Just last year actress Megan Fox was one of Hollywood’s hottest commodities, appearing on every major magazine cover and dominating red carpets around the globe. But with a diva reputation and news that she will no longer be a part of the film franchise that made her a star, is Megan Fox’s time in Hollywood almost up?
Despite rampant speculation that she was fired from the third installment of ‘Transformers,’ Fox has said she chose to leave the blockbuster on her own accord, with many speculating she had had enough of director Michael Bay’s “verbal abuse” and wanted out. And the beef between the two certainly comes as no surprise – in the past, Fox has referred to her former boss as “Hitler” and he reportedly said she needs to “grow up.”
But given that her other movie attempts have been box office flops (most recently, “Jennifer’s Body” debuted at a dismal number five, earning just $6.8 million), and that she’s been slammed by movie crews, will other big name directors be willing to take a gamble and hire the 23-year-old star?
"It’s never a good idea to speak negatively about a director you work with - it’s a small community,” said Hollywood producer Nathan Folks. “Actors sometimes think they can get away with anything, the egos some possess are out of control. When they stop getting work, they will learn.”
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Matt Atchity, the editor in chief for movie site Rotten Tomatoes, echoed Folks’ sentiment.
“You have to question the motives of an actor who is turning down a role in a movie that is going to be massive," Atchity said. "Michael Bay does big blockbusters. They do a ton of business and you get them in front of a bunch of people. They may not be critically acclaimed, but you can't say that those movies are not successful.”
On the flip side, if Bay’s alleged on-set “abuse” is in any way accurate, perhaps Fox should be hailed for speaking out.
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“If Megan was indeed verbally abused, and pulls back the curtain on what is really going on in Hollywood, and tells her story to the right person like Oprah, she could reach icon status,” said Associated Press pop culture reporter Natalie Rotman. "There has been a long history of tyrant male directors in Hollywood. If Bay really did verbally abuse Fox and she is the first to speak up to a bully director, it could make her a pioneer.”
Still, Fox might have trouble pulling on the public’s heart strings, especially with her negative reputation.
"Megan has got some work to do to keep her current persona from affecting the roles that she's going to get, or if she's going to be able to get roles at all because no production is going to want somebody that has been seen as trouble,” Atchity added. “You get yourself labeled as problematic and troublesome, and that's kind of the kiss of death.”
So is Fox is going away – or is she here to stay?
"Only time will tell if Megan Fox is a hero or a liability,” Rotman added. “If she makes the right choices, she could definitely have what it takes to sustain a very lucrative career.”
And who knows, maybe she is much smarter than most give her credit for.
“If 'Transformers 3' tanks, then she'll be seen as the genius who got out early,” said Atchity.
Stay tuned...
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