From pariahs to heroes: The celebrities who were “reborn” from their ashes

A celebrity being “reborn” from its ashes is nothing new. We’ve seen this happen many times in the theme industry. Nothing captivates the public more than a dramatic fall followed by an even greater redemption… So let’s see who are the celebrities who were “forgotten” and came back with a bang, starring in movies and even claiming awards.

Mickey Rourke

Before his face became almost unrecognizable, he was once considered the most handsome man in Hollywood. Don’t believe it? Look at “Nine and a half weeks”, where a Rourke – at the height of his beauty – managed to steal a scene from Kim Basinger. But he wasn’t just a pretty face – he was (and still is) an extremely talented actor. In his memoir Stories I Only Tell My Friends, Rob Lowe recalls that when Rourke arrived on the set of The Outsiders to visit his friend, director Francis Ford Coppola, everyone felt that he had arrived “ new James Dean”. They were fascinated by ‘The Motorcycle Boy’, the role he played in the brooding ‘Rumble Fish’.

But as boxing began to enter his life, as an actor he was “forgotten”. He’s had countless face-altering cosmetic surgeries, battled addiction, and turned down career-defining roles. He turned down ‘Rain Man’, ‘The Untouchables’ and ‘Pulp Fiction’, in which he could have played Butch, the role that relaunched Bruce Willis’ career.

The return: Boxing, which once ruined his face, also helped to revive his career. The incarnation of Marv in the movie “Sin City” reminded the audience that the great Mickey Rourke was still around. But it was “The Wrestler,” the story of a downed boxer trying to rebuild his family life, that really cemented his comeback. Director Darren Aronofsky trusted him, and Rourke returned this trust with serious dedication: he trained for months and actively participated in the promotion of the film. The effort paid off. He won a BAFTA and a Golden Globe, received an Oscar nomination and secured some lucrative roles in ‘Iron Man 2’ and ‘The Expendables’.

Demi Moore

Life in Hollywood moves so fast that, at the time, “Ghost” was already considered the “resurrection” of Demi Moore’s career, despite the fact that all she did was cut her hair. After several years as the most prominent female member of the ‘Brat Pack’, with ‘St. Elmo’s Fire’ to be her most recognizable film, Moore reinvented herself as the star of a classic romantic comedy in an Oscar-nominated role.

No one could have predicted at the time that she would become the biggest female star of the 1990s, thanks to hits like ‘Disclosure’, ‘A Few Good Men’ and ‘Indecent Proposal’. She also became the highest paid actress in Hollywood, earning her the nickname ‘Gimme More’. Her fees were astronomical, but neither critics nor audiences responded with the same enthusiasm. For a few years, she kept a low profile until her role as Madison Lee in ‘Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle’, which brought her back into the limelight.

The return: Demi Moore’s recovery reflects Hollywood’s inherent contradictions. The industry mocked her and sabotaged her films, but still yearns to see her triumphantly walk the red carpet, because she remains one of the actresses who most embody Hollywood glamour.

This year, we saw her shine on TV as Ann Woodward, one of the swans in ‘Capote vs. The Swans’, and on film in ‘The Substance’, Coralie Fargeat’s harrowing survival story in front of the cameras. For the first time in her career, there is talk of an Oscar nomination. But the fact that Demi Moore is being talked about for her work in this period is already a triumph in itself.

Pamela Anderson

As CJ Parker in ‘Baywatch’, Pamela Anderson became the most desirable woman in the world. Her iconic swimsuit photo replaced the iconic poster of Farrah Fawcett from Charlie’s Angels in the bedrooms of millions of teenagers. The five years she spent on the David Hasselhoff series catapulted her into pop culture. However, her success did not translate to the big screen. Her most notable film role was in “Barb Wire,” a remake of “Casablanca.” Unfortunately, the blonde ‘Barbie’ was ‘burned’ by her infamous sex tape with then-husband Tommy Lee, the recording and theft of which became the focus of the Disney+ series ‘Pam & Tommy’, in which Lily James plays the actress.

The return: Hollywood loves a comeback, especially when it comes to someone who’s had a rough go. And Pamela Anderson won it with her sword with “The Last Showgirl,” directed by Gia Coppola, granddaughter of Francis Ford Coppola. In the film, Pamela plays Shelley, a thirsty Las Vegas dancer facing the end of her career while trying to reconnect with her daughter, whom she barely knows. Her performance brought Anderson back into the limelight, and she’s already teaming up with Liam Neeson for upcoming projects.

Brendan Fraser

In the 1990s, Brendan Fraser found his niche in less sophisticated teen comedies. Who doesn’t remember his great performances in ‘Airheads’ and ‘Encino Man’. However, beneath the muscles and striking blue eyes, there was a talented actor, a fact recognized by director Bill Condon, who cast the actor as the object of Ian McKellen’s lust in “Gods and Monsters,” a biography of director James Whale.

The depth of his talent was confirmed on ‘Crash’, further proving his range. Then came ‘The Mummy’, which turned him into a new generation’s Errol Flynn. However, after the third part, his career went downhill. A series of box office failures, along with major physical changes, contributed to this decline. Everyone wondered what had happened to Fraser until 2018, when he revealed that 15 years earlier he had been sexually assaulted by the president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the body behind the Golden Globe Awards.

The return: The six-minute standing ovation Brendan Fraser received at the Venice Film Festival – for the film ‘Whale’ – confirmed that he is back. That applause was filled with admiration for his portrayal of Charlie, a morbidly obese teacher who struggles to reconnect with his daughter, but also with deep love for an actor who was once predicted to have a long and successful career. Fraser went on to win the Oscar for Best Actor, delivering one of the most emotional moments the Academy Awards have ever seen. That same year, she took on a much darker role in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, and has been in high demand in the entertainment industry ever since.