Actors who blew their chances and shots at comebacks

[TMC]

What I mean by this is that when an actor/actress who hasn't been in the public eye for quite some time or has recently been on the ropes career-wise, is given a shot at redemption so to speak, but ultimately squanders it somehow.

The most recent example that I can think of is Emilio Estevez getting dropped from The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers for apparently not complying with Disney's strict COVID-19 vaccination mandates.

It also goes without saying that, Roseanne Barr should also belong on the list of actors/actresses who blew their comeback through no real fault except their own. You can also add Chevy Chase leaving Community under controversial circumstances after once again, being extremely difficult to work with.

Going way back to the '80s, Fred Berry getting fired from What's Happening Now!! after only the first season for demanding too much money. Keep mind that Berry's antics backstage was a major factor in the original What's Happening!! series ultimately being canceled after only three seasons.

[Sal]

The one example that I can think of is Robert Downey Jr. He was a fine actor who was headed towards a great career but got into major trouble with substance abuse and for a while Hollywood stayed away from him until he could fully recover. In the late 90s, he was offered a big role on the hit series "Ally McBeal" in order to not only help him personally but also give the show a boost in the ratings. The idea was that his character would not only date Ally but would possibly marry her if things went well. Sadly, things did not go well for him as his personal demons came back to ruin him and he was soon fired from the show. His last appearance ended with Ally breaking up with him and emphasizing that point by dumping a bowl of soup on his head. That was not the way things were supposed to go and the series ended soon after. Since then, Downey Jr. resumed his career after finally becoming clean and today he is one of Hollywood's most popular and successful actors.

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Many people that oppose covid vaccine mandates are far more serious in their views in opposition, probably a lot more than those that took the vaccines or are supportive of it. So Emilio Estevez isn't going to care one bit in the end.

As for people like Roseanne Barr, Chevy Chase and even Rosie O'Donnell from her daytime show to her be given a second chance via years on The View, actors were given a second chance but blew it, their personalities or egos are so strong, they can't keep it separate from their work.

[TMC]

Shannon Doherty - She gets fired from Beverly Hills, 90210 for apparently, fighting with her castmates among other transgressions. Aaron Spelling a few years later, gives her another chance with Charmed only for her to leave that show after only three seasons. Just as the case with 90210, Shannon allegedly didn't get along to well with her castmates (more specifically, Alyssa Milano). And in both cases, 90210 and Charmed went on to last much longer with her replacements (Tiffani-Amber Thiessen and Rose McGowan respectively) than when she was actually on those shows.

To put things into the proper perspective:

While Charmed itself was a significant hit, the derailing came from Shannen Doherty's high-profile exit after the third season. Having been a respectable TV star in the '80s and '90s, she was notably dismissed from Beverly Hills, 90210 at the end of the fourth season due to tension between her and other cast members. Similar stories surfaced on the Charmed set, with T.W. King leaving after Season 1 — rumored to be because Doherty didn't like him (though other sources say he asked for more screentime and was just cut). Doherty herself left the show very publicly after a feud with co-star Alyssa Milano, to the point where she allegedly said "either she goes or I do". The fact that she had been fired from a second hit show after fighting with cast members earned her a reputation as a diva, as did her subsequent refusal to allow Charmed to use any archive footage or pictures of her — which meant that it took until 2005 for the first three seasons to come out on DVD. She turned to Reality TV projects and TV movies, but never with the high profile she once enjoyed.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by Sal

The one example that I can think of is Robert Downey Jr. He was a fine actor who was headed towards a great career but got into major trouble with substance abuse and for a while Hollywood stayed away from him until he could fully recover. In the late 90s, he was offered a big role on the hit series "Ally McBeal" in order to not only help him personally but also give the show a boost in the ratings. The idea was that his character would not only date Ally but would possibly marry her if things went well. Sadly, things did not go well for him as his personal demons came back to ruin him and he was soon fired from the show. His last appearance ended with Ally breaking up with him and emphasizing that point by dumping a bowl of soup on his head. That was not the way things were supposed to go and the series ended soon after. Since then, Downey Jr. resumed his career after finally becoming clean and today he is one of Hollywood's most popular and successful actors.

Speaking of Ally McBeal, how about Calista Flockhart? She got a predominate role as Cat Grant on Supergirl only to vacate the series after only the first season. Basically, the series moved from CBS to The CW for its second season and Calista didn't want to relocate from Los Angeles to Vancouver.

[TMC]

Not a TV actor per se, but Mickey Rourke post-The Wrestler.

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These TV scandals caused so much damage that they got actors fired. For this list, we’ll be looking at the most controversial incidents that got actors booted off TV shows. Our countdown includes "Scandal," "Empire," "Roseanne," and more! Do YOU think any of these shows were affected by the actor’s absence? Let us know in the comments.

[TMC]

I just came across a similar discussion on elsewhere.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by TMC

I just came across a similar discussion on elsewhere.

And now here's a more recent discussion.