The ebb and flow of superstardom is something of a regular thing in Hollywood. It can collapse suddenly and without warning. Or, it could take years of bad choices that suddenly render you irrelevant. Here are our choices for the greatest celebrity comebacks of all time.
10. Natasha Lyonne
![best celebrity comebacks, natasha lyonne orange is the new black]()
The Rise: When Natasha Lyonne was 16, Woody Allen cast her in "Everyone Says I Love You." Over the next 10 years she would have 30 credits to her name, including the "American Pie" movies.
The Fall: In the mid-2000s, Lyonne could've changed her name to Lohan and no one would've noticed. She fell into dire territory. On one occasion she was even evicted by her landlord, actor Michael Rapaport (I always knew he was a dick). Anyway, Lyonne was arrested for DUI in August 2001, and once again in 2004 for threatening to molest her neighbor's dog. By 2005, her health had deteriorated and she was admitted into a hospital suffering from hepatitis C, a collapsed lung, and a heart infection. However, it seems this was only training for her comeback as Nicky Nichols.
The Comeback: Lyonne's first regular TV role came with "Orange is the New Black." It was a smash success as a Netflix Original, and critics highly praise her part.
9. Neil Patrick Harris
![best celebrity comebacks, neil patrick harris]()
The Rise: After 1993, everyone knew NPH has Doogie Howser, MD. He then did "Starship Troopers" in 1997. It seemed to be just another faded child actor succumbing to his own early success. But wait --
The Comeback: He was once Doogie, but now he's Barney. Many have even said that without NPH's iconic Barney Stinson, "How I Met Your Mother" wouldn't have been the success it was. Interestingly, right after acting as a wash-up, womanizing, hooker-addicted version of himself in 2004's "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle," NPH serendipitously became the womanizing chick slayer character in "How I Met Your Mother."
Call it a comeback, call it careful planning. Truth is, even though NPH starred in only three films during the '90s and one popular TV show ("Stark Raving Mad"), he was likely just getting his doctorate in taking show biz by storm. On February 22, 2015, he was the first openly gay actor to host the 87th Academy Awards. He is now firmly back in action as a household face and name.
8. Rob Lowe
![best celebrity comebacks, rob lowe parks and recreation]()
The Rise: Alongside Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Demi Moore and Ally Sheedy, Rob Lowe was part of the '80s Brat Pack. It was a result of starring in "The Outsiders" and "St. Elmo's Fire" in 1983 and 1985, respectively. Then Rob Lowe launched headfirst into vagina.
The Fall: In 1988, Lowe invited two girls back to his hotel room and filmed a sex tape. In the morning, the chicks were gone and so was the tape. It came to light that one of the girls was 16 and -- although legal in Georgia -- it tamed the adulation for him. He never quite disappeared, but Lowe became quietly inward and alone.
The Comeback: What turned him around were a few words his father said: "You know what? We have had so many amazingly positive experiences that we would have never had, because you're famous. We can stand to have a couple negative ones too." And with that, he became a lighthearted funnyman with "Wayne's World," "Tommy Boy" and "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery." This positivity eventually brought him back to A-list status as Sam Seaborn in "The West Wing." He's been prominent on TV ever since.
7. Michael Keaton
![best celebrity comebacks, michael keaton the other guys]()
The Rise: Nearly 30 years ago, he was Batman. Two years ago, he played a frustrated theater actor trying to reclaim his glory days as Birdman. Coincidence? You betcha. Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu planned the hell out of it.
The Fall: In the twilight of the '80s, Tim Burton made Michael Keaton with "Batman" and "Batman Returns." But when Burton left the franchise, being replaced by Joel Schumacher, Keaton left, too. It was probably a good idea, because "Batman Forever" starred Val Kilmer. Although Keaton later landed roles in kick-ass movies like "Jackie Brown" and "Multiplicity," the late '90s and '00s were filled with quiet roles that ultimately withdrew him from the spotlight.
The Comeback: "Birdman." Simply put. Just "Birdman." So let's look at some fun facts: Did you know Keaton failed as a stand-up comic in his early days? Did you know that being a full-time production assistant on Pittsburgh's own "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" basically gave him his career? Did you know that Michael Keaton isn't actually his real name and that his last name is "Douglas," but he wanted to change it due to that other actor sucking up all the fame? Also, we can all agree he absolutely killed it as Captain Gene in 2010's "The Other Guys."
