Hollywood's rollercoaster stars who failed to become A-listers

Behind the usual and predictable dazzle of stardom of Hollywood celebrities lies a more complex narrative of them facing setbacks, and, navigating paths that didn't lead to Hollywood super-stardom.

From one-hit wonders to actors sidelined by circumstance; Hollywood's rollercoaster stars who failed to become A-listers include notable faces such as

Let’s have a detailed look at the list of actors who didn't make the A-list cut:

Brendan Fraser

Fraser aka The Mummy star suffered significantly as an actor, with some sources suggesting it was due to speaking out about being sexually assaulted by a former Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) executive.

However, some sources suggest that his career stalled not because he couldn't become famous, but because a combination of physical injuries from stunt work, and personal issues like a difficult divorce led to his withdrawal from the spotlight.

Lindsay Lohan

Lohan, who was a massively successful actress in her younger days, couldn't continue the fame she got via The Parent Trap and Mean Girls.

Her career took a significant downturn after a period of intense media attention and personal issues.

Lohan even made a momentary splash with her music and her album Speak did platinum numbers and her follow-up A Little More Personal ( Raw) went gold, but it wasn't meant to last.

Eddie Murphy

From SNL to starring on hit comedy movies, Murphy ruled the 1980s. He even teamed up with Rick James for Party All the Time.

The actor even collaborated with Michael Jackson on Whatzupwitu.

Considering his popularity on TV and in films, it was nearly impossible to ever match his Hollywood stardom as a musician.

Amy Schumer

Schumer, who was able to make the move from standup to sketch comedy, got recognition through the Trainwreck movie.

Yet, that remains the pinnacle of her movie career. Her movies like Snatched and I Feel Pretty have been utterly forgotten.

The Unfrosted star got another chance in 2025 with Kinda Pregnant, but once again did you even notice it premiered on Netflix?

Jessica Alba

Alba, who had been acting as a child actor, first garnered attention as the star of the TV show, Dark Angel.

In 2005 she got the chance to play a role in Sin City and, significantly, to play a role in Fantastic Four. 

While the super-hero movie sequel got a sequel, those two films have been relegated to the ash heap of history and weren’t really liked at the time.