In the dazzling world of cinema, star power can often raise a movie’s appeal, but not all projects featuring award-winning actors end up as box office hits. Just as unknown actors can appear in mega hits, it’s easy for well-known actors to appear in turkeys as well, and as the recently released Borderlands (2024) proves, even the most talented individuals can find themselves involved in projects that don’t quite hit the mark.
While Cate Blanchett is the latest, she is by no means the only one as she is simply part of the curious phenomenon of exceptional actors who, despite their proven track records, have starred in films that have been less than well-received by critics and audiences alike.
Here’s a look at 12 award-winning talents who should have known better, but had a misstep or two in an otherwise stellar acting career.
1. Cate Blanchett
Won Awards For:
- Blue Jasmine (2013) — Academy Award for Best Actress
- The Aviator (2004)— Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
- Elizabeth (1999) — BAFTA Award for Best Actress
- I’m Not There (2007) — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress
As Australian stars go, the 55-year-old is among one the best from Down Under, whether it’s setting the gold standard as Galadriel in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy, or as Hela in Thor: Ragnarok. Alas, her inclusion in the star-studded cast of Borderlands (2024) was a misstep, even if she held her own pretty well in the latest addition to the list of bad video game to film adaptations.
This wasn’t her first forgettable project though as her earlier venture, The Monuments Men (2014), despite its historical intrigue, struggled at the box office and with critics, failing to capitalise on its potential.
2. Halle Berry
Won Awards For:
- Monster’s Ball (2001) — Academy Award for Best Actress
- Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (1999) — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Halle Berry needs no introduction as a femme fatale, but Catwoman (2004) is often ridiculed as a superhero misfire with Berry unable to save its overly campy execution from critical disdain. Gothika (2003), while a modest box office success, ghosted by critics, and Dark Tide (2012) sank without a trace, proving that even Berry’s star power couldn’t keep this thriller afloat.
3. Jared Leto
Won Awards For:
- Dallas Buyers Club (2013) — Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
- Dallas Buyers Club (2013) — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor
- Dallas Buyers Club (2013) — SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Jared Leto’s transformation into a pseudo-vampire in Morbius (2022) was met with a bite from critics and audiences alike for its anaemic storyline and pallid execution. His venture into Suicide Squad (2016) saw commercial success despite its chaotic plot and underwhelming villain portrayal of Joker. Then again, he was trying to follow in the footsteps of Heath Ledger’s phenomenal turn as the Joker, which might have contributed to the online abuse.
4. Denzel Washington
Won Awards For:
- Training Day (2001) — Academy Award for Best Actor
- Glory (1989) — Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
- Fences (2010) — Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play
- The Piano Lesson (1990) — Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play
- Training Day (2001) — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor
- The Hurricane (2000) — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor
Denzel Washington doesn’t need much introduction, his accolades truly speak for his talent. And yet, The Little Things (2021) promised a gripping thriller, but ended up delivering a convoluted plot that viewers found hard to follow, underscoring a missed opportunity for Washington’s compelling performance. Virtuosity (1995), with its early CGI, now seems more like a dated arcade game than a cinematic thriller, though Washington’s charm was an undeniable highlight in the otherwise tacky film.
5. Rami Malek
Won Awards For:
- Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) — Academy Award for Best Actor
- Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor
- Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) — SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
The Little Things (2021) (see above) continues to be the movie that keeps on giving bad performances, this time in the form of Rami Malek. Even though he managed to give a touching and fitting tribute in Bohemian Rhapsody, he mostly just left people confused and didn’t do much in The Little Things.
6. Meryl Streep
Won Awards For:
- The Iron Lady (2011) — Academy Award for Best Actress
- Sophie’s Choice (1982) — Academy Award for Best Actress
- Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) — Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
- The Devil Wears Prada (2007) — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress
- Julie & Julia (2010) — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress
- Angels in America (2004) — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Meryl Streep showed us how florals in spring were truly groundbreaking in The Devil Wears Prada (2007), portraying Miranda Priestly and embodying the character perfectly. She then did the same in The Iron Lady (2011), earning praise for her portrayal amidst a sea of mixed reviews criticising the film’s surface-level exploration of complex themes.
But even she couldn’t save She-Devil (1989), which saw Streep in a rare comedic role, but the film’s lack of a sharp narrative edge made it crumble like a poorly baked pie.
