Top 10 Movie Stars Whose Career Was Saved By TV Shows

First coming to prominence in the early 1990s, Chris O’Donnell had a rocky start to his film career, being nominated for a Golden Globe one year and then for a Golden Raspberry the next. His string of critically lambasted movies continued for nearly 15 years, before finally landing a role on “NCIS: Los Angeles” as lead agent G. Callen. If you told a “Batman & Robin” era audience that O’Donnell would be on one of TV’s most watched crime shows, few would likely believe you. After all, it’s a minor miracle that everyone from the 90's Bat franchise still gets work.

Known for his voice-over work and appearances behind prosthetic makeup, Ron Perlman appeared mostly in supporting roles for most of his work in film. While still under heavy makeup, Perlman nonetheless attained stardom with the “Hellboy” franchise, playing the titular demonic hero. When the third entry failed to materialize though, Perlman turned to the small screen, where he played Clay Morrow, the compelling outlaw antagonist of “Sons of Anarchy.” Despite Perlman rarely lacking work, the part was one of the few to put him, and his real face, center stage and showcase his acting talents.

A true character actor, James Spader made a name for himself in film during the late 1980s and ‘90s for his eccentric and memorable performances. However, his fortunes took a downturn around the turn of the millennium. This changed upon his appearance as a legally questionable, but morally righteous attorney Alan Shore on the final season of “The Practice.” The character was such a success, he became the center of a spin-off, “Boston Legal.” The latter’s success fueled a resurgence in Spader’s career, earning him more television roles, as well as appearances in some major blockbusters, even if it was just his voice.

A former pop singer and teen star, Mandy Moore transitioned to acting as well, though her initial success on the big screen did not have much staying power. While she had early hits in several teen romances, her biggest claim to fame afterwards had been voicing Rapunzel in the Disney film, “Tangled.” Moore’s fortunes in front of the camera improved upon being cast in “This Is Us” as Rebecca Pearson. The drama series has allowed Moore to flex her acting chops quite well and even earned her a Golden Globe nomination.

Rob Lowe’s initial fame was the result of his appearance in films during the ‘80s, many of which were coming-of-age films. However, as Lowe grew older, he was cast in fewer and fewer roles during the next decade, partly due to a late-‘80s sex tape scandal. Lowe experienced a renewed celebrity when he was cast as the initial lead of “The West Wing” in the late ‘90s. While focus eventually drifted away from his character, the show kept him in the public eye. After a second slump in the mid-2000s, Lowe again returned to the public eye by taking another political role on “Parks and Recreation.” Maybe he just needs to stay in fictional politics.

Another actor whose fame began in the 1980s, Christian Slater had a number of notable roles up through the early ‘90s, but eventually he fell into the background of major films or starred in B-movies. While Slater has had no shortage of work, even appearing 10 film projects in 2012 alone, he wouldn’t really come back into the spotlight until he moved to television. After a number of unsuccessful attempts to make his mark in the medium, Slater eventually landed the title role of “Mr. Robot,” earning him renewed media attention and critical acclaim.

Born to Hollywood icons, Kiefer Sutherland started out in films like “Stand By Me” and “The Lost Boys.” However, the younger Sutherland’s star never quite lived up to that of his father Donald’s on the big screen. It was only once Kiefer appeared as the intense counter-terrorism agent Jack Bauer on “24” that he achieved true success. Sutherland’s portrayal earned him not only critical attention, but also worldwide recognition, as he and Bauer have become indelible parts of pop culture. Sutherland has continued to find success on television since, including his portrayal as a man unexpectedly put in the office of President in “Designated Survivor.”

Known for her down-to-earth performances in a number of fantastical films in the ‘80s and ‘90s, Winona Ryder’s film star took an unfortunate fall. The lead of “Girl, Interrupted” had her career interrupted when an arrest in the early 2000s motivated her to take a hiatus from acting. Though she returned to getting steady work, her profile had suffered from her absence. That all changed with her role as the beleaguered Joyce Byers on “Stranger Things.” Ryder’s raw, real depiction of a frightened mother won over the hearts of audiences and critics alike.

Charlie Sheen came to prominence in a huge way in the '80s, appearing in serious roles and the stupefyingly silly. However, as the 20th century ended, his star power had begun to wane somewhat, as he starred in fewer hit movies. Yet, when the time came to replace Michael J. Fox on “Spin City,” Sheen stepped up to fill his shoes wonderfully, while following that show up with the smash sitcom “Two and a Half Men.” His subsequent firing from that show and his public breakdown seemed like another career ender, although with his next show, “Anger Management,” Sheen rebounded yet again.



Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

Rosario Dawson
Netflix Television Shows of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (2015-)

Jim Caviezel

“Person of Interest” (2011-16)

Natasha Lyonne

“Orange Is the New Black” (2013-)

The eldest of the Baldwin brothers, Alec Baldwin has had an extensive career in film and TV for decades. Unlike most of our entries, he’s never really had much of a slump, even if he did begin receiving fewer leading roles as time went on. His award-winning role as Jack Donaghy, the brash, eccentric boss on “30 Rock” is what helped catapult him to a restored pop culture icon though. Since then, Baldwin has become a fixture of television, hosting a game show and making many prominent guest appearances, particularly on “Saturday Night Live,” which he’s also hosted a record number of times.