18 Actors We Wish Had Been On The A-List Longer

Throughout the 1990s, Brendan Fraser was at the surefire height of his career. With his boyish good looks and seemingly effortless charm, he managed to entertain and enchant audiences in ridiculous comedies like George of the Jungle and in more action-oriented fare like The Mummy. He also showed his skill in dramatic films such as Gods and Monsters. 

However, starting in the mid-2000s, several forces (a sexual assault, a divorce, and health problems) led to an unfortunate downturn in his career. Recently, however, there has been a turn-around in his fortunes, and he has begun to appear in high-profile films such as The Whale. Given just how undeniably charming he has always been, this will hopefully herald a return to major popularity for one of Hollywood’s most likable personalities.

Gary Sinise has always excelled at playing military men of one sort or another. In this regard, the height of his achievement is inarguably Lieutenant Dan Taylor in Forrest Gump. He brings out so much of this particular character, and he allows the viewer to feel for him, not as an object of pity but as a man who has endured more than anyone should have to.

Given his remarkable ability to bring out hidden depths in his characters, it’s all the more unfortunate his career didn’t quite sustain its momentum. While he has appeared in many roles throughout the subsequent years, he has yet to match his portrayal of Lieutenant Dan.

Bill Pullman first came to national prominence thanks to his appearance in the 1986 comedy Ruthless People, co-starring with Danny DeVito and Bette Midler (two actors who were also at the height of their stardom in the 1980s). He subsequently made several high-profile appearances in such successful films as Spaceballs, While You Were Sleeping, and Independence Day, all of which helped to land him on the A-list. 

He was particularly well-known for playing nice-guy characters that are often in short supply, making his eventual fall out of the A-list all the more unfortunate, if understandable. After falling from A-list glory, he moved more into stage and television work. Though some of these have had him in a starring role, it’s hard not to wish he’d had a bit more time to be a major film star in his own right.

Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, Geena Davis was one of Hollywood's most well-respected and visible actresses. After becoming a household name due to her role in Beetlejuice, she reached the height of her career with her starring roles in both Thelma and Louise and A League of Their Own. She had a knack for creating incredibly strong characters who weren’t afraid to show their vulnerability. 

However, in the latter part of the 1990s, she gradually lost her place on the A-list due to several commercial failures, including the likes of Cutthroat Island. This was truly unfortunate, and it robbed filmgoers of more work from one of the most talented actresses of her generation.

Kate Beckinsale began her career as a model before achieving a measure of success in a number of British costume dramas. Once she moved to Hollywood, however, her star began to rise, and her appearance in high-profile films like Pearl Harbor, Serendipity, and The Aviator in the early and mid-2000s helped establish her as one of Tinseltown's leading ladies. 

When she began appearing in the Underworld films - the first of which came out in 2003 - it arguably marked both the apex and the decline of her time on the A-list. Ultimately, she is one of those stars who combines traditional Hollywood beauty with action film heroics. Throughout much of the later 2000s and into the 2010s, she has focused mainly on small-scale drama, with occasional forays into action.

In the early days of his career, Val Kilmer was one of the male stars in Hollywood. His breakout role was, of course, in the 1986 film Top Gun, where he played the antagonistic character of Iceman. His star continued to rise in subsequent years, ultimately reaching its apex when he appeared in both Tombstone and Batman Forever. He received particular praise for the former, as he brought a noted human touch to the role.

However, Kilmer's star began something of a decline in the late 1990s, thanks to his appearance in several disappointing films, including the bizarre and deeply unpleasant The Island of Dr. Moreau. However, despite health issues, his recent appearance in Top Gun: Maverick might signal a return to the heights of his earlier career.