Several celebrities in Hollywood have managed to have successful comebacks in the later part of their career after years of challenges and/or failure in the industry where their fate was seemingly nailed to the coffin.
These inspiring stories prove that you can still return stronger than ever despite the setbacks and even reach a new career level that surpasses the accomplishments in your earlier years.
Let's explore some of the great celebrity comebacks in Hollywood below.
Robert Downey Jr.
Robert Downey Jr. was a major star back in the '80s and early '90s. Unfortunately, behind the camera, he was struggling with drug addiction which almost ruined his career.
After finally achieving his sobriety, he was cast to play Tony Stark/Iron Man in the MCU and the rest was history. He is now one of the biggest A-listers in Hollywood and recently won his first Oscar for his acclaimed work in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer.
Keanu Reeves
In the late '80s to early 2000s, Keanu Reeves was considered to be one of the biggest stars thanks to his beloved works in the Bill & Ted films, Speed, Point Break, and The Matrix trilogy. However, his career declined in the late 2000s to early 2010s and he was only working on B-level projects.
However, the surprise massive success of the first John Wick film put Reeves back on the map and he is now one of the biggest stars in Hollywood again. He has also achieved a massive following among different generations of fans.
Winona Ryder
Winona Ryder was considered to be Hollywood's "it girl" back in the late '80s and '90s thanks to her starring roles in several successful films such as Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands. She stepped out of the spotlight in the 2000s due to legal issues.
Fortunately, she made a major comeback when she starred as Joyce Byers in the hit Netflix series Stranger Things and is now consistently involved in major projects again such as the highly-anticipated sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
Ke Huy Quan
Ke Huy Quan was a well-known child actor in the '80s thanks to his beloved roles in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and The Goonies. Unfortunately, his career never took off as he got older and decided to take a hiatus from acting.
He made his massive comeback in the award-winning A24 film Everything Everywhere All at Once where he won his well-deserved Oscar. He is now back in Hollywood and is cast again in major projects such as the MCU series Loki.
Renee Zellweger
Renee Zellweger was a massive star in the '90s and 2000s thanks to her starring roles in the Bridget Jones films and Jerry Maguire. However, she decided to take a hiatus from acting and stepped out of the spotlight.
She made her major return when she reprised her iconic role in 2016's Bridget Jones' Baby and played Judy Garland in the biopic Judy which landed her second Oscar. Now, she is set to play Bridges Jones again in the fourth film Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.
Brendan Fraser
Brendan Fraser was a major star back in the '90s and 2000s thanks to his starring role in The Mummy trilogy and other beloved films such as Blast from the Past and George of the Jungle. However, due to health and personal issues, his career declined.
Fortunately, in the past several years, Fraser has been involved again in high-profile projects such as Doom Patrol and Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon. It all culminated with an Oscar win for his acclaimed performance in The Whale.
Michael Keaton
Michael Keaton was a major star in the '80s and '90s. However, he stepped out of the leading roles and was getting cast in supporting roles instead in low-profile projects.
Fortunately, thanks to his Oscar-nominated turn in Birdman, the actor is back in the spotlight again. Since then, he's been cast in high-profile projects such as Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spotlight, and Dopesick (where he won an Emmy). He recently reprised his iconic roles of Bruce Wayne/Batman and Beetlejuice.
Make sure to follow our official Facebook page for more news and explainer articles about your favorite films and TV shows!