Maybe the Red Sox aren't the only ones cursed

As the days click by towards Oscar night, a very good question was asked recently: is winning an Oscar a career-booster, or a career-ender? You'd think that winning the coveted award would bring valuable recognition to actors and actresses, and in some cases it has! But on the flip side, though, a number of performers have watched their careers tank after winning the gold.

The article above mentions F. Murray Abraham, who won Best Actor for Amadeus in 1984—and who's damn near disappeared from the scene since then. I don't know why, because I think the man's a great actor! Charlize Theron is another one who comes to mind. After winning Best Actress for Monster, she hasn't done too much for herself (and before you mention North Country, let me remind you that it was a seriously flawed movie). But Adrien Brody, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Angelina Jolie, Robert Benigni, Juliette Binoche, Cher, Marlee Matlin, Whoopi Goldberg . . . have any of these Oscar winners landed any good roles lately? Kim Basinger's win for L.A. Confidential was probably the only bright spot she had in quite a while!

On the other hand, though, an Oscar win has worked out remarkably well for others. I've lost count of how many Oscars Jack Nicholson has won, and he's still kickin' out the goods. Robin Williams has alternated between good and bad movies, but you can't deny the man's comedic genius, nor his talents as a serious actor. (For the record, Robin Williams' 2002 DVD from Broadway is mandatory viewing for any fan—but be warned, Robin Williams totally unrestrained, while unsurpassed genius in itself, is damn near scary!) Tom Hanks, Da Vinci Code notwithstanding, I think has done pretty well for himself. In fact, I respect him more and more each day as a serious actor. For a man who started out in comedy, he's grown into quite a fine performer who can do far more than just make you laugh. Frances McDormand seems to get better with each performance she gives. Same goes for Michael Caine, Gene Hackman, Al Pacino.

I guess it's truly a two-way street for actors today when it comes to an Oscar. Some see their careers peak with it, others see their careers flourish afterwards. For those I hope win an Oscar this year, I hope it helps their careers flourish. I guess it just depends on the roles that each actor chooses, and what they as professionals can bring to their roles. That's what proves their worth after an Oscar.