5 Actors Who Tried to Be Tarantino But Ended Up Creating a Complete Disaster
What do Alec Baldwin and Ryan Gosling have in common? Spoiler: bad luck in directing.
Some famous actors try their hand at directing. A-listers like Ben Affleck or Clint Eastwood managed to successfully wear multiple hats, but others didn't quite hit the mark. These actors took a bold leap from acting to directing but ended up face-planting.
Alec Baldwin — Shortcut To Happiness
Shot in 2001, Shortcut To Happiness, was a star-studded affair with big names like Anthony Hopkins, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Baldwin himself. However, the movie was plagued by various issues, including financial ones, and was delayed for years.
When it was finally released in 2007, Baldwin decided to distance himself from the project and removed his name as director. The movie was a major letdown, only playing in six US theaters, and getting negative reviews.
Kevin Connolly — Gotti
Kevin Connolly, best known for his role in the hit show Entourage, also took a stab at directing with the biopic Gotti. Connolly's directorial venture Gotti, a biopic about crime lord John Gotti, was a critical and commercial failure.
Despite starring John Travolta and Kelly Preston, the film earned a zero percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics harshly criticized the film, with some calling it the "worst mob movie of all time."
Ryan Gosling — Lost River
Heartthrob Ryan Gosling, known for his unforgettable roles, decided to try his hand at directing with Lost River. There was a lot of hype surrounding the movie, thanks to Gosling's popularity and the impressive cast.
However, critics were less than impressed with Gosling's directorial debut. Despite some optimism that the film might find its audience outside of the festival circuit, the overall reception was largely negative.
Kevin Bacon — Loverboy
Kevin Bacon decided to take a shot at directing with the 2005 film Loverboy. The film was essentially a Bacon family production, with Bacon himself, his wife Kyra Sedgwick, their children, and Sedgwick's brother all in the cast.
However, the film was not well received by critics (it scored a mere 17% on Rotten Tomatoes), and it barely made a dent at the box office.
Nicolas Cage — Sonny
We know Cage for his wild, manic performances and his say-yes-to-everything approach to film roles, but Nicolas Cage also ventured into directing with the 2002 film, Sonny.
This movie, starring James Franco, added to Cage's rather unusual resume. The film was described by critics as ridiculous, dull, and unintentionally hilarious.