The 96th Academy Award Ceremony is approaching, and the buzz around the Oscars has evolved to an astounding height. Looking back at history, the Oscars have created several significant moments elevating actor’s career. However, all stars don’t have the same blessing.
Who wouldn’t want to win an Oscar? The award has been one of the most prestigious accolades for achievement in almost every category related to movies. However, in another turn of events, winning an Oscar may not be as good as you might think. An idea called the Oscars Curse has altered the fate of several celebrities, including Matthew McConaughey and Halle Berry.
Oscars Curse Victims, Matthew McConaughey, and Halle Berry Are Among Prominent
Several actors have witnessed the downfall of their careers after winning an Oscar. Of course, any filmmaker and actor or anyone involved in the creation of a cinematic narrative for the big screen can resist the temptation of the dream to hold the gold. But sometimes it ends up ruining their career. Is it the Oscars Curse? Fans certainly have a reason to believe in it.
Among others, Matthew McConaughey and Halle Berry are two Oscar-winning stars whose careers are disparaged, and it has been a concern for fans and critics alike. McConaughey secured his first Oscar nod and won for his groundbreaking performance in Jean-Marc Vallée’s biographical drama Dallas Buyers Club. McConaughey played Ron Woodroof based on the real-life character of the same name. However, after his astounding performance in the 2013 movie, the actor has not claimed the same prowess.
Berry’s Oscar win for her portrayal of Leticia Musgrove in Marc Forster’s romance thriller, Monster’s Ball, has made a stunning record to her name. The actor became the first woman of color to win the Academy Award for Best Actress.
However, Berry never received the same height again in her later career. The 57-year-old appeared in pretty mediocre roles in her post-Oscar career. McConaughey and Berry are the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the victim of the Oscars Curse. Here are five celebrities who have faced massive decline in their cinematic career after their Oscar wins.
5. Hilary Swank
Hilary Swank was a promising rising star in Hollywood with two Oscar wins to complement her resume of the rise of her career. Swank won her first Oscar for playing Brandon Teena in Kimberly Peirce’s 1999 crime romance Boys Don’t Cry. She went on to secure another win playing Mary Margaret “Maggie” Fitzgerald— a determined, aspiring boxer in Clint Eastwood’s 2004 sports drama Million Dollar Baby.
However, after her appearance in the Eastwood masterpiece, the actor disappeared from the cinematic landscape. Her return in the 2022 drama series, Alaska Daily, failed to create a mark as well.
4. Roberto Benigni
Italian actor, comedian, and director Roberto Benigni has considerably a stellar career, but none of his later works have achieved a similar height as Life Is Beautiful. Benigni directed and starred as Guido Orefice— an Italian-Jewish waiter and father— in the 1997 Italian film.
After winning an Oscar for his role in his war comedy, the actor failed to recreate his genius again. His Pinocchio and The Tiger and the Snow met with critical and commercial disaster.
3. Alicia Vikander
Swedish actor Alicia Vikander was a promising star ready to be one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood. She won the Best Supporting Actress at the 88th Academy Awards for her performance in Tom Hooper-directed The Danish Girl. Since her Oscar win, the actor appeared in pretty mediocre roles as many critics deemed those far from being Oscar-worthy.
2. Sean Penn
Sean Penn has been one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood. The actor is blessed with his ability to immerse into roles across genres. Penn won the Best Actor Oscar for his role in Clint Eastwood’s 2003 crime thriller Mystic River.
The actor went onto the stage of the 81st Academy Awards ceremony to hold the gold again for his role in Milk. But considering his stellar career before his second Oscar win, the actor did not make a remarkable impression in the cinematic arena again.
1. Adrien Brody
Adrien Brody’s Hollywood career and his life have been mesmerizing as the actor is known for his method acting, which sometimes affected his personal life to a great deal. Brody’s immense dedication to his role of Władysław Szpilman in the 2002 biographical Holocaust war drama, The Pianist has defied the boundaries of limitation as the actor rose above and beyond. The Roman Polanski masterpiece provided Brody the real space to experiment with a character, and he was bound to win the prestigious gold.
His post-The Pianist career, however, failed to shine. The actor had a lot of potential and ample space to explore, but somewhere down the line, the 50-year-old met with the same Oscars Curse.
