Huh, I didn't know about Jonathan Brandis. How sad. Wow, what a deep question that late in the evening. I guess it is very rare to have two major hit series like RDA. The only other one that comes to mind right now is David Hasselhoff with "Knight Rider" and "Baywatch". As bad as this was in later seasons, it was known all over the world.
Or maybe Teri Hatcher, first "Lois & Clark", then "Desperate Housewives". Surely she has enough money for a while now and can be picky with new roles.
But Rick's career also easily could have failed, as the series he did co-write and produce between MacGyver and Stargate, "Legend", utterly tanked and was cancelled after a few episodes. So I guess it really is down to a large portion of luck and knowing the right people and being there at the right time.
I haven't seen it myself but I hear there recently was an awful movie about an adopted child and two mothers fighting for it where Amanda Tapping had one of the leading roles. The friend who wrote about it also wondered why she accepted the offer - did it maybe look better in script than it turned out in the end? Also, Michael Shanks has done some really bad movies. Ever seen "Sumuru"? Or that thing with the bees?
I sometimes also would like to know what they really think about them, when they have to enthusiastically advertise them.
I guess a failback plan isn't bad. If David Tennant never ever got a movie role again, he still could do lots of theatre and be happy about it. As he is not in the business to become famous, but to act, and the stage is where he originally comes from. Same goes for John Barrowman, I guess. But both are not short on any offers at the moment, and I am happy about it.
I also used to have a crush on Dean Cain back in "Lois & Clark" days but I admit I have lost him a bit from my sight as well. I also lost RDA from my sight for years after MacGyver, I did not have internet and no idea what he was up to. My brother actually was watching "Stargate" and told me I should watch it, but I didn't want to. On the other hand, he did not want to watch "MacGyver". Took us quite a while to realize we were talking about the same guy! When he told me that "my" MacGyver was in "Stargate", I said: "Why didn't you say so earlier!" and started with it. They already were in the fourth season.
huh! Cool SG1 story :) Glad you 'found' it in the end.
Yep, a deep question indeed and one I still wonder about at times. Especially when you hear stories about actors who get a small taste of fame and let it go to their heads and blow their shot in the some.
Like Crispin Glover. He initially made it big in Back to the Future, as the young George McFly and was kinda popular after the first movie. But then let it all go to his head and asked for a ridiculous (apparently) salary to appear in Back to the Future 2.
So the movie producers canned me and cast a look a like for the brief George McFly scenes in 2 and 3.
And it has only been recently - with Charlies Angels etc that he was in a major movie.
I haven't seen the B-movies you mention (and probably won't) :)
I really can't thank my brother enough, as Stargate totally changed my life. I didn't have friends before, didn't fit in, and this was the first time I got so much involved into a fandom, I read and wrote fanfictions, went to conventions, did music-videos and whatever goes with being creative. And I found friends all over the world and learnt to use the internet and learnt all my English. All because my brother saw in a TV paper "MacGyver - Richard Dean Anderson" and wondered, isn't that the Stargate guy?
I guess then those actors have nobody than themselves to blame, if they let it go to their head. There really is no reason why you should allow fame to change you so much. It's still, after all, just a job. And there are people doing more important jobs, like Doctors or firemen. Making a movie isn't that great of a task in the end. It just gets more applause.
Well, there's B-movies and there's B-movies. I'm willing to watch a lot for my favourite actor(s), especially from the category "I was young and needed the money". I like to see how they started out, and which character treats already were there. I once stumbled about a cheap video which I only bought because it had David Hewlett in it - if it hadn't said so at the title, I never ever would have recognized him (seriosly, would you have recognized him? Here's a pic: http://5wordmoviereviews.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/pin_hewlett.jpg ). He was so young! Still, you already could see a bit of McKay in him, and I like that.
There is also the old "Shark Attack III" movie which is so ridiculous that it's just funny, yet John Barrowman did the best he could with it and isn't that bad in his role (and mighty good-looking, in a wet-suit for example).
But yeah, coming from a leading role and then going back to such stuff, that must be really hard. Still, if it pays the mortgage... I recently read that a lot of famous American football players are becoming very poor once they stop playing - just because they never learnt how to keep their money and threw it out of the window with cars and parties and stuff.
