15 Actors Who Were on the Brink of Stardom “Then Lost It All“

Brendan Fraser burst onto the Hollywood scene with undeniable talent, seemingly destined for A-list stardom. Yet, after a string of successful films, he all but vanished from the industry. In hindsight, his retreat makes sense years later, revelations of mistreatment by Hollywood power players shed light on the dark reality behind his sudden disappearance.

But Fraser’s story is far from unique. Many actors have seen their careers stall before reaching their full potential sometimes due to personal missteps, other times as a result of standing up for themselves in an industry that rarely forgives defiance. Whether it was one bad decision or an unjust repercussion, the actors below were on the brink of superstardom until everything came crashing down.

#1 Jennifer Grey

Image source: Taylor Hill/Getty Images, Apple TV

timing just wasn’t on Jennifer Grey’s side.

Despite the massive success of Dirty Dancing, the New York native struggled to land more movie roles. Hoping to revitalize her career, she underwent a nose job but midway through filming Wind, she noticed white cartilage poking through the tip of her nose. A second surgery was needed to correct it, but the results left her almost unrecognizable.

“Overnight, I lost my identity and my career,” she later admitted.

#2 Isaiah Washington

Image source: Omar Vega/Getty Images, Netflix

Grey’s Anatomy was and still is a pop culture phenomenon, and Isaiah Washington seemed poised for lasting success. But his career took a sharp downturn after he was fired from the show for using a homophobic slur on set.

Washington insisted the remark wasn’t directed at anyone, though reports suggested it may have been aimed at his co-star T.R. Knight, who is openly gay. The incident reportedly stemmed from a heated verbal altercation between Washington and Grey’s leading man, Patrick Dempsey.

#3 Armie Hammer

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Armie Hammer was on the fast track to A-list stardom after Call Me By Your Name, but his career imploded almost overnight. Allegations of sexual assault surfaced alongside disturbing messages in which he allegedly described himself as a cannibal, sparking a media firestorm.

In the fallout, Hammer was dropped from all upcoming projects, as well as by his agency and publicist. He withdrew from the public eye and was later reportedly seen working as a timeshare salesperson in the Cayman Islands.

Addressing the scandal, Hammer admitted to past wrongdoings: “I’m here to own my mistakes, take accountability for the fact that I was an asshole, that I was selfish, that I used people to make me feel better, and when I was done, moved on.

#4 Shannen Doherty

Image source: Gerardo Mora/Getty Images, Amazon Prime Video

Shannen Doherty earned a reputation for being difficult to work with, according to past drama and stories from her co-stars.

She was first fired from the hit series Beverly Hills, 90210 after reported on-set clashes, particularly with Tori Spelling. Tensions escalated when she allegedly got into a physical altercation with co-star Jennie Garth, leading Spelling to request her removal from the show.

Doherty’s next big role on Charmed ended in a similar fashion—though this time, it appeared to be her own decision. She cited “too much drama on the set and not enough passion for the work” as the reason for her exit.

Following these high-profile departures, Doherty’s career never fully rebounded, with only a handful of TV appearances and a reality show to her name.

#5 Emile Hirsch

Image source: Griffin Nagel/Getty Images, Netflix

Emile Hirsch seemed poised for Hollywood stardom after his critically acclaimed performance in Into the Wild. But despite the film’s success, his career never reached the heights many expected.

In 2015, Hirsch’s trajectory took a dark turn when he assaulted a female Paramount executive at the Sundance Film Festival. According to BBC, the victim told police, “He choked me up, threw me across the table, and I felt the front of my throat hit the back of my throat,” describing the attack as “insanely painful and absolutely terrifying.”

Hirsch pleaded guilty to assault charges and served 15 days in jail. He later claimed he had no memory of the incident due to binge drinking. However, the damage was done—his career never recovered, and he struggled to land roles that matched the success of Into the Wild.

