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Actors that you thought would have become more successful than they did

Dalek

Dalek

Member
Oct 25, 2017
39,051
Marcus Chong in The Matrix

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I loved him in this movie and he instantly had charisma and screen presence. Unfortunately he had a beef with the Matrix producers and didn't come back for the sequel. I see he's only appeared in one off roles since then.

Enver Gjokaj - This guy was in Dollhouse and bascially had to always play a different role nearly every episode. He was fantastic, really showed off his acting chops and I thought we were seeing the start of a long successful career. He's appeared here and there-he had a stint on Agent Carter, but I thought he would have become much bigger.

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Scullibundo

Scullibundo

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,718
I can't believe Marcus Chong tried to squeeze for more money to the point that he was cut out of the sequels.

Tank was so much better than Link. A real shame.
 
Man Called Aerodynamics

Man Called Aerodynamics

Member
Oct 29, 2017
7,503
Dalek said:
Enver Gjokaj - This guy was in Dollhouse and bascially had to always play a different role nearly every episode. He was fantastic, really showed off his acting chops and I thought we were seeing the start of a long successful career. He's appeared here and there-he had a stint on Agent Carter, but I thought he would have become much bigger.

EnverMOBILE.jpg
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Great choice, totally agree with this. He is extremely impressive in Dollhouse! I definitely thought he was going to blow up, never quite happened though.

I remember thinking that John Cho was extremely convincing in the Star Trek reboot and that he might have the makings of an action star. I know he's a pretty successful actor but AFAIA he's only done drama or comedy since Star Trek.

I also really like Dylan O'Brien. The Maze Runner movies are largely just okay but he's got a ton of charisma and deserves to be big.
 
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Winston1

Winston1

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
2,109
Robert Patrick in Terminator 2
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He was amazing in this movie, but that's all anyone really knows him for.
 
Human Resources

Human Resources

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,111
Harold Perrineau: Dude was a great Mercutio in Romeo + Juliet and absolutely fantastic in HBO's OZ. He's had steady work but never rose above character actor status.

Jeffrey Wright: Absolutely phenomenal in Basquiat. Really glad to see him shine in Westworld and Angels in America, but he deserved much much more.
 
Indy in the Fridge

Indy in the Fridge

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
15,278
I really expected Jackie Earle Haley to really take off after Watchmen and Nightmare on Elm Street (while the movie was shit, a lot of people thought he did a great job as Freddy), but he's not really been a headliner in anything since. I see he's been more active in television recently, though.

I really want a genuine Child of God movie made with Haley as the lead. The role is designed for him in my opinion.
 
Sectorseven

Sectorseven

Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,560
At the time, I remember rumors Marcus Chong wanted top billing along with the other stars and actually brought a gun to one of the meetings as sort of a passive threat. Googling it now and apparently he was arrested for making verbal threats to the producers.
 
Simon Belmont

Simon Belmont

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,037
Guy Pearce. Looked like he was going to be a big star after LA confidential then his career took a big thud after The Time Machine.
 
Acorn

Acorn

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,972
Scotland
Adrien Brody

I mean he's had a good career by most measures but after his Oscar win I expected him to reach the level of people like George Clooney as a prestige A lister.

Cuba Gooding Jr

What the fuck man, you have the worst agent ever or you yourself have the absolute worst sense for picking roles.
 
Bengraven

Bengraven

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Member
Oct 26, 2017
26,981
Florida
Josh Harnett.

They tried to push him but he just didn't click. I swore he would end up a massive star. He had that Luke Perry kind of cool and Johnny Depp charisma.
 
Mona

Mona

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
26,151
Michael Biehn

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he was in Terminator, Aliens, The Abyss, Tombstone

then he just kinda fell off the map, hes great, he should have been in alot more things

he came in at the last minute to fill in for someone else on Aliens and he look completely comfortable made it look effortless, he had alot of potential

him being the main character in blood dragon was excellent
 
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Platy

Platy

Member
Oct 25, 2017
27,769
Brazil
Mark Dacascus deserves an action focused show

And I still think Oded Fehr would have been PERFECT for Dr Strange.

And a bazillion of actresses that are not receiving 30 roles just because they not pretty enough to be the star of the serious movie and not ugly enough to be in the parody of that serious movie
 
OP
OP
Dalek

Dalek

Member
Oct 25, 2017
39,051
Acorn said:
Cuba Gooding Jr

What the fuck man, you have the worst agent ever or you yourself have the absolute worst sense for picking roles.
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Ok yeah-this has to be the top. What the fuck. There has to be some secret story behind the scenes that we don't know about. Does like everyone hate him??
 
LakeEarth

LakeEarth

Member
Oct 27, 2017
8,198
Ontario
Clive Owen is still around, but his level dropped really quickly because of some poorly performing movies.

Great call on listing Enver Gjokaj, OP. He's a really impressive actor, and it's a shame I rarely see him in stuff anymore.
 
Duane

Duane

Unshakable Resolve
The Fallen
Oct 27, 2017
6,460
Stephen Dorff has been in a lot of stuff, but when he first showed up, it seemed like he was going to be AAA.
 
Acorn

Acorn

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,972
Scotland
Dalek said:
Ok yeah-this has to be the top. What the fuck. There has to be some secret story behind the scenes that we don't know about. Does like everyone hate him??
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I remember reading a profile in the new york times (I think), he said that he thought that people wanted him to make them laugh but he " was wrong on many levels". This was in 2015 or 16 I think, I'll try and find the piece.

Edit it was 2006 lol so I don't think he really got it https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/19/movies/steering-a-lost-career-back-to-the-hood.html
 
Mona

Mona

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
26,151
Torpedo Vegas

Torpedo Vegas

Member
Oct 27, 2017
22,748
Parts Unknown.
Garrett Dillahunt. He can do everything from terrifying to being the most lovable buffoon you have ever seen.

He was so good in Deadwood that they killed him off and brought him back as a different character.
images

Him
Garret-Dillahunt-Deadwood-Francis-Wolcott.jpg

also him from the same series as two different people.
 
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FRANKEINSTEIN

FRANKEINSTEIN

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,162
AZ
Loren Dean
After Mumford I thought he would blow up. He was that good in that role. Last thing I saw him in was Bones as Bones brother for like 2 episodes.
 
Sgt. Demblant

Sgt. Demblant

Self-requested ban
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
7,030
France
Simon Belmont said:
Guy Pearce. Looked like he was going to be a big star after LA confidential then his career took a big thud after The Time Machine.
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Yep.
He's been in some great stuff since then like The Proposition but nothing that really caught people's attention.
He was talked about a lot for Daredevil before Ben Affleck was cast. I don't know if he turned it down or whatever but he was my dream pick back then. Not that he could have saved that movie.
 
Dabanton

Dabanton

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,929
Vire said:
This was exactly my answer. So many promising roles only to tailspin and crash into Snowman and Assassins Creed?!

How does this happen.
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It's that risk where an actor tries to jump onto a potentially lucrative franchise movie. It may pay off and your cash in for a sequel or two or you crash and burn along with the movie.
 
Aurongel

Aurongel

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 28, 2017
7,065
Abraham Attah(?) from Beats of No Nation is an amazing child actor, top 3 of this past decade for sure.
 
ConanEd

ConanEd

Alt account
Banned
Dec 27, 2018
1,033
I remember reading Robert Ebert's review of Coyote Ugly and he said Piper Perabo had screen presence of Julia Roberts.
 
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