What was the film that killed an actor's popularity?

[toddly6666]

From "I love this actor" to "i'm sick of this actor"

It's sort of sad how some actors can be so hot and popular for a time period but a couple of particular movie choices just kills their popularity or people just suddenly get sick of them. Can anyone list their "before and after" time period when a particular actor's popularity started "dying"? Sure, these actors have been involved in some huge money makers during their unpopular times, but I'm mainly curious to see what the time period that just changed their popularity perception, maybe even just getting co-star recognition on posters and trailers after their popularity sagged. There was a time where I couldn't wait to see "the new Nicolas Cage or new Robert DeNiro movie" but now they just don't send me running to the theaters like they used to.

Here are the examples I can think of:

Nicolas Cage: 2005, around Lord of War and Weather Man
Robin Williams: 1996, around The Birdcage and Jack
Eddie Murphy: 1997, around The Nutty Professor and Metro
John Cusack: 2005, around Runaway Juror and Must Love Dogs
Christian Slater: 1998, around Broken Arrow and Hard Rain
Drew Barrymore: 2007, around Fever Pitch and Music & Lyrics
Hugh Grant: 1999, around Notting Hill and Mickey Blue Eyes
Meg Ryan: 2003, around Kate & Leopold and In the Cut
Robert DeNiro: 2004, around Analyze That and Godsend
Al Pacino: 2002, around Insomnia and S1m0ne
Jennifer Lopez: 2003, around Maid in Manhattan and Gigli
Dan Aykroyd: 1991, around Loose Cannons and Nothing But Trouble
Robert Redford: 2004, around Spy Game and The Clearing
Demi Moore: 2000, around G.I. Jane and Passion of the Mind
Geena Davis: 1999, around The Long Kiss Goodnight and Stuart Little
Chris O'Donnell: 2002, around Vertical Limit and 29 Palms
Charlie Sheen: 1997, around Shadow Conspiracy and Money Talks
Mel Gibson: 2002, around We Were Soldiers and Signs

Can anyone list anymore? I'm curious about famous stars of the past too. There was a time when Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly, Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis or John Wayne didn't send people running to the theaters too.

[Hawkguy]

I'd say public image killed the popularity of some of the ones you mentioned, not necessarily films.

[Scottie]

I really hate how a lot of decent actors ended up resorting to direct-to-video films now.

For example:

Christian Slater's best was True Romance and he started going downhill after Windtalkers.

Cuba Gooding, Jr.'s best was Jerry Maguire and he started going downhill after Men Of Honor.

Val Kilmer's best was Heat and he started going downhill after The Saint, but more specifically after Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

[MrBlonde]

Yeah, Mel Gibson's loss of popularity certainly wasn't because of any of his roles.

[Tony208]

Brandon Routh still hasn't recovered from Superman Returns which is unfortunate cause it wasn't his fault.

Taylor Kitsch may never recover from John Carter and Battleship, JC was just bad luck but, Battleship was going to be garbage from the start so he deserves blame for putting his name to it.

[Infernal King]

What the hell?

Lord of War and The Weather Man are two of Nicolas Cage's finest films/performances.

The Wicker Man is when the downhill spiral begun. Any other answer is clearly wrong.

[X400]

those films didn't kill their popularity... maybe you meant 'what were their last popular films before it started going down hill' ??

[bluearth]

Speed Racer unfairly tanked Emile Hirsch's career

I dont think the media and Hollywood in general will let Jaden Smith survive After Earth

[DaleDark]

What, no mention of C. Thomas Howell and Soul Man. A story of a young man who does black-face in order to get a college scholarship. Can't imagine why that didn't launch his career into the stratosphere?

[chris_sc77]

Rob Schneider (yes he was once a leading man) - Duece Bigelow 2

[MEB]

Johnny Depp: Around 2013 and the The Lone Ranger



Mark

[pitmosher]

Stallone: driven, avenging Angelo, d-tox (or eye see you), Until of course he made Rambo, Rocky Balboa and the expendables in the last few years.

[Captain Kirk]

I had no idea John Cusack went on a downward spiral. 1408 and Hot Tub Time Machine did fairly well and The Raven really wasn't that bad.

[RyanPom]

Will Smith - After Earth
Drive - Ryan Gosling
Batman and Robin - Chris o Donnell
Total Recall - Collin Ferrel
Bling Ring - Emma Watson

[Infernal King]

Originally Posted by RyanPom

Will Smith - After Earth
Drive - Ryan Gosling
Batman and Robin - Chris o Donnell
Total Recall - Collin Ferrel
Bling Ring - Emma Watson

All of these films came out way too recently for them to have any sort of tangible effect on those actors' careers.

Except Batman & Robin/Chris O'Donnell. You're 100% right about that one.

[RyanPom]

Originally Posted by Gate

All of these films came out way too recently for them to have any sort of tangible effect on those actors' careers.

Except Batman & Robin/Chris O'Donnell. You're 100% right about that one.

Ryan Goslings career hasn't taken off yet. He also did that terrible Gangster movie.

[chris_sc77]

Originally Posted by Serendipity

I had no idea John Cusack went on a downward spiral. 1408 and Hot Tub Time Machine did fairly well and The Raven really wasn't that bad.

I still wanna know wtf happened to Shanghai

[King Troll]

Originally Posted by RyanPom

Will Smith - After Earth
Drive - Ryan Gosling
Batman and Robin - Chris o Donnell
Total Recall - Collin Ferrel
Bling Ring - Emma Watson

Bling ring came out 2 weeks ago how did it kill a career

[remake]

Hairspray put the nail in the coffin of John Travolta's career.

[NYGiants Fan]

Originally Posted by RyanPom

Will Smith - After Earth
Drive - Ryan Gosling
Batman and Robin - Chris o Donnell
Total Recall - Collin Ferrel
Bling Ring - Emma Watson

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If you want to say Ryan Gosling hasn't done anything good SINCE "Drive", that's one thing. But to say that "Drive" was the reason for his loss of popularity (?) is just preposterous. It may not have been a financial success, but it was VERY highly received and reviewed by critics and the public alike.