Actors work very hard at their craft. While the paycheck is certainly one of the perks, that can’t be the only reason someone decides to step in front of a camera and play pretend. There’s a science to putting on a great performance, which begins by learning lines and understanding the character. However, no matter how much effort an actor puts into their work, there’s no guarantee that the final product will be perfect. There are just too many factors that go into making a movie, from writing and directing to editing and scoring. So many cooks are in the kitchen that even some of the best performances can fall by the wayside.
The only thing worse than an actor seeing some of their best work end up in a bad movie is having that happen consistently. There are some people working in Hollywood who can’t catch a break. Here are seven actors who have only made one truly great movie.
Like Adam Sandler, Tyler Perry primarily operates in comedy, releasing numerous movies featuring his fictional character, Madea, inspired by his mother and aunt. While the Madea movies are funny, it’s hard to place them in the “great” category, which puts Perry in a difficult spot. The only film he appears in as an actor with a better-than-solid reputation is Gone Girl, in which he plays a defense attorney who’s a bit of a straight shooter.
Marlon Wayans, like Perry, is a comedy legend. The Scary Movie franchise alone is enough to earn him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The humor in those movies isn’t for everyone, though, and the rest of the actor’s movies follow in their footsteps. Fortunately, Wayans has Requiem for a Dream to fall back on. Darren Aronofsky’s drama film tackles the controversial subject of drug addiction head-on and gives Wayans a chance to flex his acting chops.
Being the youngest Baldwin brother probably makes life a little bit tougher for Stephen Baldwin, especially when it comes time for a casting director to look at a member of the family for a role. Stephen has a few decent movies to his name, but nothing stands out as much as 1996’s The Usual Suspects. Featuring one of the greatest plot twists in movie history, Bryan Singer’s thriller continues to drive online conversation 30 years after its release.
Working with Adam Sandler seems like a lot of fun. His movies usually feature a core group of characters having a good time while ridiculous events happen around them. But appearing in those kinds of films doesn’t earn an actor prestige. In fact, the only great movie in Kevin James’ library doesn’t even feature Sandler. It’s actually the animated movie Monster House, which tells a fascinating story about a creepy home coming to life.
The Star Wars prequel trilogy doesn’t do Hayden Christensen any favors. The dialogue is clunky, and as hard as he tries to pass off Anakin Skywalker’s turn to the dark side as natural, it still feels off. It’s easy to forget that Christensen is more than just one role, as he appears in plenty of projects not set in a galaxy far, far away. The best of the bunch, by far, is Shattered Glass, a film about the real-world scandal in which journalist Stephen Glass was involved.
Plenty of actors find their stride on TV and never look back. Katherine Heigl doesn’t fit into that category because she used her role on Grey’s Anatomy as a springboard to a movie career. While her name appears in the credits of a few winners, the one she should be most proud of is Knocked Up. The Judd Apatow comedy puts Heigl’s Allison Scott in a tough spot by having her get pregnant after a one-night stand with a loser.
Jessica Alba is one of the biggest names in Hollywood. However, taking a closer look at her filmography reveals that critics and fans don’t always respond positively to her work. The one movie of hers that almost everyone can agree is fantastic is Sin City, based on Frank Miller’s iconic comic book. Bringing Miller’s story to life is no small feat, and Alba and Co. pass the test with flying colors.
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