7. George Clooney
Won Awards For:
- Syriana (2006) — Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
- O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2001) — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor
- The Descendants (2012) — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor
Who is Batman? Certainly not George Clooney as his turn as the caped crusader in Batman & Robin (1997) was less heroic and more of a joke, contributing to the film’s frosty reception and is often cited as a low point in his otherwise stellar career.
He also directed and starred in The Monuments Men (2014) and despite having the star power of Matt Damon, Bill Murray, and Blanchett , well, the less said, the better. His appearance in Disney’s Tomorrowland (2015) similarly aimed for the stars but ended up lost in space, with Clooney’s charm unable to navigate the film back to critical acclaim.
8. Judi Dench
Won Awards For:
- Shakespeare in Love (1998) — Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
- Mrs. Brown (1997) — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress
- The Last of the Blonde Bombshells (2001) — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Judi Dench may command the screen and the stage, but even she couldn’t claw Cats (2019) out of critical infamy, with the film proving to be a cat-astrophic flop. Her role in The Chronicles of Riddick (2004) was also a rare miss, with the film feeling more like a galactic misadventure than a sci-fi spectacle.
9. Idris Elba
Won Awards For:
- Beasts of No Nation (2016) — SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
- Luther (2012) — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Cats (2019) strikes again, this time dragging Idris Elba along into the cat-astrophoe. He also was in Stephen King’s multiverse with The Dark Tower (2017) which was less a towering achievement and more a crumbling edifice, underperforming both critically and at the box office. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011) also burned out before it could ignite any real excitement.
10. Robert Downey Jr.
Won Awards For:
- Chaplin (1992) — BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role
- Sherlock Holmes (2010) — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor
- Ally McBeal (2001) — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries, or Motion Picture Made for Television
- Oppenheimer (2023) — Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Robert Downey Jr. who is not a stranger to playing more nuanced roles, might have hoped Dolittle (2020) would speak to audiences, but instead, it whimpered at the box office, turning a potential family favourite into a cinematic beast best left unspoken of. At least he has the upcoming Dr. Doom to look forward to…
11. Brad Pitt
Won Awards For:
- Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2020) — Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
- 12 Monkeys (1996) — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor
Brad Pitt may have had a high time in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), but Pitt’s venture into Babylon (2022) was a narrative mess, sprawling across multiple disjointed stories that failed to captivate, overshadowing its few moments of brilliance with a fog of narrative excess.
12. John Travolta
Won Awards For:
- Get Shorty (1996) — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
- Saturday Night Fever (1978) — Academy Award nomination for Best Actor
- Pulp Fiction (1995) — Academy Award nomination for Best Actor
- 2014 IIFA Award for Outstanding Achievement in International Cinema
John Travolta danced into iconic status with Pulp Fiction (1994) but stumbled spectacularly with Battlefield Earth (2000). Regarded as one of cinema’s colossal missteps, its alien narrative couldn’t be saved even by Travolta’s star power, turning it into a legendary flop.
Special Mentions:
Movie 43 (2013)
Movie 43 is infamously packed with talents like Hugh Jackman (Logan, The Greatest Showman), Kate Winslet (Titanic, The Reader), and Halle Berry (X-Men, Monster’s Ball), yet it tanked with a paltry 4% on Rotten Tomatoes. With the horrendous slapstick humour and poor attempts at being a parody, it’s easy to see why. Despite the ensemble of stars, this film stands as a testament to how star power alone can’t shield a movie from becoming a monumental flop.
The Counselor (2013)
How do you take a film written by Cormac McCarthy (No Country for Old Men, The Road), directed by Ridley Scott (Gladiator, Alien), and starring Oscar-caliber actors like Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men, Skyfall), Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Pain and Glory), Brad Pitt (Fight Club, Ad Astra), and Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class, 12 Years a Slave) and make it that boring? And how, in a film with that stacked cast, did Cameron Diaz (Charlie’s Angels, There’s Something About Mary) give the best performance? This movie stands as a baffling example of how even immense talent and pedigree can’t always save a project from mediocrity.
So there you have it, despite their monumental successes, even the most acclaimed actors have ventured into projects that have missed the mark. From box office bombs to critically panned misfires, these films show that not every choice can result in cinematic gold. However, the resilience and continued success of these stars remind us that a true artist’s journey includes a spectrum of experiences, shaping their careers with a mix of highs and lows.
When Marcus is not trying to full combo a song on his favourite rhythm games, he’s either reading or watching some obscure Japanese mystery show/novel. Don’t ask him how much his Arkham Horror collection costs either, it’s his most closely guarded secret.
Si Jia