6. Mickey Rourke
![best celebrity comebacks, mickey rourke the wrestler]()
The Rise: When Mickey was a kid, he was a boxing champ. He tallied 27 wins and only three losses as an amateur boxer. He retired due to concussions and began trying out acting. The '80s highlighted Rourke as a butch, sordid sex symbol in films such as "9 1/2 Weeks" and "Rumblefish." But then "Wild Orchid" happened in 1990, which won him a Razzie.
The Fall: It was at this time that he said he "had no respect for himself as an actor." He even reportedly turned down roles in "Platoon," "Pulp Fiction," "Beverly Hills Cop," "The Silence of the Lambs" and "Rain Man." These films would've catapulted him to new heights, but he chose to get back into boxing instead. He went undefeated in six fights and traveled the world, perhaps soul searching.
The Comeback: When he came back to the acting scene, Rourke played Marv in "Sin City." He also took a role in Tony Scott's "Domino." This apparently gave him just enough juice to lead him to his title role as Randy "The Ram" Robinson in Darren Aronofsky's "The Wrestler." It won him 10 awards, firmly making up for "Wild Orchid" with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 98 percent. You probably also saw Rourke recently as that Russian psycho cybergenius in "Iron Man 2."
5. Sylvester Stallone
![best celebrity comebacks, sylvester stallone]()
The Comeback/Rise: Unlike others on this list, Stallone's comeback took place before his rise. From 1970 to 1975, he was truly struggling. We all hear about struggling actors, but Stallone was a mess. He even once took a role in a soft-core porno because he got evicted from his apartment. "It was either do that movie or rob someone because I was at the end -- the very end -- of my rope." He also once slept in New York City's Port Authority Bus Terminal for three weeks in 1970.
Here's where it gets interesting. He was dead broke living with his wife, Sasha, in Los Angeles. He refused to get a regular job because he wanted to be an actor and that was that. Tragically, he sold his beloved dog Butkus outside a liquor store for $50 to eat. And then he saw a boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wepner, which reportedly inspired him to bang out the screenplay for "Rocky." He wrote it by hand in less than three days. Others have reported it took him only 20 hours.
When producers came to him to buy the script, he declined. Even though they offered $100,000 initially, and then negotiated the price up to $265,000, Stallone still refused. He said he was an actor and he wanted to star in his own film. The producers dropped the price significantly but allowed Stallone to star in "Rocky." One year later, he was the first actor ever to be nominated for Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay.
He also bought back Butkus from the family he sold him to for $15,000. You might've seen Butkus Balboa in the movie.
4. Ben Affleck
![best celebrity comebacks, ben affleck]()
The Rise: Kevin Smith and "Good Will Hunting" established Ben Affleck as a creative force. "Armageddon" established him as a leading man. It wasn't until Jennifer Lopez came along when things started going badly.
The Fall: Winning Sexiest Man of the Year in 2002 made Affleck a tabloid joke. Actually, it was "Gigli" and "Pearl Harbor" that made him a joke. "South Park" parodied the actor ruthlessly, calling him Ben Assfleck, and even wrote a song about how much Affleck and "Pearl Harbor" sucks. But Matt and Trey would eventually eat their words.
The Comeback: No more sexiest man. No more Jennifer Lopez. Ben Affleck was on a mission some 10 years ago. He became a director. He did "Gone Baby Gone" in 2007, which caused whispers that Affleck might actually have tricks up his sleeve. In 2010, he directed "The Town" and finally, in 2012, "Argo." With "Argo," he made it back. "South Park" actually retracted their previous misgivings about him in the episode "Going Native."
3. Jason Bateman
![best celebrity comebacks, jason bateman pepper brooks dodgeball]()
The Rise: Jason Bateman began his career as a cherubic child actor with his first success being a commercial for Golden Grahams cereal. He began working his ass off. At the age of 18, the Director's Guild of American recognized him as the youngest director, having directed episodes for a popular series which he also starred in, "The Hogan Family."
The Fall: Then, in 1987, he did "Teen Wolf Too." It tanked at the box office, and Bateman followed with a series of four TV shows ("Simon," "Chicago Sons," "George & Leo" and "Some of My Best Friends") that lasted only one season. His status as a young money-making guarantee faded. It was around this time that he also started getting blitzed on drugs and drink. For the next decade. "I'd worked so hard that by the time I was 20, I wanted to play hard," he said. "And I did that really well."
