Hollywood has a long, complicated history of building someone up overnight and then quietly forgetting they exist. The spotlight is unforgiving that way. There have been many one-hit wonder actors over the years – talented and seemingly promising performers who quickly faded after their big break. While being remembered as a single character in a single project can undoubtedly be a challenge to parlay into a successful, long-term career, actors who had just one big role often hold a special place in our collective heart. Some actors’ entire careers are defined by their most iconic role or by their best performance, which are not always one and the same. There are also some actors who really only have one well-known role or acclaimed performance to their name, while the majority of their career continues to live in obscurity or even ridicule. These are six of the most compelling examples.
Linda Blair – The Girl Who Terrified the World in The Exorcist (1973)
Linda Blair is known for playing Regan MacNeil in the horror film The Exorcist, which established her as a prominent figure in horror popular culture. Her performance netted her a Golden Globe and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The actress was only 14 when the horror classic hit theaters, and was expected to work under non-ideal filming conditions while finding herself amid significant controversy following the film’s release.
Even as she struggled to find the light outside of the looming shadow of The Exorcist, she would find herself typecast in victim roles despite her desire to show more range. She went on to play troubled teens in various films, and reprised her role as Regan in the 1977 sequel. Despite her efforts, she was never able to truly escape the lasting impact that starring in the horror movie had on her career. She struggled to craft a career away from her legacy as Regan, ultimately leading her to repeatedly book B-movie productions and television movies such as Hell Night and Born Innocent.
George Lazenby – The Only Bond Who Walked Away
George Lazenby’s casting as James Bond was a shock to the system. Replacing the iconic Sean Connery after You Only Live Twice, the relatively unknown Australian model found himself thrust into the spotlight. While his performance divided critics at the time, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service has since been reassessed as one of the more faithful adaptations of Ian Fleming’s novels and a high point in the series for many fans.
Lazenby was offered a contract for seven films. However, he was convinced by his agent Ronan O’Rahilly that the secret agent would be archaic in the liberated 1970s, and as a result he left the series after the release of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service in 1969. Lazenby admitted that after he left the role of Bond, he was unhireable. He landed few roles, to the point that his agent described him as “difficult.” After 007, Lazenby’s film career flopped, and he performed in a variety of low-budget productions. In 1971 he performed in the war drama Universal Soldier, but the attempt at a more serious production failed at the box office.
Hayden Christensen – Anakin Skywalker and the Career That Wasn’t
In the early 2000s, Hayden Christensen seemed poised to be the next big thing. He had a handful of small roles before gaining considerable notice and several major award nominations for his performance in 2001’s Life as a House. It was his role as Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode II and Episode III that launched him to what many thought would be superstardom.
That’s not how things played out for Christensen. Instead, he left Hollywood and bought a farm. He said his exodus from Hollywood was his own doing. Playing Anakin Skywalker in the two latter installments of George Lucas’ Star Wars prequel trilogy earned Christensen equal amounts of fame and ridicule that haunted him most of his career. Since then, Christensen hasn’t had any big projects, though in 2022 he reminded audiences of himself through series and other projects in the Star Wars universe.
Brandon Routh – Superman’s Brief Return to Earth
Iowa native Brandon Routh was yanked from obscurity to play the coveted titular role in the 2006 film Superman Returns. He had only a few television and movie credits when he won the role of arguably the most popular superhero of all time. While Superman Returns received praise from many critics, some diehard fans were disappointed with the film, including its director, Bryan Singer.
Despite Routh’s movie-star good looks and considerable talent, he has yet to match the pace he established with Superman Returns, continuing to work on lower-profile roles and projects. He laments not getting to don the blue tights and red cape again. It’s a genuinely curious case. Routh had real screen presence. The franchise machinery simply moved on without him, and no other project came close to filling the void.
Patrick Fugit – Almost Famous, Then Almost Forgotten
Cameron Crowe’s experiences as a teenage rock journalist inspired his road dramedy masterpiece Almost Famous. Of all the actors who could have played his surrogate character, the role of William Miller went to 16-year-old Patrick Fugit. His bashful charm and emotional maturity carried the coming-of-age story against the egos of ’70s rockers. Despite commercial disappointment, Almost Famous won a dedicated following. They sadly did not follow Fugit.
Fugit, who is most famous for his roles in Almost Famous and Outcast, has quite a lot of movies in his filmography and kept working really hard until 2020. The problem was that he never really settled in Hollywood, and none of his projects were incredibly successful. He’s had supporting roles in Cirque du Freak, Gone Girl, and First Man, and helmed Cinemax’s acclaimed horror drama Outcast. Fugit may be famous for rarely getting to be the headliner.
Peter Ostrum – Charlie Bucket, Then Veterinarian
Peter Ostrum was just 12 years old when he was cast as Charlie Bucket in the classic 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. With his down-to-earth charm and sincere acting, he easily kept up with the legendary Gene Wilder and helped the movie become a classic. Though the film was successful, Ostrum never did another film. He turned down a three-picture deal, returned to school, and became a veterinarian.
He was scouted at the age of 12 for the role of Charlie, but retired from acting straight after. He became a doctor of veterinary medicine in 1984 after graduating from Cornell University. There’s something quietly admirable about that. He landed one of the most beloved roles in the history of family cinema, decided it wasn’t for him, and built an entirely different life. Most child actors don’t get to make that choice so cleanly.
