Amanda Bynes
Amanda Bynes was one of Nickelodeon’s breakout stars, and she went on to have a very successful film career in the 2000’s. However, after a nervous breakdown and suffering from mental illness, Bynes left Hollywood. She now is attending school for fashion design and hopes to have her own line one day.
With the chaos and paparazzi, who can blame these celebrities from leaving the limelight behind for a simpler, normal life. Amanda Bynes
Brittany Ashton Holmes
Brittany played the role of Darla in the 1994 hit The Little Rascals. She only made a few other movie appearances before leaving Hollywood and pursuing a career in political science.
Charlie Korsmo
You may remember Charlie Korsmo for playing the role of Jack opposite Robin Williams in Hook. After that, Korsmo left acting to attend MIT and Yale Law School. He now works as a professor.
Danny Lloyd
Danny Lloyd scared audiences across the globe with his performance in The Shining, but would end up leaving acting in 1982. He would later become a biology professor at a community college teaching biology.
Barret Oliver
Barret Oliver was a very popular child actor in the 1980’s, starring in films like The NeverEnding Story and Cocoon. However, he chose to walk away from the acting scene in 1989 to pursue other opportunities. Today, he is a printer and photographer with a specialization in 19th century processes.
Gene Hackman
Two-time Oscar winner Gene Hackman chose to retire from acting in 2004 and become a historical fiction author. He’s published three novels so far and seems to be enjoying the low-key life.
Jack Gleeson
Everyone knows Jack Gleeson for his wicked portrayal of King Joffrey on “Game of Thrones.” Despite having amazing success in the role, after he left the series he chose to step away from acting and go back to school. Will he ever return to the spotlight? Only time will tell.
Jeff Cohen
If you’ve seen The Goonies, then you’ll remember Jeff Cohen as the lovable, Chunk. He ended up leaving acting in 1991 to become an entertainment lawyer, and is now the partner of his own firm in Beverly Hills.
Jonathan Taylor Thomas
Jonathan Taylor Thomas was one of the hardest working actors in Hollywood during the 90’s and early 2000’s before he decided he wanted to pursue other interests and focus on school. This led to a major falling out with co-star Tim Allen during the final season of “Home Improvement”. While he has done a few gigs here and there, he mostly stays out of the spotlight.
Kevin Jonas
Kevin Jonas is best known for his singing career alongside his brothers, Nick and Kevin. The Jonas Brothers toured the world and starred in a variety of TV specials before eventually going their separate ways. Kevin decided to leave the life of a celebrity behind after his marriage and the birth of his first child. He is now focusing on being a husband and father.
Michael Schoeffling
Known for his role as Jake Ryan in Sixteen Candles, Michael left behind the world of acting in 1991 to be a full-time dad. He eventually went into woodworking and owns his own shop.
Mike Vitar
If you grew up in the 90’s then you’d recognize Mike Vitar for his role in The Sandlot. Acting didn’t really take off for Mike after the film and he left the Hollywood scene to become a firefighter.
Peter Ostrum
Peter Ostrum only starred in one film, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Realizing the whole “acting thing” wasn’t his cup of tea, he decided to focus on school. He received his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine and continues to show up at conventions due to the popularity of his character Charlie Bucket.
Noah Hathaway
Best known for his role as Atreyu in The NeverEnding Story, Hathaway ended up retreating from acting to focus on other endeavors. Today, he is a martial arts instructor and tattoo artist. Talk about a wild career change.
Tami Stronach
You might recognize Tami for her role as the Childlike Empress in The NeverEnding Story. This would be her only role and she now teaches ballet and choreography in New York. Tami still looks back fondly on the film, but acting simply wasn’t for her.
Kirk Cameron
Kirk Cameron was one of the hottest teen stars in the 1980’s. However, when he turned to religion while shooting his hit show Growing Pains, everything changed. He would retire from acting in the 90’s to become a motivational speaker and evangelist but returned in the 2000’s for some Christian films. He continues to be a controversial figure in the Hollywood spectrum.
Mara Wilson
Mara Wilson was a child star known for her roles in Matilda and Mrs. Doubtfire. Today, she is a popular blogger and author and has no interest in ever returning to acting.
Freddie Prinze Jr.
Freddie Prinze Jr. was a teen heart throb in the late 1990’s, starring in films such as She’s All That and I Know What You Did Last Summer. After marrying Sarah Michelle-Gellar, Freddie decided to take a step back from acting and become a chef. He’s know authored several cookbooks and enjoys raising his two daughters.
Angus T. Jones
Angus T. Jones practically grew up on the set of “Two and a Half Men,” but when he turned 17 he became a born-again Christian. Jones soon began to publicly criticize the show, which resulted in him exiting the sitcom in Season 10. However, he did return for the series finale.
Rick Moranis
Rick Moranis is best known for his roles in Ghostbusters and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. A beloved star in Hollywood, everything changed when his wife died and he was left to raise his three small children. Rather than try to juggle parenting and a film schedule, Rick walked away from stardom to raise his children.
Heather Donahue
After the smashing success of The Blair Witch Project, Heather Donahue found herself on the fast track to stardom. However, all the attention didn’t sit well with Heather, and in a sense ruined her life. She eventually retreated from the public eye and started a cannabis farm. Now, she’s starting to produce films for women made by women.
Phoebe Cates
Phoebe Cates is best known for her roles in Fast Times at Ridgemont High and the Gremlins films. A rising star with a bright future in Hollywood, Cates decided to leave it all behind in 1994 to raise her children and spend more time with her husband, actor Kevin Kline.
Tony Danza
Tony Danza was the Italian heart throb that sent his female audience into fits when he starred in “Who’s the Boss?” While he would star in other sitcoms that failed to take off, he eventually did less and less in the acting spectrum. In 2009, he became a 10th-grade English teacher.
Nikki Blonsky
Nikki Blonsky was a breakout star in 2007 when she starred in the film adaption of the musical “Hairspray!” Unfortunately, her career never took off after that. She earned her license in cosmetology in 2011 and began working part-time as a hairstylist back in her hometown.
Cary Grant
Cary Grant is best known for his roles in the golden era of Hollywood throughout the 40’s and 50’s. However, in 1965 he chose to retire from acting to be a full-time father. He was definitely missed that’s for sure.
Steven Seagal
Steven Seagal used to be one of the hottest action stars in Hollywood, but his career eventually dwindled to direct-to-video swill. He would end up working as a deputy in Louisiana and even scored a reality show because of the gig.
Elizabeth Hurley
Known for her starring role in the Austin Powers franchise, Elizabeth Hurley decided to turn her back on Hollywood in 2002. The reason? She wanted to raise her newborn son. While the possibility of a comeback is always an option, Elizabeth seems content being a mom full-time.
Karyn Parsons
Karyn is best known for her role as Hilary Banks on “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.” When that show ended, she attempted to star in several other sitcoms that failed to gain traction. Eventually, she chose to leave the world of acting and raise her children full-time.
Sean Connery
Sean Connery had a very long and lucrative career before he quit acting. After the huge box office flop, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, he decided to quit acting in 2003. He’s never looked back since.
