19 actors who came back from rock bottom

Hollywood is high-stakes, and people live life in the fast lane. With insane competition and mind-numbing pressure, many actors fall off the tracks, unable to handle their stardom. Either stars get caught for drugs and drinking, get into serious assault charges, or face personal drawbacks in life that hamper their career. Yet, some celebrities have shown strength and inspired others by mending their lives and making a stellar comeback. Here’s a list of 20 such celebrities.

1. Winona Ryder

Winona Ryder was the sweetheart of Hollywood during the 1980s and 1990s. After starring in films like Heathers and Edward Scissorhands during her heyday, she stayed low during the early 2000s after being charged with shoplifting. She made a comeback with her starring role in Stranger Things, which brought her back into the limelight. Ryder recently essayed her role in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

2. Rob Lowe

As one of the main members of the Brat Pack of the 1980s, Rob Lowe’s career should not have taken a downward turn, but it did, thanks to alcoholism. He was in the news in the late 80s after he was found intimate with an underage girl. After entering rehab in 1990 and turning sober, he revived his career by starring in The West Wing, Code Black, and, most memorably, in Parks & Recreation.

3. Robert Downey Jr.

Robert Downey Jr. was a rising star who messed up his career due to drugs and addiction. Even though he was nominated at the 1992 Oscars, he got arrested several times in the mid-90s. After a successful attempt at rehab, he starred in films like The Zodiac. But as everyone knows, the actor reached superstardom when he starred as Iron Man in 2008. His story is an inspirational one.

4. Mickey Rourke

Considered one of the most handsome men in Hollywood during the 1980s, Rouke gained attention by starring in 9 ½ Weeks and more. But when he returned to boxing and sustained facial injuries, he underwent reconstructive surgery, which altered his face and fate in cinema. The actor was criticized for his appearance but kickstarted his career with roles in Sin City and The Wrestler—which earned him an Oscar nomination.

5. Drew Barrymore

The popular child actress won hearts with her role in E.T. but also went through a rough patch after Barrymore began smoking and drinking early and posing for Playboy in 1995, her reputation took a further hit. She made a comeback in the late 90s with Scream, and after starring in Charlie’s Angels, she earned further repute. She currently hosts her own talk show.

6. Mandy Moore

Mandy Moore gained success as the sweet girl next door in A Walk to Remember. But in the early 2000s, her career slowed down. The actress only got minor roles. Her upturn began when she voiced the character of Rapunzel in the movie Tangled and was cast in the hit show This is Us, for which she got a Golden Globe nomination.

7. David Duchovny

The actor started on a high note with the famous The X-Files. Universally loved for portraying Mulder in the supernatural series. He found it tough to break out of that mold. Duchovny failed to get versatile roles and stayed low. His big comeback was in 2007 when he was cast in Californication as a good-for-nothing writer. His new role won him a Golden Globe, and he even returned for two new seasons of The X-Files.

8. Joaquin Phoenix

One of the most bankable and admired actors, Phoenix gained praise for To Die For and Gladiator. But he had a bit of a lean period in 2008 when he decided to quit acting to become a rapper, which turned out to be a set-up for a mock documentary. Joaquin returned on a high note with successful films like Her, Napolean, and The Joker. He recently essayed his role in Joker: Folie a Deux.

9. Vanessa Williams

Williams was envisioning a successful career as the first African-American Miss America. But the very next year, she got involved in a scandal that involved her questionable photos and had to resign her crown. Undeterred, she bounced back and starred in hit shows like Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives. She even has a successful music career.

10. Natasha Lyonne

Natasha Lyonne broke out with the American Pie franchise. But her career spiraled down after she was arrested for drunk driving and getting evicted after abusing her neighbor. She has openly spoken about being remorseful and began to make developments after she went to rehab in 2006. Lyonne bounced back with various film roles and gained popularity as Nicky in Orange is the New Black.

11. Neil Patrick Harris

The beloved Barney from How I Met Your Mother (HIMYM) had a bit of a lean period in his career. After gaining success as a teenager in Doogie Howser M.D. in the early 90s, Harris could not sustain his success in the following years. His career kickstarted when he appeared in a cameo role in Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, followed by his iconic role in HIMYM, which boosted his career.

12. Matthew McConaughey

The actor did not exactly hit rock bottom, but he had his difficulties. After gaining success in Dazed and Confused, Matthew continued to get roles in various romantic comedies like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, which typecast him as the shallow hunk. He decided to break free from that stereotype and overhauled his image by taking complex roles in True Detective, Dallas Buyers Club—which won him an Oscar—and Interstellar.

13. Michael Keaton

Keaton gained popularity after playing Beetlejuice and continued his association with Tim Burton in his film Batman. But his momentum took a hit. After a period of staying under the radar, he was cast in Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance, which was a hit at the Oscars. Keaton’s resurgence continued in Spider-Man: Homecoming and the recently released Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

14. Christian Slater

The actor was a rising star in the 1980s and early 90s with roles in Heathers and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. But his issues with drunk driving, assault, and harassing a woman tainted his image and career. He also could not find good TV shows or movies. The actor finally made a comeback with Mr. Robot in 2015, which won him his first Golden Globe.

15. Edward Furlong

Furlong played the young John Connor in Terminator 2: Judgement Day and was catapulted to fame. He continued to act in various films in the 1990s but disappeared in the early aughts and began using substances. He was arrested in a domestic violence case. Finally, in 2013, the actor went into rehab and became sober. He is now slowly reviving his career.

16. Brendon Fraser

The Mummy star was extremely famous in the 1990s, with roles in George of the Jungle and The Mummy franchise. But Brendon Fraser’s string of successes was broken due to various issues like his divorce, loss of his mother, and sexual assault by a Hollywood executive. The actor even went through depression but found his way back by starring in The Whale in 2022, which won him an Academy Award.

17. Nicolas Cage

The famous actor did not have a low point in his career per se but suffered major financial losses. Cage got popular with movies like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Moonstruck, and more. The actor was appreciated for his versatility and was one of the highest-paid. But tax frauds and shopping sprees got him into serious financial difficulties. In 2022, the actor stated that he had paid off his debts and wanted to act in selective roles.

18. Jodie Sweetin

Jodie Sweetin became the talk of the town in the late 80s and early 90s with her role as Stephanie Tanner in the hit sitcom Full House. But shortly afterward, the actress got into the habit of drinking and using hard drugs. She was also criticized for getting drunk and driving with her baby in the car. After such traumatizing events, Sweetin got sober in 2011 and made a comeback with Fuller House in 2016.

19. Margot Kidder

In the late 1970s, Kidder gained fame as Lois Lane in Superman and Kathy Lutz in The Amityville Horror. Unfortunately, she struggled with bipolar disorder. The inspirational actress recovered and became a mental health advocate, stating that she is not dejected by her past. Kidder got minor roles in TV and stage but made a comeback with The Haunting Hour, for which she won a Daytime Emmy Award. Sadly, she died in 2018.