Big-name celebrities who left Hollywood behind after years of fame

Bridget Fonda (yes, of that Fonda family) stepped away from the spotlight in the early 2000s. "I don’t think [there’s any chance]. It’s too nice being a civilian," she said in 2023. 

"I stepped away from acting a little over four years ago to raise my kids, build my companies, and get these films launched," Ian Somerhalder told E! News in 2023 about deciding to choose his family over life in the spotlight. Long-time fans of this Vampire Diaries alum can kiss the hope of his appearance in the revival goodbye.

This Bring It On actor revealed in 2024 that she's put down the scripts in exchange for textbooks. In a conversation with Boston Magazine, Eliza Dushku explained that she had become certified in psychedelic-assisted therapy before sharing she's already started studying to become a mental health professional. “I had the means to shift directions and choose a course in my life that focused on healing myself so that I could help heal others,” she said.

Two and a Half Men star Angus Jones surprised fans of the show in 2012 when he released a shocking statement saying he didn't want to be in the series anymore due to his Christian faith. "Please stop watching it and filling your head with filth … If I am doing any harm, I don’t want to be here,” he said in a video. “I don’t want to be contributing to [Satan's] plan. You cannot be a true God-fearing person and be on a television show like that. I know I can't. I'm not OK with what I'm learning, what the Bible says, and being on that television show."

Bridget Mendler, known for her time on Disney's Good Luck Charlie, has been out of the spotlight for several years. After starring in entertaining television shows and releasing catchy music, the actor took a step back from Hollywood to pursue her doctoral degree. She also announced that she adopted a child in February 2024, calling it the "biggest gift."

In a 2016 interview about her career, which began in the '90s, Leelee Sobieski told Us Weekly that she was done with "movie stuff." She went on to call herself an "outsider" before saying her focus remains on her business and kids.

Mia Wasikowska, known for Alice in Wonderland, said she's "pretty content" since leaving Hollywood. She told IndieWire that she really enjoyed her life, which included more than just sitting "in a trailer." 

She explained that life in the spotlight can be "great;" however, the fame "didn't suit me."

Cameron Diaz has starred in too many movies to name; however, after wrapping production in 2014 on the blockbuster Annie, the actress took a serious break to pursue "different things [in] my life." She explained that after working hard "for so long," she needed to do a deep reset. In 2025, the actress returned to Hollywood in Netflix's Back in Action. After some negative press, though, sources shared that Charlie's Angels alum has already been looking for the nearest exit.

Jennifer Stone was a beloved Disney actor who starred alongside Selena Gomez in Wizards of Waverly Place. But after the show concluded, the actress went to college to get a degree in nursing. 

She occasionally discusses her role in Wizards on the podcast Wizards Of Waverly Pod, revealing behind-the-scenes secrets about life on set and what it was like working for Disney as a child star. 

Daniel Day-Lewis retired from acting after receiving her sixth Oscar in 2017. Although he came out of retirement in 2024, his special appearance was a role in his son's film, Anemone. Will he still be acting after, though? That remains to be seen.

Many loved Michael Schoeffling for his roles in Sixteen Candles and the productions Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken and Mermaids. However, the fame wasn't enough to keep the star around. He relocated to Pennsylvania to open a woodworking shop with his family.

This Grey's Anatomy and CSI star became a household name in the early 2000s thanks to his time on Veronica Mars. Despite his success, he left the industry behind to become a lawyer, earning a job as an attorney with the United States Attorney's Office District of Columbia.

Phoebe Cates starred in the productions Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Date with an Angel. 

However, after starring in several productions and voicing a role in a video game, the mother of two left her busy life behind to care for her family.

In her book I'm Glad My Mother Died, this Nickelodeon actor revealed that she was "ashamed" and "embarrassed" by the roles she played throughout her career, specifically as Sam Puckett in iCarly and Sam & Cat. She didn't write for sure that she was done with the industry; however, she revealed she was not in a rush to get back into the camera. "Maybe if I write something for myself. I think that'd really be maybe one of the only ways I could kind of try exploring it again," she wrote.

Although Terrence Howard still occasionally acts, the actor told Entertainment Tonight in 2022 that he's enjoying "watching other new talent come around." He added, "I don't want to do an impersonation of myself."

We all know about this one. After marrying Prince Harry and being subjected to swarms of negative press from the UK media, the Suits actor left Hollywood to enjoy a life of peace and harmony with her husband and children.