Boredom is a word rarely used when describing actors and their art of performance, as most dedicate their lives to transforming themselves into engaging characters, telling stories of great depth and intrigue year after year. Even when some stars fade from the limelight, they embrace the downfall and take the opportunity to branch out into new genres and take risks as an actor in independent cinema.
Former A-Listers like Nicolas Cage have carved themselves a niche in new territories like that of art-house cinema. Yet there are movie stars that seem to accept their place in what some fans call the movie star retirement home; the direct-to-video market. Others have kept a place amongst the bright lights, but show little endeavor when it comes to giving themselves something new and exciting to do.
9 The Awe-Inspiring Action Is A Distant Memory For Steven Seagal Fans
While Steven Seagal's filmography would never be classed as having a variety of roles, the actor was once a top-tier action star. One of cinema's finest martial artists, Seagal rose to fame in the late '80s and early '90s with his unique blend of disciplines and fighting techniques, the likes of which had rarely been seen practiced by an American film star.
In the early 2000s however, Seagal was relegated to pure straight-to-video fare, and he's stayed there ever since. With each role, he seems increasingly uninterested, and his fight scenes barely make any attempt to hide the fact that the actor is nearly 70 years of age.
8 Mark Wahlberg Is Doing Great But Rarely Takes Any Risks With His Roles
The only time the former Marky Mark appears to be having any fun on screen is when he's opposite his friend and multi-time collaborator Will Ferrell. Mark Wahlberg has made a career out of playing musclebound heroes and whilst he has made some admirable ventures out of the norm for him, recent years have seen little variety.
Things could be set to freshen up for the former Oscar nominee, Wahlberg is set to star as Victor "Sully" Sulivan in the upcoming Uncharted movie, and while the role arguably fits Wahlberg well, many will hope he brings more charm and humor to the role than his usual brand of badassery.
7 Fans Yearn For More Variety From Michelle Rodriguez
When it comes to women in the action genre, few can match the legacy and presence of Michelle Rodriguez. Best known for her role in the Fast And The Furious franchise, Rodriguez has also had significant roles in the Machete and Resident Evil films. It can be said that the actress has found her niche and very rarely ventures outside of it. Even when she does, it seems she slips right back into her comfort zone afterward.
She is set to star in the upcoming Dungeons And Dragons movie, and fans hope that this role may give Rodriguez the chance to show her range and likely put her stamp on another movie franchise.
6 His Buddy's Movies Seem To Be The Only Calling For Rob Schneider
Any number of Adam Sandler's movie star friends could arguably make an appearance on this list, the group of Sandler, Chris Rock, Kevin James, Rob Schneider, and David Spade allegedly made a pact early in their careers to stick together, and they've evidently kept their promise. Schneider however may be the most deserving of a place, the funnyman's career has declined to the point where his roles tend to simply be popups in his friend's movies, and even then he is rarely well-received.
One could argue that Schneider knows his limits, or he simply has a good time starring alongside his friends, but the former Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo star could make more effort when it comes to his acting career.
5 Gerard Butler Makes Little Attempt To Switch Things Up
Scottish thespian Gerard Butler has made a name for himself as a Hollywood hunk with his sharp looks and impressive physique. He's maintained a strong presence on the A-List despite regularly churning out mediocre movies, and is frequently found playing the same brooding tough guy in each of his films.
Butler undeniably offers the star power and charisma to carry lower-budget flicks by himself, and this appears to be what he's content doing. Paycheck roles can be a necessity for an actor, but Butler seems hesitant to take any sort of risk these days when it comes to adding to his acting resume.
4 Vin Diesel Rides The Same Routes As Dominic Toretto
You could argue that Vin Diesel's star would have faded out long ago if not for the Fast And The Furious franchise. The Fast Saga itself was given a serious boost with the inclusion of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in 2011's Fast Five, and since then Vin Diesel has seemingly coasted by on his prior successes, making little attempt to vary his roles.
Diesel's other notable role in recent years is that of the voice of Groot in the MCU. Without Marvel's talking tree and The Fast Saga's Dominic Toretto, Diesel's filmography for the last decade is almost empty, leaving only poorly received outings like Bloodshot and The Last Witch Hunter.
3 Cuba Gooding Jr. Has Swapped Finesse For Familiarity
A heavyweight in terms of acting talent, Cuba Gooding Jr. collected awards and nominations seemingly for fun in the 1990s. In 2003, things started to decline for the Oscar winner, as his title role in Radio earned him a Razzie nomination for Worst Actor. Sadly that nomination would not be his last.
Though Gooding Jr. would still give excellent performances here and there, particularly in American Gangster and American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson, the actor became another victim of the direct-to-video curse, frequently going through the motions on camera and leaving audiences just as bored as he seemed to be.
2 Liam Neeson Continues To Make Attempts to Replicate Taken
Steven Spielberg's Schindler's List made Liam Neeson a genuine presence in Tinseltown, and though a talented actor with decades of experience, Neeson was rarely seen as a leading man until 2008's Taken catapulted him to the top of Hollywood's action stars list.
That blessing could almost be viewed as a curse, as many of Neeson's performances in recent years have underwhelmed, with the Irish actor essentially treading water in an all too familiar pool of direct-to-video action thrillers. It doesn't look set to change either, as his upcoming projects all fit the same pigeonhole.
1 It's A Case Of Quantity Over Quality For Bruce Willis
Bruce Willis seems some distance from his days atop of the box office. His recent career is littered with direct-to-video duds, and the actor's poor reputation as an uncooperative and demanding presence on-set hasn't helped him maintain a grip on many Hollywood caliber roles.
The Die Hard star must be given credit for the impressive workload he continues to carry, though. At the time of writing, Willis has a whopping 12 movies classed as either filming or in post-production, but this certainly appears to be a sad case of quantity over quality.