The film industry is mercilessly demanding, and sometimes actors reach breaking point. Between busy schedules, questionable business ethics, and the pressure of being in the public eye, many actors take a hiatus for their sanity. Others left Hollywood altogether.
These seven actors retired from the industry altogether, perhaps resurfacing for a role or two as a special favor:
Daniel Day-Lewis, widely considered one of the greatest actors of our time, unexpectedly announced his retirement in 2017. He was known for being incredibly picky with his roles, possibly due to his penchant for method acting.
Cameron Diaz gave up her lucrative acting career to become a mother. She claimed that she was not always a fan of the exhausting, challenging Hollywood lifestyle.
Michael J Fox retired for good in 2020 after watching a scene in the film once upon a time in hollywood where Leonardo DiCaprio’s character struggles to remember his lines. Fox faced a similar problem while taping. the good fight And decided that it was time to leave.
Caryn Parsons will forever live on in our hearts as Hillary The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirEven though he retired from acting in the early 2000s. As a keen writer and history buff, she founded Sweet Blackberry, a non-profit organization to share little-known stories of African American achievement.
The late Sean Connery announced his retirement after a sour experience on the set of his final live-action film, 2003. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
Shelley Duvall, best known for iconic roles in films such as Shining and the 1980s PopeyeWalked out of the Hollywood lifestyle in 2002. The decision was influenced by several factors, including a dwindling selection of movie offers and her brother’s diagnosis of spinal cord cancer.
Cinema legend Joe Pesci (goodfellas, my cousin vinny, casino) retired from acting in 1999. He has since made a few exceptions, making a comeback in 2019 for films like the irishman,
These 11 actors semi-retired or took a hiatus for different reasons:
In 2009, Harold & Kumar Starr Kal Penn moved from the White Castle to the White House, working with the Obama administration for several years. His acting hiatus didn’t last long, and he has since returned to our TV screens in a number of projects.
Despite once being a major figure in Hollywood, a busy work schedule and a 2003 assault made Brendan Fraser a recluse. He slowly faded away from the limelight, only to make a comeback in one of the most talked about films of 2022.
Jane Fonda officially announced her retirement from acting in 1991 after marrying media mogul/CNN co-founder Ted Turner. Their divorce would lead them back to Hollywood after 15 years.
Ke Hui Quan had notable roles in two huge films (Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom And fool) as a child. In the early 2000s, she decided to step away from acting when her options dried up. The few roles available to Asian actors at the time were heavy and stereotypical.
Terrence Howard briefly retired in 2019 and was bitten by the acting bug again. However, on the red carpet of the Peacock series The Best Man: The Final ChapterHe insisted that he would soon be retiring—for good.
It’s hard to believe that Hugh Grant, the one-time rom-com king, experienced a rough patch in his career. The mid-’00s weren’t kind to her, which led to her taking a hiatus from Hollywood for several years.
The great Audrey Hepburn was indispensable in the ’50s and ’60s. after 1967 wait till it gets darkHe left the industry for nearly a decade before resurfacing in 1976. Robin and Marion, She appeared in a handful of films before her death in 1993.
In an interview for Essence, Daniel Kaluuya told Jordan Peele that he almost gave up acting. Feeling disillusioned with the industry, particularly its well-documented racism, he took a year and a half hiatus.
Dylan Sprouse left Hollywood after his Disney days. The child star disappeared from the spotlight to attend college (NYU) and open a dairy in Brooklyn.
Rick Moranis, the beloved star of the 80s/90s, slowly disappeared from the movie scene after the death of his wife, Ann Belsky, in 1991. He semi-retired in 1997. After 2008, he practically disappeared for the better part of a decade.
Tom Holland was the latest major celebrity to take an acting hiatus. While he won’t be retiring anytime soon, he opted for a year-long break following his work as Danny Sullivan in the film. crowded room took a toll on their mental health,