10 Popular TV Actors Whose Big Movie Breaks Totally Backfired
Small screen talent doesn't always translate to Hollywood.
Hollywood is full of success stories. And for almost every successful actor, somewhere in their filmography is an appearance in a popular TV show that you had no idea they were in.
After all, TV is where most stars of the big screen get their start. George Clooney came to fame for his role on ER, and James Franco, Seth Rogen and Jason Segel all got their first taste of fame on the admittedly short-lived Freaks and Geeks.
Sometimes, it seems as though the world of television is almost a proving ground for actors hoping to become movie stars, and for the most part, talent does break through and emerge in Hollywood.
Every so often, an actor tries to replicate their small screen success with a role in a blockbuster movie with disastrous results.
Usually this happens when the movie in question is of questionable quality, and oftentimes, these actors are the only compelling thing about their big screen debut.
The actors on this list are all well respected in their TV roles, but simply couldn't follow through when it came time to bring that magic to Hollywood.
10. Jensen Ackles
Big movie break: My Bloody Valentine
Jensen Ackles has had a few notable TV roles: with recurring roles on Dawson's Creek, Days of Our Lives and Smallville, but his biggest and most successful credit is his starring role as Dean Winchester in all 15 seasons (well over 300 episodes) of Supernatural.
With Supernatural's avid fanbase, it would seem that everyone's favourite goofy demon hunter is a bankable star. After all, he's got that Hollywood look (it's a simple fact that Ackles would look right at home next among the cast of The Avengers), and he also has a bucketful of charisma to go with it.
The strangest part of this is that Ackles has, to date, five film credits, one of which was in a voice-over role.
His big screen break came in the form of My Bloody Valentine 3D, itself a remake of the 1981 slasher of the same name.
While it wasn't a total failure, it wasn't much of a departure from Supernatural's horror-movie vibes, and Ackles simply didn't have much of a chance to shine.
Still, with Supernatural coming to an end later this year, we may yet see Ackles in some big Hollywood roles.