Last year saw the comeback of two Hollywood actors in a major way – both Brendan Fraser and Ke Huy Quan went from career lulls to Oscar wins for their roles in The Whale and Everything Everywhere All at Once. Now, Reddit users have been debating which actors deserve a similar moment back in the spotlight after quiet periods in their careers.
Rick Moranis was a popular choice, with over 300 upvotes. He took a break from acting in 1997 after the death of his wife so he could take care of his two children. He starred in movies like Ghostbusters, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, and The Flintstones back in the '80s and '90s, but he hasn't acted since his voice role in 2003's Brother Bear (and its 2006 sequel Brother Bear 2).
"Happy to see I'm not alone here," one Redditor commented. "He seems like such a great guy, and had an unmatched charisma really seeming to put his heart into his roles."
Another user added: "He did retire to raise his kids after his wife died. Now that they're grown, he could potentially make a comeback."
Michael Biehn, known for his roles in Aliens, The Terminator, and The Abyss, was another source of agreement. "He was the first person I thought of," one user commented. "He's a great actor whose career stalled due to alcoholism. He's put that behind him now, so I think he deserves another chance. Too bad guys his age don't get many lead roles."
"I was over the moon when he cameo’d in The Mandalorian season 2!" another commenter wrote. "Would love to see him make a comeback in a big way."
Former child star Dakota Fanning, who has a supporting role in the upcoming The Equalizer 3, was also mentioned. "I always thought Dakota Fanning was an exceptionally gifted child actor but she seems to have disappeared and been replaced by her younger sister," a commenter remarked.
"I'd like to see her act as an adult and find out what she's capable of." After starring in Charlotte's Web, War of the Worlds, and Coraline in the '00s, Fanning's leading roles became fewer and further between, and now her younger sister Elle has a more prolific acting career.
Other actors mentioned in the thread include Meg Ryan, Lindsay Lohan, and Josh Hartnett, although the latter's comeback seems to have already begun – he played physicist Ernest Lawrence in Oppenheimer and starred alongside Aaron Paul in an episode of Black Mirror season 6.
For more, check out our guide to the best upcoming movies and this year's most highly anticipated movie release dates.
