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-80s-actresses-with-fading-careers/132898/10 "2002-10-19T01:20:58Z")
You never see Jami Gertz around, but she was beautiful. Phoebe Cates was beautiful AND a good actress, but I think she got out of film voluntarily. She’s married to Kevin Kline. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-80s-actresses-with-fading-careers/132898/11 "2002-10-19T01:42:04Z")
I’m surprised that Mia Sara didn’t have a bigger career–she just shpouldn’t have gone from FERRIS BUELLER to TIMECOP–but she does have a great recurring role on BIRDS OF PREY. Jami Gertz, likewise, got some prime screen time on ALLY McBEAL. Ally Sheedy should’ve been a major headliner in film. I think her Broadway (Off-Broadway?) run on HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH was pretty well-received. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-80s-actresses-with-fading-careers/132898/12 "2002-10-19T03:18:14Z")
How about Ione Sky? She was great in ‘Say Anything’, but didn’t really do much else. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-80s-actresses-with-fading-careers/132898/13 "2002-10-19T06:10:25Z")
My pick is Virginia Madsen. (Whom I liked her a lot better than a couple of her peers who came up around the same time: Demi Moore and Sharon Stone.) Sometime around 1990, she seemed to have real promise. Then she did “Highlander 2” and, well, her career never recovered from that body blow. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-80s-actresses-with-fading-careers/132898/14 "2002-10-19T07:32:57Z")
Melinda Culea. In my book at least. She wasn’t in tremendous demand, but she had her share of roles. Oh, and of course… Jan Smithers. (Bailey Quarters fans, you may commence drooling.) ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-80s-actresses-with-fading-careers/132898/15 "2002-10-19T09:52:35Z")
How did we get this far without mentioning Geena Davis? ---
**Author:** ![Anahita](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9a28c/32.png) [@Anahita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anahita)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-80s-actresses-with-fading-careers/132898/16 "2002-10-19T10:27:50Z")
Valerie Bertanelli, what? What? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-80s-actresses-with-fading-careers/132898/17 "2002-10-19T14:12:32Z")
Diane Franklin Megan Follows ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2002, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-80s-actresses-with-fading-careers/132898/18 "2002-10-20T01:19:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JThunder \* > [B > > Oh, and of course… Jan Smithers. (Bailey Quarters fans, you may commence drooling.) \*\* DROOL! DROOL! ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2002, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-80s-actresses-with-fading-careers/132898/19 "2002-10-20T01:21:50Z")
I saw Jami Gertz on “ER” once. (Luka and Carter are HOT). ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2002, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-80s-actresses-with-fading-careers/132898/20 "2002-10-20T01:45:54Z")
Jami Gertz is now on the new sitcom “Standing Still.” I too am sad that Mia Sarah never went anywhere. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-80s-actresses-with-fading-careers/132898.md?page=2)