No one ever said it was easy making it big in Hollywood. There are TONS of people out there trying to have a stable career as an actor. But it’s not as easy as simply booking a role on a hit show or in a big movie. Sometimes scoring an amazing acting opportunity isn’t enough to keep you relevant in the long run, even if you have as much beauty and talent as one would imagine. And these C-list celebrities are proof of that. Kim Kardashian, a well known A-list celeb, does she have talent? Most would say no. Clearly, the celebs on this list should crack the A-list over her, right?
All the stars that made this list totally have what it takes to be big names in Hollywood. At one time or another, most of these celebs had relatively decent success and were close to solidifying their place on the A-list. But despite their talent and good looks, these celebs still somehow wound up on the Hollywood social-outcast list. The celebs listed actually have some form of talent but can't seem to get out of the C-list slump and they're living in. We can't tell if they need a huge scandal or need to land a big movie to crack the A-list, but whatever they're doing clearly just isn't working. But hey, isn’t it better to be on the C-list than no list at all?
18 Ashlee Simpson: Never Quite As Good As Jessica
Nowadays, Ashlee Simpson is known as the little sister of Jessica Simpson and the wife of Evan Ross. But there was a time when the fledgling celeb was trying to become a household name- though we don’t think things worked out as expected. In the early 2000s, Ashlee’s music career was starting to take off. She was also becoming well-known thanks to a recurring role on 7th Heaven and her own reality show, The Ashlee Simpson Show.
However, a few factors eventually led to the demise of Ashlee’s career. First, fans were shocked when the star one-day appeared in public with a new nose. Ashlee’s bumpy nose had become signature to her style, so her change in appearance left fans feeling conflicted (and parent thinking she was a bad role model). Even worse, the star made a huge fool of herself when a slip-up revealed she had been lip-syncing on Saturday Night Live. After the debacle, Ashlee’s singing career was never revived.
Since losing her chance at A-lister status, Ashlee has been content to focus on her personal life as a mom and wife, and only show up to red carpet events on occasion.
17 Jesse McCartney: The Early 2000s Dreamboat
Most girls who were teenagers in the early 2000s had a poster of Jesse McCartney on their wall. The blonde pop star was dominating the charts with his hits like “Beautiful Soul,” which made most American girls fall in love with him instantly. Yet as Jesse’s fan base grew up, his shining career seemed to fade just as quickly.
The celeb tried moving on from the music biz to the acting world. Before his solo career, Jesse had dabbled in acting, having appeared on All My Children in the ‘80s. He’s since had stints on TV shows like Law & Order: SVU, Summerland, and Greek. He’s also gotten notoriety for his voice acting in the Alvin and the Chipmunks franchise and the Kingdom Hearts video game series.
Ultimately, Jesse has never matched the popularity he had over a decade ago, and it’s too bad. His good looks, vocal chops, and decency in the acting department means he has all of the potential to be an A-lister, but we guess the Hollywood Gods didn’t see it in his future.
16 Haylie Duff: Always In Hilary’s Shadow
Since childhood, Hilary was always the more successful one out of the Duff sisters. With a hit Disney channel TV show, massive singing career, an empire based on her name, Hilary was set for life since teenagehood. But Hil’s success didn’t stop big sister Haylie from trying to make a name for herself in Hollywood, too.
Just like Hilary, Haylie has dabbled in both acting and music. She’s best known for her role on the family-friendly TV show 7th Heaven and appearing alongside her famous sister in Material Girls. She has also played roles in Lizzie McGuire, Napoleon Dynamite, and the made-for-TV movie Love Takes Wings along with its 2009 sequel.
Since her star power has died down, Haylie has made various TV appearances over the years and has also tried her hand at Broadway. But nowadays, the starlet seems more focused on her expanding family.
15 Alicia Silverstone: We’re Clueless As To What Happened
Alicia Silverstone is iconic thanks to her role as Cher in Clueless. But that doesn’t mean she gets automatic inclusion on the A-list. Unfortunately for Alicia, the actress never found the same level of success with a movie again, and critics are pretty sure it has to do with the roles she picked (and turned down).
The star had roles in a variety of decently known flicks in the early 200s, like The Graduate, Scorched, and Beauty Shop. As the years have gone by, Alicia has taken on smaller roles and has also dabbled in TV. But ultimately it wasn’t in the cards for this actress to be a big celeb.
