MovieChat Forums > Karen Allen Discussion > What the Hell Happened to Karen Allen?

What the Hell Happened to Karen Allen?

posted 6 years ago by TMC-4 (20137)
26 replies | jump to latest

https://lebeauleblog.com/2015/04/04/what-the-hell-happened-to-karen-allen/

Karen Allen starred in one of the best-remembered blockbuster movies of all time. She has worked with Steven Spielberg, Richard Donner, John Carpenter and William Friedkin. Her costars include Harrison Ford, Al Pacino, Billy Murray and John Belushi. But despite appearing in several hit movies, Allen never became a big star. As the 80’s ended, her career cooled off and eventually she threw in the towel. She left Hollywood for the Berkshire Mountains.

What the hell happened?

[–] Nicko's Nose (1651) 6 years ago

I was wondering about that, but nah, don’t want to click on your stupid link.

[–] KnowsMore (523) 6 years ago

Yeah, I clicked it. Bullshit spread over as many pages as possible.

TMC-4 you might want to not promote clickbait. We've enough of that here at the bottom of the page.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

wow 13 pages of Karen Allen history!

[–] FootOfDavros (8156) 5 years ago

I never click on links to articles or YouTube clips. This is a discussion board right here.

Can anyone let me know - in writing, on this a discussion board - what happened to Karen Allen...

[–] hotsummerday (93) 5 years ago

uh..she looks too much like Margot Kidder,the big star,right??

[–] FootOfDavros (8156) 5 years ago

Yeah - was just watching Scrooged thinking exactly the same thing. She could easily have played Lois Lane!

[–] charliekelly (1018) 5 years ago

You're missing out on the YouTube videos. I drop gold, on the regular.

[–] DancingintheDark (1614) 2 years ago

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm2w2dgea3s

[–] TMC-4 (20137) 5 years ago

https://www.quora.com/Why-isn-t-Karen-Allen-cast-in-many-big-roles-anymore/answer/Jon-Mixon-1

She never really was.

Allen was cast in Raiders of the Lost Ark because she was attractive, but wouldn't overshadow her costar Harrison Ford. From there, she did Starman (which is a cult classic, but bombed), she did Scrooged with Bill Murray which also bombed; and made a series of smaller films, none of which led to her career improving.

Allen had a child, and moved into performing stage roles. By the early 1990s, she was no longer a major draw at the box office and she moved to Massachusetts, where she still lives today. She teaches acting, she owns a knitting business, and she occasionally takes small roles in film and television.

If Starman or Scrooged been hits, it's likely that Allen would have been far more successful than she has been. However they were not, and than her reprising her biggest role in the 2008 offering from Indiana Jones franchise, she's no longer a significant player in Hollywood. She's also 68, which in Hollywood means “grandmother” and “lonely old woman” roles.

Karen Allen was cast in lead roles in three prominent films early on, only one of which was successful. That lack of success is why she wasn't cast very often later in her career.

[–] FootOfDavros (8156) 5 years ago

Thanks!

I forgot about her being in Starman. Watched Scrooged again recently (hence looking at this board) and whilst, yes, a classic now you forget it wasn't a box office success at the time...

[–] TMC-4 (20137) 4 years ago

https://www.quora.com/Why-did-Karen-Allen-have-such-a-mediocre-movie-career-after-Raiders-of-the-Lost-Ark/answer/Jon-Mixon-1

She chose her roles poorly following Raiders - Until September was an Allen role that cast her as the “other woman” in an adulterous relationship. While it’s a good film (It was a staple on late night cable in the 1980s) it was never going to be a big box office draw, and Allen needed those if she was going to end the 1980s as a box office name. (See below)

She chose theater over films - While she never explains exactly why she did this, given her age at the time (she was 30/31) that proved to be an unwise choice if she had any intention of becoming a major film star…or even a minor one.

