Actresses Who Revived Their Careers
Comebacks in entertainment rarely happen by accident. They usually arrive when a performer finds the right role, partners with the right creative team, and embraces a fresh lane that plays to their strengths. Streaming platforms opened new doors, prestige television blurred the lines with film, and legacy franchises created space for unexpected returns. The result has been a wave of revived careers that reminded audiences how much these performers still have to offer.
The stories below focus on concrete projects that changed momentum. You will see titles that kicked open opportunities, awards that followed, and follow up roles that kept the resurgence going. Each entry includes the key turning points and where that energy led next.
Jennifer Coolidge
Her career spiked again when she played Tanya McQuoid in ‘The White Lotus’. The role earned her a Primetime Emmy and a Golden Globe and led to high profile bookings across film and television, including a key part in ‘The Watcher’ and a featured role in ‘Shotgun Wedding’.
Casting directors began considering her for dramatic and comedic parts that had not been available to her in years. She became a go to presence for limited series and ensemble films, with scripts arriving from creators who wanted to write specifically for her voice.
Winona Ryder
She returned to mainstream visibility as Joyce Byers in ‘Stranger Things’. The show’s success brought Screen Actors Guild wins for the ensemble and placed her at the center of a global hit that introduced her work to a new generation.
The momentum led to new film roles and endorsements while also restoring her box office draw. She continued to appear in projects with strong genre appeal, including a reunion with a longtime collaborator in ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’.
Michelle Yeoh
Her resurgence accelerated with ‘Crazy Rich Asians’, then reached a new peak with ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress and followed with substantive roles in ‘American Born Chinese’ and ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’.
Major franchises expanded their plans around her, including confirmed returns in the ‘Avatar’ series and continued involvement with ‘Star Trek’. The renewed attention also brought producing opportunities and leadership roles on international projects.
Renée Zellweger
After a break from the spotlight she returned with ‘Judy’ and won the Academy Award for Best Actress. She then moved into television to headline ‘The Thing About Pam’, a limited series that drew wide coverage for its transformation and true crime focus.
The success put her back on the shortlists for leading roles in mid budget dramas and comedies. It also helped clear a path for a new chapter in the ‘Bridget Jones’ franchise, which reconnected her with a signature character.
Drew Barrymore
A carefully chosen string of titles revitalized her adult career, starting with a scene stealing turn in ‘Scream’ and continuing through ‘The Wedding Singer’, ‘Never Been Kissed’, and ‘Charlie’s Angels’. She co founded Flower Films and used the company to develop vehicles that fit her range.
She later broadened her reach by launching ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’, which brought her back to daily television. The move increased her visibility, created a platform for projects she produced, and kept her part of ongoing conversations around film and entertainment.
Nicole Kidman
She shifted into prestige television with ‘Big Little Lies’ and won both Emmy and Golden Globe awards for the role. That pivot unlocked further series leads in ‘The Undoing’ and ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’, while sustaining a parallel slate of feature films.
The strategy expanded her collaboration network with top writers and directors. It also helped usher in larger roles as a producer, where she backed projects that featured complex female leads across film and streaming.
Patricia Arquette
Her film comeback arrived with ‘Boyhood’, which earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She then headlined ‘Escape at Dannemora’ and ‘The Act’, winning major awards and proving her strength in limited series.
She remained visible with a key supporting role in ‘Severance’. That ensemble placement kept her present with younger audiences and positioned her for additional creator driven shows.
Christina Applegate
She reentered the awards conversation by starring in ‘Dead to Me’. The series delivered multiple Emmy nominations and showed her command of both comedy and drama across several seasons.
During production she shared her multiple sclerosis diagnosis and still completed the show, earning industry respect and attention for future work. The run renewed interest in developing projects tailored to her timing and onscreen partnership skills.
Keri Russell
She transformed her career with Elizabeth Jennings in ‘The Americans’, which brought critical acclaim and awards recognition. The role proved her capacity for layered drama after early fame from ‘Felicity’.
She then led ‘The Diplomat’ and received new nominations for that performance. The two series established a durable path in political and espionage storytelling that sustained her lead actor status.
Gillian Anderson
Her shift to darker prestige roles began with Stella Gibson in ‘The Fall’. She later portrayed Margaret Thatcher in ‘The Crown’ and won both an Emmy and a Golden Globe for the performance.
She broadened her range by playing Jean Milburn in ‘Sex Education’, which connected with younger viewers. The combination of titles positioned her for film work and high profile limited series across the UK and the US.
Jodie Comer
She broke through internationally as Villanelle in ‘Killing Eve’ and won an Emmy and multiple BAFTA awards. The series led quickly to feature roles in ‘Free Guy’ and ‘The Last Duel’.
Her stage performance in ‘Prima Facie’ transferred from the West End to Broadway and won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. The dual success in television and theatre secured top tier offers across mediums.
