Achieving stardom is not everyone's cup of tea. Hollywood is brimming with actors who faced sharp criticism and skepticism after their initial work in movies. This can be attributed to several reasons, ranging from inexperience and bad scripts to poor casting and crude comparisons. Nonetheless, most of these actors went on to make a name for themselves in the industry. Passing the test of time with perfection, these actors managed to move past criticism and failure in order to redefine their public image. Here is a list of 20 famous actors you wouldn’t believe weren’t liked by the audience in their first few films.
20) Ben Affleck
Ben Affleck, known widely for his work in Good Will Hunting, Gone Girl, and Pearl Harbour is a widely acclaimed actor, but it is a little-known fact that he started his career as an uncredited extra in the classic Buffy the Vampire Slayer. His second role as a bully in Dazed and Confused fell short of charming the audience. He was often cast in the role of these secondary actors and viewed as an arrogant person. But, with perseverance and dedication, he went on to win many accolades, including an Oscar.
19) Emilia Clarke
Today, Emilia Clark is one of Hollywood’s most coveted actresses. Winning hearts and awards for her portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones, the actor has garnered a very dedicated audience base. But, her start in the industry was on shaky waters. Debuting in 2010 with the movie ‘Triassic Attack’, Emilia has faced severe criticism and poor reviews for her acting skills. Not only the movie was a flop, but Emilia’s performance failed to offer an insight into the acting potential she possessed.
18) Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks is considered one of the most beloved and iconic actors of all time, but his initiation in Hollywood too wasn’t short of setbacks and hurdles. His 1980 movie ‘He Knows You’re Alone’ saw him get reviews stating that he was an average performer with hardly any flair for screen performance. It was much later in his career that he attained success and delivered classics like ‘Forrest Gump’, ‘Saving Private Ryan’ and ‘The Terminal.’
17) Julia Roberts
Internationally regarded as one of the best actresses to grace the big screen, Julia Roberts is one of the crowning jewels of Hollywood. With iconic roles in classic movies like ‘Pretty Woman’, ‘Notting Hill’, ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’, ‘Oceans 11’ and more, Julia Roberts has a timeless filmography to her name today. But, it is a little known fact that Roberts first performance was in a 1988 movie, Satisfaction, which failed to resonate with the audience and led to harsh criticism. She was called out to be unexpressive and shallow.
16) Courtney Cox
We all know and love our wonderful 'Monica Geller' in Friends, but, before landing that iconic role, Courtney Cox was part of some flop films, like ‘Masters of the Universe, in 1987. While her acting was sharp, the poor script overshadowed everything good she had contributed to the film. What followed was a struggle to make a name for herself in the industry, which she eventually did, and how!
15) Tom Cruise
An idol for anyone who loves and adores action movies, Tom Cruise is a shining star of Hollywood. The actor is known globally, not only for his stellar acting, but also for his mind-blowing stunts, which he performs all by himself. Delivering hits after hits, with movies like ‘Top Gun’, ‘Jack Reacher’, ‘Mission Impossible’ , ‘Jerry Maguire’ and so many more, Cruise is a leading figure in industry. But, Cruise too was a victim of initial reluctance from the audience after his first appearance in ‘Endless Love’, where he hardly showcased any kind of screen presence and struggled to make an impact on the audience.
14) Vin Diesel
Vin Diesel rose to fame after his role as Dominic Toretto in The Fast and the Furious Saga. Considering the success of the movie franchise as a whole, Diesel rose to prominence in the film industry. However, his debut in 1995 film, ‘Multi-Facial’ didn’t garner enough attention. The movie hardly generated any buzz and failed to be a testament to his acting potential. His monologues in the movie were found to be more theatrical and conceited, which didn't help in resonating with the audience.
13) Margot Robbie
Margot Robbie has etched her name in the legacy of cinema after her exceptional performances in superhits like ‘Barbie’, ‘The Wolf of the Wall Street’ and ‘Suicide Squad.’ Known for her acting expertise, voice control, emotional range, and expressiveness, Robbie is what you could call a 'complete star'. But, this was not the case in her debut movie, ‘About Time’ where her acting skills were questioned by critics and her role was not received with much love from the audience.
12) Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson began her acting career at the age of just nine, but it wasn't until 1996 when she was truly seen on the big screen with the film ‘Manny and Lo’ and ‘The Horse Whisperer.’ Both of these films failed to fully showcase her acting potential. Her performances in these films wasn't refined and critics felt she had a lot of scope for improvement. It wasn’t until her roles in movies like Lost in Translation, the Avengers series, The Other Boleyn Girl and He's Just Not That Into You, that she finally got the appreciation she deserved.
11) Sandara Bullock
Known today for her standout roles in movies like ‘While You Were Sleeping’, ‘The Proposal’, and 'Gravity', Sandara Bullock has an Oscar for the Best Actress to her name. But, she didn’t have a smooth start to her career. Debuting in ‘Hangmen’ and ‘Love Potion No. 9’, Bullock hardly stood out in the eyes of the audience. She was critiqued to have no screen presence and needed polishing. It was only after her performance in 'Speed' that she finally won over the audience.
