Hollywood is a tricky town. Yes, being a great actor helps but it’s pretty obvious talent doesn’t always count in terms of stardom. Marilyn Monroe wasn’t that good an actress but she’s far more famous today than any of the Oscar-winners of her time. Indeed, it’s telling that some of the longest and more successful careers in Hollywood are the people who spend time in small character parts rather than headlining blockbuster movies. All it takes is a few flops to ruin you and bring you down. But some stars are gifted with remarkable talent and in any role, they can shine brilliantly. It’s obvious by their award wins but even if the movie itself is horrible, they can be a highlight and you can even forgive them for a bad flick now and then. It’s tricky but it works thanks to how amazingly talented these people are.

But then there are the actors who should be giving it up. They can have talent but often just keep going to the same roles over and over again. They can also possess issues like big egos that mar their standing and often seem to carry like they’re huge A-listers when that’s faded. In some cases, it’s almost sad, as a truly talented performer wastes their time on garbage while others don’t have that talent at all. It shows how tricky making it last in this town is and it takes a truly gifted performer to win so much respect. Here are 10 actors who always give great performances no matter what and 10 who should be thinking of packing it in.

don't know when to QUIT: Ben Affleck

Ben Affleck is not a bad actor as he’s shown his talents when given the right scripts. Sadly, Affleck too often has been given bad stuff that doesn’t suit his best work. He’s pretty up front on some of his bad movies.

When hosting SNL, Affleck joked that he went to see Paycheck and “I wanted to ask for my money back, then remembered I was in it!”

He’s had slews of major flops like Gigli and even in his successful movies, he too often goes by a goofy manner that throws folks off. Which is too bad as he’s proven he can be quite good such as in The Town and Gone Girl. He also deserves credit for proving the doubters wrong in the role of Batman although it also shows that selling himself as an action hero doesn’t always work.

Affleck just seems to coast on his looks too much, as if thinking being good looking will just mean major success. The fact is, he’s found much better acclaim as a director, especially the Oscar-winning Argo. Maybe it’s better he stick to that rather than the elder action guy that seems to be dragging his movies down.

ALWAYS GREAT: Denzel Washington

It’s almost forgotten how Denzel Washington got his start on TV with the long-running St. Elsewhere. Back then, he showed a fun charm and some great talent and his good looks got him some work in movies. It was a slow rise but it hit a new height with his turn in Glory which won him an Oscar. He did have a bit of “studio flicks” like Heart Condition and Ricochet. But Malcom X astounded critics with a terrific performance that made Washington well regarded as an actor. He’s kept it up with further great roles like The Hurricane and winning another Oscar for Training Day.

Washington is simply amazing in anything, able to handle Shakespeare, a light comedy and even action flicks with great ease. Even if a movie is a bit poor (John Q, Unstoppable), Washington himself is a force on screen to ground it and make it work for viewers. He keeps it up as his turns in Fences and Roman J. Israel Esq both earned him further Oscar nominations and one of the best regarded stars in Hollywood. A groundbreaker in many ways, Washington is able to make any movie work just by being in it.

don't know when to QUIT: Katherine Heigl

Katherine Heigl’s first roles were the epitome of “pretty teenager” in My Father the Hero and Under Siege 2. She moved onto TV with Roswell and then her Emmy-winning turn in the hit Grey’s Anatomy. Soon, Heigl was dominating in rom-coms, with films like Knocked Up and 27 Dresses and it seemed she was all set for box office stardom.

However, reports of her ego soon grew (such as withdrawing her name from Emmy consideration for “not getting the right material”) and it gave her a bad reputation.

That, combined with bad flops like One For the Money, lowered her standing big time. Heigl has attempted some returns to television, usually in the role of a tough woman fighting the odds. That includes State of Affairs and Doubt, which were both quickly canceled (the latter lasting only two episodes). She’s trying again with the series Suits but it seems Heigl’s attitude has marred her standing and thus her “comebacks” are more ignored as no one likes a huge diva.

ALWAYS GREAT: Morgan Freeman

No matter how bad the rest of a movie may be, whenever Morgan Freeman is on screen, it’s great to watch. The veteran actor is known for his deep booming voice and fun manner, and also for pulling off a role even when the movie is not so great. He’s basically played every type of role imaginable from the President of the United States to a prisoner, cops and crooks, a tech genius, a homeless man, Nelson Mandela and even the Almighty. No matter what role, Freeman is always the guy to see on screen.

He finally got his due with his turn in Million Dollar Baby winning him his overdue Oscar and wide respect.

