20 Actors Who Took a Break from Acting

Have you wondered what it is like to live another person’s life while being completely aware of your own? Well, in case you haven’t, you can take a look at the lives of our beloved actors. Just to make sure that their audience experiences an authentic feeling of the character they are playing, these actors need to go through a lot of ups and downs. And it is needless to say, any sane human mind will need a break from this at some point. Some crumble under the pressure of stardom, some fail to shed the first impression they created, and some just want to spend a quiet life. So here is a list of 20 actors who took a break from acting at some point.

1) Leonardo DiCaprio

After The Revenant in 2015, Leo stepped away from acting for a few years, only returning in 2019 with Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. He’d been pushing himself hard for years, so this break was all about relaxing and focusing on his environmental activism. He’s always been someone who chooses quality over quantity, and this hiatus let him come back refreshed. We all love this brilliant actor and want to see him on screen more often, but it was a well-deserved break for Leo after bagging his first Oscar as best actor.

2) Emma Watson

Education is important, and it can be challenging to pursue a degree when playing a major role in an eight-film-long series as a child actor. After Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2, the last movie of the franchise, Emma took a step back from acting to focus on her education and activism. A real-life Hermoine, we must agree. She enrolled at Brown University in 2009 and graduated in 2014. Though she starred in The Perks of Being a Wallflower during that time, she clearly prioritized personal growth and her work as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador.

3) Daniel Day-Lewis

Known for his immersive performances, Daniel Day-Lewis announced his retirement in 2017 after Phantom Thread. He’d taken breaks before, like in the late ‘90s when he became a cobbler in Italy. Acting took a toll on him and often needed time away to recharge and live a quieter life. Method acting is challenging indeed, and the amount of effort he puts into each role is way more than what we see on screen. However, the actor chose to give his fans another chance to experience his marvel and decided to come out of retirement with the film Aneome, which will be directed by his son Ronan Day-Lewis.

4) Cameron Diaz

Cameron Diaz hasn’t been seen on screen since 2014’s Annie. She confirmed her retirement from acting in 2018 to focus on herself and her family life. Recently, she’s ventured into wellness and even launched her own wine brand. The break gave her the space to live life on her own terms. Although there is no announcement of her return, we fans can look forward to a groundbreaking comeback as the actor, throughout her career, proved her knack for the craft.

5) Jennifer Lawrence

After a meteoric rise to fame, Jennifer decided to take a break after Red Sparrow in 2018. She’d been working non-stop since The Hunger Games and needed time to recharge. She’s been vocal about wanting to spend more time on personal projects and slowing down her pace. The hiatus was mainly owing to the Oscar-winning actor's feeling that she has been around a lot. But she came back from her break with the 2021 film Don’t Look Up.

6) Dave Chappelle

Though more known for comedy, Dave Chappelle’s Chappelle’s Show made him a star in acting circles, too. In 2005, he famously walked away from Hollywood, citing pressure and creative differences. Chappelle clearly stated that the fame he earned was hard to control, and success felt very different than what he imagined. He spent years living quietly in a town twenty miles away from Dayton, Ohio, before making a comeback with Netflix specials in 2017. Chappelle, as a matter of fact, gained a lot of weight during his hiatus just by taking care of himself. Well, that’s what peace looks like.

7) Macaulay Culkin

After dominating the ‘90s with Home Alone and other hits, Macaulay Culkin left acting in 1994 at just 14 years old. He’d been working since he was a child and needed to step away to reclaim his life. At some point, it was challenging for Culkin to come out of his child actor image and recognize adult roles. Culkin’s work started to get overshadowed by the image he successfully embedded in the minds of his fans as Kevin McCallister. He returned in the mid-2000s but focused on shedding his child-star image.

8) Meghan Markle

Before becoming the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle starred in Suits, a very successful series. When she married Prince Harry in 2018, she left acting behind to focus on royal duties and charitable work. Though the decision was linked to her new life, it marked a complete departure from Hollywood. The bad press that followed Markle and Prince Harry led to the actor having no other way but to leave her dream career behind.

9) Rick Moranis

In the mid-’90s, Rick Moranis stepped away from acting to focus on raising his kids after his wife’s tragic death. Known for Ghostbusters and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, he didn’t officially retire but instead prioritized his family over his career and wanted to take a short break. But that short break went ahead, and Moranis felt that he didn’t miss it that much. He’s only recently made a small return to the spotlight.

