15 A-listers Who Starred In Struggle Movies

When you need to keep the checks coming in to continue climbing up the ladder to Hollywood’s upper echelon, you’re probably not thinking about thespianism.

At least we hope that’s the logic that motivated these 15 A-listers who starred in struggle movies. They went to outer space, sang, shucked and jived their way to some of the most horrible films in the history of cinema. Hit the jump and see their humble beginnings in the trashiest of movies.

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Photo: MGM screen capture

Kerry Washington – Save The Last Dance

If we’re being honest, Save The Last Dance was a hit at the box office that helped boost the careers of Julia Stiles and Sean Patrick Thomas. But we can’t stand for Olivia Pope participating in this great white hope, Becky gets her hood pass nonsense that had Kerry playing “stereotypical sassy, black friend #47.”

Terrence Howard – Glitter

Yeah, Terrence Howard fell victim to Mariah’s twos and her God awful vanity project.

Taraji P. Henson – Satan’s School For Girls

After giving us Cookie, Yvette, and Shug, we forgive Taraji for this ill-fated TV movie.

Halle Berry – Catwoman

Before her Academy Award-winning performance in Monster’s Ball, Halle Berry had a few duds. Among them was 2004’s Razzie Award-winning Catwoman. It was litter box material.

Kevin Hart – Soul Plane

There’s no denying Kevin Hart is critically and commercially killing it right now. There’s also no denying Soul Plane might have been one of the worst movies ever.

Jennifer Lopez – Bordertown

Not even J-Lo, Antonio Banderas, and Martin Sheen could rescue this for qualifying as some certified struggle cinema.

LL Cool J – Edison Force

Ladies love Cool James, but critics have no love for 2005’s Edison Force.

photo: WENN

Mo’Nique – Phat Girlz

For someone who earned an Oscar and graduated from the school of #KeepIt100, Mo’Nique has participated in her fair share of struggle movies. Go ahead and add Phat Girlz to that list.

Chris Rock – Pootie Tang

On the low, Pootie Tang is a cult favorite. Who hasn’t said, “Sign your pitty on the runny kine,” at least once? That doesn’t mean it’s a good movie, though.

Michael K. Williams – Belly 2: Millionaire Boyz Club

How do you go from The Wire to doing the unauthorized sequel to Belly?

Beyonce And Mekhi Phifer – Carmen

No Hip-Hop opera has ever fared well, and that includes MTV’s 2001 reboot of Carmen Jones. Even Queen Bey probably regrets this choice.

photo: WENN

Eva Mendes – Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror

While All About The Benjamins gets hood love, there’s really no defense for a discount bin sequel to Children Of The Corn. We’ve all done some degree of wackness for a check.

Jessica Alba – Honey

Few movies are as deserving of a “GTFOHWTBS” chant as much as Honey.

Rosario Dawson – The Adventures Of Pluto Nash

Eddie Murphy has taken a couple good actors with him down the road of post-Boomerang cinematic trash. Any functioning heterosexual man loves Rosario too much to knock her for falling victim, but this movie was that trash.

Lisa Kudrow – Marci X

The fact that the hood forgave Damon Wayans for this and Blankman lets you know just how powerful that In Living Color love is.