Why does the actor/actress always get the blame if a movie flops? (script, Hollywood)

[kentuckydad95]

I was reading this article:

Forbes lists biggest flops of last five years - Yahoo! Movies

and was wondering why the actor/actress always gets the brunt of the blame for the movie flopping. Shouldn't more of the blame go to behind the scenes? Is it fair or not?

[Cida]

I don't think the actors necessarily get the brunt of the blame, and in the first example it clearly says that Penn was great.

In reviews I read, it often puts the blame squarely on the director or writer, but it's also true that a movie stands or falls on the basis of the central performance and that some bad movies are sort of a vanity project for the stars.

[bs13690]

I know that Grindhouse was a flop but why do they mention QT as the co-director and then reference the first half which was directed by Robert Rodriguez? Doesn't make a lot of sense.

Actors get blamed because they are the "face" of the movie. The same reason you blame the waiteress at Longhorn because your steak is overcooked even if she got the order right.

Plus, a good actor can overcome a bad script. Not always but sometimes.