The Comeback: In 2003, Bateman became Michael Bluth in "Arrested Development." It won him awards including a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television Series Musical or Comedy. Launching himself back into a network of showbiz giants, Bateman did "Dodgeball," "Starsky & Hutch," "Smokin' Aces," "Juno," "Extract," "Hancock" and of course, "Horrible Bosses." All huge names. As of today, Jason Bateman has a reported net worth of $30 million, proving that a '90s slump can be cured with a little sobriety and can-do attitude.
2. Matthew McConaughey
![best celebrity comebacks, matthew mcconaughey mud]()
Note: Matthew McConaughey's career can be summed up a little differently, with these three stages -- 1) Finding himself, 2) Romantic comedies, and 3) Mr. Serious.
Finding Himself: In 1993, McConaughey played the Spicoli-esque lovable stoner who hangs around high school students in "Dazed and Confused." After that, he starred in a collection of films that couldn't typecast him: "Contact," "Amistad" and "EDTV."
Romantic Comedies: Then the '00s hit. As McConaughey stated himself, it was his "lifestyle, living on the beach, running with my shirt off, doing romantic comedies," that officially typecast him. He apparently found himself. But no, no, he didn't. "Fools Gold," "Failure to Launch" and "Ghost of Girlfriends Past" led to Matt Damon impersonating him on Letterman, which probably shook him to the core. It apparently really bothered him, because...
Mr. Serious: He turned the dial. "Mud" and "The Lincoln Lawyer" were dramatically flawless. "Dallas Buyers Club" won him an Oscar and a Golden Globe. "Interstellar" put him over the top. Although I'm pleased as punch with McConaughey's recent choices as an actor, I don't want to get ahead of myself because a new decade is coming.
1. Robert Downey Jr.
![best celebrity comebacks, robert downey jr]()
The Rise: Iron Man as we know him wasn't always Iron Man. He began acting at the young age of six, and it was coincidentally the same age his father gave him his first hit of marijuana. "When my dad and I would do drugs together, it was like him trying to express his love for me in the only way he knew how." After a meteoric rise from young Broadway star to A-list actor in the early '90s, he reverted back to that old method of love.
The Fall: A love for coke, heroin and occasionally trespassing into an unsuspecting stranger's bed landed him in trouble. From 1996 to 2001, Downey's life was riddled with doing the wrong things. He was sentenced to three years in prison at one point, spending only one in California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in Corcoran, CA.
The Comeback: Today, Downey maintains that he hasn't had drugs since July 2003. Sobriety and a reported yoga routine helped him secure roles in "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints," "Good Night and Good Luck" and "Zodiac." In 2008, he had career-redefining roles in "Tropic Thunder" and famously, "Iron Man." In December 2015, the governor of California, Jerry Brown, pardoned his prior convictions.
10. Natasha Lyonne
The Rise: When Natasha Lyonne was 16, Woody Allen cast her in "Everyone Says I Love You." Over the next 10 years she would have 30 credits to her name, including the "American Pie" movies.
The Fall: In the mid-2000s, Lyonne could've changed her name to Lohan and no one would've noticed. She fell into dire territory. On one occasion she was even evicted by her landlord, actor Michael Rapaport (I always knew he was a dick). Anyway, Lyonne was arrested for DUI in August 2001, and once again in 2004 for threatening to molest her neighbor's dog. By 2005, her health had deteriorated and she was admitted into a hospital suffering from hepatitis C, a collapsed lung, and a heart infection. However, it seems this was only training for her comeback as Nicky Nichols.
The Comeback: Lyonne's first regular TV role came with "Orange is the New Black." It was a smash success as a Netflix Original, and critics highly praise her part.
9. Neil Patrick Harris
The Rise: After 1993, everyone knew NPH has Doogie Howser, MD. He then did "Starship Troopers" in 1997. It seemed to be just another faded child actor succumbing to his own early success. But wait --
The Comeback: He was once Doogie, but now he's Barney. Many have even said that without NPH's iconic Barney Stinson, "How I Met Your Mother" wouldn't have been the success it was. Interestingly, right after acting as a wash-up, womanizing, hooker-addicted version of himself in 2004's "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle," NPH serendipitously became the womanizing chick slayer character in "How I Met Your Mother."
Call it a comeback, call it careful planning. Truth is, even though NPH starred in only three films during the '90s and one popular TV show ("Stark Raving Mad"), he was likely just getting his doctorate in taking show biz by storm. On February 22, 2015, he was the first openly gay actor to host the 87th Academy Awards. He is now firmly back in action as a household face and name.
