Ever since the Oscars were established, a small minority of exceptional talents have been graced with the honor of receiving one of their prestigious prizes. The Academy Awards are meant to recognize those artists who distinguish themselves by their exceedingly powerful performances and hard work. Given its prestige, an Oscar might help open the door to exciting opportunities in the field, but not always.
- Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Domizuin Shrine Walkthrough
- Who is Adam Thielen Wife? Know Everything About Adam Thielen
- Why is Pretty Little Liars Not on Netflix in Some Countries? Where Can I Watch Pretty Little Liars Other Than Netflix?
- The Bachelor Season 28: Who is Maria Georgas? How Old is Maria Georgas?
- Noel Deyzel Ethnicity, What is Noel Deyzel’s Ethnicity?
Despite its significance in the industry, the prize does not necessarily lead to everlasting fame. Occasionally, it remains a once-in-a-lifetime achievement to remind the recipient of their career peak. There are a few instances of celebrities who fell out of popularity after their win. The reasons might be many, and the actor’s talent usually has nothing to do with it. Perhaps some artists might have preferred a more low-key career after their victory. Others, however, might have ended up being blacklisted for different reasons. Whatever the case may be, these actors fell from the spotlight after their Oscar-winning heights.
You are watching: 10 Best Actor Winners Who Fell Out Of Popularity After Their Oscar Win
10
Louise Fletcher
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
A psychological comedy-drama based on the novel written by Ken Kesey, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is one of the most emotionally compelling films crafted in history. The portrayals of the lead actors, Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher, contribute to its grandiosity. Fletcher plays the antagonist of the story, a cold-hearted and cruel nurse at the mental institution where the movie takes place. Her Oscar-worthy performance made Nurse Ratchet an iconic figure, and the character was reintroduced in the show American Horror Story.
Nevertheless, the actress did not achieve the success that her Academy Award win suggested. Her performance was so convincing that Hollywood ended up typecasting her in similar roles, failing to fully take advantage of her versatility. Furthermore, she was also part of many box-office failures, making it hard for her to reach the peak she achieved in 1975.
9
Casey Affleck
Manchester By The Sea
Casey Affleck delivered a heart-shattering performance in Manchester By The Sea. His solemn interpretation perfectly matched the tragic tone and resolution of the story, making this Oscar-winner movie exceptionally hard to watch more than once. The actor captured the enduring and occasionally unbreakable nature of grief, integrating a different range of emotions from guilt to utter depression. In 2017, he seemed destined for a long career.
However, despite Affleck’s Academy Award’s win, his popularity did not last as long as the emotional effects of his performance on the public. The actor participated in a few more productions, like A Ghost Story, for which he received critical acclaim, and the more recent drama Oppenheimer. However, the controversy surrounding past misconduct allegations overshadowed his talent and made it complicated for Affleck to receive other high-profile roles as Lee Chandler.
8
Jean Dujardin
The Artist
Jean Dujardin did not exactly fall out of popularity. In Europe, he is still one of the most celebrated actors around. However, in the U.S.A., where he won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in the black-and-white The Artist, he is not the same star he appeared to be growing into almost fifteen years ago. Jean Dujardin was the first French actor to ever win in this category at the Oscars.
Related
The 10 Best Picture Oscar Winners With The Highest Rotten Tomatoes Scores
Ahead of 2025’s Oscar nominations, some Best Picture winners of the past Academy Awards have gotten near-perfect scores on Rotten Tomatoes.
See more : Is Nina Warhurst Suspended From BBC? Who is Nina Warhurst?
Posts
Nevertheless, after the success obtained from his work in the acclaimed black-and-white comedy-drama, the actor did not take Hollywood by storm as one might have expected. Dujardin has appeared in some other renowned films, like The Monuments Man and The Wolf of Wall Street, but he preferred to focus his time and talent more on the French scene, where his fame never faltered. As a consequence, despite still being a beloved artist in Europe, he does not enjoy the same level of popularity in Hollywood.
7
Forest Whitaker
The Last King of Scotland
In 2006, Forest Whitaker played Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland. The portrayal, one of the most groundbreaking in his career, is a testament to Whitaker’s talent in bringing to life emotionally complex and multifaceted figures with chilling authenticity. The actor was able to capture the charisma of his character while never sacrificing the brutality that distinguished him. His Oscar victory appeared to confirm his place among other A-List Hollywood artists.
However, Whitaker’s career after The Last King of Scotland never matched the level of success of his earlier work in 2006. Even though he is still widely recognized as a gifted character actor, his popularity as a leading man diminished as time passed by, and he struggled to find other equally significant roles. Undoubtedly, at least some of this is due to Hollywood’s tendency to typecast and overlook Black actors. Nevertheless, in 2022, he won the Honorary Palme d’Or to celebrate his career at The Cannes Film Festival.
6
Mira Sorvino
Mighty Aphrodite
Mighty Aphrodite might not be the most famous film written and directed by Woody Allen, but Mira Sorvino truly shined in the witty albeit hardly remembered 1990s comedy. Unsurprisingly, the actress earned an Academy Award for her role as the dim-witted prostitute Linda Ash. Sorvino invested the character with an endearing dosage of humor and innocence, proving her talent to the world and making the performance one of the highlights of the movie.
