9 TV Stars Who Horribly Botched Their Big Leap Into Films
8. Topher Grace
Of all the young actors who starred on That '70s Show, only the youngest, Mila Kunis, has been able to sustain a successful movie career after the series ended in 2006. Both Topher Grace and Ashton Kutcher made only sporadic appearances in the final season as they attempted big screen careers. While Kutcher has had a few minor hits, Grace likely wonders if he should have stayed on television. The movies that Grace has starred in, like Win a Date with Tad Hamilton and In Good Company, have done poorly at the box office, particularly because moviegoers and critics don't see Grace as a leading man in romantic comedies. His highest-profile supporting role playing Eddie "Venom" Brock in Spider-Man 3 was ridiculed by fans as another awful casting choice. Famously, his film Take Me Home Tonight was shot in 2007 but was not released until 2011 because of concerns over its drug content. When it finally was released, it grossed just under $7 million. Since then Grace's films have continued to do poorly, though it's entirely possible that his career will see renewed interest after the release of Christopher Nolan's Interstellar, in which Grace has a supporting role. However, Hollywood is unlikely to think of him as leading man material ever again.
Chris McKittrick is a published author of fiction and non-fiction and has spoken about film and comic books at conferences across the United States. In addition to his work at WhatCulture!, he is a regular contributor to CreativeScreenwriting.com, MovieBuzzers.com, and DailyActor.com, a website focused on acting in all media. For more information, visit his website at http://www.chrismckit.com.