7 Famous Actors Who Quit Hollywood Altogether, And 11 Who Only Semi-Retired For A Short Break
The film industry is mercilessly demanding, and sometimes, actors reach a breaking point. Between hectic schedules, questionable business ethics, and the pressure of being in the public eye, many actors take hiatuses for the sake of their sanity. Others quit Hollywood altogether.
These seven actors completely retired from the industry, 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 to be incredibly picky with his roles, likely due to his penchant for method acting.
Day-Lewis's final film was the historical drama Phantom Thread, though he never expected it to be so. He'd often considered quitting after previous projects but hadn't committed to the decision.
Cameron Diaz dropped her lucrative acting career to be a mother. She claimed she wasn't always a fan of the tiresome, challenging Hollywood lifestyle.
Jaime Foxx convinced Diaz to (briefly) return to acting, though it won't be for a big-screen blockbuster. She'll join Foxx in the upcoming Netflix film Back in Action. Diaz has no plans to continue acting afterward.
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 issue while taping The Good Fight and decided it was time to quit.
Fox remains candid about his fight with Parkinson's disease, passionately dedicating his efforts to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
Karyn Parsons will forever live in our hearts as Hilary from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, even if she retired from acting in the early 2000s. As an avid writer and history buff, she founded a nonprofit called Sweet Blackberry to share little-known stories of African American achievement.
Parsons's nonprofit produces short films and picture books for a younger audience. She also published a novel titled How High the Moon in 2019.
The late Sean Connery announced his retirement after a sour experience on the set of his final live-action film, 2003's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
Despite this, Connery's last acting credit was actually 2012's animated Sir Billi, where he voiced the titular character. The Scottish actor passed away on October 31, 2020.
Shelley Duvall, known for iconic roles in films like The Shining and 1980's Popeye, tapped out of the Hollywood lifestyle in 2002. The decision was sparked by several factors, including a diminishing selection of movie offers and her brother's spinal cancer diagnosis.
Duvall returned to her home state of Texas to live a normal life and reconnect with her family. She briefly revisited her acting chops in the 2023 film The Forest Hills but has no other projects in the pipeline.
Cinema legend Joe Pesci (Goodfellas, My Cousin Vinny, Casino) retired from acting in 1999. He's since made a handful of exceptions, returning for films like 2019's The Irishman.
Pesci will also appear in Pete Davidson's upcoming Peacock semi-autobiographical series, Bupkis. Because only Martin Scorsese and (apparently) Davidson can drag him back to our screens.
These 11 actors semi-retired or took hiatuses for varying reasons:
In 2009, Harold & Kumar star Kal Penn went from White Castle to the White House, working with the Obama administration for several years. His acting hiatus didn't last long, and he's since returned to our TV screens in multiple projects.
While the career shift was unexpected, Penn had no qualms about taking a risk with politics. In his memoir, You Can't Be Serious, he openly discusses racism in Hollywood and working for the Obama administration.
Despite once being a prominent figure in Hollywood, a hectic work schedule and a 2003 assault made Brendan Fraser a recluse. He slowly stepped away from the spotlight, only to return in one of the most buzz-worthy movies of 2022.
As Charlie in Darren Aronofsky's The Whale, Fraser revisited the raw talent that made him such a coveted actor in the first place. His performance earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Jane Fonda officially announced her retirement from acting in 1991 after marrying media mogul/CNN co-founder Ted Turner. Their divorce would lead her back to Hollywood 15 years later.
Fonda returned to her acting roots in 2005's Monster-in-Law alongside Jennifer Lopez. Today, she remains booked and busy on television and the big screen.
Ke Huy Quan had notable roles in two massive films (Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and The Goonies) as a child. In the early 2000s, he chose to step away from acting when his options ran dry. The few roles available for Asian actors at the time were underwhelming and stereotypical.
Quan's stellar comeback in 2022's Everything Everywhere All at Once reignited his career, earning him a Best Supporting Actor win at the Academy Awards.
Terrence Howard momentarily retired in 2019 before being bitten by the acting bug again. However, on the red carpet for the Peacock series The Best Man: The Final Chapters, he insisted that he'll retire soon — for good.
"I asked Sidney Poitier 10 years ago does he want to do any more work, and he said, 'Why would I spend my last 10 years doing an impersonation of myself?'" he told Entertainment Tonight. "And that's what I've gotten to."
It's hard to believe that one-time rom-com king Hugh Grant experienced a rough patch in his career. The mid-'00s weren't kind to him, leading to a multi-year hiatus from Hollywood.
Grant claimed he fell out of love with his work, and Hollywood reciprocated. He felt the industry gave up on him after 2009's Did You Hear About the Morgans? flopped, though he's since made a comeback.
The legendary Audrey Hepburn was inescapable in the '50s and '60s. After 1967's Wait Until Dark, she left the industry for almost a decade before resurfacing in 1976's Robin and Marian. She then appeared in a handful of movies before her death in 1993.
Hepburn semi-retired in the late '60s to dedicate herself to her family. She also became an avid UNICEF ambassador in her final years.
In an interview for Essence, Daniel Kaluuya revealed to Jordan Peele that he almost quit acting. Feeling disillusioned with the industry, particularly its well-documented racism, he took a hiatus for a year and a half.
Of course, Kaluuya changed his mind when Peele approached him for the role of Chris Washington in 2017's Get Out.
Dylan Sprouse all but ditched Hollywood after his Disney days. The child star disappeared from the spotlight to go to college (NYU) and open a meadery in Brooklyn.
Sprouse has since returned to acting, though he's purposely avoiding leading man roles and blockbusters.
Beloved '80s/'90s star Rick Moranis slowly faded from the film scene in 1991 after the death of his wife, Ann Belsky. He semi-retired in 1997. After 2008, he practically disappeared for the better part of a decade.
Moranis has made sporadic appearances in the last few years, showing up in a Mint Mobile commercial with Ryan Reynolds and signing up for an upcoming Honey, I Shrunk the Kids sequel.
Tom Holland was the latest major celebrity to take an acting hiatus. While he won't be retiring soon, he opted for a year-long break after his work as Danny Sullivan in The Crowded Room took a toll on his mental health.
The Spider-Man actor continues to be a part of the ongoing Marvel Cinematic Universe, so fans can expect to see him on the big screen for many years to come.
