For most actors, appearing in movies and TV shows is a lifetime gig. After all, it often takes many years for someone to get a big break. Once that happens, they can spend the rest of their lives capitalizing on this fame in one role after another. And even those who never become household names may achieve lucrative careers as characters actors in our favorite shows and films.
Sometimes, though, there are actors who achieve superstardom and then decide to step away. They may take a simple hiatus or walk away altogether. Regardless, most of the stars who step out of the limelight like this eventually find new outlets for their creative talents.
What actors have made such a bold decision, and just what are they doing now? Keep reading to find out!
Taking the occasional hiatus
There are some actors who don’t necessarily make a full break from Hollywood after hitting it big. Instead, they do what many in the educational and corporate worlds are known to do: take a hiatus. Such a hiatus usually gives performers time to focus on their family and, if they so choose, marshall their energy towards other endeavors.
That’s the case when it comes to Debra Winger, somebody who became a household name and celebrity icon back in the ‘80s and ’90s. Just when her career had hit peak momentum, she decided to take a hiatus from acting. In Winger’s particular case, she only took a break from acting for six years. When it was done, she threw herself back into acting, taking on one new project after another with renewed gusto.
Going into business for themselves
Debra Winger was someone who didn’t permanently leave Hollywood…rather, she decided to take a break and then throw herself back into the world of acting. In some cases, though, there are other stars who decide they would rather go into business for themselves than help movie studios and TV networks rake in all the real profit.
A great example of this is Phoebe Cates, someone who became a household name thanks to films like Fast Times At Ridgemont High. She may be an acting icon, but she now spends her days running an NYC general store named The Blue Tree. Similarly, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air veteran Karyn Parsons now runs a non-profit named Sweet Blackberry Foundation which helps educate children about often-overlooked achievements by African Americans.
Pursuing higher education over Hollywood
Some actors become insanely famous when they are still very young. When this happens, they often have to make hard decisions when they get older and must choose the best path for their lives.
A great example of this is Danica McKellar, someone the world saw grow up when she was playing Winnie Cooper on The Wonder Years. When the show ended, she went to college to study mathematics, and she is now a full-fledged mathematician whose Hollywood days are mostly behind her.
Learning to focus on motherhood
Higher education isn’t the only thing tempting actors away from the world of Hollywood. For example, most actors eventually go on to have children, and this forces them to make a hard choice. Namely, whether they will focus more on their family or more on their career.
Let’s take Susan Dey for example. She was wildly popular after starring in shows like The Partridge Family and L.A. Law. Eventually, she decided to retire, using the income she had earned and all her newfound free time to focus on raising her children. For her, the choice was simple: she would rather be a great mom than continue being a great actor.
Some actors eventually return to the fold
In some cases, there are actors who fully intend to leave Hollywood behind. However, they eventually get a chance to return that they feel obligated to take. As the Godfather might put it, they get an offer they can’t refuse.
The perfect example of this is Kelly LeBrock, someone who retired from acting for a whopping 25 years. She was quite happy to live in seclusion in the wilderness, but she was eventually offered the chance to star in Tomorrow’s Today. That offer was enough to bring her out of effective retirement after a quarter of a century!
New directions; no regrets
As you can tell, all of the women we have focused on have very different lives and experiences. Because of that, they had similarly different ideas of what they wanted to focus on after leaving the world of Hollywood behind.
However, what each of these women has in common is that they have no regrets about leaving the world of acting. These are all talented and driven people, and they learned something that all of us could stand to internalize. With enough talent and drive, all of us can truly do anything we put our minds to.