10 films that resurrected movie stars' careers

Doesn’t everyone deserve a second chance once in a while?

Hollywood is a fickle industry and just one critically-panned film can be enough to damage an actor’s reputation forever.

Many stars fade and drift into obscurity after a bad run. However, every now and then people are given a lifeline and get the chance to restore their reputation.

From Robert Downey Jr to John Travolta, these are the films that helped relaunch actors’ careers.

Pulp Fiction — John Travolta

John Travolta burst onto the scene in the 70s with roles in Carrie, Saturday Night Fever and Grease. However, his career was in a real lurch by the early 90s following a run of box office flops and Quentin Tarantino had to fight to cast Travolta as hit man Vincent Vega, with studio bosses claiming the actor was past his best. Thankfully, Travolta got his way and the iconic character was born. The memorable turn relaunched him back into the big time, with the hugely successful Get Shorty and Face/Off following shortly afterwards.

Iron Man — Robert Downey Jr

Robert Downey Jr was regarded as one of the most talented, yet troubled young stars in Hollywood after making his breakthrough in films like 1992’s Chaplin. Five years of drug addiction and criminal convictions between 1996 and 2001 nearly cost him his health and reputation. He began re-establishing his career in the early 00s with turns in The Singing Detective and Zodiac but it was his excellent performance in Iron Man that changed his fortunes for good. He became the poster boy for the Marvel cinematic universe following his inimitable performance as the tech magnate turned superhero Tony Stark. He went on to star in the hugely successful Sherlock Holmes films too and ten years later he’s one of Hollywood’s highest paid actors.

Birdman — Michael Keaton

Beetlejuice and Batman made Michael Keaton a household name in the late 80s but his star power slowly diminished throughout the 90s and 00s. For years he was relegated to bit-part roles in films like Jackie Brown and he didn’t recapture the limelight in the same way for years. However, 2014’s Birdman changed all that. The actor restored his A-list reputation with the movie, which saw him play an actor once famed for his superhero roles (clearly a case of art imitating life). The Oscar-winning Spotlight and The Founder followed soon after, with Keaton’s career thoroughly resurrected.

V For Vendetta — Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman’s role as Padmé in the Star Wars prequels was as much a blessing as it was a curse. The franchise helped launch her career in Hollywood but at one point it seemed that the critical drubbing the films received and the extended exposure to Jar Jar Binks had ended up damaging Portman’s prospects. Portman was criminally underused in all three films and the stilted scripts meant she had very little to work with. However, she was finally able to show her prowess in 2005’s V For Vendetta. The scenes between Portman’s Evey Hammond and Hugo Weaving’s masked freedom fighter V are performed brilliantly and prove the most successful moments of the movie. Roles in The Other Bolyn Girl and Black Swan followed but it was V For Vendetta where Portman first showcased her talents and relaunched her career.

Dallas Buyers Club — Matthew McConaughey

After making a strong breakthrough with roles in Dazed and Confused and A Time To Kill, Matthew McConaughey’s career in the mid 00s took a downturn following a string of dud rom-coms like the Wedding Planner and How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days. Thankfully for him though Dallas Buyers Club totally reinvigorated his career in 2014, sparking the famed ‘McConaissance’. McConaughey lost three stone for the role of medicinal drugs distributor Ron Woodroof and his performance earned him the Oscar for Best Actor. The film opened up a number of huge opportunities including The Wolf of Wall Street, HBO’s True Detective and Interstellar.

Argo — Ben Affleck

While his childhood friend and writing partner Matt Damon went on to star in Saving Private Ryan, The Talented Mr Ripley and the Bourne movies after Good Will Hunting, Ben Affleck’s movie venues didn’t always go so smoothly. Gigli, the critically panned film he made with Jennifer Lopez, remains a low point along with the disastrous superhero flick Daredevil. The 00s proved a patchy time for Affleck but Argo helped kickstart a highly successful period for him in 2012. Affleck directed the film, which followed an extravagant rescue mission during the Iran hostage crisis. The movie won the Oscar for Best Picture and Affleck went on to star in box office hits like Gone Girl and land the coveted role of Batman.

Scream — Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore first established herself as a child star in Steven Spielberg’s ET but her early career was tainted with personal troubles. The actress suffered from drug addiction in the late 80s and she spent extended periods in rehab. It wasn’t until the early 90s that she was back in the limelight. Her movie Poison Ivy proved successful in 1992 but it was her role in cult slasher film Scream that announced her one the world stage once again. Her performance as Casey Becker in Wes Craven’s era-defining thriller cemented her reputation as a star once again.

The Wrestler — Mickey Rourke

After making his name with the infamously steamy thriller 91/2 Weeks and Angel Heart in the 80s, Mickey Rourke’s career was waning by the mid-00s. Aside for a part in 2005’s Sin City the actor and arguably the lowest point came when he played the ridiculous villain Darrius Sayle in the teen thriller flop Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker. Two years later though The Wrestler brought him fresh critical acclaim and raised his stock in Hollywood significantly. He brought depth the role of washed up wrestler Randy 'The Ram' Robinson and was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar in 2009 — unthinkable a few years before. As well as being critically lauded the film led to roles in high profile movies like Iron Man 2 and The Expendables.

Finding Nemo — Ellen Degeneres

She might be one of the biggest names in US TV now but things nearly worked out differently for Ellen Degeneres. While her sitcom Ellen proved very successful in the mid 90s, viewing figures waned and the show was cancelled in 1998. Its follow up The Ellen Show was also axed after one season in 2002 and her career looked to be taking a downturn. However, landing the role of Dory in Finding Nemo in 2003 raised Ellen’s profile once again. The comedian proved to be perfectly cast as the loveable regal blue tang fish suffering from short-term memory loss and she would return to the role 13 years later for Finding Dory. In the meantime Ellen went about establishing herself as one of the most popular personalities on US TV as host of The Ellen Degeneres Show.

The Godfather — Marlon Brando

Marlon Brando gave a masterful performance in Francis Ford Coppola’s Godfather but he was by no means the most obvious choice for the part at the time. After establishing himself with striking performances in A Streetcar Named Desire, The Wild One and On The Waterfront Brando had failed to maintain the early pace he’d set in the 50s. He experienced a series of diminishing returns in the decade before the Godfather and starred in the controversial erotic 1972 drama Last Tango In Paris. However, the Godfather parts I and II a few years later went a long way to salvaging his reputation and safeguarding his cinematic legacy.