In 2008, Taylor Lautner became an instant hit for his portrayal of Jacob Black in the Twilight Saga series. In the first film, Taylor was already attracting a large crowd of fans, thanks in great part to his strong, manly appeal.
After the showing of New Moon, Lautner went from an actor of small parts in TV shows and commercials to an instant teen idol. He was especially venerated by teenagers because of his fresh physical attributes, becoming a sex symbol. But after his successful stint with The Twilight Saga, no one was gasping at his screen appearance anymore.
Shailene Woodley
In 2011, Shailene Woodley was cast in the film The Descendants. Her acting garnered solid reviews from critics and numerous awards. She was hailed as one of the 55 faces of the future in Nylon magazine's "Young Hollywood Issue.” After her success in The Descendants, the American actress was cast in the Divergent series.
Because of subpar box office ratings in its third sequel, Allegiant, the studio made preparations to complete the series on TV. Shailene Woodley was not comfortable with the prospect of stepping down from the big screen to TV and withdrew from the show, but then strangely decided to accept a role in HBO’s 'Big Little Lies'.
Carrie-Anne Moss
Carrie-Anne Moss became a Hollywood star when she played Trinity in the Sci-Fi action thriller The Matrix (1999). The film went on to make a whopping $460 million gross earnings worldwide and was widely celebrated by critics. Before her successful stint in The Matrix and its sequels, Moss said her acting career was pretty much non-existent.
The movie propelled the actress into worldwide recognition, but Carrie-Anne’s portrayal of Trinity in The Matrix Trilogy proved to be the defining moment in her career. And perhaps the only one that she will be remembered for as an actress. Today, she usually bounces from one Netflix Marvel show to the next, the latest being her character in Jessica Jones.
Mischa Barton
The famous Fox T.V. series, The O.C., became an instant hit and made Mischa Barton even more famous for her performance of the character Marissa Cooper. The British-American actress received a number of Teen Choice Awards. Mischa eventually left the show after its third season finale in May 2006.
Mischa Barton was also crowned by Glamour magazine as the "Next Big Thing" and hailed by Entertainment Weekly as the “It Girl” of 2003. Ever since she departed The O.C. during its pinnacle of recognition after the third season, she has made public gossip for her legal issues and impulsive actions.
Taylor Kitsch
In 2006, Taylor Kitsch played Tim Riggins in the NBC sports drama T.V. series Friday Night Lights. Kitsch appeared in the show for five seasons, garnering international recognition from critics and nearly eight million viewers. He was also chosen to portray the iconic character Gambit in the X-Men franchise spinoff, X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
If you look at Kitsch’s track record, it’s obvious that there’s someone in Hollywood who was determined to make the actor a star. He was the main highlight in John Carter, Battleship, True Detective, and Savages. Sadly though, all those prestigious films failed to make him the next Johnny Depp.