10 Hit Movies Actors Thought Would Kill Their Careers

If there is ever an example of an actor regretting being in a hit film it's Burt Reynolds. After he wrapped his final scene for Boogie Nights - Paul Thomas Anderson's exploration of the porn industry - he fired his manager, his agent and anyone associated with his career and refused to do press for the film.

In 1996 as Paul Thomas Anderson was casting for his second film Boogie Nights he reached out to Burt Reynolds whom he thought could convincingly play the seedy porn filmmaker Jack Horner. Immediately after Reynolds signed on he clashed with the young director and on one particular occasion the two nearly came to blows as Reynolds swung at Anderson before being restrained.

According to film critic David Ansen "Reynolds thought he was in a dirty movie and wanted out and wasn't happy." Whatever the reason, whether he was ashamed of the subject matter or he loathed the director, Reynolds sought to distance himself from what he considered a film that would act as the final nail in the coffin of his career.

While the movie may not have set the box office on fire it was lauded by the critics and Reynolds' performance in particular was singled out as a return to form. Whilst he won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor, his co-star Mark Wahlberg noted "he would've won the Oscar had he not dug such a hole for himself."