10 Actors Whose Careers Need A Boost, According To Reddit

Thousands of movie fans eagerly await The Whale, especially after Brandon Fraser received an emotional six-minute standing ovation for his performance. Despite a remarkable filmography back in the 90s with movies like The Mummy, the upcoming drama will serve as Fraser’s long-awaited comeback after his acting career tumbled due to being blacklisted in Hollywood.

Fraser’s return to cinema has plenty of Redditors discussing other actors whose careers could do with a movie like The Whale, bringing them back into the public eye after a long period of absence (at least from successful projects). Actors like Eddie Redmayne and Amy Adams are some of the most talented actors who certainly deserve a chance to rejuvenate their careers with that special film.

Will Ferrell

There was a time when Will Ferrell was considered the best comedy actor in the business, with movies like Elf and Step Brothers being some of the most timeless entries in the genre. But it’s been a while since Ferrell has starred in anything noteworthy, and many Redditors believe that he deserves a comeback.

Reddit user lazy_ad_6232 claims that Ferrell was once ” the funniest man in the world” and “unstoppable” in the business, but now audiences regularly find themselves disappointed by his sometimes “terrible” movies. Ferrell did take a step back from being in front of the cameras and has served as an executive producer for critical acclaim shows like Succession and Dead to Me. And it’s not Ferrell’s acting that’s gotten worse, so perhaps he just needs to be more careful with the projects he chooses.

Ben Foster

After his outstanding performance in 2016’s Hell or High Water, many cinephiles expected Ben Foster’s career to soar higher than it ever had before. But since then, the actor hasn’t really been given many memorable roles to keep him in the public eye.

Redditor thejewbaccasaurus believes that Foster often provides “stand-out performances in less-than-epic movies,” which is probably why his career hasn’t quite reached the heights that it could. Indeed, Foster continues to churn in outstanding, dramatic performances but mostly in smaller movies, such as Leave No Trace. Foster is one of the most underrated actors in the industry, but one memorable role could definitely be enough to make him a real star.

Amy Adams

From The Woman in the Window to Dear Evan Hansen, Amy Adams’ filmography has taken a real nosedive recently. And it’s such a shame because the actress has proven on several occasions in the past that she’s one of the industry’s biggest talents working today.

“I just want to see her in something worthy of her talent again,” claims Redditor nayapapaya, echoing the opinion of countless movie fans around the world. The six-time Oscar nominee has delivered many incredible roles, whether the linguist in Arrival to second-lady in Vice, which clearly speaks of Adams’ impeccable acting chops. Hence, many hope that Amy Adams’ return in the upcoming Enchanted sequel will serve as this much-needed comeback.

Idris Elba

He still has the star-power that makes him so desirable in Hollywood, but it’s undeniably been a while since Idris Elba has starred in a project worthy of his talents. His filmography has recently taken a turn into bland action movies that most audiences simply don’t care for.

Many Reddit users, such as msmischance, “would have really liked to see [Elba] as James Bond” after his name was in circulation to overtake the iconic role. It would certainly be the career boost that Elba desperately needs, but it seems less and less likely by the day. Elba has resorted to more supporting roles and small picture films in the late, but his performance in films like Beasts showcases his versatility on the screen that he can be a leading actor – he just needs to find the right role.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

After his memorable stint of projects in the early 2010s, many fans believed that Joseph Gordon-Levitt was on track to become Hollywood’s next big action star – but sadly, that hasn’t turned out to be true. The actor sadly makes very few movies these days, and when he does, the opinions are often varied.

Redditor billyrivers311 claims that the actor had “such potential” after his exceptional work in the 2010s, but sadly the actor never capitalized on this. Although the era of Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s best movies is seemingly long gone, there’s nothing to say that he couldn’t make a comeback in the future.

Ellie Kemper

Best known for her work in both The Office and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Ellie Kemper’s comedic talents are pretty much unmatched when it comes to that particular era of comedy. Unfortunately, Kemper hasn’t been involved in many other successful projects since the conclusion of both those shows.

Reddit user single_detective_667 writes that Kemper has “got a lot of potential…she just doesn’t get a lot of roles nowadays.” It’s been a while since audiences have seen Kemper’s talents truly shine, which is why her name isn’t really in the conversation anymore.

Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey has embodied plenty of iconic characters over the years, but it’s admittedly been a while since audiences have had the pleasure of watching the comedy legend at work. His recent work has been constrained to Sonic the Hedgehog, which doesn’t quite represent the heights of his filmography.

As Redditor riverdale87 points out, Carrey is “supposedly retiring,” though he’s admitted that if the right project comes along, he could be convinced to make a return to acting in the future. So for now, audiences have nothing to do but hope that somebody will write the film to reignite Carrey’s career.

Matthew Perry

If it weren’t for the personal struggles that characterized much of Matthew Perry’s later life, there’s absolutely no doubt that he could’ve been one of the greatest comedy actors of his era. His iconic work on Friends proved his talent, even if he’s been unable to find such a successful project since.

Since starring in 17 Again in 2009, Matthew Perry’s work has been contained solely to TV and theater. Redditor yeahwellokay “really wants” the actor to “start making comedies again.” Though the many tribulations of Perry’s personal life sadly mean this is unlikely, he has written a memoir discussing his low and high points of his life, which he is currently promoting.

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie was once considered one of the greatest female action stars of the ’90s, but her recent filmography fails to live up to the heights of her early career. Her shining role in Marvel’s Eternals could easily have served as her big comeback – if the movie hadn’t been critically panned.

Redditor contagious argues that “no one watched” Jolie’s latest movies, referring to the recent failure at the box office that many of her projects have suffered. However, Jolie has also been more involved in directing, taking the leadership seat for movies like Unbroken and the upcoming Without Blood. Nevertheless, with the right director and the right story, Jolie could easily return to the spotlight if she manages to find a suitable project.

Sylvester Stallone

Like many action stars from the ’80s and ’90s, Sylvester Stallone’s career has taken a drastic turn in recent years, reducing itself to forgettable action flicks and minor supporting roles. His most recent outing Samaritan is widely considered one of Stallone’s worst projects in years.

“I’m always disappointed that Sylvester Stallone hasn’t been better used,” admits Reddit user mr_loopers. He’s clearly a talented actor, but his gifts are often wasted on these senseless action projects that he seems so determined to make.

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