Even in a flop like Ben-Hur, Freeman shines and always gives his all in his roles no matter the paycheck. He’s 80 but doesn't seem to be slowing down, and the sheer pleasure he brings to acting is why he’s one of Hollywood’s greatest icons.

don't know when to quit: Liam Neeson

This is a bit painful. By rights, Liam Neeson should have at least one Oscar, a truly amazing actor with a good edge. He’s shown that in roles like Schindler’s List and Rob Roy and even in some light comedies. His turn as Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars Episode I was a highlight of that film and Neeson seemed ready to settle into a career as a veteran character star. However, that all changed when Taken became a surprise smash and suddenly turned Neeson into an action hero. Some of his roles since have been successful such as The Grey. However, it seems Neeson is just doing any sort of role of the “long guy facing impossible odds with grit and a gun” and thus many of his movies can look alike.

Not helping are flops like Clash of the Titans and Battleship and it’s basically turned Neeson into a bit of a joke. It can be speculated the passing of his beloved wife Natasha Richardson in 2009 pushed him to keep busy to get over the grief. However, to see a guy keep repeating the same role when he’s as talented as Neeson seems off as the guy should be collecting awards more than the next action part.

ALWAYS GREAT: Leonardo DiCaprio

The fact he’s an amazingly handsome man who’s dated some of the most beautiful women alive sure helps his appeal. But Leonardo DiCaprio has proven that he can rise up from just an attractive kid, to being one of the most respected actors in Hollywood. That was evident from early roles such as What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and Romeo and Juliet. The man seemed older than his years and was captivating to watch. Titanic rested on his great charm and relatable performance and helped make it one of the biggest successes in movie history. Rather than coast on it for huge paydays in blockbusters, DiCaprio took on serious roles, tackling some fine parts in hits like The Departed and others.

This soon led to the popular meme of DiCaprio not winning an Oscar, making it sound like he’d be one of those guys robbed of the big prize. But it finally happened with him winning for The Revenant and continuing his fine career. So besides his good looks, DiCaprio also shines in any part with his talent to be one of the best in Hollywood.

don't know when to quit: Mike Myers

Howard Stern once made a line that’s been echoed by others about Saturday Night Live actors:

“These guys come out, hot and fresh and wild. What happens? They make some hit movies, they get famous and the next thing you know, they’ve become the very kind of star they used to make fun of.”

Mike Myers is a great example of this. He made Wayne’s World a huge hit and soon took off as a major box office star. His Austin Powers movies became part of pop culture and Myers added to it with the Shrek franchise. He was riding as high as an actor could. But behind the scenes, stories began to abound of Myers possessing a huge ego and even trying to direct his own scenes.

The Cat in the Hat hit him hard, the critical reception ravaging his reputation. Then The Love Guru was a mega-flop ruining his box office standing. Myers has been reduced to reprising Dr. Evil for SNL or Jimmy Fallon and then disguising himself as the “British” host of The Gong Show reboot (which flopped). His funny style seems to have faded as Myers ended up just becoming a huge joke.

ALWAYS GREAT: Christian Bale

The talent this man shows is astounding. Adding or losing a few pounds for a role is one thing. But Christian Bale gained massive fame for his turn in The Machinist as he lost a whopping 70 pounds for the part. It showed with his almost skeletal build and made the movie very notable. Bale then packed back on the pounds and muscle for his first turn as Batman to revive that hero majorly. This dedication has shown in Bale’s turns in various other roles, even early ones such as American Psycho and Shaft.

You can even go back to his breakout role, where he sang and danced in the 1992 musical Newsies, which showed amazing talent at this young age.

Since then, Bale has carved out a great career of character roles like in The Prestige, and his Oscar-winning turn in The Fighter. Even in poor films (Terminator Salvation, Exodus), Bale’s talent is paramount and makes his character easy to relate to. Whether it’s headlining a blockbuster or a smaller indie flick, Bale is a guy to watch and enjoy doing so.

don't know when to QUIT: Brendan Fraser

When you come to fame playing a caveman, it’s easy to be lumped into a certain role. Brendan Fraser did have handsome looks, but his role as a student hiding the fact he’s Jewish in School Ties began to get him attention. But it was his performance as an unfrozen caveman in Encino Man that made him famous and while he looked great, it didn’t quite lead to serious parts. Instead, there were dumb comedies like George of the Jungle and Bedazzled. Fraser would do well with The Mummy movies, making him a box office star. However, that just led to more “hunky action” type roles that seemed to lower his standing.

The man can be talented but his turns in various films as the handsome type just didn’t seem to work. That led to a hiatus for a while before turning to TV roles such as The Affair and the current FX series Trust. Pushing 50 and his boyish charm long faded, Fraser might be better trying to accept TV roles rather than a movie hero once again.

