So what are Haley Osment's chances of saving his career?

Cafe Society
1

If you didn’t already know it, Haley Joel Osment is facing charges for DUI and possession. Which is more likely: that he will be able to rebuild his reputation, or that he’s struck a crippling blow to his career?

If he were an adult, especially an adult who became famous as an adult, this wouldn’t even be an issue, of course. Even actors who got crossways with the law when they’re in their early 20s are usually able to recover, if they came to prominence when they were that age. But because Haley was already pretty much in limbo (he just finished filming a movie, but it’s hardly being anticipated with bated breath) and because he already has the !FORMER CHILD ACTOR! stigma working against him, he might not be able to bounce back as quick as, say, Hugh Grant*.

But maybe not. From what I understand, his professional reputation is sterling, and he’s apparently a 24-hour charm machine. He might still not be regarded as a liability because of this, unless maybe it hurts his ability to be insured by a production company (I really don’t know; I’m just asking). Reactions differ, with people who’ve worked with him saying, “I can’t believe it!” and the general public saying, “HA-ha! I knew he’d end up like all the rest!” and the undeniable assertions that “Drunk driving is a terrible thing! Shame on him!” Yes, shame on him indeed, but does he deserve a second chance? He might still be able to get work, but I wonder how this will affect people’s interest in seeing a film he’s in.

There are the previous examples of Edward Furlong, Brad Renfro, and uh…I think there was another guy around that time (not Mac Culkin; I think his dad did more to wreck his reputation than he himself did), but I’m not sure that it was just illegal activity that derailed them. Furlong was just a total skank, and Renfro also exhibited a lot of boorish behavior, marking them both, within the industry, as high-risk long before there was tangible proof. And Drew Barrymore pulled more crap than all three of those guys put together, but then, that was in an earlier era, before there was so much media saturation. And people were a lot less willing to believe that this adorable little girl could really be delinquent, and she avoided friction with producers, directors, et al by simply not working until she realized she had to clean up her act, and did so.

So what do you think? Bearing in mind that there’s not an additional wrinkle of his being uncooperative the night the accident happened, and that up to now, he’s been seen as above reproach, can he come back from this? Especially in light of the fact that many detractors have claimed that he was “too perfect”…but this difficult to excuse. The timing is terrible, and I think that’s the biggest obstacle.

*Who I’m not entirely sure didn’t get arrested on purpose. Someone on this board posited a theory that the event was staged to prove that he wasn’t gay. Maybe, maybe not, but it’s now little more than a footnote in his bio. Still, that doesn’t apply here. DUI is way more serious than pandering, and nobody gets his rib broken as a piece of strategy.

2

I can’t imagine anyone being especially shocked about an 18-year-old messing around with booze and marijuana.

And I wouldn’t think this would have any long-term impact on his career. Hell, Drew Barrymore was famously drinking and snorting cocaine at age 12, and she seems to be doing OK now.

3

Given that I now know who the Hell Haley Osment is*, I’d say any publicity is good.

*Saw Sixth Sense. Didn’t know the kid’s name. Didn’t care.

4

How much money has that kid earned over his career that he drives a Saturn?

5

I really don’t see this being much of an issue one way or the either. My sense from the blogverse (including the SDMB thread) is that most people are going, “Stupid kid, pretty dumb. Hope you learned your lesson. And gawd, let me tell you about all the stupid shit I did when I was 18!” The world seems pretty forgiving, probably because it’s a first offense and no one was hurt.

I hear he’s planning on taking some time off and going to school. While I think that’s good, I think a four year gap in his resume will have more of a negative impact on his career than this incident.

And there’s still the question of whether or not he can really act beyond the wide-eyed panicked kid role. No one wants to see that in a full sized man. I don’t know if he can or not, I’ve not yet seen him attempt an adult role.

Than again, maybe a break is what he needs to outgrow the “child actor” stigma and let us see him in a new light. It wasn’t until Party Monster that I grew to respect Culkin as an actor - and that was 9 years after his last role, as Richie Rich.

6

It’s been reported that the Saturn is a hand-me-down from his father, who doesn’t want him to be a spoiled child actor. His earnings are kept in accounts for him until he hits majority (21?).

Hearing that alone gives me hope, if it’s true.

7

It’s not like he had a gram of tar heroin on him- I would hope in the US in 2006 we are passed the archaic notion that all drugs are equally bad, He had a little weed on him- I say good for him. The DUI is not condoned though, and luckily the only injury was to a mailbox and a Saturn, so he should be OK.

8

If he takes his lumps and apologizes, I don’t think it will do him one whit of harm.

Though I did hear that he blamed the Eskimos for starting all of the world’s wars.

9

Why does anyone give a shit if HJ Osmont smokes pot or drinks? Is he piloting your children across country or something? He’s an actor; They’re supposed to be decadent! I suppose if his late night partying causes him to screw up on the job he might get fired, but I can’t understand people who are shocked, shocked, to find an 18 year old experimenting with intoxicants.

10

If anything will be said to have ruined HJO’s career it’ll be reaching puberty and not this.

11

I have always found it funny when average folks express shock or outrage when someone they know only from the characters they play in movies or whatever does something wrong. I heard someone say “I can’t believe he (Osment) did that- he’s so nice!” Uh, what are you basing that on? Because a character he played in a movie you saw was nice? Don’t you realize that’s acting, that you really don’t know shit about him or any other movie star? He could the most evil SOB on the planet, but people are shocked by his actions b/c “he was so good in the Sixth Sense”?? And yes, I’m kidding HJO is known to be one of the nicest young actors out there.

Same thing when the see someone on a talk show who plays evil characters in film a lot, and see that they are really not like that in real life, and are stunned.

Another good one is people who are stunned that sweet innocent Sandra Bullock married a tattoed biker dude (!) Like a) marrying a tattoed biker dude is “dememaning” and b) like she is “high class” because she’s a movie star? She could be the most low class trailer park chick on the planet, for all anyone who doesn’t know her knows. This could be a step up in class actually. And on and on.

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Did he blame the Jews?

I don’t predict a problem. We all did naughty things when we were young.

13

Nope. Dead people.
:smiley:

(And he’d be right. Dead people have caused most of the world’s problems!)

14

I’m glad to hear he’s planning on going to college. It’s usually the female actors you hear about (Jodie Foster, Brooke Shields, Natalie Portman, Julia Styles, Mayim Bialik) instead of the young male actors. I can’t think of a one who put his career on hold to go to college. I’m sure they exist, but no names come to mind.

Haley Osment will be just fine. He’s got decent parents, is a good actor (he held his own with Michael Caine and Robert Duvall in Secondhand Lions 3 years ago), and has a huge support system. So he had some pot with him…big whoop. He shouldn’t have tried driving after drinking though, and maybe this will embarrass and freak him into never doing that again.

15

Sean Astin went to UCLA.

Actually, that’s something else I wonder about. He’s been accepted to NYU, but will they take back their offer because of this? He should take whatever punishment the state of California dishes out, but what’s the incentive to improve if he loses everything?

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You think if he goes to the Dean, hat in hand, apologises, and then becomes a poster boy for DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE (and don’t carry around pot in your car either) UCLA is going to throw him out? I’ll bet that’s exactly what he does, and I’ll bet they’ll be glad to have him.

What’s he done that a good percentage of students haven’t done? That a good percentage of us haven’t done?