The Greatest Hollywood Comebacks of All Time

The son of notoriously bizarre underground filmmaker Robert Downey Sr., RDJ was associated with the Brat Pack. In the 1980s, he appeared in films for disgruntled youths like Less Than Zero and Weird Science.

In the ‘90s, RDJ’s career was characterized by flamboyant drug problems and multiple arrests that culminated in a three-year prison sentence. This was later reduced to one year plus a hefty fine.

Since 2003, RDJ has been sober and become a more beloved public figure than ever. In 2008, he won the hearts and minds of filmgoers the world over with his portrayal of Tony Stark in Marvel's Iron Man films. In 2024, he was nominated for his third Oscar for his role in Oppenheimer.

Semi-ironically adored for decades as the titular child star of popular sitcom Doogie Howser, M.D., NPH endured several years of C-list status. Then, his 2008 appearance with Nathan Fillion in Joss Whedon's web miniseries Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog rejuvenated his geek street cred. Soon after, Harris was cast in the popular series How I Met Your Mother with fellow cult TV stars Alyson Hannigan and Jason Segal.

In 2014, Harris won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his Broadway performance as intersexed rockstar Hedwig Schmidt in the revival of John Cameron Mitchell's Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

Definitely one of the youngest people in the industry to go nuts and make a full recovery, Drew Barrymore has been starring in movies since early childhood and published a drug memoir at the tender age of 14. As a child, Barrymore spent half a decade as Hollywood's adorable moppet du jour, appearing in Cat's Eye, Firestarter, and Stephen Spielberg's E.T. Known for precocious and rebellious behavior, Barrymore's career ground to a halt in in 1989 when she was forced into rehab twice, once for cocaine addiction, and then a second time for trying to kill herself.

From Teen Wolf to Bluth Boy, Bateman has had quite a ride. After getting his TV start on the early-'80s Little House on the Prairie series, Bateman really started to make his mark on "Valerie," even becoming the DGA's youngest-ever director, taking the helm for a few episodes of the series, in which he also had an acting role.

Then, Bateman fell into obscurity for the better part of the 90s, unable to make a graceful transition from teen star, including the box office flop that was Teen Wolf Too. Then came the Bluth era of the early 2000s, when Bateman came back in a big way, as the only sane member of the highly dysfunctional family on critically-acclaimed and fan-favorite series Arrested Development. This role relaunched his career, which has since included roles in films like Juno, Up in the Air, and Horrible Bosses. Bateman won a Golden Globe for the role in 2005, and was nominated twice for an Emmy - in 2005 and 2013, after "Arrested Development" was revived on Netflix.

Known for her treacly, two-faced matronly characters, Betty White rose to iconic status starting in the '60s. Bitingly hilarious in front of the camera, White was also recognized for her influence behind it – she the first woman ever to produce a TV sitcom and was the first woman to win an Emmy as a game show host.

During the '70s, White enjoyed new levels of recognition after landing a role as a recurring character Sue Ann Nivens on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," and her fame extended into the '80s with her now legendary role on "Golden Girls."

A series of prominent dramatic roles during the '90s – including A Time To Kill, The Newton Boys, and Amistad – established McConaughey as a Hollywood heavyweight. During the 2000s, however, he slipped gradually into B-list status, becoming better known for fluffy, annoying-looking romantic comedies like How To Lose a Guy In 10 Days, and The Wedding Planner.