However, the charismatic interpreter of Linda did not become the internationally famous actress many might have hoped to see. Although her professional life never came to a halt, she did not have any more scene-stealing roles as the one in Mighty Aphrodite and gradually fell out of popularity. In 2017, when the Harvey Weinstein scandal came out, the actress confessed that, earlier in her career, she had also been a victim of the aggressive advances of the former Miramax producer. Sadly, the fact that she rejected him caused her name to be blacklisted in Hollywood (The Guardian).
5
Kim Basinger
L.A. Confidential
Not many might have realized Kim Basinger only had fifteen minutes of screen time in the acclaimed noir L.A. Confidential. The magnetic allure she brought to the part of a high-class hooker posing as Veronica Lake made her role iconic in the history of cinema. The Academy Award she won is a testament to the sheer power of her performance. However, the Oscar win did not pave the way for other equally successful parts.
After L.A. Confidential, Kim Basinger went on to act, but she faded away from Hollywood’s A-list scene. Her popularity diminished. However, it also must be noted that Basinger refused twice to participate in the 1997 crime cult that earned her an Oscar before finally giving in. The actress wanted to take a break from her career and enjoy motherhood. Therefore, her fall out of fame might be a personal choice.
4
Tatum O’ Neal
Paper Moon
The youngest Oscar-winning actor in the history of cinema, Tatum O’Neal, was awarded the accolade for her remarkable performance in the film Paper Moon at only ten years old. Her portrayal of Addie, a sharp-witted and intelligent child who emerges as a con artist during the “Great Depression” conquered the hearts of the world. Such a precocious victory seemed to be the beginning of a likely radiant career in her adult years. However, things took a different turn.
See more : Pokemon GO Stuck on Loading Screen 2023: How to Fix Pokemon Go Stuck on Loading Screen?
O’Neal struggled to maintain the level of attention and recognition she received in her earlier days as a star. After Paper Moon, the young actress appeared in some other interesting movies, but as she grew up, she faded away from the big screen. Likely, her struggles with some personal problems related to substance abuse during the 1990s have contributed to the decline of her career.
3
F. Murray Abraham
Amadeus
It would be impossible to describe the performance of F. Murray Abraham as Antonio Salieri in Amadeus as anything less than mesmerizing. His portrayal as a crumbling and envious composer who lets himself be consumed by a burning jealousy toward the genius of Mozart became synonymous with masterclass acting. Abraham’s proficiency at depicting the soul-crushing and agonizing internal conflict of his character appeared to hint at the beginning of an impressive Hollywood career.
Unfortunately, the actor never quite reached the peak that his Oscar-winning lead performance had almost led him to. The role of Salieri became a once-in-a-lifetime part for him. Film critic Leonard Maltin went as far as to claim that Hollywood circles coined the term “F. Murray Abraham syndrome” to indicate professional failure after an early success (Via Reuters). One of the motivations behind Abraham’s low-key career could be the actor’s interest in working on stage, where he found consistent opportunities to showcase his talent.
2
Mo’Nique
Precious
Despite the excessively unnerving nature of her character, the portrayal of Mo’Nique as Mary Lee Johnson in Precious is impossible to forget. The actress delivered a haunting performance as an abusive mother, simultaneously shocking and repelling the viewer. When she obtained the Oscar, Mo’Nique was one of the most discussed celebrities of the year. The emotionally upsetting role allowed the audience to see the dramatic range of the actress.
2:50
Related
5 Oscar Winners You Forgot Were in Star Wars
Star Wars has been a worldwide phenomenon since the first movie’s release in 1977 and has even snagged a few Oscar-winning actors for its cast.
See more : Is Nina Warhurst Suspended From BBC? Who is Nina Warhurst?
Posts
Unfortunately, her Hollywood trajectory was not a smooth rise to stardom as one might have predicted. Mo’Nique discussed how she was unfairly treated for refusing to aggressively campaign during the promotion of Precious. She openly criticized Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry, the producers of the film, for blacklisting her name and labeling her as “difficult to work with” (Via Vanity Fair). This unfortunate episode likely prevented her from reaching the more ambitious heights her victory promised.
1
Alicia Vikander
The Danish Girl
If the cinema industry had a groundbreaking revelation in 2015, that was Alicia Vikander, a rising star from Sweden. Her portrayal of real-life Gerda Wegener in The Danish Girl, an artist who supports her partner’s transition into a woman, allowed her to conquer the Oscars. The win established Vikander as one of the most promising talents of the late 2010s. Additionally, her acclaimed roles in Ex Machina and The Man from U.N.C.L.E hinted at a future A-List career in Hollywood.
However, the actress’ career lost momentum. Although she participated in high-profile projects such as the remakes of the famous Tomb Raider, she did not become the famous Hollywood leading lady she seemed destined to be. Vikander has been open about feeling incredibly sad and isolated at the peak of her career, as well as a traumatic miscarriage, both of which likely contributed to her taking a step back. Although she is still working, Alicia Vikander’s professional life has yet to achieve the level of prestige her earlier roles promised.
Source: https://dinhtienhoang.edu.vn
Category: Entertainment