Actors Who Retired Far Earlier Than Anyone Expected

Swedish-born Greta Garbo shone brightly during the Golden Age of Hollywood in the 1920s and 1930s. Known for her beauty as much as for her talent, she garnered Academy Award nominations for “Anna Christie,” “Romance,” and “Ninotchka.” Yet the spotlight proved too much for the reclusive star, whose retirement from Hollywood echoed one of her most famous lines from the 1932 movie “Grand Hotel”: “I want to be alone.”

With her trademark ringlets, Shirley Temple was the biggest child star of the 1930s. When she reached her teens, she tried more adult roles in films like 1947’s “The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer” – but her popularity had already begun to wane and she made her last feature film, “A Kiss for Corliss,” in 1949. After her screen career ended, she became active in Republican politics, serving as a delegate to the UN General Assembly in 1969 and ’70 and chief of protocol for President Gerald Ford in 1976 and ’77.

Why be the queen of Hollywood when you can be a real-life princess? In the 1950s, no one was more popular and beautiful than Grace Kelly, winning an Oscar for her role in “The Country Girl” in 1954, and starring in a string of hits for Alfred Hitchcock. But when she married Prince Rainier III of Monaco, she had to give it all up to serve as the tiny country’s princess. She never made another movie.

At the relatively young age of 62, Cary Grant bid farewell to the silver screen with his final appearance in 1966’s “Walk, Don’t Run.” Grant said he ran away from Hollywood after the birth of his only child, Jennifer, in 1966. His focus shifted to raising her, saying, “I discovered more important things in life.”

After playing Charlie Bucket in the original “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” Peter Ostrum declined a three-film contract and left acting at age 13. Until 1990, he refused to talk about his experiences on the film. Instead of stardom, Ostrum became a veterinarian.

Young women swooned over Michael Schoeffling when he played Jake in “Sixteen Candles” and Joe in “Mermaids.” By 1991, he left the business at age 31 and now hand-crafts furniture in Pennsylvania.

A 1980s pop icon due to a memorable scene in 1982’s “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” Cates called it quits after “Princess Caraboo” in 1994. She later acted in “The Anniversary Party” as a favor for Jennifer Jason Leigh, who directed the picture. Since 1989, she’s been happily married to actor Kevin Kline.

Hart made her film debut co-starring with Elvis Presley in “Loving You” in 1957, and for several years was a glamorous leading lady. After several roles playing religious women – including Saint Clare in “St. Francis of Assisi” (1961), she found a vocation and decided to leave Hollywood behind to become a Roman Catholic nun. While in New York on a promotional tour for her last film, “Come Fly With Me,” she took a cab to the Benedictine Abbey of Regina Laudis in Connecticut, where she took her vows.

Nobody did dorky comedy better than Rick Moranis. His starring roles in “Ghostbusters,” “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids,” “Spaceballs,” and “Parenthood” shot him to the top of the movie charts. Yet in 1997, the Canadian alum of “SCTV” decided that he preferred a home life with his children. Besides voice over work in “Brother Bear” in 2003, he shunned the limelight – though he’s making at least a one-film comeback with “Shrunk,” a sequel to “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids,” currently in pre-production.

Adorable Mara Wilson rose to child stardom in “Mrs. Doubtfire” and “Matilda.” But she soon grew weary of the constant scrutiny the press places on child actors and she quit at age 13. However, she had done one-woman shows, some episodic TV series, and voice-over work since retiring.

After a highly successful film career that saw her win an Oscar for “Shakespeare in Love,” Paltrow has concentrated on Goop, her lifestyle website and company. She has opened up the possibility of returning to acting if her husband, producer Brad Falchuk, is involved in the project.

Amanda Bynes shot to fame in the late 1990s and early 2000s with a string of hits. She even headlined her own sketch comedy show, “The Amanda Show.” But it all fell apart due to substance abuse struggles, as she related to People in 2018. But in the same article, she said she was on a better path and hoped to get back into acting.

Known as a “Disney Dreamboat,” Erik von Detten left movies for a job in finance and the life of a family man. In a 2021 interview with Eonline, von Detten said he would consider a role that doesn’t require an “arduous audition” process, but sounded lukewarm on a return to the screen. Acting, he said, is “just not a consistent career.”

Taylor Momsen gave up acting after starring in “Gossip Girl.” But she hasn’t given up the limelight completely. She hopes to hit it big in the music industry.

You could say Angus T. Jones left acting for a higher calling. In a 2014 interview with People, Jones disparaged the hit show, “Two and a Half Men,” saying it conflicted with his religious beliefs. At the time, he said he was involved with the World Harvest Outreach Church and was a follower of the Seventh Day Adventist Church.

Like Peter Ostrum, Kay Panabaker had a love for animals that overtook her acting ambitions. After leaving acting to study zoology at UCLA in 2012, she now works at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Florida.

Twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen played the adorable Michelle Tanner on “Full House.” After the show ended in 1994, they continued acting in movies (“The Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley”) and a short-lived TV series. But by the mid-2000s, the twins opted for college and careers in fashion instead.

After starring roles in “So Weird” and “Boston Public,” Cara DeLizia found her career slowing to a trickle of a few voice overs and guest appearances. Now, she works with a group that helps children in Haiti.

Although Ariana Richards quit acting, she’s still pursuing her art by painting. She earned a BS in Drama and Art from Skidmore College and continued on to the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. She operates an art gallery in Portland, Oregon and has studios in the U.S., South America, and Europe.

After playing the evil Joffrey Baratheon in “Game of Thrones,” Jack Gleason left the stage. Perhaps people mistaking him for the dastardly king made his decision for him. By all reports, he’s a nice guy and the opposite of his character. Here’s hoping someone so young and talented returns to acting.

With a résumé that stretches from comedy and action to drama, Cameron Diaz proved she has the acting chops for any genre. Now, she writes books on aging and health instead, and founded an organic wine brand, Avaline, in 2020.

Jonathan Taylor Thomas has had a notable TV and screen career. But after working since the age of 8, he decided it was time for a break to pursue other interests, such as traveling and studying. He attended Harvard, Columbia, and St. Andrew’s University in Scotland. He last appeared with former co-star Tim Allen on a guest appearance on “Last Man Standing” in 2015.

Motherhood took center stage for LeeLee Sobieski, who announced her retirement in 2016. But she left with a comfortable nest egg of $6 million.

After playing Denise Huxtable on “The Cosby Show” and its spinoff, “A Different World,” Lisa Bonet went on to star in movies (“Enemy of the State” and “High Fidelity”). After a recurring role in “Ray Donovan,” Bonet left acting to raise her children, including fellow actress Zoë Kravitz.

“iCarly” star Jeannette McCurdy decided she no longer wanted to act at age 25. She said she only went into showbiz to support her family and found the roles unfulfilling.

The daughter of actress Susan Sarandon, Eva Amurri unfollowed her mother’s footsteps in favor of her lifestyle blog, Happily Eva After. She said she prefers dealing with online trolls than the “auditions with slimy people.”

After winning an Oscar for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln, Daniel Day-Lewis called it quits at the relatively young age of 60. But as the only actor to win three Academy Awards, does Day-Lewis have anything else to prove?

After turning 45, Portia de Rossi decided to leave acting after the fourth season of “Arrested Development.” As for her future beyond acting, de Rossi mentioned starting a business, but nothing more definite than that.

The one-time rom-com queen left acting for a reason many can relate to – she felt burned out. Playing everything from a helicopter pilot to an alcoholic left her little time for herself, Ryan said. But good news for Meg Ryan fans: She hasn’t ruled a return to the silver screen.