8. Cameron Diaz
I cant come up with a performer, male or female, who has had as many notable close-but-no-cigar moments with Oscar. After being nominated for four Golden Globes and three SAG Awards, Cameron STILL missed Oscar nods for Being John Malkovich, Vanilla Sky and Gangs of New York. We know Cameron can act Im just not sure she knows it. After her golden period of not only critical success, but also commercial stardom (There's Something About Mary ignited the worlds love for her, and rightfully so) she decided itd be a good idea to throw things at us like What Happens in Vegas, My Sister's Keeper, and, most egregiously, The Box. After that travesty, I dont blame her for hiding away in The Green Hornet and hoping nobody noticed. Well, Cameron I noticed.
Is there hope for her yet?: Yes. Loads of it. I will not pretend like What To Expect When You're Expecting treated her well in fact, she was probably the worst part. However, last summers Bad Teacher proved an adept career move. Not exactly the explosion it could have been, but she went all out, and audiences and critics loved it, if not the movie it was attached to. Her upcoming projects couldnt be any better: Gambit, written by none other than the Coen Brothers, and The Counselor, written by Cormac McCarthy and directed by Ridley Scott. With a one-two punch like that, I would be shocked if Cameron wasnt on her way to a career renaissance.
My suggestion: Cameron has got to remember what made her successful: her charm and willingness to go all out. She should stay on the road, stick with the respected names (her best performances have come from the likes of Spike Jonze, Cameron Crowe, and Martin Scorsese not a total coincidence), and if shes going to branch out, she should do something thats all about her, like Bad Teacher not something thats about a demon box or Abigail Breslins cancer.