Five Actors Who Never Lived up to Their Movie Debuts

There are a lot of actors out there that people bank on to be the next big thing. Some of them get that crucial push from Hollywood and some just get that fateful push towards the door. The politics of film making aren’t always polite or even particularly fair considering that some of the greatest talents have been wasted and some are still on a lengthy hiatus as Hollywood tries to figure out what to do with them. It’s fair to say that few of the more noted actors that did get the push weren’t really ready for the spotlight, but some of them just need a chance and they should easily amaze people with what they can do.

Here’s a few of them that should have been blowing people’s socks off by now with their talent.

Brian Bosworth – Stone Cold

The Boz was supposed to be the greatest breakout action star of his time. He was big, buff, and extremely popular at that point in his career. His football career had already gone down the tubes and he’d been working as a commentator by the time he signed on for Stone Cold. However the movie was not his saving grace and instead sent him on the way to a mediocre movie career. His only real big shot came in 2005 when he got to put on the pads again for a remake of The Longest Yard.

Ryan Reynolds – Van Wilder

Scoff and roll your eyes all you want at this one, but Reynolds has not yet hit the megastar level. He’s had a lot of near misses and some very well thought out roles, but none have yet catapulted him to the top of the mountain. One thing about him is that he hasn’t really evolved from the sarcastic mien of Van Wilder. He’s got the same attitude, the same sarcasm, and doesn’t seem willing to change.

Taylor Kitsch – X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Boy has this guy gone up and down in a short time. As Gambit he might have had a chance to impress, but really he just kind of fell down as soon as Logan backhanded him and never really got back up. Kitsch has had a fairly successful career but it hasn’t yet been anything to write home about. There’s a good chance that he’ll do something great eventually but it has to come soon or he’ll probably fade away one of these decades.

Colin Farrell – American Outlaws

Colin Farrell is the guy that looks like a lot of fun to be around. His roles though usually see him as a broken down figure in some way or as cocky and arrogant enough to think he’s the top dog. He still has a lot of potential, but roles such as those he’s taken in the remake of Total Recall and Saving Mr. Banks aren’t going to get him that next level of fame.

Skeet Ulrich – Scream

At one time this guy seemed to be on everyone’s radar to watch for in terms of success. He started out playing the perfect boyfriend that was obviously too perfect and then went on to do…nothing really. He starred in The Newton Boys but was really just a supporting actor and then he went forward to do very little after that. It’s likely that people don’t even remember one of his actual debut films was The Craft.

There are worse actors out there that never got past their debut film at all and quit not long after. But these guys and several others have potential, they just need to find that link between where they’re at and where they need to go.