10) Jack Nicholson

This legendary actor, known for his iconic roles in films like The Shining and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, has been on an acting hiatus since 2010’s How Do You Know. While he hasn’t officially retired, Nicholson has stepped away from the spotlight to enjoy a quieter lifestyle. Reports suggest that concerns about memory issues played a role in his decision to take a break. Instead of the big screen, Nicholson now spends his days appreciating art, sports, and a more relaxed pace of life.

11) Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth slowed down her acting career after 2019, focusing more on her lifestyle brand, Goop. She opened up about this break from acting after her last appearance on the big screen in Avengers: End Game in 2019. She’s been clear about finding fulfillment outside Hollywood, even as she occasionally pops back in for special projects. However, we can look forward to a comeback as Paltrow’s daughter, Apple Martin, convinced her to act alongside Timothee Chalamet. But Paltrow is still considering Goop as her full-time passion.

12) Sean Connery

The original James Bond retired after The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen in 2003. Frustrated by Hollywood politics and bad experiences in that film, Connery decided he’d had enough. After receiving the American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006, he declared his retirement, and in 2007, he denied the rumor of him appearing in the fourth Indiana Jones film. He spent the rest of his life enjoying his retirement in the Bahamas, as retirement was too much fun for him.

13) Demi Moore

After her reign as one of the highest-paid actresses of the ‘90s, Demi Moore stepped back from acting in the early 2000s. She focused on raising her kids and navigating her personal life. Her return in films like Margin Call proved she’d never lost her touch. Although a lot of rumors were spread regarding Moore’s comeback, the fact remains that she never retired. She was merely waiting for a script that was interesting and challenging for her. We can blame typecasting for this talented actor’s hiatus.

14) Joaquin Phoenix

Joaquin took a bizarre break from acting in 2008, claiming he was pursuing a career as a hip-hop artist. This turned out to be part of a mockumentary musical parody project, I’m Still Here, written by Casey Affleck and Phoenix himself, which came out in 2010. Phoenix stayed in character for two years, leading the fans to believe that he had retired from acting. Though brief, it was an odd departure from his usual intensity, showing his willingness to experiment and surprise.

15) Renee Zellweger

After My Own Love Song in 2010, Renee disappeared from the screen for six years. She later revealed she’d taken time off to focus on her mental health and personal growth. She revealed that her therapist made her see that she had spent most of her life being a public persona and not focusing on her real life. Stardom looks nice from the outside, but it is very hard to live up to other’s expectations. Her comeback in Bridget Jones’s Baby and Judy reminded everyone why she’s a beloved star.

16) Edward Norton

Edward Norton has always been selective about his projects, and he took a notable break after The Bourne Legacy in 2012. While he’s worked on smaller projects since he’s spent much of his time focusing on environmental activism and other personal passions. He simplified his reason for his break by pointing out the quality over quantity fact. He even took examples of Daniel Day-Lewis and Sean Penn while talking about the potency of acting after a break.

17) Shirley Temple

Hollywood’s original child star, Shirley Temple, took a permanent break from acting in 1950 when she was just 22 years old. After dazzling audiences as a child in the 1930s, her transition to adult roles proved challenging. Rather than sticking with acting, she reinvented herself by pursuing a career in politics and diplomacy. Shirley went on to serve as a U.S. ambassador and achieved great success in her new field. Her departure from Hollywood showcased her ability to shine beyond the silver screen.

18) Paul Newman

Paul Newman, the legendary Hollywood actor, slowed his acting career in the 1990s to focus on philanthropy and his passion projects. Known for his iconic roles in classics like Cool Hand Luke, Newman shifted gears to dedicate time to Newman’s Own, his food company that donates all profits to charity. He also focused on his Hole in the Wall Gang camps for seriously ill children. Though he acted occasionally, Newman prioritized giving back over the spotlight, leaving a legacy far beyond his stellar film career.

19) Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg, known for her iconic roles in Ghost and The Color Purple, took a step back from acting in the late 2000s to focus on her career as a television host. Joining The View in 2007, she found a platform to express her views and engage in meaningful discussions. While she still appeared in occasional acting projects, her focus shifted to advocacy and commentary. This break from full-time acting allowed her to connect with audiences in a completely new way, showcasing her versatility beyond the big screen.

20) Gene Hackman

Gene Hackman, a Hollywood legend with classics like The French Connection and Unforgiven, decided to retire from acting after Welcome to Mooseport in 2004. He felt it was time to step away from the hectic pace of Hollywood and enjoy a quieter life. Instead of films, Hackman channeled his creativity into writing and has since authored several novels. His break wasn’t about losing his passion but shifting it to a new medium, proving his talent goes far beyond acting.