She got a relatively late start - Allen was born in 1951. For her to have a successful career in Hollywood she would have needed to get into films in the early 1970s in her 20s, and then expanded from there. While people like to point out her role in Animal House (which BTW, was essentially a minor one) the reality is that her first LEADING role was Raiders in 1981. That “lost decade” really prevented her from becoming a major player.

The failure of Starman - Basically everyone expected that Starman was at least going to be a minor hit considering that its leading performers were an actor who was becoming an A-lister (Jeff Bridges) and another one who was coming a surprise blockbuster (Allen). It’s subsequent failure was blow too both actors; however Bridges had two films in the can that year (Against All Odds and Jagged Edge) while Allen had virtually nothing. He recovered and went on to have an impressive career, while Allen returned to theater and minor television roles. Oddly, given their exceptional chemistry together in the film, they have never appeared in another one together again.

[–] kukuxu (5409) 4 years ago

Thank you for the link!

I still don't see it. That comment summarizes perfectly why she didn't became a star. And it makes sense.

However... why she didn't became a popular secondary?? She was pretty, funny and had tons of charisma. She had what's needed to become a great supporting actress, and still... she barely had any role in important movies. And I'm not talking about the star role, but about secondary ones.

There must be something more.

[–] Kowalski (75529) 4 years ago

In 1988, Allen married actor Kale Browne and had a son, Nicholas, in 1990. The couple divorced in 1998.[18]

Following the birth of her son, Allen accepted smaller roles in TV and films to concentrate on raising Nicholas.[13] Nicholas went on to become a personal chef and win a Chopped competition on the Food Network, aired December 22, 2016

[–] kukuxu (5409) 4 years ago

That could be it.

(Thanks for writing in lowers 😊 )

[–] ewd76 (1174) 2 months ago

I bet she has lots of cats.

[–] TMC-4 (20137) 4 years ago

Why isn’t Karen Allen cast in many big roles anymore?

https://www.quora.com/q/gmfinfolbbfvuwot/Why-isn-t-Karen-Allen-cast-in-many-big-roles-anymore-1

By choice on her part. Let’s hear the reasons from HER mouth, not internet speculation.

I've never done anything for money. My first love is things of limited commercial appeal. I could be happy doing Shakespeare for the rest of my life.

[–] snepts (11123) 5 years ago

She was very winsome in what I saw her in, but she never got her Norma Rae or Silkwood film that might have shown her as a versatile actor and a strong lead. I do like her, though.

[–] Who (5146) 4 years ago

The way of most actresses - ageism + sexism

The last film I saw her in was The Perfect Storm. It was a teeny tiny role and I had to look up the cast to confirm it was her.

[–] huwdj (4566) 4 years ago

I watched Perfect Storm just because Karen Allen was in it - but you're right, it really was a small role.
I really really like her. She is in three of my favourite films - but I think the thrust of this thread is correct - she didn't have the luck of a few big films and/or she prioritized a family live and/or wanted a stage career. But having just re-watched Starman I can only say I wish she had more star roles in the can.

[–] Who (5146) 4 years ago

She was great in Starman. Too bad she never got to be a Meryl and Sally, because she was definitely as good as them.

[–] TMC-4 (20137) 2 years ago

https://www.datalounge.com/thread/10278135--star-making-roles-that-backfired

R149, Karen said (tv interview or magazine) that Spielberg didn't need actors. That the way he used actors was like props and she felt that it was sorta beneath her. Spielberg was furious after that. Her career nosedived after that.

by Anonymous reply 150 November 25, 2012 4:51 AM

[–] ebhaynz (3688) 3 years ago

I believe..Karen Allen..chose her roles...poorly.

[–] Oskar (299) 3 years ago

Didn't she go and work in a tollbooth or something?

[–] hyperjet (723) 3 years ago

A tollbooth is probably a better place than Hollyweird. I can't blame anyone for leaving that place/culture.

[–] AckbarsRevenge (3800) 2 years ago

She isn't jewish. It's a well known fact that only jewish actors succeed in Hollywood.