10 Times Actors Opened Up About Quitting the Industry

10 Times Celebs Opened Up About Quitting Acting

Welcome to MsMojo, and today were diving into some of the most shocking instances of actors putting their careers behind them. These celebrities are ones who had the courage to open up about why they left, even though many of them have made comebacks since.

Ke Huy Quan

Years before winning an Oscar, the Everything Everywhere All at Once actor had decided to step away from acting. Rather than a voluntary retirement, this was Quan giving up on his dreams. He had a prolific career as a child actor, appearing in hits like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and The Goonies. However, apparently casting directors werent too keen on hiring an Asian actor for a major role. He told People magazine that he was, quote, waiting for the phone to ring, and it rarely did. So, he went to college and explored other jobs like directing and coordinating stunts. Times changed, and EEAAO came around to give him a second shot at his dream, and this time, his career took off.

Daniel Kaluuya

We have Jordan Peele to thank for bringing this gem of an actor back into the industry after he had all but left. In an interview with Essence, Daniel Kaluuya revealed that he was ready to pack up and leave showbiz when Peele asked him to lead Get Out. After not working for over a year, which he attributed to racism in Hollywood, the enchantment of acting had worn off. Thankfully, Peele came to the rescue with a stellar script that would go on to launch Kaluuya to unprecedented levels of fame.

Lindsay Lohan

The Mean Girls actress is one of many women that Hollywood was particularly harsh on. She rose to fame at a young age and was held to impossible standards. So, when she did not live up to those expectations, the media was quick to turn on her. Speaking to Bustle, Lindsay candidly revealed that the negative press and constant paparazzi attention inevitably eclipsed her work as an actress. She realized the only way to escape the critical headlines was to move away from the spotlight, and so, she shifted to Dubai, leaving her career behind. Fortunately, it was only a temporary hiatus as she returned to our screens with Netflixs Falling for Christmas and has since been taking on more projects.

Frankie Muniz

Sometimes, you can have it all and still choose to walk away. This was the case with Malcolm in the Middle star Frankie Muniz, who left acting at the peak of his career. During these apparent glory days, he suffered multiple concussions, leading to memory issues. His schedule was so jam-packed that he barely had the time to look up at the sky, he told Steve-O on his Wild Ride! podcast. So, he gave it all up and forged a path for himself in open-wheel car racing, which he was passionate about. Looking back on this choice on the aforementioned podcast, he wondered how life wouldve turned out if he had continued acting but assured fans that he did the right thing for himself.

Brendan Fraser

When the George of the Jungle actor was highly sought-after in his early days, he faced burnout, physical and mental. To recover, he took some time off, but the break went on longer than expected when the roles stopped coming in. To add to his difficulties, when he accused Philip Berk, the ex-president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, of sexual assault, he believed it put him on a blacklist. The experience had taken a major toll on Brendan, and he dealt with the trauma for a while. It was much later that he regained the confidence to return to Hollywood. When he did, it didnt take him long to soar again as he bagged an Oscar for The Whale. Now, thats inspiring!

Mara Wilson

Arguably one of the biggest child stars Hollywood has ever seen had a terrible time growing up under the spotlight. Mara Wilson, who stole hearts in films like Mrs. Doubtfire and Matilda, said she could not keep up with the unrealistic beauty standards of La La Land. A rough patch followed, where she stopped being considered for roles she wanted because of her appearance. At the same time, she had developed a toxic relationship with acting after the passing of her mother, calling it a crutch she was dependent on to cope with grief. Riddled with self-doubt, she no longer enjoyed the craft and decided to quit. These days, shes a writer, an occasional theater and voice actor, and a prolific audiobook narrator.

Cameron Diaz

The rom-com legend paused her acting career for her real-life romance. How fitting! Cameron Diaz, who married Benji Madden in 2015, felt compelled to take a step back from her thriving career to focus on her loved ones. She described it as an act of reclamation of her life, something she said she had to do. So, no matter how lucrative an offer she received, Diaz didnt hesitate to turn it down. Instead, during her break, she spent time with her two lovely kids, Raddix and Cardinal, and directed her creative energy toward her wine brand, Avaline. After over a decade, she responded to Hollywoods call and starred in the Netflix blockbuster Back in Action. Welcome back, queen!

Michael J. Fox

Decades may pass, but the impact this storied actor has had on Hollywood will remain indelible. Michael J. Fox, who has been acting from a young age, gave us unforgettable classics like Family Ties and Back to the Future. Even when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, he had no intention of slowing down. Unfortunately, by 2020, his condition started affecting his ability to memorize and deliver lines. He referred to this as a game-breaker in his memoir No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality. However, acceptance followed as he told Empire he was peaceful about moving on. Since retiring, Fox has performed with Coldplay, is raising awareness about Parkinson's, and prioritizing his family but has kept the door open for a comeback.

Rick Moranis

To fans of the Ghostbusters actor, his retirement was a heartbreaking deal. In Ricks own words, he has no regrets whatsoever, he told The Hollywood Reporter. Moranis didnt originally intend to retire but wanted to take some time off to care for his young children after the death of their mother, his wife Ann Belsky, in 1991. Unexpectedly, the break got longer and longer, and we didnt hear from him until 2020. He was reportedly in talks to join a sequel of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, but it was shelved. Later that year, he made a cameo in Ryan Reynoldss Mint Mobile ad at his behest and made headlines after he was attacked by a man in New York. Unfortunately, thats all she wrote.

Daniel Day-Lewis

The Lincoln lead has spoken candidly about his desire to leave acting on multiple occasions. He even went through with it once in the late nineties, when he dedicated months to learning the art of shoemaking from footwear craftsman Stefano Bemer in Tuscany, Italy. However, when he announced hed be concluding his celebrated career in 2017, he was determined to stick with it. Talking to W Magazine, he defined the urge to quit as an impulse that became a compulsion. Even so, it didnt take him long to return. After seven years, it was revealed that Daniel had co-written a film with his son Ronan called Anemone, which he would star in under the younger Day-Lewiss direction. Nepotism discourse aside, a win is a win!


Which once-retired actor had the best comeback? Tell us in the comments down below!