Celebs That Failed to Make A Comeback

It’s common for stars to try and regain public attention after facing difficulties or a period of inactivity. They often do this by launching a new project, reuniting with former collaborators, or taking on a prominent role – all with the goal of changing how people perceive them. However, not every comeback is successful. Plans can fall through, audiences may lose interest, or a new project might not perform well, causing any regained momentum to disappear.

This list examines famous people who attempted a career revival but weren’t able to reach their previous level of fame. Each entry details the specific steps they took and the results of those efforts. You’ll find examples like shows that were canceled, poor performance at the box office, albums that didn’t chart well, and limited release of their work – all demonstrating how difficult it is to stage a successful comeback.

Roseanne Barr

In 2018, ABC revived her beloved sitcom, and it initially performed well, leading to a fast renewal. However, after a controversial tweet sparked public criticism, she was let go from the show. The network then reimagined the series as a spin-off, continuing it without her involvement. The new version maintained the original time slot, effectively ending her regular appearances on weekly network television.

She then attempted stand-up comedy specials and guest appearances to reconnect with her audience. However, these projects only appeared on smaller, specialized platforms and weren’t enough to bring her back to a prominent position on a major television network’s regular schedule.

Ja Rule

Following his release, he began creating music again and sought out brand partnerships to rebuild his public image. While he released an album, it didn’t perform as well as his previous work from the early 2000s, with relatively low sales and limited airplay.

The Fyre Festival disaster caused significant legal problems and damaged his public image, far outweighing any positive attention from new music releases. Later songs and public appearances weren’t enough to bring him back into popular culture.

Mike Myers

He tried to revive his leading man status with a 2008 film, essentially creating the project for himself. Unfortunately, the movie didn’t do well, and critics weren’t impressed, which meant he didn’t receive any similar large-scale offers right away.

After some time, he created the limited series ‘The Pentaverate’ for a streaming service and also took on smaller roles in films. However, the series ended after one season, and he wasn’t able to return to being a main actor in movies regularly.

John Travolta

Throughout the late 2010s, he worked on a number of personal projects that didn’t have wide releases in theaters, but were widely available through video on demand. Films such as the gangster movie about John Gotti and the thriller directed by Fred Durst didn’t perform well at the box office.

Even with consistent work, these projects didn’t result in leading roles in big-budget films or significant recognition during awards season. He continued to find work consistently, but a return to highly acclaimed or blockbuster roles never happened.

Arsenio Hall

I was really excited when his late night talk show came back in 2013 – there was a lot of buzz and they had some great guests lined up at the start. Unfortunately, the ratings started to decline over the season, and it was canceled after just one year. It was a disappointment, honestly, because I thought it had potential.

He continued performing through stand-up shows and by filling in as a guest host. However, these efforts weren’t enough to bring him back into the competitive world of nightly talk shows, which had become increasingly focused on digital platforms and more saturated with options.

Paula Deen

After losing several important sponsorships and her deal with Food Network, she launched a digital network funded by subscriptions, allowing her to connect with fans directly. While the initial response was promising, the platform ultimately reached a smaller audience than she had during her time on cable television.

She then transitioned to creating her own show, ‘Positively Paula’, which was distributed through a network of smaller television stations and specialized channels. This limited the show’s reach and, unfortunately, didn’t bring her back to the forefront of food television programming.

Tara Reid

She consistently worked by appearing in many lower-budget and television films to keep her career going. The ‘Sharknado’ series gained her attention annually, but unfortunately, it didn’t lead to offers from major studios or a chance to star in mainstream romantic comedies again.

Whenever a new installment of her work was released, public attention would surge, but it would fade once the project ended. She didn’t receive roles in major films, and her career primarily consisted of work in specific genres and appearances on reality television.

Mischa Barton

Following her time on ‘The O.C.’, she deliberately chose smaller, independent films and projects filmed abroad to redefine her career. Because many of these releases didn’t get wide distribution, they received little attention at the box office and in the press.

Her return to reality television in 2019 with ‘The Hills New Beginnings’ was brief, lasting only one season, and didn’t lead to any new roles in scripted shows. While she continued to act, the attempt to revive her career didn’t result in major opportunities with a large television network or film studio.

Amanda Bynes

Following a break from acting, she pursued studies in fashion and hinted at a possible return to the entertainment industry. A podcast she announced in late 2023 released just one episode before going on hold.

She didn’t land any significant parts in movies or TV shows after those initial attempts. While the media reported on her efforts to come back, it didn’t result in consistent work on screen. Her return gained some attention, but it wasn’t enough to secure long-term roles.

Katherine Heigl

She starred in the NBC drama ‘State of Affairs’ in 2014. Unfortunately, the show was canceled after just one season and didn’t lead to any major movie roles for her.