8. Rob Lowe
The Rise: Alongside Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Demi Moore and Ally Sheedy, Rob Lowe was part of the '80s Brat Pack. It was a result of starring in "The Outsiders" and "St. Elmo's Fire" in 1983 and 1985, respectively. Then Rob Lowe launched headfirst into vagina.
The Fall: In 1988, Lowe invited two girls back to his hotel room and filmed a sex tape. In the morning, the chicks were gone and so was the tape. It came to light that one of the girls was 16 and -- although legal in Georgia -- it tamed the adulation for him. He never quite disappeared, but Lowe became quietly inward and alone.
The Comeback: What turned him around were a few words his father said: "You know what? We have had so many amazingly positive experiences that we would have never had, because you're famous. We can stand to have a couple negative ones too." And with that, he became a lighthearted funnyman with "Wayne's World," "Tommy Boy" and "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery." This positivity eventually brought him back to A-list status as Sam Seaborn in "The West Wing." He's been prominent on TV ever since.
7. Michael Keaton
The Rise: Nearly 30 years ago, he was Batman. Two years ago, he played a frustrated theater actor trying to reclaim his glory days as Birdman. Coincidence? You betcha. Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu planned the hell out of it.
The Fall: In the twilight of the '80s, Tim Burton made Michael Keaton with "Batman" and "Batman Returns." But when Burton left the franchise, being replaced by Joel Schumacher, Keaton left, too. It was probably a good idea, because "Batman Forever" starred Val Kilmer. Although Keaton later landed roles in kick-ass movies like "Jackie Brown" and "Multiplicity," the late '90s and '00s were filled with quiet roles that ultimately withdrew him from the spotlight.
The Comeback: "Birdman." Simply put. Just "Birdman." So let's look at some fun facts: Did you know Keaton failed as a stand-up comic in his early days? Did you know that being a full-time production assistant on Pittsburgh's own "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" basically gave him his career? Did you know that Michael Keaton isn't actually his real name and that his last name is "Douglas," but he wanted to change it due to that other actor sucking up all the fame? Also, we can all agree he absolutely killed it as Captain Gene in 2010's "The Other Guys."
6. Mickey Rourke
The Rise: When Mickey was a kid, he was a boxing champ. He tallied 27 wins and only three losses as an amateur boxer. He retired due to concussions and began trying out acting. The '80s highlighted Rourke as a butch, sordid sex symbol in films such as "9 1/2 Weeks" and "Rumblefish." But then "Wild Orchid" happened in 1990, which won him a Razzie.
The Fall: It was at this time that he said he "had no respect for himself as an actor." He even reportedly turned down roles in "Platoon," "Pulp Fiction," "Beverly Hills Cop," "The Silence of the Lambs" and "Rain Man." These films would've catapulted him to new heights, but he chose to get back into boxing instead. He went undefeated in six fights and traveled the world, perhaps soul searching.
The Comeback: When he came back to the acting scene, Rourke played Marv in "Sin City." He also took a role in Tony Scott's "Domino." This apparently gave him just enough juice to lead him to his title role as Randy "The Ram" Robinson in Darren Aronofsky's "The Wrestler." It won him 10 awards, firmly making up for "Wild Orchid" with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 98 percent. You probably also saw Rourke recently as that Russian psycho cybergenius in "Iron Man 2."
5. Sylvester Stallone
The Comeback/Rise: Unlike others on this list, Stallone's comeback took place before his rise. From 1970 to 1975, he was truly struggling. We all hear about struggling actors, but Stallone was a mess. He even once took a role in a soft-core porno because he got evicted from his apartment. "It was either do that movie or rob someone because I was at the end -- the very end -- of my rope." He also once slept in New York City's Port Authority Bus Terminal for three weeks in 1970.
Here's where it gets interesting. He was dead broke living with his wife, Sasha, in Los Angeles. He refused to get a regular job because he wanted to be an actor and that was that. Tragically, he sold his beloved dog Butkus outside a liquor store for $50 to eat. And then he saw a boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wepner, which reportedly inspired him to bang out the screenplay for "Rocky." He wrote it by hand in less than three days. Others have reported it took him only 20 hours.
When producers came to him to buy the script, he declined. Even though they offered $100,000 initially, and then negotiated the price up to $265,000, Stallone still refused. He said he was an actor and he wanted to star in his own film. The producers dropped the price significantly but allowed Stallone to star in "Rocky." One year later, he was the first actor ever to be nominated for Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay.