Alicia had all the makings to be a Hollywood bombshell: killer looks, good acting skills, and an attractive personality. But she’s proof that actors must be selective with their roles or else it could affect the whole trajectory of their career.
14 Lindsay Lohan: Real Talent Gone To Waste
There was a time when Lindsay Lohan was one of the most in-demand actresses in Hollywood. There was no denying the natural redhead had a ton of talent, and she demonstrated that in her boatload of successful movies, like Mean Girls, Freaky Friday, and Herbie: Fully Loaded. Many critics thought that Lindsay would have a long, successful future in Hollywood… and maybe there would even be an Oscar on the horizon!
However, we’re all too painfully aware of the cautionary tale that became Lindsay. The actress spirally into a cycle of hard-core partying and substance abuse. She was repeatedly being photographed partying while wasted, and the rumors that began spreading about her behavior did little for her image. She soon became unreliable as an actress and lost out on tons of gigs.
Since then, Lindsay has made several attempts to revive her career, but we think this is one actress who may have blown all of her shots.
13 Frankie Muniz: He Needs To Get Back To TV
Frankie Muniz won our hearts as the title character in Malcolm In The Middle. It’s clear the teen actor had a knack for acting, and he quickly went on to score roles in big budget films, like Agent Cody Banks, My Dog Skip, Stay Alive, and Big Fat Liar. We all thought Frankie was going to have a long career in Hollywood, but the celeb has seemingly dropped out of the public eye in recent years.
After Malcolm went off the air, Frankie decided to take a break from acting. And with the amount of money in made in his heyday, he could afford to. The celeb actually focused on becoming a race car driver, which has now become his primary career. However, in recent years Frankie has given acting another chance, making an appearance in multiple TV shows and movies. We think someone needs to give Frankie a TV show again because we need him back in our lives regularly!
12 Tori Spelling: A Bankrupt Martha Stewart
Was Tori Spelling ever really on the A-list? Tori first became a household name thanks to her role on Beverly Hills, 90210, which she only scored since her dad, Aaron Spelling, was the main producer on the show. This resulted in the celeb getting a bad wrap amongst friends.
After the TV show ended, Tori found relative success starring in primarily made-for-TV movies. Maybe Tori would have moved on to bigger budget films had she not made a mistake concerning her public image. Tori once again became a fixture of media attention in the mid-2000s when it revealed she was having an affair with a then-married Dean McDermott. Things got worse when Dean left his wife and infant son to marry Tori.
Tori and Dean have welcomed 5 kids since tying the knot. She’s tried to make the best of her C-list status by starring in a variety of reality shows centered on her large family. The shows have documented how she has dealt with her hubby’s multiple affairs and her family’s bankruptcy. Tori has also become known for her Martha Stewart-esque blog and Instagram feed, where she shows off her aesthetically pleasing mom hacks. We wonder if this was the kind of future she had in mind…
11 AnnaLynne McCord: Can’t Get Past Being The Mean Girl
Fans of the 90210 reboot will recognize AnnaLynne McCord as the feisty Naomi, who became a favourite on the teen-centered drama. But Anna Lynne’s acting prospects died down after the hit show went off the air. She’s acted in a few low-budget films, like Excision, Scorned, and The Haunting of Molly Hartley. She’s also had recurring roles in TV shows like Nip/ Tuck, Let’s Get Physical, and Secrets and Lies.
Though AnnaLynne is undeniably gorgeous and talented, the celeb has struggled to get cast as anything other than the mean, materialistic girl, which has evidently hurt her career. But fear not! AnnaLynne has been keeping busy with her charitable work, often documenting her overseas travels on social media for her fans. The celeb also uses her platform to educate her fans about the causes close to her heart. This girl deserves more than C-lister status!
10 Aaron Carter: Another Child Star Turned Trainwreck
Aaron Carter was the Justin Bieber of the early 2000s before any of us knew who Bieber was! Seriously, the talented blonde singer was a hit with tween girls everywhere. He released his first solo album at the tender age of 10 in 1997, and then his second album in 2000. It wasn’t long before he was touring with the Backstreet boys and making appearances on TV shows. He also released albums in 2002 and 2003.