#6 Jussie Smollett

Image source: Paras Griffin/Getty Images, Hulu

Jussie Smollett was on the rise, making a name for himself with his role in Empire. In early 2019, he garnered worldwide support after claiming to be the victim of a violent hate crime in Chicago.

But his downfall was entirely self-inflicted.

Police later uncovered that Smollett had staged the attack himself, leading to the release of the two men originally accused. The revelation sent shockwaves through the media and resulted in his firing from Empire.

Smollett was charged with filing a false police report and wasting police resources. In a 2021 trial, he was found guilty on five of six counts and sentenced to 150 days in county jail.

#6 T.j. Miller

Image source: Michael S. Schwartz/Getty Images, Max

T.J. Miller hit his career peak with roles in Deadpool and the beloved How to Train Your Dragon franchise but it all came crashing down soon after.

During the #MeToo movement, he was accused of sexual assault allegations he denied and later made light of during a stand-up performance. Then, in 2018, he sparked further controversy by calling 911 to report a fake bomb threat on an Amtrak train.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Connecticut, responding officers and passengers described him as intoxicated, with one witness stating he had been “involved in hostile exchanges” with a woman.

Miller was later indicted for “intentionally conveying to law enforcement false information about an explosive device on a train,” though the charge was eventually dropped. Despite this, his career never recovered he was recast in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise, with all of his previous lines overdubbed.

#7 Cas Anvar

Image source: Paul Archuleta/Getty Images, Amazon Prime Video

Cas Anvar’s role in The Expanse was a career-defining moment, propelling him to greater recognition and even landing him a recurring role on How to Get Away With Murder.

But in 2020, his rise came to an abrupt halt. Anvar was accused of harassment and sexual misconduct allegations he denied. However, the fallout was swift he was fired from The Expanse and has since appeared in only two projects.

#8 Eliza Dushku

Image source: Kristina Bumphrey/Getty Images, Amazon Prime Video

Eliza Dushku seemed poised for a major role on CBS’s Bull, starting as a recurring character in season one with plans to become a series regular. But that all changed when she accused co-star Michael Weatherly of sexual harassment.

According to Variety, after Weatherly was made aware of the allegation, he texted the head of CBS Studios and Dushku was fired the very next day.

I was told that the role would be a six-year commitment to play a smart, strong leading lady a confident, high-powered lawyer meant to counterbalance the existing male lead. The role had been written specifically with me in mind,” Dushku later revealed

However, in my first week on the job, I found myself the brunt of crude, sexualized, and lewd verbal assaults. I suffered near-constant sexual harassment from my co-star. This was beyond anything I had experienced in my 30-year career.

#9 Hayden Christensen

Image source: Jesse Grant/Getty Images, Disney+

Hayden Christensen’s journey as Star Wars’ Chosen One is a prime example of “right person, wrong time.

Landing the coveted role of Anakin Skywalker should have cemented his Hollywood stardom, but the Star Wars prequels faced harsh criticism in the early 2000s particularly his performance. The backlash took a toll on his career, leading him to step away from the spotlight for years.

At one point, Christensen even questioned whether he deserved his fame. “I guess I felt like I had this great thing in Star Wars that provided all these opportunities and gave me a career, but it kind of felt a little too handed to me,” he told the LA Times. “I didn’t want to go through life feeling like I was just riding a wave.

Now, time has been far kinder to Christensen. With a newfound appreciation for the prequels and his triumphant return as Anakin/Darth Vader in Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022), he’s finally receiving the recognition fans always believed he deserved.

#10 Elizabeth Berkley

Image source: Jeremy Chan/Getty Images, Apple TV

Elizabeth Berkley’s downfall was less about talent and more about sheer bad luck.

After rising to fame as the brainy beauty Jessie Spano on Saved by the Bell, Berkley seemed poised for bigger things. Her breakout opportunity came with Showgirls a bold move meant to propel her into Hollywood stardom.

But the film flopped hard. Panned by critics and bombing at the box office, Showgirls didn’t just sink it took Berkley’s career down with it.