10) Chris Pratt
Chris Pratt is a Hollywood heartthrob, with his roles in masterpieces like ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ and ‘Jurassic World’. However, he also struggled to leave a lasting impression on his audience during the initial stages of his acting career. Debuting in 2003 with the film ‘The Extreme Team’, Pratt struggled to engage viewers. His performance was mostly met with indifference and he failed to make a name for himself.
9) Charlize Theron
Charlize Theron launched her career with the 1995 horror movie, Children of the Corn III. But, her performance in the movie was widely criticized for being mediocre and flat. It was in her later movies like ‘The Devil’s Advocate’ and ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ alongside actors like Al Pacino and Tom Hardy respectively, that Theron finally received the appreciated she deserved. These iconic castings provided her the platform to showcase her true potential in cinema and today she enjoys the title of being one of the most versatile and talented actresses in the industry.
8) Brad Pitt
Starring in renowned movies like - ‘Fight Club’, ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’, ‘Word War Z’ , ‘Ocean’s 11’, and many more, Brad Pitt has made a name for himself resonating across the globe. The successful career and fame that he enjoys today has come after years of struggle and resilience. He made his debut in 1987 with the movie ‘Hunk’, in which he failed to stand out. Many believed he does not have it in him to make it big in Hollywood. The audience found him lacking in his comic timing. His potential was highly unrecognized and he severely failed to resonate with the viewers. It is quite amazing how Brad Pitt proved them all wrong!
7) Channing Tatum
Channing Tatum’s first movie ‘Step Up’ was a hit on the box office. But, despite the commercial success the movie enjoyed, Tatum failed to capture a place in the heart of the audience. He was thought of to be unserious, lacking real acting skills and was majorly casted for his physical appearance. It was finally in movies like ‘She’s the Man’ , ‘The Vow’ , ’22 Jump Street’ and ‘White House Down’, that Tatum finally started being accepted as a true actor and his skills began receiving the much deserved attention and appreciation.
6) Matthew McConaughey
With movies like ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ and ‘Interstellar’, Matthew McConaughey is a name that deserves to be in the list of all-time greats. But, this was not always the case. Starting with romcoms like - ‘How to lose a guy in 10 days’ and ‘The Wedding Planner’, McConaughey wasn’t always thought of as a serious actor. His light hearted roles in his early days, which despite gaining widespread success on paper, weren’t critically appreciated and were dismissed as being simply too merry and playful.
5) Kristen Stewart
Widely known for her portrayal of Bella Swan in the Twilight Saga, Kristen Stewart made her big screen debut in 2002 with the film ‘Panic Room.’ Her performance in the movie was criticised for lacking emotional depth and being too flat. With time, Stewart managed to gain worldwide success with Twilight, although the audience remains divided on that too. It was later with movies like ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’ and ‘Charlie’s Angels’ that Stewart finally managed to make the audience respect her for skills in acting.
4) Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Reynolds started his career with Van Wilder: Party Liaison in 2002. The film was a hit, but something was amiss with Reynolds acting. He received mixed reviews with majority stating that the actor failed to add more to the personality of his character and was quite shallow in his portrayal. Later on, with roles in films like, ‘Definitely, Maybe’, ‘Deadpool’ and ‘The Proposal’, Reynolds finally started gaining appreciation for his comic timing, action sequences and versatility, something that he is adored for, today.
3) Keanu Reeves
It's a fact widely acknowledged that Keanu Reeves is one of the audience's most beloved actor. With timeless classics like ‘Speed’ , ‘John Wick’ and ‘The Matrix’ , Reeves has managed to make a reputation for himself. His acting skills are top notch, expressive and nuanced. Yet, in his debut film ‘Youngblood’, Reeves' acting was heavily criticized and mostly categorized as being stiff and lifeless.
2) Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie, one of Hollywood’s most talented, versatile and appreciated actress was severely criticized in her breakthrough role with ‘Hackers’ in 1995. Despite her strong presence on-screen, her performance was deemed overly dramatic and shallow. It was later in roles such as ‘Girl, Interrupted’ and ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ that she finally cemented her position in the industry.
1) Leonardo DiCaprio
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Leonardo DiCaprio is rightly regarded as one of the greatest and talented actors of this generation. He rose to fame with the blockbuster movie - Titanic, and further advanced in his career with iconic performances in cinematic masterpieces like ‘Inception’, ‘Shutter Island’ and ‘The Wolf of Wall Street.’ As hard as it is to believe, Leonardo DiCaprio too struggled to make a place and name for himself in Hollywood. On his debut with ‘Critters 3’, Leonardo DiCaprio was an almost forgotten face. According to critics at that time, his screen presence was minimal and his acting was unexpressive. It took a lot of hardwork and struggle for DiCaprio to make his place as the ‘teenage heartthrob’ that he eventually became.
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