 Despite their oppositional nature , cult films can produce celebrities . Like cult films themselves , authenticity is an important aspect of their popularity . Actors can become typecast as they become strongly associated with such iconic roles . Tim Curry , despite his acknowledged range as an actor , found casting difficult after he achieved fame in The Rocky Horror Picture Show . Even when discussing unrelated projects , interviewers frequently bring up the role , which causes him to tire of discussing it . Mary Woronov , known for her transgressive roles in cult films , eventually transitioned to mainstream films . She was expected to recreate the transgressive elements of her cult films within the confines of mainstream cinema . Instead of the complex gender deconstructions of her Andy Warhol films , she became typecast as a lesbian or domineering woman . Sylvia Kristel , after starring in Emmanuelle ( 1974 ) , found herself highly associated with the film and the sexual liberation of the 1970s . Caught between the transgressive elements of her cult film and the mainstream appeal of soft @-@ core pornography , she was unable to work in anything but exploitation films and Emmanuelle sequels . Despite her immense popularity and cult following , she would rate only a footnote in most histories of European cinema if she was even mentioned . Similarly , Chloë Sevigny has struggled with her reputation as a cult independent film star famous for her daring roles in transgressive films . Cult films can also trap directors . Leonard Kastle , who directed The Honeymoon Killers ( 1969 ) , never directed another film again . Despite his cult following , which included François Truffaut , he was unable to find financing for any of his other screenplays . Qualities that bring cult films to prominence – such as an uncompromising , unorthodox vision – caused Alejandro Jodorowsky to languish in obscurity for years . 
