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There was a time when it felt like All-American Hollywood dreamboat Chris O'Donnell was everywhere,
having made a name for himself in the '90s in hit movies like Fried Green Tomatoes and
Scent of a Woman.
Since 2009, the actor has appeared as G. Callen in the CBS drama NCIS: Los Angeles.
But blockbuster roles appear to be in short supply.
So why won't Hollywood cast Chris O'Donnell anymore?
Batman & Robin sucked
For many actors, landing a role in a superhero movie is a major career boost, which appeared
to be the case when O'Donnell took his first turn as the Caped Crusader's sidekick in the
bad, but bearable, Batman Forever.
Unfortunately, the film's follow-up, Batman & Robin, was an infamous dud that put the
Batman franchise on ice.
"Stay cool, bird boy."
The film put an end to the quartet of films, and Batman's next live-action outing didn't
come until Christian Bale's raspy Dark Detective appeared nearly a decade later.
Plans had been in the works for a fifth film that would have centered on Robin, and the
solo hero film might have been a career breakthrough for O'Donnell.
But Batman & Robin was such a colossal failure that further plans for the series were scrapped.
Instead of establishing himself as a box office powerhouse, O'Donnell went down with the ship.
He rejected Men In Black
In another, weirder timeline, audiences are getting jiggy with Chris O'Donnell instead
of Will Smith as the lead in the hugely popular 1997 hit, Men in Black.
But in our reality, the former Robin said "no thank you" to a chance at the recurring
role.
Instead, O'Donnell virtually disappeared in the years following the movie's release...
perhaps having left Hollywood in search of a neuralyzer to erase his memories of passing
on the role of Agent J, who's infinitely cooler than Robin anyhow.
"Holy corpuscles!"
His comeback also tanked
Following a couple of years away from the industry, O'Donnell returned to action in
movies you've probably never heard of, like Cookie's Fortune, The Bachelor, and Vertical
Limit.
None of them made much of an impact, and Hollywood executives may have viewed their relative
failure as an indication that O'Donnell's commercial appeal was damaged beyond repair
by those terrible old Bat-nipples.
The jump to TV
With feature opportunities drying up and a growing family, O'Donnell turned to small
arcs on shows like Grey's Anatomy and Two and a Half Men, which kept him out of the
spotlight while allowing him to continue working consistently as an actor.
O'Donnell finally found a home on the small screen with a starring role as the head crime-fighting
orphan on NCIS: Los Angeles.
So maybe he did get that third shot at Robin after all.
Family first
Ultimately, the choice to shy away from mega-fame was O'Donnell's.
The actor had been married to his wife Caroline Fentress since 1997, and the couple has five
children together.
O'Donnell said that he intentionally backed away from fame so he could focus on his role
as a father and husband.
What's next?
O'Donnell's career may not be what it was during the '90s, but that doesn't mean the
door has closed.
He's proven he has the chops to act in everything from rom-coms to action films, and he's building
a loyal fanbase among NCIS: Los Angeles viewers since 2009.
It's something that could translate to box office gold, given the right role.
Until then, however, he seems content to earn a steady living while loving the life he's
carved out for himself.
And we forgive you for Batman & Robin.
"I hate to disappoint you but...rubber lips are immune to your charms."
Well, we almost forgive you.
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