20 times an actor stepped out of their typical genre, and it flopped

Amy Schumer is divisive in the comedic genre, but it’s inarguable that she’s been successful at it. What didn’t go so well for her was her work in Thank You for Your Service. The dramatic role was met with a fair amount of criticism, leading many to wonder whether she has the skills necessary for the genre. 

Having the right look isn’t everything when it comes to a biopic. When Ashton Kutcher starred in the film Jobs, it was a major departure from his typical comedic roles, and the film didn’t even meet a fraction of the success the man Kutcher was portraying did in his lifetime. 

John Wayne was the most successful Western actor of the 20th century. No one could play a cowboy as well as Wayne. But he didn’t always star in Westerns. Sometimes, he starred in historical dramas, like The Conqueror. Not all of his steps outside his genre were flops, but The Conqueror was. 

It’s not that Sally Field can’t do comedy. She can. She’s a brilliant actress. But not every role fits her particular brand. When she starred in Punchline as a stand-up comedian, her work didn’t shine like it usually does. 

Vin Diesel knows action — that much is true. But that might be the only genre he’s ever been successful in. Diesel tried to marry action with comedy in the film The Pacifier, and while it did well commercially, it got horrible reviews, and Diesel hasn’t done much comedy since. 

If Meryl Streep can flop in something, anyone can. There’s no denying that Streep is a talented actress — arguably the greatest of all time. But everyone has areas where they can improve. Streep’s first attempt at straight comedy, She-Devil, was quite the flop. 

It’s hard to imagine Robert De Niro being bad at anything involving a camera, but perhaps children’s movies aren’t for him. His performance in The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle was hard to watch. 

Should Oscar-winning actors stick to what they’re good at, or should they try something new? It’s an age-old debate with evidence on both sides. Serving as proof that it’s not a good idea is Adrien Brody’s performance in the action film Predators. The film got decent reviews, but straight action clearly isn’t Brody’s forte. 

Some actors have broken out of their defining roles, and others haven’t. Unfortunately, Taylor Lautner is still in the latter category. He tried straight comedy in The Ridiculous 6, but the payoff wasn’t there for him. 

Owen Wilson can clearly do comedy, and he can absolutely do drama. He’s more skilled than he gets credit for. But not all of his steps outside of comedy have been successful. His work in the mystery thriller No Escape was not met with particularly favorable feedback. 

Dane Cook is a funny, funny guy, and he was particularly funny in the 2000s. The comedian tried stepping outside of his typical genre with the film Answers to Nothing, a mystery. The movie got poor reviews, and Cook’s performance was a flop.

Jack Black stepped outside his comfort zone with The Holiday and absolutely crushed it. He did the same with King Kong, and it wasn’t quite as good a fit. The film did well, but Black stuck out a bit, and not in a good way. 

It’s always exciting to see a comedic actor successfully transition into dramatic roles, but it’s tough to see when it doesn’t go well. Mike Myers tried to add drama to his plate with the film 54, but his performance fell flat, and the movie received truly terrible reviews. 

Tyler Perry is proof that if you keep doing what you do best, you’ll find success. But who can blame him for wanting to try something new? Perry tried action with the film Alex Cross, and it was anything but successful. Audiences didn’t like it. Critics hated it. It was a flop. 

Chevy Chase’s sci-fi film Memoirs of an Invisible Man did so poorly that people probably don’t even remember it was a film. Chase might want to forget about the film, too. Most audiences saw it as proof that Chase should stick to comedy. 

There are many wonderful things about starring in a sitcom, but the downside is that it can pigeonhole actors. Such was the case for Elizabeth Berkley. When she tried to step outside her genre for the drama Showgirls, it went poorly. Very, very poorly. 

You might be wondering when they remade Psycho. Well, they did so in 1998, and Vince Vaughn played Norman Bates. The film got awful reviews, and Vaughn did not become a horror icon, to say the least. 

Seriously, who can blame an actor for wanting to try something new? We’re all told to step outside our comfort zones. Apparently, that’s where growth happens. But not all growth is good growth. Like Zooey Deschanel in the sci-fi film The Happening. That was a bit of an experiment gone wrong for the great comedic actress. 

Bram Stoker’s Dracula was a great film. It won three Oscars and was nominated for a fourth. However, not every element was perfect, namely Keanu Reeves’ performance. The actor tried to do a British accent, and he didn’t exactly nail it.  

Ryan Reynolds can do a straight comedy just about as well as anyone, and he’s proved that he’s capable of action, too. But horror might not be his thing. He tried the genre in The Amityville Horror, and people hated it. They really hated it.