Christina Ricci
She found a new gear as Misty Quigley in ‘Yellowjackets’, which brought Emmy nominations and renewed attention to her career. The role leveraged her early film experience while introducing her to a prestige television audience.
She followed with a key role in ‘Wednesday’, adding a genre hit with strong global reach. The back to back successes created momentum for additional streaming series work and independent features.
Jennifer Lopez
Her acting profile spiked again with ‘Hustlers’, which earned nominations from major guilds and awards bodies. The film reestablished her box office presence and expanded her opportunities as a lead in adult dramas.
She also sustained the resurgence through television with ‘Shades of Blue’ and by producing and starring in subsequent films. The run positioned her as a bankable star who could carry music infused projects and grounded thrillers alike.
Marisa Tomei
She earned an Academy Award nomination for ‘The Wrestler’, which marked a major return to serious film roles. Casting directors then saw her as a versatile performer for both independent cinema and studio projects.
Her portrayal of May Parker in the ‘Spider-Man’ films connected her to a multigenerational audience. The combination of awards pedigree and franchise visibility expanded her list of offers across genres.
Uma Thurman
Her career reignited around the two part revenge saga ‘Kill Bill’. The role restored her action credentials and placed her at the center of a modern cult classic.
She later reestablished a steady television presence through ‘Imposters’ and ‘Suspicion’. Those projects kept her profile current and opened more options for limited series and international co productions.
Sandra Oh
She moved from a long running ensemble role on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ to a lead turn in ‘Killing Eve’. She became the first Asian woman to receive a lead drama actress Emmy nomination and she also won a Golden Globe for the role.
The momentum led to additional series such as ‘The Chair’ and film work that highlighted her range. She expanded her voice work as well, strengthening a cross medium footprint that endured beyond the initial comeback.
Sheryl Lee Ralph
She achieved a late career breakthrough with Barbara Howard in ‘Abbott Elementary’. The performance won her the Primetime Emmy for Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and brought wide recognition for decades of consistent work.
The award opened doors for new film roles and special appearances. It also brought renewed attention to her stage background, leading to concert engagements and television guest roles that showcased her musical training.
Natasha Lyonne
She rebuilt her career playing Nicky Nichols in ‘Orange Is the New Black’. That visibility set the stage for her to co create and star in ‘Russian Doll’, which earned multiple Emmy nominations.
She then led the mystery of the week series ‘Poker Face’ and received further awards recognition. The path gave her leverage as a creator performer who could originate concepts and anchor long running shows.
Laura Dern
She returned to the center of the conversation with Renata Klein in ‘Big Little Lies’, which won her the Primetime Emmy for Supporting Actress in a Limited Series. The renewed heat carried into film, where she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for ‘Marriage Story’.
She reinforced her mainstream presence with a return to a signature franchise in ‘Jurassic World Dominion’. The sequence of roles balanced prestige and blockbuster work and sustained the revival.
Kate Hudson
She reemerged with a lively supporting turn in ‘Glass Onion’. The role brought nominations from critics groups and industry associations and reminded producers of her comedic timing.
She followed with an arc in ‘Truth Be Told’ that showed a different tone. The mix of a streaming ensemble hit and a grounded drama widened the range of roles offered to her.
Michelle Pfeiffer
She came back to the forefront with roles in the Marvel titles ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’ and ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’. Those appearances restored her presence in large scale releases.
She paired the franchise work with ‘French Exit’, which earned a Golden Globe nomination. The pairing of independent drama and blockbuster films brought sustained opportunities with top directors.
Rachel Weisz
Her resurgence flowed through ‘The Favourite’, which earned her an Academy Award nomination and a BAFTA win for supporting actress. The film strengthened her hand for complex and eccentric characters.
She then headlined ‘Dead Ringers’ and received an Emmy nomination for playing twin obstetricians. The limited series affirmed her ability to carry ambitious streaming projects as a lead and executive producer.
Robin Wright
She rebuilt her career on television with Claire Underwood in ‘House of Cards’. The role brought a Golden Globe win and multiple Emmy nominations and included her work as a director on many episodes.
She parlayed the momentum into feature directing and continued acting in film and television. The sustained run demonstrated that behind the camera roles could live alongside lead acting parts.
Mandy Moore
She shifted from teen star to mature lead with Rebecca Pearson in ‘This Is Us’. The performance earned nominations from the Emmys and the Golden Globes and made her central to a long running hit.
She used the renewed visibility to return to music while continuing television work. The balance kept her active across mediums and extended the lifespan of the comeback beyond a single project.
Pamela Anderson
She reframed her public narrative with the Netflix documentary ‘Pamela, a Love Story’. The film’s release coincided with a wave of renewed interest in her life and past work, which led to new conversations in film and television.
She made a high profile Broadway debut in ‘Chicago’ as Roxie Hart. The stage success prompted additional offers and appearances that reintroduced her to audiences as a performer beyond her earlier persona.
Share which comeback inspired you most in the comments.