ALWAYS GREAT: Tilda Swinton

It seems baffling that with all her remarkable performances, Tilda Swinton’s only Oscar nomination was for a clear-cut one. Her turn as a ruthless corporate attorney in Michael Clayton did win her the Oscar yet somehow Swinton has been ignored for her other roles. Perhaps a reason is because she’s a virtual chameleon able to slip into any part and rendering herself unrecognizable.

She’s utterly buried in makeup for roles such as Snowpiercer and The Grand Budapest Hotel and yet acts the heck out of each part. She can go for the occasional blockbuster (The Chronicles of Narnia) but is more notable for how she makes quiet roles a stand-out.

Her turn as an editor in Trainwreck had many amazed to learn it was her because of how different she looked. Swinton has earned hails for the likes of We Need To Talk About Kevin and even her turn as the Ancient One in Doctor Strange caught attention. No matter what role she takes or how she tries to vanish, Swinton can be a standout.

don't know when to quit: : Arnold Schwarzenegger

It’s hard for younger action movie fans to grasp just how huge Arnie once was. In the 1980’s and early ‘90s, the man seemed to be in every action film. With his fantastic muscled body and thick accent, he set the tone for all the over-the-top action heroes who would follow. The Terminator, Conan, Commando, Predator, Total Recall, True Lies, Eraser, the list of hits goes on. True, he suffered a come-down in the late ‘90s as his style didn’t fit anymore yet still had a power and presence in Hollywood. That brought the support he needed for his surprising turn as Governor of California. When that ended, Arnold went back to movies but couldn’t quite grasp the times had changed.

The fact is the man is 70 and while still in amazing shape, is a long way past the prime of an action star.

He’s had turns in Killing Gunther and had an attempt at his iconic role in Terminator Genysis but both flopped. His attempt to remake himself as host of The Apprentice was a disaster and the man who once boasted “I’ll be back” might be better off just going away for good.

ALWAYS GREAT: Cate Blanchett

It took just two years into acting for Cate Blanchett to land an Oscar nomination. Her turn in Elizabeth wowed critics who were amazed at her poise. Since then, Blanchett has been one of the most successful Australian actresses ever seen. She is capable of bouncing between mega-blockbusters and small dramas and vanishing into her roles. She won her first Oscar for bringing Katherine Hepburn back to life in The Aviator and her second for playing down her beauty for Blue Jasmine. She can be the regal elf queen in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit and then play Bob Dylan in I’m Not There, showing her remarkable gifts off in every role.

It continues today as Blanchett won hails for her turn as Hela in Thor Ragnarok, and is now getting ready for the upcoming Ocean’s 8. Whatever her accent or her look, Blanchett is perhaps the best part of any movie she’s in and that doesn’t look like it will change.

don't know when to quit: Shia LaBeouf

For a while, it looked like Shia LaBeouf would follow the standard path of any Disney Channel star. As the goofy kid on Even Stevens, he had a good comic timing and that seemed primed for various family films. However, LaBeouf took a different path, starring in the blockbuster Transformers films and then choosing some quirky indie flicks like Maniac. Soon, the stories began circulating of LaBeouf getting into behavior that was truly bizarre.

One of the most notable is his part in Fury as he not only went weeks without showering (as his character was a tank soldier) but even harmed his own face to replicate “injuries” on set.

Then there’s LaBeouf’s infamous run-ins with the law, and strange moments like showing up at a red carpet event with a paper bag over his head saying “I am not famous anymore.” This has given him a bad reputation that makes casting him a risk in Hollywood and LaBeouf’s own crazy actions are a reason folks want him to quit.

ALWAYS GREAT: Tom Hanks

Who would have guessed that the guy once known for trying to karate fight the Fonz on Happy Days would be one of the most beloved stars in Hollywood? Tom Hanks was on the rise but it was 1988’s Big that won audiences over with his humor and charm. Hanks seemed a go-to comedy-romance guy with stuff like Sleepless in Seattle. But then Philadelphia and Forrest Gump both won him Oscars and showed he could be a fantastic actor. Since then, Hanks has been a dependable guy with slews of hits such as The DaVinci Code, The Polar Express and the Toy Story movies. He’s also earned further Oscar noms for Saving Private Ryan, Cast Away and Captain Philips.

It’s nearly impossible to find a bad Hanks performance as even in poor movies (The Ladykillers, Inferno), he can still win audiences over with his good work and very relatable looks. The guy is just so damn likeable that it’s no wonder he continues to shine in Hollywood and always good to see on screen.

don't know when to QUIT: Kevin Costner

Back in the early 1990s, Kevin Costner was the king of Hollywood. Handsome and talented, he had a knack for heroic characters and slews of hits such as Bull Durham and Field of Dreams. He reached his height in 1991 as Dances With Wolves won Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director. However, the mega-flop Waterworld was the first blow against Costner as was the equally huge disaster The Postman. That lowered his presence as his stardom soon faded.

