Let’s take some time out to recognize some actors/actresses who played in great movies, but unfortunately have become celebrities who are fading. Many of their movies have been thrown in Wal-Mart’s five dollar movie bin, because many of them have been removed from the A-list. But nonetheless, they are still great actors and actresses even if we haven’t seen them much lately. To keep these celebrities who are fading alive, let's name a few who played in some of the five dollar movies we love to pick up and re-watch over and over again. If you don’t recognize them, I’m sure the reminder of a movie or two that they played in will jog your memory!
1 Brendan Fraser
Brendan Fraser was hot stuff in the 1990s and early 2000s, but unfortunately he has become one of the many celebrities who are fading. You may remember him from George of the Jungle in 1997 or Still Breathing from 1998, but he has played in so much more. Personally my favorite movies from him are Bedazzled and The Mummy, both great movies that I’ve watched several times. Even though we haven’t seen him in anything lately, he has played the voice of a few cartoon characters recently. Trying to make a comeback maybe? He definitely should because he’s landed great roles in the past and deserves a few in the present.
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2 Eliza Dushku
If anyone is perfect to play the role of a bad girl it’s Eliza Dushku, and she has played one well for many of her roles. I would assume she’s probably best known for her roles in Bring It On (2000) or Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997), but nonetheless she’s a great actress. It seems she has taken a break from playing the “bad girl” and has settled into a comfortable life with Rick Fox, her partner, who is also an actor. Hopefully her bad girl roles haven’t been pushed to the side permanently and she will jump into something soon because her talent shouldn’t be wasted.
3 Amanda Bynes
Amanda Bynes faded quickly in 2013, unfortunately because of rumors and drug use. Amanda became popular in the late 1990s and was doing really well in her acting career as she progressed, starting out with All That and The Amanda Show, which were kids shows. Those shows made the way for her future roles in movies like What a Girl Wants, Hairspray, and Easy A. Like a lot of star actors who start out young, it becomes too much and they turn to drugs or alcohol as an outlet for stress. Now all we hear about Amanda are her issues with rehab or how she may or may not have stalked rapper Drake. Hopefully she will be able to get herself together even if she chooses not to stick with acting.
4 Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen
No one can forget Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, who have been acting since they were 9 months old. They made their debut on “Full House,” which ran from 1987 to 1995, and its re-runs come on every night. They may have faded from the acting scene, but they are very active in the fashion world and have their own fashion and makeup lines. They have even written a book, Influence, filled with interviews of fashion icons that paved the way in fashion for present and future generations. Being more into fashion than acting, they have openly stated that they were no longer going to pursue acting. It was their choice to fade from the scene, but they are still making things happen.
5 Lindsay Lohan
If Lindsay wasn’t the best mean girl then who was? Lindsay is an awesome actress who made some poor choices and as a result has been downgraded on the actor list. I think everyone likes to remember her as the Lindsay from the movie Mean Girls, but she has totally changed. Even though she did hit rock bottom she has made a small comeback. She has starred in shows over the past couple of years, but hasn’t been able to make a full comeback, because the shows weren’t very popular. What’s important though is that she is a good actress and shouldn’t be judged for past mistakes. Her fan base is pretty large so with time I think she will be able to make it back to the list of great actresses.
6 Alicia Silverstone
When my older sister and I were younger, we watched Clueless with Alicia Silverstone over and over again. I only watched because my sister wanted to of course, but teens were a big fan of the girls of Clueless. Silverstone nailed the role of a spoiled daddy’s girl perfectly. She seemed to be a most wanted actress in the 1990s, because she starred in so many movies. After the '90s she started to fade, appearing in movies here and there, but her name was never the topic of discussion. If she can land another role like any of the ones she played in the '90s there is no doubt she would be an A-list actress again.
7 Haley Joel Osment
You have to remember Haley Joel as the best kid actor after starring in The Sixth Sense with Bruce Willis in 1999. This role made the way for his career. He won an award for best supporting actor and was seen as the best actor from his generation. It has been difficult for him to land roles after getting older, but he is trying to keep a spot on the acting list. He has been featured in Amazon and IFC shows, but no leading roles. He is still very young though, so he has plenty of time to tap into his younger award winning self again.
8 Francisco “Frankie” Muniz
Best known for his role as Malcolm on the show Malcolm in the Middle, Frankie Muniz ended his own acting career in 2008. He decided to become a racecar driver, which he is just as successful at as acting. He also decided to join a band in 2012, which lets us know how done he is with acting. So fading may have been his intention, but he won’t be forgotten as one of the best young actors. He has won ten awards, but was nominated for over 30 because of his acting skills. No one as great an actor as Frankie can fade away, unless they want to!
9 Macaulay Culkin
Macaulay Culkin, who is most popular for his role as Kevin McCallister in Home Alone, proved to be one of the best child actors because he had four hit movies in a row. After his role in Richie Rich in 1994 his career started to fade. He was still getting roles, but the movies weren’t as popular as the previous movies he had been in. He stayed on top of the list of child actors for a while because of Home Alone but eventually that gave way. After his acting career failed he turned to music and became a musician. It’s always impressive when someone’s a great actor, but even more impressive if that persons a kid.
Becoming an A-list actor seems difficult enough, but obviously it is also hard for actors to keep that spot. Not only do they have to possess enough talent, but they’ve got to land the right roles if they want to stay on top. Are you remembering any actors/actresses that have faded out of the limelight? Tell us their names and a movie they’ve starred in.
