Top 10 Famous TV Actors Who Could Not Make it in Movies

Earning a couple Golden Globe nominations for her portrayal of Betty Draper on “Mad Men,” Jones showed she possess acting talent to go along with her good looks. Though she’d had other movie roles, her big screen break came in 2011 when she starred as Emma Frost in Matthew Vaughn’s “X-Men: First Class.” Although the movie received positive reviews, her performance was criticized for being one note and bland. Whether it was the writing or the acting, the entire character was dropped for the sequel. After “Mad Men” called it quits, January Jones stayed on TV with “The Last Man on Earth.”

Michael C. Hall is not only an established TV actor, but also a proven live performer with “Chicago,” William Shakespeare’s “Cymbeline,” and “Lazarus” featured on his expansive résumé. Since hitting the scene in the early 2000s, though, he has only appeared in a handful of films. While others tried and failed to make the jump to the big screen, Michael seems happy focusing mostly on theater and TV, with the occasional movie sprinkled in. Separating the actor from a character is easier said than done, especially when they are as iconic as Dexter Morgan or David Fisher.

Peaking as Marissa Cooper on “The O.C.,” Mischa Barton’s career has been in a downhill spiral ever since leaving the hit show. In an interview with “Entertainment Tonight,” the former teen idol mentioned that she needed a break from the Hollywood scene after Season 3. Appearing in over 25 movies since her departure, Mischa found herself relegated to bargain bin fodder like “Virgin Territory,” “Zombie Killers,” and “You and I.” Barton would return to television with her stint on “Dancing with the Stars,” but it wasn’t long until she was eliminated.

A staple of the TV scene during the ‘90s, Melissa was somewhat of an icon for teenage girls due to leading roles on “Clarissa Explains It All” and “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.” Known for her girl next-door persona and a winning smile, the American actress struggled to get a foot in Hollywood’s door, with studios seeming reluctant to cast her in a big budget role. Hart attempted to Kickstart a movie called “Darci’s Walk of Shame” in 2013, but less than 3% of the goal was reached. Ouch. At least “Melissa & Joey” was popular enough to last four seasons.

Talent can only take you so far. “Gilmore Girls” served as a great showcase for Alexis Bledel, who quickly became a fan favorite with her layered portrayal of Rory Gilmore. Following seven seasons, most were expecting to see the Texas actress transition to a leading lady. Unfortunately – box office bombs like “The Good Guy” and “The Conspirator” are hardly the best ways to launch a career. While Alexis went back to television with Emmy winning work in “The Handmaid’s Tale,” her performance as Becky in “Sin City” will probably forever be her big screen highlight.

Things looked so promising when “The Whole Nine Yards” came out. Maybe there was a place for Perry’s sarcastic style of humor on the big screen. Then its practically laugh-free sequel stumbled its way into theaters to a critical tongue-lashing. Appearing in only a handful of features since then, Matthew Perry continues to prove his chops on the small screen in various TV dramas, comedies, and miniseries. With “Friends” destined to be shown in re-runs until the Sun collapses on itself, we doubt Chandler is crying too much about his lack of a movie career though.

During its initial run, “Lost” was a full-blown pop cultural phenomenon. As the series progressively got weirder and weirder, most found themselves either loving or hating it. Right in the middle stood Matthew Fox’s Jack Shephard. When not trying to find a way back to the island, Fox jumped from one critical disappointment to the next with “Smokin’ Aces,” “Speed Racer,” and “Vantage Point.” After “Lost” ended, Fox delivered a fun performance in the box office bomb “Alex Cross” and was essentially reduced to an extra in “World War Z.”

Thank god for “Orange is the New Black.” Before entering a women’s prison and after “That '70s Show,” Laura Prepon appeared in a handful of feature length productions that, at best, could be described as forgettable. At worst – there was “Karla,” a poorly conceived biopic based on serial killers Paul Bernard and Karla Homolka, which sits at an impressive 0% on Rotten Tomatoes as of October 2017. A few bit roles later, Laura returned to the small screen for a half dozen one-off appearances on hits like “Castle,” “Medium,” and “House.”

Honestly – after “Breaking Bad,” anything would have been a step back. But, of all things, why “Need for Speed?” Aaron Paul is a great actor with one too many critical failures on his résumé. While “Need for Speed” turned a profit, critics tore it a new one and following it up with appearances in the lackluster “A Long Way Down” and “Exodus: Gods and Kings” certainly did not help matters. While Aaron scored a few decent secondary roles in “Eye in the Sky” and “Central Intelligence,” do not expect to see Jesse leading a blockbuster anytime soon.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Eva Longoria

Michael Richards

Topher Grace

It might seem premature to describe Kaley's movie career as a flop. Based on what we’ve seen so far, though, this sitcom star seems better suited for the small screen. She starred in around 10 movies since the launch of “The Big Bang Theory,” and most have come and gone without leaving much of an impression. Meanwhile, her performances in “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip” and “The Wedding Ringer” won her a Razzie for Worst Supporting Actress. In short, Kaley’s movie career is about as impressive as Penny’s.