Curse of the Oscars: 7 actors who may have been 'jinxed' after winning Hollywood's most coveted award

Some of the industry's best-known stars are believed to have suffered from the phenomenon

By Web Desk

Published: Wed 15 Mar 2023, 6:01 PM

Last updated: Fri 24 Mar 2023, 11:30 AM

Last Sunday night's Academy Awards threw up loads of surprises. Michelle Yeoh created history by becoming the first Asian person to win the Best Actress trophy. Naatu Naatu from the Telugu hit RRR also made it to the record books by becoming the first Indian film song to win an Oscar, after beating favourites like Lady Gaga and Rihanna. However, the coveted award is claimed to also bring 'bad luck' to some of the winners. Many have suffered what is known in the industry as the 'Oscar Curse'.

So, what is the 'Oscar Curse'? Is it a myth, a superstitious belief or does it affect the lives of the Academy Awards winners for real?

Some of Hollywood’s best-known stars are believed to have suffered from the phenomenon, called the ‘Oscars Curse’.

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The curse is said to be a superstitious belief that occurs and stars who have won the Best Actress trophy have had trouble with their partners, husbands or loved ones, and in some cases, a few of them have even gone on to file for divorce. Not, only that, but some of them have seen their careers going downhill, with many of them not being able to bag major roles in movies, according to a report.

The strange phenomenon also applies to the Best Actor category. While some stars may have suffered the 'curse' other winners consider it as a simply superstitious belief.

Here are some top stars who have reportedly become victims of the 'curse':

1. Halle Berry

Halle Berry arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 12, 2023, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

She won an Oscar for her performance in Monster’s Ball in 2002. But soon after bringing the trophy home her movies like Gothika, Catwoman, and Perfect Stranger got hammered by critics and she started losing her status in the industry and failed to come up with any noteworthy performances.

2. Gwyneth Paltrow

She won the Best Actress win for Shakespeare in Love in 1999, but soon she took a long break from movies. She also separated from her husband Chris Martin in 2014, after being in a relationship with the musician since 2002 .

3. Renee Zellweger

Soon after winning Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 2004 for her role in Cold Mountain, Zellweger's career took a nose dive. She, however, beat the 'curse' and managed to make a comeback only in 2019 with Judy.

4. Charlize Theron

Her role in 2004's much-acclaimed drama, Monster, elevated her to superstar status and won her the Best Actress Oscar. However, post the win she lost momentum and failed to find any meaningful roles.

5. Kim Basinger

She became a household name after bagging the trophy for her role in 1997’s LA Confidential. But that was the last big role she played. In 2002, Kim and husband Alec Baldwin also got divorced after a nine-year marriage.

6. Adrien Brody

At the age of 29, Brody is perhaps the youngest star to bag the Best Actor trophy for his role in the 2002 war drama, The Pianist. After that, his career started slipping as his movies like King Kong , Darjeeling Limited and The Village did not receive favourable reviews. Since then, the actor has been trying to achieve success

7. Cuba Mark Gooding Jr.

He won the Best Actor in a Supporting Role trophy in 1996 for his role in Jerry Maguire (1996). However, after that, his appearances in movies such as Pearl Harbor and Boat Trip were not much liked by critics. The actor is also facing a number of sexual abuse cases. At least 12 women alleged misconduct.

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