Gay Actresses Hollywood Pushed—But Audiences Didn’t Bite

Hollywood frequently attempts to manufacture the next generation of leading ladies by investing millions in global marketing campaigns. Studios often select talented performers from the LGBTQ+ community to spearhead major blockbusters or potential franchises. Audiences sometimes reject these casting choices due to a perceived lack of on-screen charisma or general disinterest in the projects themselves. The following list explores female actors who received significant industry backing that failed to translate into sustained mainstream dominance.

Ruby Rose

The industry marketed this Australian model and DJ as the next major action star following her breakout role in ‘Orange Is the New Black’. She secured high-profile roles in blockbusters like ‘xXx: Return of Xander Cage’ and ‘The Meg’ to appeal to global audiences. Her casting as the lead in the CW series ‘Batwoman’ was intended to cement her status as a superhero icon. Viewers criticized her acting range and the writing of her projects which led to her departure from the show after just one season. Her attempt to transition from a supporting player to a franchise lead struggled to find a dedicated fanbase.

Cara Delevingne

Studios positioned this supermodel to become a defining actress of her generation with lead roles in massive budget films. She was the face of ‘Paper Towns’ and the visual anchor for the sci-fi epic ‘Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets’. Critics and audiences alike felt her performances often lacked the emotional depth required to carry such expensive productions. Her turn as Enchantress in ‘Suicide Squad’ was widely mocked despite the film making money. The pivot from runway to cinema proved difficult as box office returns for her solo vehicles disappointed investors.

Amber Heard

Warner Bros. and other studios pushed her as a classic leading lady in films like ‘The Rum Diary’ and ‘3 Days to Kill’. Her biggest break came with the role of Mera in the DC Extended Universe film ‘Aquaman’ alongside Jason Momoa. Public perception turned sharply against her during her highly publicized legal battles with Johnny Depp. Petitions to remove her from sequels gained millions of signatures as general audiences rejected her presence on screen. The massive negative publicity overshadowed her acting work and rendered her a polarizing figure in Hollywood.

Kristen Stewart

Hollywood worked hard to rebrand her as an action hero and diverse lead after the massive success of the ‘Twilight’ saga. Studios cast her in the reboot of ‘Charlie’s Angels’ and the sci-fi thriller ‘Underwater’ hoping to launch new franchises. Both films underperformed significantly at the box office despite aggressive marketing campaigns. General audiences seemed unwilling to accept her as a conventional blockbuster action star. She has since found much greater success and acclaim in smaller independent dramas rather than the tentpole films studios wanted her to carry.

Anne Heche

She was on the verge of becoming a massive A-list star in the late 1990s with leads in ‘Volcano’ and ‘Six Days Seven Nights’. Her decision to go public with her relationship with Ellen DeGeneres caused a sudden and severe freeze from mainstream studios. Executives reportedly feared that audiences would not buy her as a romantic lead opposite male stars like Harrison Ford. The industry push evaporated almost overnight despite her evident talent and rising profile. Her career trajectory serves as a historical example of how Hollywood used to react to out actresses.

Amandla Stenberg

Lucasfilm cast her as the dual lead in the expansive ‘Star Wars’ series ‘The Acolyte’ with hopes of capturing a younger demographic. The show faced an immense wave of backlash from a vocal segment of the fandom and received low audience scores. Disney cancelled the series after only one season due to the high production costs versus the viewership numbers. She also led the film adaptation of ‘The Darkest Minds’ which failed to launch a planned young adult franchise. While talented, her major studio vehicles have struggled to connect with a broad commercial audience.

Kristanna Loken

Producers selected her to be the terrifying villain in ‘Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines’ largely due to her physical presence. The marketing campaign highlighted her as the first female Terminator and poised her for global superstardom. She subsequently headlined the video game adaptation ‘BloodRayne’ which was a critical and commercial failure. Audiences did not latch onto her as a new action icon despite the massive platform provided by the Terminator franchise. Her career shifted primarily to television movies and lower budget projects following these high-profile disappointments.

Ariana DeBose

She won an Academy Award for her incredible performance in ‘West Side Story’ which led to a massive industry push. Disney cast her as the voice lead in the animated centennial celebration film ‘Wish’ and she co-starred in the spy thriller ‘Argylle’. Both films were notable box office bombs that failed to recoup their production budgets. Viewers did not turn up in theaters despite her undeniable singing and dancing talents being front and center. The momentum from her Oscar win has faced hurdles as mainstream audiences have not yet flocked to her leading projects.

Bella Thorne

Disney Channel groomed her for stardom before she transitioned into a career filled with teen dramas and thrillers like ‘Midnight Sun’. She appeared in numerous films in rapid succession in an attempt to saturate the market and build a movie star brand. Critics often panned the quality of these films and general audiences dismissed them as generic fare. Her pivot to directing and adult content creation garnered more attention than her traditional acting roles. The attempt to mold her into a mainstream dramatic actress did not yield the box office results studios anticipated.

Tessa Thompson

Sony Pictures bet big on her chemistry with Chris Hemsworth to revitalize a dormant franchise with ‘Men in Black: International’. The film was a critical disappointment and performed below expectations for such a valuable intellectual property. She has been a standout in supporting roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and ‘Creed’ movies. However, her attempt to anchor a massive summer tentpole on her own name proved challenging. Audiences enjoy her presence in ensembles but the industry struggled to launch her as a solo blockbuster attraction.

Taylor Schilling

Netflix centered the massive hit ‘Orange Is the New Black’ around her character Piper Chapman for several seasons. Hollywood attempted to leverage her television fame into a film career with movies like ‘The Lucky One’ and ‘The Titan’. Moviegoers found her film roles less compelling than her complex television persona. The transition from streaming prestige drama to movie stardom proved difficult as the projects lacked distinctiveness. She remains best known for her television work rather than the film career studios tried to ignite.

Lily-Rose Depp

HBO marketed ‘The Idol’ as a provocative and defining series for the next generation with her in the starring role. The show received scathing reviews for its content and writing while audience viewership dropped significantly over its short run. She also starred in the sci-fi thriller ‘Voyagers’ which vanished from theaters with little fanfare. The industry push relied heavily on her famous lineage and edgy image rather than the quality of the projects. Viewers rejected the controversial nature of her breakout show leading to its swift cancellation.

Michelle Rodriguez

She exploded onto the scene with ‘Girlfight’ and studios immediately tried to position her as a diverse action lead. While she found immense success as a core part of the ‘Fast & Furious’ ensemble, her solo vehicles often faltered. Films like ‘BloodRayne’ and other lower-budget action titles where she received top billing did not attract large crowds. Audiences love her as Letty Ortiz but have not supported her attempts to carry films outside of established franchises. She remains a star but one whose success is tightly tethered to specific team dynamics.

Saffron Burrows

Studios in the late 1990s and early 2000s pushed her as a statuesque leading lady in films like ‘Deep Blue Sea’. She secured a major role in the historical epic ‘Troy’ hoping to capitalize on the sword-and-sandal resurgence. Her presence in these films was often overshadowed by the special effects or her male co-stars. Audiences did not connect with her as a primary box office draw despite her featured roles in hits. She eventually found a more consistent groove in television ensembles rather than as a movie star.

Let us know which of these actresses you believe deserves a second chance at mainstream stardom in the comments.