However, the former teen heartthrob has been a bit of a train wreck in recent years. It wasn’t long before his career got derailed when he began partying too hard. In recent years, it looks like the star has been struggling with substance abuse. Last year, he was picked up for driving while intoxicated with his girlfriend, and authorities found him in the possession of drugs.
The celeb later checked into rehab after breaking up with his GF and a reported suicide attempt. Nowadays, he’s reportedly doing a lot better and just released his fourth album this month. Maybe he’ll get off the C-list after all!
9 Tara Reid: From Hottie To Botched Beauty
Everyone thought Tara Reid was the next big blonde star thanks to her role in American Pie. She also starred in a variety of early 2000s flicks that were also successful at the box office. But things went south quickly after the up-and-coming starlet starred in the raunchy franchise.
Tara underwent a variety of cosmetic procedures that didn’t turn out as expected. Instead, they left Tara with a visibly botched chest and stomach area, which no amount of plastic surgery could fix. As a result of the botched procedures, Tara found it hard to score any further roles.
Since then, the celeb has acted in several made-for-TV movies as well as done some reality TV stints. Most notably, she had a recurring role in the Sharknado franchise. Had Tara’s procedures gone as planned, many fans think she would have enjoyed a more successful career in Hollywood.
8 Snooki: Partying Always Took Precedence
Snooki was always born to be famous. Her loud personality, glamorous sense of style, and ability to let loose in front of the camera are proof she’s a born entertainer.
But the reality star’s career choices quickly meant that she wound up on the C-list before she could really find her footing in Hollywood, and it might be too late to change anything. As we all know, the celeb got her start on MTV’s Jersey Shore, which showed off her party-hard lifestyle and wild behavior. The media quickly branded Snooki as a party girl, which did little to help her career beyond the scope of her reality show.
Since the show went off the air, Snooki has been trying to ride the waves of her on-air personality, but her star power has definitely been fading. The starlet toned-down her wild image after becoming a mother of two and getting married. Nowadays, Snooki mainly appears on talk shows and stars on a YouTube channel. But we’ve know Jersey Shore is definitely making a comeback!
7 Kendra Wilkinson: Is She Reality Royalty or Rubbish?
Kendra Wilkinson faced the hard task of transitioning from a Playboy model to an actual celebrity in her own right. She first gained notoriety for being one of Hugh Hefner’s three girlfriends, which was documented on the reality show The Girls Next Door. But after the star married Hank Baskett in 2008, she announced she would be focusing on distancing herself from Playboy.
The celeb has gone on to star in a variety of reality shows over the years, which have documented her dramatic life. Her first series, aptly named Kendra, debuted in 2009 and she has since been starring on her show Kendra On Top since 2012. However, Kendra’s personal life was rocked by scandal when it was revealed her hubby had an affair with a transgender model while she was pregnant.
Of course, all of this juiciness was documented on camera for the world to see. But many fans say this gave them a negative opinion of Kendra’s family, especially when the model decided to stick by her man. Now many fans say they only watch her show because it’s trashy, not classy. Will Kendra ever be able to turn it around?
6 Megan Fox: A Pretty Face Doesn’t Always Fix Things
There was once a time when Megan Fox was being hailed as the new Angelina Jolie. The gorgeous actress was immediately revelled for her stunning good looks, which easily helped her land the lead female role in the Transformers franchise, which catapulted her into stardom. She has also starred in a handful of well-known projects, like the films Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, Jennifer’s Body, and the TV show Hope & Faith.
However, Megan’s poor attitude and unprofessionalism reportedly got her replaced on the Transformers set. Her reputation for being hard to work with has meant that she’s been cast in few roles in the past couple of years. Since work is scarce, Megan has been staying relevant by working on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. She has also slowed down to focus on her three sons, who she shares with her husband Brian Austin Green.
Meg definitely had the looks to be an Oscar-winning actress, so perhaps this is a sign that you’ve also got to have an easy going personality to make it on the A-list.
5 Nick Lachey: The Former Mr. Jessica Simpson
Nick Lachey is that one celeb whose name you always remember, but you just can’t recall how you know them. The actor-musician has made headlines for a variety of reasons over the years, from his singing and acting careers to his infamous marriage to Jessica Simpson. But nowadays, Nick is mostly known for being washed up.