He also bought back Butkus from the family he sold him to for $15,000. You might've seen Butkus Balboa in the movie.
4. Ben Affleck
The Rise: Kevin Smith and "Good Will Hunting" established Ben Affleck as a creative force. "Armageddon" established him as a leading man. It wasn't until Jennifer Lopez came along when things started going badly.
The Fall: Winning Sexiest Man of the Year in 2002 made Affleck a tabloid joke. Actually, it was "Gigli" and "Pearl Harbor" that made him a joke. "South Park" parodied the actor ruthlessly, calling him Ben Assfleck, and even wrote a song about how much Affleck and "Pearl Harbor" sucks. But Matt and Trey would eventually eat their words.
The Comeback: No more sexiest man. No more Jennifer Lopez. Ben Affleck was on a mission some 10 years ago. He became a director. He did "Gone Baby Gone" in 2007, which caused whispers that Affleck might actually have tricks up his sleeve. In 2010, he directed "The Town" and finally, in 2012, "Argo." With "Argo," he made it back. "South Park" actually retracted their previous misgivings about him in the episode "Going Native."
3. Jason Bateman
The Rise: Jason Bateman began his career as a cherubic child actor with his first success being a commercial for Golden Grahams cereal. He began working his ass off. At the age of 18, the Director's Guild of American recognized him as the youngest director, having directed episodes for a popular series which he also starred in, "The Hogan Family."
The Fall: Then, in 1987, he did "Teen Wolf Too." It tanked at the box office, and Bateman followed with a series of four TV shows ("Simon," "Chicago Sons," "George & Leo" and "Some of My Best Friends") that lasted only one season. His status as a young money-making guarantee faded. It was around this time that he also started getting blitzed on drugs and drink. For the next decade. "I'd worked so hard that by the time I was 20, I wanted to play hard," he said. "And I did that really well."
The Comeback: In 2003, Bateman became Michael Bluth in "Arrested Development." It won him awards including a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television Series Musical or Comedy. Launching himself back into a network of showbiz giants, Bateman did "Dodgeball," "Starsky & Hutch," "Smokin' Aces," "Juno," "Extract," "Hancock" and of course, "Horrible Bosses." All huge names. As of today, Jason Bateman has a reported net worth of $30 million, proving that a '90s slump can be cured with a little sobriety and can-do attitude.
2. Matthew McConaughey
Note: Matthew McConaughey's career can be summed up a little differently, with these three stages -- 1) Finding himself, 2) Romantic comedies, and 3) Mr. Serious.
Finding Himself: In 1993, McConaughey played the Spicoli-esque lovable stoner who hangs around high school students in "Dazed and Confused." After that, he starred in a collection of films that couldn't typecast him: "Contact," "Amistad" and "EDTV."
Romantic Comedies: Then the '00s hit. As McConaughey stated himself, it was his "lifestyle, living on the beach, running with my shirt off, doing romantic comedies," that officially typecast him. He apparently found himself. But no, no, he didn't. "Fools Gold," "Failure to Launch" and "Ghost of Girlfriends Past" led to Matt Damon impersonating him on Letterman, which probably shook him to the core. It apparently really bothered him, because...
Mr. Serious: He turned the dial. "Mud" and "The Lincoln Lawyer" were dramatically flawless. "Dallas Buyers Club" won him an Oscar and a Golden Globe. "Interstellar" put him over the top. Although I'm pleased as punch with McConaughey's recent choices as an actor, I don't want to get ahead of myself because a new decade is coming.
1. Robert Downey Jr.
The Rise: Iron Man as we know him wasn't always Iron Man. He began acting at the young age of six, and it was coincidentally the same age his father gave him his first hit of marijuana. "When my dad and I would do drugs together, it was like him trying to express his love for me in the only way he knew how." After a meteoric rise from young Broadway star to A-list actor in the early '90s, he reverted back to that old method of love.
The Fall: A love for coke, heroin and occasionally trespassing into an unsuspecting stranger's bed landed him in trouble. From 1996 to 2001, Downey's life was riddled with doing the wrong things. He was sentenced to three years in prison at one point, spending only one in California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in Corcoran, CA.
The Comeback: Today, Downey maintains that he hasn't had drugs since July 2003. Sobriety and a reported yoga routine helped him secure roles in "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints," "Good Night and Good Luck" and "Zodiac." In 2008, he had career-redefining roles in "Tropic Thunder" and famously, "Iron Man." In December 2015, the governor of California, Jerry Brown, pardoned his prior convictions.
