Jennifer Coolidge and 3 Other Actors Who Successfully Relaunched Their Careers
Actors who successfully returned to the screens for the second time.
The movie industry loves success stories, especially beautiful comebacks after failures. Let's look back at notable cases of Hollywood actors who made a comeback after an abrupt career change.
1. Brendan Fraser
Brendan Fraser was one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood in the late 1990s and early 2000s. His roles in George of the Jungle and Bedazzled made him a comedy star. After starring in The Mummy franchise, he became a household name.
However, participating in The Mummy and other action-packed films took a toll on Fraser's health; he was injured and spent a lot of time in the hospital. To this were added personal problems and harassment.
A second wave of popularity rolled in after the release of Darren Aronofsky's The Whale. The film became Fraser's triumph and won him an Oscar.
2. Jennifer Coolidge
Jennifer Coolidge did not start out as an actress. In her youth, she was part of the comedy troupe, and played only small roles in films. She gained widespread recognition after appearing in the teen comedy American Pie.
Although Coolidge returned in all the American Pie sequels, she could not build on her success for a long time. Coolidge appeared in comedies and various TV series, often in supporting roles. Then The White Lotus came along.
In the first season, her character Tanya became a fan favorite. She played a funny, sometimes unpleasant, but sincere woman. Due to the character's universal adoration, she returned in the next season.
3. Demi Moore
Demi Moore started her career playing episodic roles in her youth. She became famous after appearing in Blame It on Rio, St. Elmo's Fire, and the mystical drama Ghost, which made her a world star.
Her popularity declined after two failures: in 1996, she was criticized for being too frank in Striptease, and the following year, she was criticized for her brutality in G.I. Jane.
However, Moore triumphantly returned to the big screen in 2024 with The Substance. Adding to the drama, the film's plot partly resembles Moore's own story: a former star cannot come to terms with her loss of popularity and tries to save her career.
4. John Travolta
John Travolta devoted more time to dancing than acting in his youth. His first popular role was in the film Saturday Night Fever, which was about the disco era. Then, Travolta starred in Grease, in which he also sang quite well.
In Urban Cowboy, Travolta played a dramatic role, but the Western was still popular due to the music, which popularized the country style.
After that, Travolta's career began to decline. He tried to cling to past successes, but the sequel to Saturday Night Fever failed. However, Quentin Tarantino then directed Pulp Fiction and invited Travolta to play the criminal Vincent Vega.