Sometimes, your career needs to die, so that it can be born again. For better, rather than worse. So that people who once wrote you off, know you're the real deal. So that you know who your true friends are. And nobody knows this better than the longest-residing Hollywood stars.
Most have had the world at their feet, only to see the red carpet get pulled off from under those dainty twosomes. And let's face it, when they fall, they fall hard. Endorsements dry up, movie offers become non-existent and even premiere invites become rarer. But all it takes is that one thing that gets them back into the game. That one home-run that makes all the difference.
Here's looking at how these stars died and rose again...
ROBERT DOWNEY JR
START: He was a star-in-the-making in the 80s, starting out on SNL, doing movies like Back to School, Weird Science, Less Than Zero and The Pick-Up Artist. In 1993, he even got a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his role in Chaplin.
SLUMP: By the mid-90s, heroin and cocaine had become his best buddies. He was regularly in and out of rehab and jail because he couldn't kick the addiction. He got hired for a brief role in Ally McBeal and it earned him a
Golden Globe nom, but another aRrest followed. Heck, even though he was clean by 2005, Woody Allen couldn't get him insured for his film Melinda And Melinda
RETURN: By 2005, he picked up good films like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Good Night And Good Luck and Zodiac. But it was only with 2008's Iron Man that his luck changed. The movie was, is and for all practical purposes, remains the film that turned his career around and made him an A-Lister. Thereon, there was no looking back. Tropic Thunder, two more Iron Man films, two Avengers films and two Sherlock Holmes films later, the man has no equal in this list. He's one of Hollywood's richest men today and is literally unbeatable at this point. Hollywood's Salman Khan, anyone?
BEN AFFLECK
START: He started getting noticed in films like Richard Linklater's Dazed And Confused and Kevin Smith's Mallrats and Chasing Amy in the 90s. But it was only with Gus Van Sant's Good Will Hunting, based on a story written by him and BFF Matt Damon, and starred the two, that things actually took off for the actor. Hits like Armageddon and Dogma followed.
SLUMP: It began with Pearl Harbor, then Daredevil, later Gigli and then Jersey Girl. All films Ben would rather forget he worked in.
RETURN: It took The Town, Argo and Gone Girl to get him back into the game. Argo's Oscar win for Best Film went a long way in proving detractors wrong. He most recently starred as Batman in Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, is expected to reprise his role in August's Suicide Squad, a planned Batman reboot, the Justice League films and more. So there's that...
DREW BARRYMORE
START: Born into Hollywood royalty in 1975, the young Drew had her first breakthrough role in 1982's E.T.
SLUMP: By 1989, she checked into rehab twice -- first for cocaine abuse and later, for trying to commit suicide. She was 14 then. She sobered up a year later.
RETURN By 1992, she had Poison Ivy, a B-grade film that she was noticed in. In 1995, she did Boys On The Side, Everyone Says I Love You a year later, followed it up with films like The Wedding Singer, Ever After and Never Been Kissed. But it was Charlie's Angels and later, a slew of Adam Sandler films that brought in the money. She would go on to start her own production company and make the film Whip It. She's done several films since.
MATTHEW MCCONNAUGHEY
START: He acted in films like Dazed And Confused, Amistad, Contact, The Newton Boys and EdTV.
SLUMP: With 2001's The Wedding Planner, he became a romcom regular. Films like How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, Failure To Launch, Fool's Gold and Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past, slotted him into a single genre. It seemed he would be best at just that. A safe actor in a safe genre. Good-looking, but somebody who was never taken seriously.
RETURN: In 2011, he surprised everyone with The Lincoln Lawyer, Mud and later, Killer Joe. All different, interesting films. And then, in 2013, came the reckoner in Dallas Buyers Club, for which he won the Best Actor Oscar and several other awards. Then came Wolf Of Wall Street, the TV series True Detective and Interstellar. No stopping him now!
JOAQUIN PHOENIX
START: He began as a child star. His brother River's death in 1993, thanks to a drug overdose, ensured that he stayed away for years. At 15, he returned in supporting roles. It was Commodus in Ridley Scott's Gladiator in 2000 that he truly shone. Walk The Line followed.
SLUMP: He had to be admitted to rehab in 2005, had a bad accident in 2006 (was saved by the auteur Werner Herzog) and told the world he was retiring from acting to become a rapper. People lost it and wondered what had happened to the guy. It later turned out to be a mockumentary directed by Casey Affleck called I'm Still Here. It was a potentially career-ending risk.
RETURN: But he bounced back with The Master and later Spike Jonze's Her and later Inherent Vice. We're expecting good things from him
JOHN TRAVOLTA
START: In the 70s, he was a bonafide superstar with films like Grease and Saturday Night Fever.
SLUMP: The 80s and 90s saw him in several forgettable films. Like way too many of them.
RETURN: Thanks to Quentin Tarantino in 1994, he played hitman Vincent Vega, jumpstarting his career, paving the way for roles like Get Shorty, Broken Arrow and Face/Off, Primary Colors, The Thin Red Line. Silly films followed, with Hairspray providing the only redemption since.
TOM HARDY
START: The man was in the mini series Band Of Brothers and Black Hawk Down.
SLUMP: By 2001, he starred as Shinzon in Star Trek: Nemesis. Big mistake. he wouldn't work in anything significant till 2008.
RETURN: Nicolas Winding Refn's Bronson resurrected his career. The breakthrough came with Inception. The star turn came with The Dark Knight Rises as Bane. And the big time came with Mad Max: Fury Road. He did Legend and The Revenant after that. And from what we hear, another Max film is in the offing.
TV STARS, TOO
Neil Patrick Harris
START: His biggest role on TV, Doogie Howser MD ran four seasons (1989-93).
SLUMP: Following the cancellation of the show, he took to stage shows, TV movies and small roles.
RETURN: He did a bit role in the stoner film Harold and Kumar, but his big break came with his role as Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother.
David Duchovny
START: His career ended once X Files ended after a nine-year run.
SLUMP: He did reality shows, small appearances, anything to keep busy.
RETURN: Starting 2007, playing the incorrigible Hank Moody, resurrected him. Hell, even X-Files made a comeback.
Robert Sean Leonard
START: Remember him as the guy who shoots himself in Dead Poets Society (1989)?
SLUMP: Insignificant and few roles since. Spent time on Broadway.
RETURN: Returned in 2004 as Dr James Wilson to Hugh Laurie's House.
Alec Baldwin
START: Was a certified hunk and to date, remains the best known Baldwin brother with roles in films like The Hunt for Red October, Beetlejuice, and Glengarry Glen Ross.
SLUMP: Disappeared from the scene after his divorce from Kim Basinger in 2000.
RETURN: In Tina Fey's 30 Rock as Jack Donaghy/
Jason Bateman
START: As a child star, he featured on Silver Spoons and The Hogan Family.
SLUMP: Forgettable TV appearances till 2003.
RETURN: That's when he began playing Michael Bluth in Arrested Development. It's as if Hollywood's heavens opened up. Several strarring roles followed.
Kiefer Sutherland
START: Donald Sutherland's son had a heady start, starring in films like Stand By Me, Lost Boys and Young Guns.
SLUMP: In the 90s.
RETURN: Starting 2001, he became Jack Bauer. The show has ended, but it has held him in good stead.
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