Lately, Costner has been making do with “wise dad” roles in everything from Man of Steel to Molly’s Game, his drawling style good but not nearly the fine acting he was once known for. Costner has gone from a man who could command massive salaries to coasting on his past fame.

ALWAYS GREAT: Kate Winslet

The Ricky Gervais series Extras had a tendency for stars to pop in and poke fun at themselves. Such a case was Kate Winslet playing a nun and saying she was just doing it to try and win her overdue Oscar. In a delicious irony, Winslet did indeed claim an Oscar for such a film, The Reader. That was a wonderful capper to a career packed with amazing performances by a woman who was always blossoming with talent.

She is a master of accents, able to sound as American as a native-born New Yorker but going right back to her posh British voice easily.

Of course, Winslet is stunningly beautiful and has shown no shame flaunting her body in various roles. Yet it’s her talent that shines, as she is amazing at making so many roles work no matter what and always remarkable in anything she’s cast. Even in the horrid Movie 43, she did well, truly amazing given how much of a flop that was. Whether in movies or TV, a starring role or a smaller one, Winslet has proven herself one of the finest actresses of her time and any role by her is a marvel to watch.

don't know when to QUIT: Nicolas Cage

This is almost a shame. While quirky, Nicolas Cage was also a great actor in his prime, able to showcase surprising depth in his roles with a unique style. That all paid off with his Oscar win for Leaving Las Vegas and he seemed set for a career in character roles. Then he was cast in The Rock and before anyone knew it, the man was an unlikely action movie star. That led to hits like Con Air and Face/Off but in the last several years, Cage’s film quality has taken a serious nose dive. He’s starred in utterly atrocious films like The Wicker Man. He was however blessed with the odd good role (Adaptation) and a hit like National Treasure.

However, Cage’s roles seem to turn him into a self-parody at times. Seth Myers got into it with a wild SNL impression that reached its height with Cage himself sharing the screen to poke fun at this image. He still has a unique style but now it is all for the wrong reasons.

ALWAYS GREAT: Meryl Streep

It’s easy to take her for granted. But there’s a major reason this woman holds the record for the most Oscar nominations of any performer in history (with three wins). Meryl Streep was always regarded as amazing with her breakouts in the late 1970s, her turns in Kramer vs Kramer and Silkwood showing her great drive and talent. She’s embraced a fine ability of mimicking accents and hiding herself with makeup to get into almost any role and make it look easy. Indeed, that’s a reason for a possible backlash, that Streep is so effortless that it almost doesn’t seem like she’s acting.

The woman is capable of almost any genre from serious dramas to wild comedies and even musicals.

The fact she’s a fantastic interview subject with funny insight and some great humor also helps. She can brush off some of the backlash (when she won the Oscar for The Iron Lady, she opened her speech with “I could hear half of America going ‘ugh, her again’”) and win her critics over easily.

don't know when to QUIT: Adam Sandler

In Funny People, Judd Aptow cast Adam Sandler as a talented actor who wastes himself doing idiotic comedies like a merman or a kid with an adult head. It’s not hard to see the real-life parallels but sadly, rather than get the message, Sandler has instead just done movies that are even worse. Once, his act (an overgrown kid who’s seen as the coolest guy in the room) was a hit with audiences and led to huge box office successes with films such as Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, The Waterboy and more.

But lately, Sandler is now synonymous with some of the worst comedies around with utterly loathsome plots such as Jack & Jill or That’s My Boy that makes him a Razzie favorite.

The shame of it is that Sandler has shown he can be a good actor with roles like Punch Drunk Love. But his insistence on dumb comedies robs a lot of his respect. The man was once dominating the box office but now is busy releasing his crummy films on Netflix. Thus, it’s high time he dropped this lame act before it buries him totally.

ALWAYS GREAT: Daniel Day-Lewis

The man takes “Method acting” to a whole new level. But it pays off as it’s nearly impossible to find a performance from him that can be called bad. Even in movies that don’t always work out (Nine), Day-Lewis is nothing short of astounding and that’s because of the extremes he goes to in order to get into character.

For My Left Foot (his first Oscar win), he stayed in a wheelchair constantly and had others feed him.

To research a prisoner for In the Name of the Father, he spent nights in a prison cell. He built his own rustic house for The Crucible and lived in it without any modern technology. He nearly caught pneumonia on Gangs of New York for refusing to wear a heavy coat as it wouldn’t fit his character.

It’s paid off as he’s a three-time Best Actor Oscar winner among numerous other awards and a litany of fantastic roles that make him revered as one of the best actors of all time. He claims the recent Phantom Thread (which earned his sixth Oscar nomination) is his final film but it is hard to imagine an actor so gifted giving it all up.

Sources: IMBD, RottenTomatoes, PEOPLE, VanityFair