Stardom in Hollywood has never been something that is granted forever. Often big names in the industry can't find headline-making projects due to past scandals, continuous flops, or just because of no luck.
Sometimes actors disappear from the screen entirely during their downfall, while others simply carry on working through the tough time, starring in projects that are doomed to not leave any mark in the box office.
However, there does come a time when some lucky stars fall upon a role that has the potential to turn their careers around.
Here are some stars that crawled their way through the mud and landed a role that changed their fate forever.
Keanu Reeves - John Wick
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Keanu Reeves made a name for himself in 90s hit action movies, including Speed (1994) and The Matrix franchise; however, his career failed to take off due to continuous commercial flops such as A Scanner Darkly (2006), The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) and 47 Ronin (2013).
However, he proved himself when he landed a role in the 2014 thriller John Wick, and with three sequels, Keanu managed to become one of the most celebrated names in the industry.
Ke Huy Quan – Everything Everywhere All at Once
After finding fame as a child in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), Ke Huy Quan career's failed to kick off, and he decided to turn his energy towards stunt choreography and taking the role of assistant director, marking a 20-year hiatus from acting.
Following his hiatus, Everything Everywhere All at Once called his name, and the 53-year-old auditioned for the project, which went on to receive 11 Academy Award nominations and bag him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
During his emotional acceptance speech, Quan noted, "Month after month, year after year for 20 years told me one day my time will come."
He added, "Dreams are something you have to believe in. I almost gave up on mine. To all of you out there – please keep your dreams alive."
Brendan Fraser – The Whale
Once a beloved lead man in blockbusters such as The Mummy (1999) and Bedazzled (2000), Brendan Fraser went on hiatus from the industry due to a number of reasons, including depression
While Brendan never fully retired from acting, it was in 2021 that his career took a major turn when he was announced as the lead in Darren Aronofsky's film, The Whale, the phenomenal performance that secured him an Oscar for Best Actor the following year.
After his return, Brendan was cast in Martin Scorsese's historic epic, Killers of the Flower Moon (2023), and he's recently signed on to Pressure, an upcoming war film starring Andrew Scott.
Robert Downey Jr – Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Downey Jr's struggles with addiction and erratic on-set behaviour were so notorious that, at the start of the 2000s, directors wanted to avoid him.
However, due to his role in Shane Black’s inventive 2005 comedy, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and his decision to become sober was able to rebuild his reputation.
He also ended up with the role of Iron Man, which made him one Hollywood's biggest and most bankable performers.
Winona Ryder – Stranger Things
Winona Ryder ruled the 90s with critically acclaimed roles in Edward Scissorhands (1990), Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), Little Women (1994), and Girl, Interrupted (1999).
After she was convicted of grand theft and shoplifting and sentenced to three years' probation, as well as community service, the actress took a break from acting and moved to San Francisco.
Winona noted that her decision to leave Hollywood was a positive one, giving her the time she "needed" to regroup. Her momentous return came in 2016 after she was cast as Joyce Byers in the Netflix TV series Stranger Things.
With the show remarkable success, Winona also reprised her role as Lydia Deetz in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024).
