Hollywood is always welcoming new faces as older names get replaced. It is no secret that the industry prefers younger actors who are fresh on the scene, and very few manage to have lengthy careers that span decades. There are plenty of actors who may be on top for a number of years, but then fail to find any major projects so they end up doing direct-to-video releases.

Past success matters very little in Hollywood due to the intense competition, and unless you prove to be a major draw on a consistent basis, then you may not be around for too long. But there are several reasons as to why Hollywood may choose to move on from actors, some of which will be discussed on today's list. All the talent in the world isn't always enough for directors and executives to put up with actors who make their lives much harder on the set. There are a number of previously popular actors who are no longer offered big roles for that very same reason, as they failed to mesh well with the staff.

There have also been times where an actor decided to take a short break, but their spot had been filled by the time they returned. The 90s produced some of the best films to date, but unfortunately many of the stars of yesterday aren't quite relevant today, nor have they been starring in films. Here are 20 actors of the 90s Hollywood needs to bring back ASAP.

Geena Davis

Geena Davis had an impressive run beginning in the late 80s until the early 2000s before she fizzled away from the Hollywood spotlight. She was a part of some of the biggest movies of the 90s – earning many nominations along the way, especially for her impressive performance in Thelma & Louise. In the 2000s, her movie appearances became very few as she has only been a part of 7 films since then – three of which she was only a voice actress. But she hasn't been completely inactive as Davis has taken her talents to the TV screen to star in Commander in Chief, while also featuring in The Exorcist and Grey's Anatomy.

Wesley Snipes

Not many actors have come crashing down as bad as Wesley Snipes, who happened to be among the most popular actors of his generation. For a number of years, Snipes was among the hottest names in the industry but as his reputation grew worse, he fell out of favor with Hollywood. From being cast in some of the biggest releases of the year to straight-to-video films, Snipes' career hasn't been the same since his tax troubles surfaced. And while the chances of a return to Hollywood is slim at the moment, there are plenty of fans who would love to see Snipes in starring roles again.

Meg Ryan

Meg Ryan was among the most popular actresses for a decade. After starring in many hit films during the 90s, her career took a turn for the worse sometime into the 2000s and she has been unable to recover since then. Known for being a part of many hit romantic comedies, Ryan also made some made choices along the way that affected the trajectory of her career. And with the competition being very stiff, it didn't take long for Ryan to lose her spot as a top draw actress. To this day, it seems like Hollywood has lost interest in the once popular Meg Ryan.

Val Kilmer

Val Kilmer has been a part of many classic films, and his presence has been missed on the big screen. And while he has remained active on the scene, Kilmer is rarely seen in big productions as he usually tends to be a part of low budget films, or lending his voice to others. Considering his recent health problems, as well as a significant change in appearance, Kilmer may not be sought out by Hollywood at the moment. But when it comes to fans, they would certainly love to see one of the best actors of the 90s return to major roles.

Billy Bob Thornton

It's been a number of years since we last saw Billy Bob Thornton star in a major film. Unlike some of his peers, he has remained active as he took on various roles – none of which are befitting for someone with his legacy. Given his age, and the fact that he is no longer as popular with the younger generations, it is no surprise that Thornton's star has been slowly fading away. He is still a relevant figure who could shine once again in the right role, so it would be great to see him get another opportunity in a major release.

Joey Lauren Adams

In the 90s, Joey Lauren Adams rose to fame as she starred in a number of Kevin Smith films with Chasing Amy being her biggest role to date. Following her success in such a brief period, as well as the critical acclaim for her performances, there were expectations that would become one of the top A-listers in Hollywood. Unfortunately, she never quite reached those heights as her biggest projects remained in the 90s. Despite remaining active, her roles diminished over the years and she has now been away from films for four years. There is a chance that she returns in another major film due to her connection with Kevin Smith.

Renée Zellweger

Renée Zellweger is another star who has been missing from Hollywood for a number of years. She had major success from the 90s to the mid 2000s, becoming one of the highest actresses at some point. But in 2010, Zellweger began a six year hiatus from acting, although she returned to star in three recent films since 2016. None of them have been major releases, so as of now, Zellweger is still missing from Hollywood. She claims to have gotten healthier during her hiatus, while also dedicating time to other matters in her personal life, as well as interests.

Kurt Russell

Unlike most names on this list, Kurt Russell hasn't disappeared from the limelight, nor is he involved in direct-to-video releases. He does feature in a large production from time to time, but he hasn't been quite as active and should certainly be a bigger name these days. That's not to dismiss his legacy or popularity, but it is clear that Russell isn't quite the household name as he was in the 90s. It is normal since he has been an active actor for decades, and is now 67 years old – but fans will never have enough of watching him on the big screen.

Edward Norton

Fans are always questioning as to why Edward Norton doesn't appear in more films since his appearances have gotten rare in recent years. Although he hasn't been blacklisted, Norton simply lost popularity behind the scenes due to his personality, as the actor has been accused of being incredibly difficult to work with. Considering his passion and high involvement in his projects, Norton is known for taking it a bit too far from time to time. Based on his talent as well as legacy, we suspect that Norton will return to Hollywood as an A-lister if he tones it down.

