Sarah Michelle Gellar was a massive TV icon, but Hollywood struggled to translate that into movie stardom. Films like Simply Irresistible and Scooby-Doo just didn't connect with audiences the same way Buffy did. Even after a hit with The Grudge, the push to make her a film lead faded, and she eventually stepped back from the spotlight. | © 20th Century Studios
Elisha Cuthbert was the undisputed "It Girl" of the early 2000s, leading to high-profile roles in films like House of Wax. But despite her magazine fame, audiences didn't turn out for her movies, and a string of poorly received thrillers quickly stalled that momentum. Hollywood's attempt to make her a movie star fizzled out, though she later found a beloved niche on TV with Happy Endings. | © 20th Century Studios
After landing the pivotal villain role in Terminator 3, the industry clearly positioned Kristanna Loken as the next big action star. The film's lesser impact and the disastrous BloodRayne adaptation, however, completely stalled that momentum. Audiences never latched on, and her leading lady status in Hollywood was cut short, confining her career to smaller genre projects. | © Warner Bros. Pictures
Paramount bet big that Julianne Hough's Dancing with the Stars fame could power the Footloose remake and later a Nicholas Sparks film. While those movies did okay, critics and general audiences never fully bought her as a serious film actress. That resistance halted Hollywood's push, and she soon shifted her focus back to television and performance. | © Radial Entertainment
Gossip Girl made Leighton Meester a TV star, and Hollywood quickly tried to sell her as a movie lead in projects like The Roommate. Those films failed to reach beyond her existing fanbase, and a misfire with Adam Sandler sealed her fate as a box office draw. The industry's brief push for her fizzled, sending her career back toward indie films and the stage. | © ATO Pictures
The Transformers movies shot Megan Fox to global fame, and Hollywood rushed to make her a solo star. But vehicles like Jennifer’s Body and Jonah Hex just didn’t connect with audiences, who saw her more as a symbol than a versatile actress. That initial industry push fizzled out fast, even though her work has gotten a more serious look in recent years. | © XYZ Films
Michael Bay plucked this Victoria's Secret model to replace Megan Fox in Transformers: Dark of the Moon, hoping to launch another model-to-movie-star story. Critics savaged her performance, and audiences didn't connect, making it clear she wasn't a box office draw. That big industry push ended almost as quickly as it started, and she never anchored another major film. | © Vogue / YouTube
Katherine Heigl was aggressively crowned the new rom-com queen after Knocked Up, leading to a string of hits like 27 Dresses. But her on-screen roles and off-screen comments gradually built a reputation that rubbed audiences the wrong way. Public fatigue with the formula and talk of her being difficult ended her run as a bankable movie star, sending her back to find success on TV. | © Universal Studios
Denise Richards was pushed as a serious dramatic actress right after her breakout, culminating in her famously miscast nuclear physicist role in a Bond film. Audiences and critics just didn't buy the pivot, and her personal life soon became more famous than any of her roles. Her leading lady moment in Hollywood was brief, leading to a career that eventually shifted toward reality TV and soaps. | © TriStar Pictures
Jessica Biel made a clear transition from TV star to movie lead, landing roles in big action films and romantic comedies. But despite the industry's clear investment, audiences never really showed up for her specifically as a box office draw. She found her footing much later, shifting to critically praised work in television where she had more impact. | © USA Networks
Kate Bosworth landed what seemed like the ultimate breakout role as Lois Lane in Superman Returns. When that movie and her other leads didn't become major hits, the industry's big bet on her as a top star just fizzled out. She has found steady work since, but the intense push for her to be an A-list box office draw has long faded. | © Prime Video
Sienna Miller became a magazine fixture first, with the industry pushing her as the ultimate fashion and film "It" girl. This overshadowed her movie roles in big projects like G.I. Joe, as audiences saw her more as a tabloid star than a serious actress. The public's fascination with her personal life never translated into box office success, forcing a later, respected reinvention on stage and in indie films. | © Netflix
Estella Warren's background as a model landed her major roles in big movies like 'Planet of the Apes' almost immediately. Studios were clearly betting on her looks over experience, assuming audiences would show up. They didn't, critics were unimpressed, and her shot at being a leading lady quietly evaporated after just a few box office misses. | © 20th Century Studios
Claire Forlani was positioned as a major romantic lead right after her big break opposite Brad Pitt in Meet Joe Black. The industry attempted to capitalise on this trend with a range of leading roles, from action comedies to dramas, but the projects and chemistry often fell short. Audiences never fully embraced her as a movie star, leading her to a steadier, more successful career in television instead. | © Universal Studios
Vanity Fair slapped her on its cover as "the next big thing" before most people even knew her name. That aggressive campaign led to roles in films like 'Rounders', but the hype felt so forced that audiences just pushed back. While she later built a solid career as a character actress, the big leading roles and box office success Hollywood predicted never materialized. | © Hulu
We’ve all seen it happen: Hollywood decides someone is going to be the next big thing, and the full force of the publicity machine kicks into gear. But sometimes, no matter how many magazine covers or starring roles they get, the audience just doesn't buy the ticket. Here are 15 actresses who got that major push, only for viewers to politely say, No thanks.