Despite continuing to work in the industry, she never quite regained her footing. While Showgirls has since earned a cult following, the damage to Berkley’s career was already done.

#11 Gina Carano

Image source: Mathew Tsang/Getty Images, Disney+

Gina Carano seemed destined for Hollywood success after transitioning from pro wrestling to acting, earning widespread fan love for her role as Cara Dune in The Mandalorian.

But in early 2021, controversy struck when she shared a social media post comparing the treatment of Republicans to that of Jewish people during World War II. The backlash was swift, prompting fans to unearth more of her past remarks such as her vocal opposition to mask mandates and claims of voter fraud in 2020.

Lucasfilm quickly severed ties, firing her from The Mandalorian and writing her character out of the series.

Her social media posts denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities are abhorrent and unacceptable,” a Lucasfilm representative stated.

#12 Justin Baldoni

Image source: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images, Netflix

The legal battle between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively, along with her husband Ryan Reynolds, has recently dominated headlines. While Baldoni’s career hasn’t been entirely derailed, the dispute is likely to impact his future projects.

In December 2024, Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department, alleging sexual harassment and retaliation by Baldoni during the filming of It Ends With Us. Baldoni denied the allegations and subsequently filed a $250 million libel lawsuit against The New York Times for their coverage of the incident.

In January 2025, Baldoni escalated the legal battle by filing a $400 million lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds, and their publicist, Leslie Sloan, accusing them of civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy. He claimed that Lively attempted to take control of the film through demands and threats, and when unsuccessful, accused him of orchestrating a smear campaign.

The trial is scheduled for March 9, 2026. As the legal proceedings continue, the outcome remains uncertain, but the dispute is expected to have significant implications for all parties involved.

#13 Mischa Barton

Image source: Kristina Bumphrey/Getty Images, Hulu

“Mischa Barton’s career died with her character Marissa Cooper change my mind.”

This bold claim has sparked heated debates among Hollywood fans, especially on Reddit. And while “died” may be a strong word, even Barton herself acknowledges that her career took a dramatic turn after The O.C.

In an interview with The Sunday Times, she opened up about the overwhelming nature of fame at just 17, likening the experience to “The Hunger Games.”

“I was stalked. I did go a little bit nuts at [one] point. I just felt really helpless.”

She went on to describe the lasting impact of early stardom:

“You can go to therapy every day for the rest of your life. But there’s just a certain amount of trauma [from] all that I went through, particularly in my early 20s, that just doesn’t go away overnight.”

While Barton has continued acting, she’s never quite recaptured the meteoric rise she experienced as Marissa Cooper.

#14 Taylor Kitsch

Image source: Theo Wargo/Getty Images, Amazon Prime Video

Friday Night Lights launched Taylor Kitsch into stardom, paving the way for lead roles in John Carter and Battleship.

However, both films flopped at the box office, derailing his career trajectory.

Despite the setbacks, Kitsch remains proud of his work. “I’m very proud of John Carter,” he stated. “Box office doesn’t validate me as a person, or as an actor.”

While his blockbuster momentum may have faded, his recent work in smaller, critically acclaimed projects suggests a potential career resurgence.

#15 Katherine Heigl

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This Grey’s Anatomy star may have gotten too comfortable in her success—until a series of controversial remarks led to her downfall.

Katherine Heigl first raised eyebrows in 2008 when she withdrew herself from Emmy consideration, subtly shading Grey’s Anatomy writers by stating: “I did not feel I was given the material this season to warrant a nomination.” She later apologized, explaining that she felt her role lacked the “juicy, dramatic, emotional material” needed to compete.

Her issues didn’t stop there. After starring in Knocked Up, Heigl criticized the film, calling her character “a little sexist” and suggesting it was difficult to fully embrace the project.

The backlash was swift. Though she later clarified, “I liked the movie a lot. I just didn’t like me,” the damage was done.

Labeled as “difficult” in Hollywood, Heigl found herself effectively blacklisted, a reputation she has since called “unfair.”