Top 10 Actors Who Destroyed Their Careers with One Movie

“Battlefield Earth” (2000)
So much good will after “Pulp Fiction”. So much potential. So what the hell is this? Based on the L. Ron Hubbard novel of the same name, “Battlefield Earth” follows a human rebellion against a race of alien overlords. John Travolta, whose career up to this point boasted movies like “Grease”, the aforementioned “Pulp Fiction”, “Saturday Night Fever” and “Face/Off”, played a lead role in the movie mainly because it was linked into his Scientology beliefs. Criticized for its acting, script, special effects and, well, pretty much everything, it’s a sci-fi feast of cheese. For a certain generation, Travolta will be forever known as ‘the Battlefield Earth guy’.

“John Carter” (2012)
This is a strange one. It’s a sci-fi Disney movie with tons of action, great special effects and a large number of admiring fans. So why is it on this list? Well, due to some questionable marketing – and the fact that the title “John Carter” hardly inspires excitement – the movie did kinda poorly at the box office. Like, failed to recoup its budget poorly. The only entry in a proposed trilogy, “John Carter” saw its lead and titular actor just... fade away. Sure, Kitsch has had some decent supporting roles since, but it’s a long way from starring as the lead in a Disney blockbuster.

“Proof of Life” (2000)
Like Demi Moore and Julia Roberts, Meg Ryan was '90s movie royalty, with starring roles in “You’ve Got Mail” and “Sleepless in Seattle”. When she lined up alongside Russell Crowe for the movie “Proof of Life”, a story about hostage negotiations, it seemed like a guaranteed thrill ride. Well, turns out: it was not. The movie had a few good twists and turns, and Ryan’s performance was commendable, but overall it was flat and predictable – and since then Ryan’s big roles have been few and far between. Here’s to hoping that she’ll pop up in another legendary diner scene someday soon.

“Abduction” (2011)
As the “Twilight” saga inched towards its conclusion, its young stars were some of the most promising in cinema, Taylor “Jacob” Lautner included. And after starring in a huge franchise like that, your next steps are crucial. Unfortunately for Lautner, his big action blockbuster “Abduction” didn’t earn him the title of action hero like he’d hoped. Criticized for its awful writing, and the fact that it was basically a lame rip off of the Jason Bourne movies,”Abduction” was universally panned, and Lautner has struggled to regain his A list status since. The Golden Raspberry Award nomination he earned for the movie is still hanging around his neck like an albatross.

“Boat Trip” (2002)
Since earning himself a well-deserved Best Supporting Actor Oscar for “Jerry Maguire”, Cuba Gooding, Jr.’s career has been a bit of a roller coaster. Although starring in several great films since then, his filmography has also been filled with lower budget, direct-to-DVD movies, and a few really, really bad movies, of which have hampered his rise back to Oscar form. One of the main offenders was undoubtedly “Boat Trip”. Lewd, awkward to watch, and boasting a 7% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s about two straight guys who end up on a gay cruise – and the fun just never starts. I mean, this is the guy that gave us “show me the money”. Come on, man!

“Spider-Man 3” (2007)
We all know him from the huge “That '70s Show”, but his big movie appearances have been somewhat of a rarity. Being cast as Venom in “Spider-Man 3” should have been a massive career booster for Grace, but unfortunately, it sucked. True, “Spider-Man 3” is admired by many, but the movie did receive heavy criticism for trying to shoehorn in too many villains, Grace’s Venom being the straw that broke the camel's back. His portrayal of the disgraced journalist and anti-Spidey wasn’t bad, it’s just unfortunate that a lot of the animosity towards the movie’s villain problem, ended up on his shoulders. And he’s yet to have an acting gig of the same status since.

“Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace” (1999)
Lloyd is a classic example of the destructive nature of being a child star. Winning the hearts of moviegoers in “Jingle All the Way”, he went on to portray young Anakin Skywalker in “The Phantom Menace”. It’s no secret that the “Star Wars” prequels have their fair share of haters, and sadly for Lloyd, he was on the receiving end of a lot of that hate. Not only did this hamper his chance of getting future acting work, but it took a toll on his personal life, leading him to be bullied in school and ultimately to retire from acting in 2001. Lloyd has established a career behind the camera however. Directing documentaries and music videos.

“Superman Returns” (2006)
Once you put on the blue tights and red cape, it can be tough for anyone to see you without them. Cast as the Man of Steel in “Superman Returns”, Brandon Routh fit the bill perfectly – chiseled jaw, charming grin, jet black hair. The problem is, even without the costume, people still see him with a red ‘S’ on his chest. Routh has appeared in plenty of movies and TV shows since, but to most people, he’s still Clark Kent, making it tough for moviemakers to cast him in big leading roles. But not TV show makers evidently, as he reprised the role of Superman in a “Batwoman” crossover episode – which probably didn’t help his typecasting.

“The Love Guru” (2008)
Times change rapidly in the movie business. What worked in the '90s, or the 2000s, may not work today. Case in point, Mike Myers’ “The Love Guru”. Known for his irreverent '90s comedies, especially the “Austin Powers” movies, Myers’ style of comedy has been pretty consistently silly over the years. But when he tried to sell the ridiculous “Love Guru” to audiences in 2008, it didn’t land well at all. With inappropriate, cringeworthy gross-out gags coming out of its ears, the movie left Myers with more Razzies than a trifle. And since then, he’s not done any movies flaunting his old brand of humor. Which is probably for the best.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable, or in this case, dishonorable mentions:

Kevin Costner
“Waterworld” (1995)


Warren Beatty
“Town & Country” (2001)


Hayden Christensen
“Jumper” (2008)


Geena Davis
“Cutthroat Island” (1995)


Alicia Silverstone
“Batman & Robin” (1997)

“Showgirls” (1995)
We’ve tried to give the benefit of the doubt where possible, but when it comes to “Showgirls”, we got nothin’. This movie is so bad it earned a record number of Razzie Award nominations, and a cult status for its sheer awfulness. Unfortunately for former teen actress Elizabeth Berkley, she played the lead role. The film as a whole is bad and weird in its own right, but Berkley’s acting is dire throughout, as she famously overacts in many of the scenes. The fallout from the movie was so bad, she was dropped by her agent as a result. And although she’s been in tons of movies since, “Showgirls” will forever be a defining black mark on her career.