Her 2017 legal drama, Doubt, was canceled after just two episodes because it didn’t attract many viewers. While she continued to work successfully in ensemble casts, her efforts to return to leading roles in films weren’t successful.

Kevin Spacey

After being taken off projects and having his scenes re-filmed, he tried to revive his career with independent and international movies. However, these films had very limited releases in theaters and didn’t receive much recognition from awards shows.

He further created videos while staying in character and sought opportunities to work internationally to gauge audience interest. However, despite these efforts, he didn’t land significant roles with major studios or become a lead actor on popular streaming platforms, which ultimately hindered his attempt at a comeback.

Gina Carano

Following her role on ‘The Mandalorian’, she starred in the western film ‘Terror on the Prairie’, which was released in a limited way. The movie wasn’t shown in many theaters and only played for a short time in cinemas.

Several new projects were revealed, focusing on specialized distributors. However, none of these achieved the broad impact of her major franchise work, and a return to widely accessible platforms didn’t materialize.

Vanilla Ice

As a huge music fan, I watched as he really pushed to get back to the top of the charts, releasing album after album and hitting the road for tours. Unfortunately, none of his new singles really broke through and climbed into those top spots. It seemed like people were mostly revisiting his older work – catalog streams were really the thing keeping him in the spotlight, which was a bit sad to see. It’s tough when an artist struggles to connect with audiences on new material.

He then moved into reality renovation shows and events celebrating past eras. While these kept him in the public eye, they didn’t help him regain a successful recording career like he had at the beginning of his career.

Ashlee Simpson

Following some initial successes, she tried to revive her music career with the 2018 reality show ‘Ashlee+Evan’. The EP released alongside the show didn’t sell many copies and had only a short period of chart performance. More details are available online.

Following concert dates and appearances on TV, a complete album wasn’t released, preventing her return to consistent play on the radio or at major festivals. While this work maintained the loyalty of her existing fans, it didn’t lead to broader popularity with the general public.

Corey Feldman

He successfully returned to music with new albums and a tour across the country. A much-talked-about performance on a morning show in 2016 gained him a lot of online attention, but unfortunately, this didn’t translate into radio play or bookings at larger venues.

He kept independently creating and sharing content, as well as putting on live performances. This allowed him to maintain a dedicated fanbase, but it didn’t lead to wider popularity or a major comeback in the entertainment world.

Meg Ryan

In 2023, she made a comeback to acting and directing with the romantic comedy ‘What Happens Later’. While the film was released in only a few cinemas, it earned a reasonable amount of money at the box office.

While publicity brought attention to her impact on romantic comedies, it didn’t lead to a resurgence of new films in the genre. The project pleased her existing fans, but it didn’t bring back her former status as a widely recognized and prominent star.

Lindsay Lohan

Both her 2013 independent film, ‘The Canyons’, and the documentary series ‘Lindsay’ were intended to revitalize her career. However, the film only played in a limited number of theaters, and the series was cancelled after its first season.

She remained in the public eye through brand partnerships and guest roles during that time, but these opportunities didn’t translate into long-term, consistent work in mainstream film or television. While later projects did gain some traction with viewers, this particular attempt at a career resurgence didn’t last.

Shannen Doherty

In 2019, she appeared in the brief revival of the show ‘BH90210’, which only lasted for one season. While the revival initially increased viewership, this boost wasn’t enough to secure further seasons or new projects from the studio.

Previous attempts, like the television revival of ‘Heathers’, struggled with timing and what it showed, which negatively impacted its launch. While these efforts kept her in the public eye, they didn’t create a lasting, successful project.

Wesley Snipes

Following his release, he acted in ‘The Expendables 3’ and a few similar films. While these parts gave him some visibility, they didn’t lead to him consistently starring in major movies released in theaters.

Over the years, there was discussion about bringing back Blade with a new actor. While we saw cameos and supporting roles, a leading performance that matched Wesley Snipes’ iconic portrayal from the 90s never materialized. The possibility of a full revival remained, but a star turn of that caliber didn’t happen.

Chevy Chase

He rejoined the discussion around ‘Community’ and attracted a new audience by streaming. However, problems behind the scenes caused him to leave, and efforts to capitalize on that momentum with new movies didn’t really take off.

After the sitcom wrapped, things got a little patchy for me, professionally. I took on a bunch of roles, but they were mostly small parts here and there. Honestly, I was hoping for another big comedy to really relaunch my career, but that second wave of major roles just never materialized. It wasn’t a complete return to the spotlight, unfortunately. It just didn’t happen. I kept working, but the big laughs were harder to come by. Those were the days, weren’t they?

Share the names you think should be added to this list in the comments.

2025-10-04 15:47