The Academy Award is the most prestigious and coveted recognition an actor can receive, and signifies a supreme achievement in the medium of the motion picture–at least that’s the idea. But, there has been a string of Oscar winners whose careers have hit the crapper immediately after reaching the pinnacle of the movie industry. Here is our take on the five most dramatic descents into obscurity or artistic failure.

#5. Kevin Costner

Since Costner’s dual win for Best Director and Best Picture for American frontier epic, “Dances With Wolves,” we’ve been bombarded with a string of less than Oscar-worthy pet projects. “The Postman,” “Waterworld,” “Rumor Has It,” “Swing Vote,” and “Mr. Brooks,” are just a few examples of the Oscar curse hard at work on a once great filmmaker.

#4. Nicolas Cage

Cage hasn’t suffered financially since his acting win for “Leaving Las Vegas,” but he certainly has artistically. “Adaptation,” and arguably “Lord of War,” were returns to form, but clunkers like “Ghost Rider,” “National Treasure,” “Gone in 60 Seconds,” and “Next,” prove that the Cage-man isn’t immune to the trappings of Oscar prestige.

#3. Angelina Jolie

You may be confused by Angelina’s appearance on this list. Don’t be. Just look at her body of work and it’s pretty apparent that her win for “Girl, Interrupted,” was a fluke. Since then we’ve been tortured with rubbish like “Gone in 60 Seconds,” not one but two “Tomb Raider” films, and “Wanted.” She still commands the public eye with her brood of children and relationship with Brad Pitt, but her wretched, post-Oscar filmography doesn’t lie.

#2. Cuba Gooding Jr.

“Show me the money!” Words of a much more respected and successful Cuba Gooding Jr. Once billed as the next Will Smith, Gooding won an Oscar for the Tom Cruise, sports agent flick “Jerry McGuire,” and hasn’t been heard from since–well, unless you count “Snow Dogs,” “Norbit,” and “Daddy Day Camp.” I don’t.

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