Molly Ringwald

Some would say that Molly Ringwald was a star of the 80s as she rose to popularity during her teenage years. But she established herself as a top actress with a number of films in the 90s, and yet her career didn't transition into the 2000s She took a seven year break between 2001 and 2008, but her movie roles had diminished prior to her hiatus from Hollywood. Ringwald has resumed acting a number of years, and appears in minor budge films every now and then – none of which are quite at the same magnitude of her early releases.

Rick Moranis

Rick Moranis has been greatly missed from the big screen as he has been away for 21 years now. Following the death of his wife, it is said that Moranis' priorities changed as he needed to dedicate more time to his children, which is why he opted to become a stay at home dad. Moranis walked away from Hollywood while still in his prime years and could have certainly been a part of several major films. In recent interviews, he has indicated that he doesn't feel any regrets regarding his choice as his focus has shifted elsewhere since we last saw him on screen.

John Cusack

John Cusack should be more popular right now, but the actor has gone under the radar in the past few years. It was different in the 90s when Cusack managed to star in a number of Hollywood projects, all of which have retained their popularity. But his criticism towards Hollywood and the industry may have lost him some friends along the way, as well as some potential opportunities to land bigger roles. For the past five years, he has mostly done films that are direct-to-video, so he may not be welcomed back in Hollywood at this moment.

Jodie Foster

Jodie Foster has been a star since her teenage year but she truly became an A-lister in the 90s with some major roles, including The Silence of the Lambs, Sommersby, and Maverick. For some time, the actress seemed unstoppable as she kept releasing one hit film after the other. But somewhere along the way, Hollywood seems to have lost interest in Foster as her major roles got very few. In the past few years, she has transitioned to the role of a director – which may explain her absence from the big screen. She certainly has a chance to make a successful return based on her history.

Jennifer Love Hewitt

There are many reasons as to why Jennifer Love Hewitt is no longer on the big screen. With her last film being Jewtopia, released in 2012, Hewitt was a part of some truly questionable films, all of which were slammed by the critics. Not to mention that she starred in one of the worst box office flops in history in Delgo just a few years prior. Add on the fact that she chooses to lead a drama-free life away from the limelight, it makes sense as to why Hewitt lost her stardom. Barring a major turnaround, we may not see her return to a major release in the near future.

Lucy Liu

From the 90s until the release of Charlie's Angels in 2000, Lucy Liu instantly rose to fame although she never lived up to the initial hype. The actress had previously stated that racism played a major part in her hiatus from Hollywood, as she has lost out on many roles due to her Asian background. It is certainly disappointing to hear that especially since she truly shone in Charlie's Angels – a performance that led many to believe she would have success for many years to come. In the past years, she has worked mostly as a voice actress although we would certainly be interested in seeing her take on another big role.

Cuba Gooding Jr.

Cuba Gooding Jr. has certainly had a great career that most actors would envy him for, but he was expected to be an even bigger star with more longevity. Coming off the success of Boyz n the Hood, A Few Good Men, and Jerry Maguire, some predicted that Gooding would dominate the scene for many years to come. But like so many actors, his career was severely affected by a series of unsuccessful films as he also passed up on many roles that ended up being major. Time will tell if Gooding can once again manage to succeed in Hollywood.

Alicia Silverstone

When was the last time that you saw Alicia Silverstone feature in a major film? She continues accepting roles in lesser known films, none of which are near the status of her older roles. The mid 90s were particularly kind to Silverstone's career as she starred in the major box office hit Clueless, which launched her to greater heights on the scene. She would go on to star in many other films while banking on millions of dollars, but Silverstone's popularity took a hit sometime in the 2000s when she was no longer a big draw in Hollywood.

Jean-Claude Van Damme

For so many years, Jean-Claude Van Damme was among the most popular actors in Hollywood as he was a part of several hit films. But once the 2000s came in, JCVD began fading away from the spotlight despite remaining active as an actor. He wasn't receiving offers for any major roles as JCVD claims to have been blacklisted by Hollywood. To this day, he remains a very popular figure but not exactly someone that Hollywood productions are interested in working with. Based on comments made by JCVD in the past, Hollywood may not welcome him back with open arms although we would certainly love to see it.

Demi Moore

Demi Moore has been an active actress since the 1980s but she truly became a star in the 90s with several hit films to her name. Despite her massive success in the 90s and being a household name to this day, Moore has been mostly away from Hollywood productions. Although she continues to accept roles in random films, Moore hasn't been a part of a major release nor has she been starring in any of them. As of now, it seems unlikely that Moore will retrieve her prime days although we would certainly enjoy her return to Hollywood in some capacity.

Chris Tucker

Chris Tucker was once Hollywood's highest paid actor thanks to his appearance in Rush Hour 2. After dominating the mid to late 90s with a series of successful films, Tucker has been semi-retired from acting with only two starring roles in the Rush Hour sequels, as well as a support role in Silver Linings Playbook. If you happen to be a fan of Tucker's work, then you will be pleased to know that he may soon return to the big screen with Rush Hour 4. Jackie Chan has suggested that the film could begin production in the near future, so Tucker may return to Hollywood after all.