#and honestly i think there's a medium chance he'll never talk to me again. because i know him

[scorndotexe]

i just miss him so bad you know

[killian-whump]

Sometimes I think Colin's career would've been a lot better if he hadn't been stuck on OUAT for what? Six years? I wish he had made more movies, he had a great chance with The Rite and I think he had the potential to became a great movie star and sometimes I think he lost that chance. I mean, I know he can still be a movie/TV star but he's not "Hollywood-young anymore" and I'm scared that he'll never be the star he deserves to be and that makes me feel sad and kinda angry at OUAT for wasting him

Nonny, Nonny, Nonny... You’re worrying too much and, most importantly, you’re expecting too much. And that’s all on you, NOT on Colin.

OUAT is still Colin’s most well-known role. Had he not been on the show, um, he’d be even less known and have far fewer opportunities than he has now. So no, his career definitely wouldn’t have been better without OUAT. Granted, if he’d done something different instead of Once that happened to be more popular, sure, he might be in a better spot right now. But that’s assuming he would’ve gotten as big of a role elsewhere and that this other project would’ve surpassed Once in popularity and renown. That, my friend, is a HUGE assumption to make, and statistically, not very likely.

As for wasting him... I mean, they didn’t? They used him to the best of their abilities, even overused him at times if you asked me, and Colin willingly signed the contract to commit himself to the project for 6 years or the end of the project (whichever came first). And I think, given the chance to redo it all, he’d probably do the same all over again. Once was a great opportunity for him, was a happy and successful work experience, and is his best known work. Why are you so down on it and so resentful of its place in his CV?

Also... The Rite was not really a great chance. Hear me out here. The Rite was a B-project with a B-writer and a B-director and a B-cast...that got automagically promoted to an A-movie because Anthony Hopkins took a personal interest in the subject matter and essentially went slumming in B-ville for kicks. The movie itself, the writing, the direction, the other actors (even including Colin, bless his heart) were not ready for A-level criticism and didn’t hold their own in that harsh light. What could’ve been a GREAT little indie film ended up being regarded as a flop prime time film... and Colin, who was being labeled as “Hollywood’s New Leading Man” took most of the fall for that. Which wasn’t fair. And it wasn’t right. But it was what it was, and I think THAT has damaged his career far more than anything else, because studios don’t want to take a chance on a guy who failed at carrying a major Hollywood motion picture starring opposite Anthony Hopkins. An unfair assessment, as it was the B-level writing/directing that failed to carry their parts, but no one wants to SAY that, because in doing so, they’d have to admit that Anthony Hopkins was totally slumming it, and the media were too dumb to realize it.

But at the same time... The Rite got Colin the most exposure he’d had up to that point on American shores, which likely had a hand in getting him Once. So it’s a double-edged sword. I think it damaged his career opportunities (and maybe even his own confidence) in some avenues, but helped him immensely in other avenues, so it’s kind of a toss-up, really. But Once? Once was all good, friend. I don’t think Once damaged his career at all - aside from possibly hanging on too long and delaying him striking while the iron was still warm right out of S6′s finale.

As for “not Hollywood young” - Well, he’s still plenty Hollywood young? I mean, how old do you think most leading men in Hollywood ARE? O_o He’s the same age or younger than most of today’s leading men, so...? I don’t know what you’re talking about, honestly. Plus, he’s aging like a fine wine, getting better looking with each year, and clean-shaven and smoothed-up as he is in The Right Stuff, the guy looks almost pre-pubescent. Like, I literally feel like some kind of cougar eyeing him up these days, and I’m only 2 years older than him D: Yeah, antis seem to be pushing the “he’s aging badly” bullshit these days, but literally no one who doesn’t have a hate boner agenda actually thinks that :P

Lastly, and maybe most importantly... The assumption that Colin wants to be a huge movie star is yours, and yours alone. Only Colin himself knows what he actually wants for his career and for his life. We can only go by what he’s shown us and told us publicly - and, honestly, all of that points to him not being in this game for fame and fortune. He’s in it for the love of the craft, for the fun HE has playing make-believe and pretending to be people he’s not. And, of course, to provide for his family as best he can whilst doing so. In fact, given Colin’s evident discomfort with fame at times, I’d say he may even be the type to purposely aim to stay OUT of the brightest glare of Hollywood’s lights. And it’s not like the heightened fame he experienced with Once turned out all that well for his wife and family. My guess would be that he’s probably a bit leery of inviting that level of fame (let alone a higher one) into his life again, especially now with two growing kids.

The reality of the situation is that Colin already is a successful, working television actor. Yes, he’s done some movies, but he keeps coming back to television, and maybe that’s because that’s where the more interesting offers happen to be, or maybe it’s because he prefers that medium. We don’t know. Only he knows that. But it doesn’t matter. He’s doing his thing, and doing it well, and is respected for the talent he's displayed in doing it.

You can’t just make up your own career aspirations for the guy and then act like he’s failing at meeting them. If you want to stan a big Hollywood actor, then there are plenty to choose from. If you want to stan Colin, then you gotta follow his lead, respect his choices, and assume he knows what he’s doing and doing what he wants to with his life and career.