7 Actors Ruined Their Career With Just One Role (And Never Recovered)

In the television and film industry, it's not uncommon for a great role to become so closely associated with the actor who played it that they are forever tied to it.

However, there are numerous instances in film history where the opposite occurred, with a role so unbearably awful that it completely derailed the performer's career. Let's look at some of the biggest names whose careers were virtually ruined by a single failed project.

7. Sofia Coppola

Today, Sofia Coppola, the daughter of Francis Ford Coppola, is recognized as an incredibly successful and talented filmmaker. Her film, Lost in Translation, has been a pop culture staple for years. However, her acting career started on a low note: her critically panned role in The Godfather Part III led to her never taking on a major role again.

6. Taylor Lautner

After Twilight, Taylor Lautner was expected to achieve career heights comparable to Robert Pattinson. Unfortunately, his lead role in the movie Abduction blew his career to smithereens, and even the last two Twilight movies could not salvage it after that.

5. Rachael Leigh Cook

The 1999 film She's All That catapulted Rachael Leigh Cook to unprecedented fame. However, she failed to secure any more commercially successful roles. Her next project, Josie and the Pussycats, was a massive flop, after which no producer wanted to touch her with a ten-foot pole.

4. Taylor Kitsch

Kitsch's character in Friday Night Lights, Tim Riggins, is still considered one of the most multi-dimensional characters in pop culture. However, his subsequent role in Disney's ill-fated John Carter put a dent in his burgeoning A-list status. Since then, Kitsch's only major role has been in the second season of True Detective.

3. Paris Hilton

It's unusual for media personalities to excel at acting, but Hilton certainly made an effort. She even succeeded in mocking the 'dumb blonde' stereotype. However, her lackluster and shallow performance in The House of Wax was so poorly received that it's unlikely anyone will want to see the socialite act again.

2. Shaquille O'Neal

We adore Shaq for his charming personality, but sadly, his charisma doesn't translate to his acting abilities. His performance in Steel was so disappointing that even the director criticized it, nipping Shaq's acting career in the bud.

1. Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey may be a pop diva, but she is far from being an acting diva. The musical drama Glitter, in which she starred, was such an epic critical and commercial failure that it not only ended her acting career before it even began but also nearly derailed her music career when Virgin Records terminated her contract.