The celeb first started out in Hollywood in the multi-platinum selling boy band 98 Degrees. He later moved on to reality TV when he and his then-wife, Jessica, started on Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, which ran from 2003-2005. Many fans feel that his divorce from Jess ruined his good guy image, as no one was impressed with what Jessica or her family had to say about him afterwards.
Nick has gone on to release four solo albums. He also remarried to Vanessa Minillo, and they have three kids together. Though his career has been fading, Nick has been trying to stay relevant with stints on shows like Dancing With The Stars. Maybe he should give reality TV another shot!
4 Katherine Heigl: She Ruined Her Reputation
Katherine Heigl was first thrust into fame thanks to her role as Izzy on Grey’s Anatomy. Fans loved her blonde on-screen persona so much that the actress began landing even bigger roles in Hollywood blockbusters. At the height of her career, Katherine starred in flicks like Knocked Up, 27 Dresses, New Year’s Even, Killers, and The Big Wedding.
However, the actress was shocking fired from Grey’s into 2010 after fives years on the show. Rumour has it that Katherine’s Diva-ish attitude rubbed producer Shonda Rimes the wrong way, and she decided to axe her character. It didn’t help that Katherine had some not-so-nice things to say about the show after she left. Needless to say, the star got a reputation for being difficult to work with, which meant she started getting lesser roles following the drama.
Nowadays, Katherine is sticking to limited release films and voice acting since it doesn’t look like her C-list status is going anywhere. This is proof that you can be talented, but having a bad attitude will totally ruin your career.
3 Audrina Patridge: We Bet She's Jealous Of Lauren Now
The Hills fans remember Audrina Patridge as the frenemy of Lauren Conrad. But unlike her blonde counterpart, Audrina kind of fell out of the spotlight after the teenage drama finally came to an end. But we think she deserves a bit more recognition!
Audrina quickly became known as one of the villains on The Hills, which didn’t help her career after filming ended (though it did make her quite popular amongst fans). The celeb has found little success in the acting biz in recent years. She’s done a few stints on reality TV, competing on the 2010 season of Dancing With The Stars. She even came out with her own reality show Audrina in 2011, but it was cancelled due to low ratings after only a single season.
The star also tried her luck at making movies, and scored roles in flicks like Honey 2, Scary Movie 5, Sorority Row, and Into The Blue 2: The Reef. From 2014-2015, she also hosted the late-night travel show 1st Look. In recent years, the public has been more concerned with Audrina’s disintegrating personal life (and marriage), rather than her flailing career.
2 Jenny McCarthy: Don’t Ask Her For Medical Advice
Jenny McCarthy is beautiful, blonde, and bubbly. What’s not to love? Well, maybe her opinions on vaccines. The actress absolutely killed her career after she began letting her controversial opinions be known to the world.
Jenny first became popular in the ‘90s when she posed for Playboy magazine and later became Playmate of the year. The risqué model attempted to make her transition from the Playboy world to that of a serious acting career in the 2000s, and she had moderate success. Jenny played roles in films like Diamonds, Scream 3, and Santa Baby, and eventually even became a co-host on The View.
Many anticipated Jenny’s career to be much brighter. But fan theories suggest her loud opinions on vaccines prevented her from being cast in better roles. Jenny has long accused vaccines of giving her son autism, and she encourages other parents to completely skip getting their children vaccinations. Jenny’s controversial opinions have not been founded on medical evidence. It sounds like this is the one thing preventing her from achieving A-lister status!
1 Tia & Tamera Mowry: Only Known For One Iconic Role
Twin sisters Tia and Tamera Mowry are best known for starring opposite each other in the sitcom Sister, Sister. The family-friendly show was on air from 1994-1999, making the twins extremely popular amongst teens at the time. But unfortunately for them, the girls found it hard to get cast in other roles since fans identified them too much with their onscreen characters. No one could imagine them the sisters playing anyone else.
With their acting prospects limited, both girls eventually went to study psychology at Pepperdine University. They’ve dabbled in acting since, both appearing in 2002’s The Hot Chick opposite Rob Schneider. They also both starred in the Disney original Twitches and its sequel as well as the Disney flick 17 Again. Separately, the sisters have also made television appearances and tried their hand at work acting.
Sources: Radar, Ranker, Hollywood Life, People Magazine
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