What the Hell Happened to Elisabeth Shue?

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http://lebeauleblog.com/2011/03/23/what-the-hell-happened-to-elisabeth-shue/

Posted by lebeau

What the hell happened?

Elisabeth Shue went from 80′s girl-next-door to 90′s Oscar-nominated
actress to Piranah 3-D. What the hell happened?

This installment of “What the Hell Happened?” is personal. I first
discovered Elisabeth Shue way back in 1984 as Ralph Macchio’s dream
girl in the original Karate Kid.

Nice, going, Daniel-san!

My 13-year-old self had to give Daniel-san his props. He was playing
way out of his league. I nearly signed up for karate classes as soon
as I left the theater.

Shue psid her dues on TV from ’84-’85 and a horror film about the
missing link in 1986. Just when it looked like Shue would spend the
rest of her career being terrorized by a monkey, along came 1987′s
Adventures in Babysitting.

Adventures in Babysitting was the kind of family-friendly
entertainment Chris Columbus would build his career on. In other
words, it wasn’t very good. But it was harmless and reasonably
engaging. Plus, it featured a young Penelope Ann Miller in a
supporting role.

In 1998, Shue paired with the biggest star in Hollywood at the time, a
post-Top Gun Tom Cruise.

<Insert scientology joke here.>

Again, the movie wasn’t very good. But together, Cruise and Shue
threatened to take over the world through the sheer wattage of their
brilliant smiles.

The movie soundtrack unleashed both Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be
Happy” and the Beach Boy’s “Kokomo” on the world. It’s a wonder pop
culture survived.

Shue followed up Cocktail by appearing in Back to the Future 2 and 3
despite not having appeared in Back to the Future.

Apparently Marty’s trip back in time had some unexpected side effects
on his girlfriend…

The role of Jennifer was played by Claudia Wells in Back to the
Future. But when she dropped out of the sequels, Shue stepped in.
The original George McFly (Crispin Glover) was also replaced for the
sequels. Time travel’s funny that way I guess.

In 1991, Shue appeared in the Alec Baldwin/Kim Basigner disaster, The
Marrying Man which would eventually lead to Baldwin and Basigner’s
marriage, divorce and a series of really unfortunate phone messages.

Shue also appeared in the under-rated comedy, Soapdish.

Look at this cast. How can this not be good?

Soapdish had an all-star cast that included Kevin Kline in his
funniest role since A Fish Called Wanda, an unkown Terri Hatcher and a
pre-rehab, pre-Iron Man Robert Downey Jr. It’s not a classic by any
stretch, but when it works, it’s a lot of fun.

Shue’s career took another nose dive with drivel like 1993′s Heart and
Souls. It seemed like her career would trail off into a “What the
Hell Happened? article right here. But then she landed the role of a
lifetime in Leaving Las Vegas.

Yep, she’s a hooker with a heart of gold. Might as well just hand her
the Oscar.

Shue played the proverbial “hooker with a heart of gold”. There is
nothing Hollywood loves more than a sweet girl next door playing a
hooker. So, Shue was nominated for every single award in 1995. But
after nursing Nicholas Cage for two hours, I’d say she earned them.

An Oscar nomination is a highlight for many actors. And it is not at
all uncommon for an actor’s career to fall off somewhat after
receiving a nomination. For Elisabeth Shue, that meant slumming it
with Val Kilmer in the 1997 remake of The Saint.

Shue continued squandering her cache in Palmetto, Cousin Bette and
Deconstructing Harry before finally winding up in The Hollow Man.

Ever wonder what it’s like to be only one degree from Kevin Bacon?

The Hollow Man represented both Kevin Baon and Shue making one last
gasping attempt at Hollywood stardom. The effects were impressive for
their time. But artistically, The Hollow Man was like making a deal
with the devil.

For all intents and purposes, Hollow Man ended Shue’s career. She
popped up briefly in the thankless role of Robert DeNiro’s girlfriend
in Hide and Seek. But then she faded back into obscurity until
appearing on the HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm in 2009.

That brings us to 2010′s Piranah 3-D.

How to explain an Oscar-nominated actress sinking so low? Well,
here’s all I can think of:

1. Clearly Elisabeth Shue has a fantastic sense of humor.

2. She also has really bad taste in scripts.

3. Shue and Piranha costar Richard Dreyfus lost a bet

4. She wanted to be a part of any project in which Jerry O’Connel’s
reproductive organs are eaten by fish. And who can blame her for
that?

The future has gotten brighter for Elsiabeth Shue fans. In 2012, she
has two films on the horizon, House at the End of the Street and Hope
Springs. Also, Shue will soon be appearing as a regular on TV
mainstay, CSI.

Daniel-san would be proud.