If it pays the mortage... I think that's a 'rationale' that has resulted in a lot of 'weird' movie choices. I understand it, sure, but still wonder at times.
It's awesome that you found a wonderful space in SG fandom, truly. It really can open up a world for you :)
Wow, what a deep question that late in the evening. I guess it is very rare to have two major hit series like RDA. The only other one that comes to mind right now is David Hasselhoff with "Knight Rider" and "Baywatch". As bad as this was in later seasons, it was known all over the world.
Or maybe Teri Hatcher, first "Lois & Clark", then "Desperate Housewives". Surely she has enough money for a while now and can be picky with new roles.
But Rick's career also easily could have failed, as the series he did co-write and produce between MacGyver and Stargate, "Legend", utterly tanked and was cancelled after a few episodes. So I guess it really is down to a large portion of luck and knowing the right people and being there at the right time.
I haven't seen it myself but I hear there recently was an awful movie about an adopted child and two mothers fighting for it where Amanda Tapping had one of the leading roles. The friend who wrote about it also wondered why she accepted the offer - did it maybe look better in script than it turned out in the end? Also, Michael Shanks has done some really bad movies. Ever seen "Sumuru"? Or that thing with the bees?
I sometimes also would like to know what they really think about them, when they have to enthusiastically advertise them.
I guess a failback plan isn't bad. If David Tennant never ever got a movie role again, he still could do lots of theatre and be happy about it. As he is not in the business to become famous, but to act, and the stage is where he originally comes from. Same goes for John Barrowman, I guess. But both are not short on any offers at the moment, and I am happy about it.
I also used to have a crush on Dean Cain back in "Lois & Clark" days but I admit I have lost him a bit from my sight as well. I also lost RDA from my sight for years after MacGyver, I did not have internet and no idea what he was up to. My brother actually was watching "Stargate" and told me I should watch it, but I didn't want to. On the other hand, he did not want to watch "MacGyver". Took us quite a while to realize we were talking about the same guy! When he told me that "my" MacGyver was in "Stargate", I said: "Why didn't you say so earlier!" and started with it. They already were in the fourth season.
Reply
Yep, a deep question indeed and one I still wonder about at times. Especially when you hear stories about actors who get a small taste of fame and let it go to their heads and blow their shot in the some.
Like Crispin Glover. He initially made it big in Back to the Future, as the young George McFly and was kinda popular after the first movie. But then let it all go to his head and asked for a ridiculous (apparently) salary to appear in Back to the Future 2.
So the movie producers canned me and cast a look a like for the brief George McFly scenes in 2 and 3.
And it has only been recently - with Charlies Angels etc that he was in a major movie.
I haven't seen the B-movies you mention (and probably won't) :)
Reply
I guess then those actors have nobody than themselves to blame, if they let it go to their head. There really is no reason why you should allow fame to change you so much. It's still, after all, just a job. And there are people doing more important jobs, like Doctors or firemen. Making a movie isn't that great of a task in the end. It just gets more applause.
Well, there's B-movies and there's B-movies. I'm willing to watch a lot for my favourite actor(s), especially from the category "I was young and needed the money". I like to see how they started out, and which character treats already were there. I once stumbled about a cheap video which I only bought because it had David Hewlett in it - if it hadn't said so at the title, I never ever would have recognized him (seriosly, would you have recognized him? Here's a pic: http://5wordmoviereviews.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/pin_hewlett.jpg ). He was so young! Still, you already could see a bit of McKay in him, and I like that.
There is also the old "Shark Attack III" movie which is so ridiculous that it's just funny, yet John Barrowman did the best he could with it and isn't that bad in his role (and mighty good-looking, in a wet-suit for example).
But yeah, coming from a leading role and then going back to such stuff, that must be really hard. Still, if it pays the mortgage... I recently read that a lot of famous American football players are becoming very poor once they stop playing - just because they never learnt how to keep their money and threw it out of the window with cars and parties and stuff.
Reply
It's awesome that you found a wonderful space in SG fandom, truly. It really can open up a world for you :)
Reply
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