MovieChat Forums > RoboCop (1987) Discussion > Why was Peter Weller never a bigger star...

Why was Peter Weller never a bigger star?


You'd think that with RoboCop being such a huge hit, studios would be knocking down his door trying to sign him up for a film. He still had a decent career, but he's still not exactly a household name.

Is it because he's kind of quirky and has a bit of a laidback downplayed style? Or is it because he was already kind of a late bloomer when he first he hit it big with Buckaroo Banzai and later RoboCop? To put things kindly, Weller never really possessed leading man looks and arguably always looked 15 years older than he was.

Then again, maybe Weller simply just wasn't that interested in being a big star. Acting is just one gig for him. He was likely too busy working getting his post-graduate degrees in Roman and Renaissance Art to become a star.

reply

He's really not a leading man type..he doesn't have the presence nor can he display emotion convincingly enough to compel the audience. Good for Robocop thou

reply

Rather large eyes and seemingly no eye brows. Less eyes, more brows.

reply

[deleted]

No idea, but I wonder if it's because he wasn't a big guy? Action stars of the 80s and early 90s were either huge, ripped, or knew martial arts in real life.

reply

He's got nothing to complain about. He's done quite well for himself.

reply

According to him he was “turned down a lot” and “it was a struggle finding solid projects” he’s was also sent terrible scrips. He contemplated giving up acting. This was in 2001 or there about.

reply

Why didn't Peter Weller become a huge movie star after the commercial and critical success of RoboCop?

https://www.quora.com/Why-didnt-Peter-Weller-become-a-huge-movie-star-after-the-commercial-and-critical-success-of-RoboCop/answer/Jon-Mixon-1

reply

It’s because the real stars of Robocop were Miguel Ferrer, Ronny Cox and Kurtwood Smith.

Peter Weller was, like them, a character actor, and not a leading man type.

reply