Tobey Maguire
In the fickle world of Hollywood, it's just as easy for a star to rise to fame as it is for them to fall out of the public's good graces. A couple of box office flops, some personal issues, or just the decision to take time off could spell career disaster.
Is it possible that things like: Tobey Maguire's involvement in a high stakes and highly illegal poker ring; or Jim Carrey's ugly legal battle over the suicide of his ex-girlfriend; or Freddie Prinze Jr. openly trash-talking Kiefer Sutherland could actually be reasons that Tinseltown turned its back on these box office boomers?
Without more email hacks like the one that exposed the inner workings of high level executives at Sony, it's impossible to know for sure. But some combination of these factors have led these actors to experience life in the cold shadow of their once towering celebrity status. Let's explore some of the reasons why Hollywood won't cast these actors anymore.
Dane Cook
Back in the '00s, you couldn't go to a party or lunch with co-workers without someone declaring that Dane Cook was the funniest dude on the planet. Those days are long gone. What happened?
Well, for starters, his big attempt at becoming a big movie star was a big ol' flop, thanks to a string of critically panned comedies that included the Razzie-nominated Employee of the Month (2006) and Good Luck Chuck (2007). His dramatic films didn't fare all that better, either; Mr. Brooks (2007) came and went without much fanfare, while his sci-fi passion project, 400 Days (2016), earned just $58 overseas. (He also claimed at one point that he was auditioning to star in Captain America (2011), which obviously didn't pan out.)
Cook later tried to go the route of television, which blew up in his face after NBC canceled his show before it even aired.
Meanwhile, Cook's career as a stand-up comedian took a turn for the worse, including multiple accusations of joke theft, shade from fellow comedians, weakening comedy album sales, and controversial jokes that got him in a whole lot of trouble.
Jim Carrey
Back in his heydey, Jim Carrey was the undisputed king of the box office. Films like The Mask (1994), Dumb and Dumber (1994) and Liar Liar (1997) regularly pulled in more than $100 million; by 2000, he had landed the biggest hit in Hollywood that year.
Of course, a lot can change over time. Thanks to low-key comedies such as Mr. Popper's Penguins (2011) and The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (2013), Carrey's hold on the box office has significantly softened.
In recent years, his celebrity status has also taken a hit following the suicide of his ex-girlfriend, Cathriona White, which spawned an ugly legal battle with no clear end in sight.
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