Becoming a movie star is the dream of many teenagers, and some spend years trying to make it in Hollywood.
How can you explain when an actor decides to leave the limelight and move on to a more mundane career?
How much is too much of a good thing? Some famous people called it quits early on, but others abandoned their careers after decades spent on the film set.
10 /10 Mara Wilson
The cute Matilda of the 1996 movie of the same name, Mara Wilson, was a sensational child actor. Let’s not forget that before starring in Matilda, she also played the little girl in the much-acclaimed 1993 movie Mrs. Doubtfire.
Wilson quit acting in 2000, completed her studies at the age of 13, and became a writer. One of her books, Where Am I Now?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame deals, among other things, with the stress of being a child actor.
9 /10 Kevin Jonas
One of the famous Jonas Brothers, Kevin, gave up showbiz when the band broke up in 2013. He’s moved on to a completely different life and is now busy creating apps, a very modern and profitable business.
His most important project so far is Yood, an app that helps you locate nearby restaurants that serve your preferred food.
8 /10 Dylan Sprouse
The Suite Life of Zack and Cody was one of Disney’s most popular shows in the early 2000s. Dylan Sprouse was Cody, while his twin brother Cole played Zack.
After the show ended, Dylan Sprouse worked for a time in coffee and beer shops, and now he has his brewery in New York. His brother, however, is still into acting, and you’ve probably seen him in CW’s Riverdale.
7 /10 Gene Hackman
Gene Hackman is a true Hollywood legend, with many great movies and quite a few awards to his name, including two Oscars. Surprisingly, Hackman left Hollywood in 2004 to dedicate himself to writing at the age of 74.
He’s into historical novels, and he’s already published three books. Not that he’s cut all connection with acting. In recent years he agreed to be the narrator for two documentary films.