Marisa Tomei

For some performers, winning an Oscar became both a blessing and a curse. While an Academy Award could lead to bigger and better roles, it could also bring about career stagnation, as the actor tried to live up to unrealistic expectations. Actress Marisa Tomei was in danger of failing to warrant the hype after seemingly coming out of nowhere to nab Best Supporting Actress for her comical performance in "My Cousin Vinny" (1992). Though she spent the following years in little-seen movies like "Only You" (1994) and "Happy Accidents" (2000), Tomei also delivered powerful performances in indie dramas "Unhook the Stars" (1996) and "The Slums of Beverly Hills" (1998), but they failed to propel her career due to slim box office performances. She proved her talent and career longevity, however, with her Oscar-nominated, subtle but complex turns in "In the Bedroom" (2001) and "The Wrestler" (2008), as well as strong performances in films ranging from romantic comedy "Crazy, Stupid, Love" (2011) to barbed satire "The Big Short" (2015) proving her worth to critics who had cruelly deemed her win for "My Cousin Vinny" to be a fluke, vindicating fans and critics who recognized her considerable talents all along.