8 celebs who must make a comeback

Everybody loves a good comeback story. This is especially true when it comes to once-popular celebrities who have been on a lengthy losing streak. Robert Downey Jr., Alec Baldwin and even Britney Spears have all been there, and today they are as successful as ever. So while the following list of celebrities might be struggling to recapture fame, who’s to say they won’t catch fire again with the right role?

 

 

Mike Myers
The success of the Shrek and Austin Powers franchises made Myers one of the biggest film stars of the 2000s. And then The Love Guru happened. It was a movie so hopelessly unfunny and nonsensical that even his biggest fans had a difficult time defending it. Nearly a decade has passed and although Myers seems to have fallen off the radar, he might just be ready for his comeback. In June 2017 Myers began hosting a reboot of The Gong Show in character as Tommy Maitland. Will this unique, unexpected approach win his fans over again? It remains to be seen, but we are certainly rooting for him.

 

 

Ryan Phillippe
In the late 90s and early 2000s, Phillippe was a super huge, big deal. He made major roles in the teen-smash horror movie I Know What You Did Last Summer, the critically acclaimed 54, and Crash, which won the 2003 Academy Award for best picture. But from the mid 2000s on, the ridiculously good-looking actor has been reduced to small roles and director-to-DVD movies. But things could be looking up for Phillippe. After a successful first season in the lead role in Shooter, the show was officially picked up for a second season in July 2017. We think Phillippe’s star is ready to shine again!

Freddie Prinze Jr.
Prinze made serious waves in the 90s and 2000s, starring in the I Know What You Did Last Summer franchise and the quintessential romantic teen comedy She’s All That. While he went on to star in several moderately successful romantic comedies in the early 2000s, his star seemed to have faded, with most of his workload consisting of bit roles and voice-acting. But this isn’t to say that Prinze won’t find his groove again. A highly-intelligent guy with a large comic-con following thanks to his voice role as Kanan Jarrus in the animated Star Wars Rebels, we would not be the least bit surprised if Prinze makes a successful comeback.

Jim Carrey
For more than 15 solid years from the mid 90s through the late 2000s, the famous rubber-faced comedian was one of the most popular actors in the world. Aside from his zany roles in Ace Ventura, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber, Carrey received critical acclaim for his more serious acting in such films as The Truman Show, Man on the Moon and Eternal Sunshine in the Spotless Mind. While his most popular days might be behind him, the fact that Carrey has demonstrated versatility in his acting and still commands great name recognition means he might just have what it takes to put together a string of successful movies.

 

 

Cuba Gooding Jr.
At 29 years-old, Gooding became the youngest African-American to win an Oscar for his role as Rod Tidwell in the 1996 film Jerry McGuire. But after another acclaimed performance a year later in As Good As It Gets, the talented actor has seen some rough times. In fact, in the 2000s, he even racked up 4 Golden Raspberry Award nominations for Worst Actor. However, Gooding’s fortunes could be changing for the better. In 2016, he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor for his portrayal of O. J. Simpson in the mini-series American Crime Story: The People v. O. J. Simpson. Although Gooding has nothing major lined up in 2017, he is set to star in the send up to American Crime Story. This time, the series will focus on Hurricane Katrina. Let’s hope this leads to more high-profile roles!

Catherine Zeta-Jones
With an Oscar, several Golden Globe nominations and a Tony under her belt, Zeta-Jones has certainly accomplished a lot. But in the past decade she has been largely under the radar. Of course, much of this has to do with her own personal choice to focus on her family life. Nonetheless, there is plenty of gas left in her acting tank. She is currently filming for Cocaine Godmother, a biopic about the Colombian drug lord Griselda Blanco. Could this be the start of something big for Zeta-Jones? Time will tell!

Halle Berry
For a brief period in the early 2000s, Berry was at the top of everybody’s list. She was starting in such action hits as X-Men and Swordfish, won an Oscar for her role in Monster’s Ball, and was even the featured Bond Girl in Die Another Day. But after a few really poor decisions – such as taking on the lead role in the impossibly bad Catwoman movie – Berry has generally found herself on the outside looking in. In 2016, she fired her agent of 20 years, a sign that she is looking for a new start. Perhaps this bodes well for her hopes at a comeback.

Tobey Maguire
In the late 90s, Maguire gained critical acclaim for his roles in such films as Pleasantville, The Cider House Rules and Wonderboys. Of course, his star never shined brighter than when he landed the plum role of Spider-Man in the original trilogy. The 2010s have been relatively quiet for Maguire, with only 4 actual acting roles in the past 8 years. While he still looks youthful, at 42 years old he can no longer expect to land roles the way he could have when he was in his mid-20s. Nonetheless, with his talent and a bit of luck, he could definitely begin to command leading roles once again!