Certain stars shine so brightly at one particular moment in time that they are memorably unforgettable, regardless of the length of their shine. Hollywood is most well represented by these celebrities who have captured the interest of the audience through their one fantastic hit, then disappeared from the limelight sometime right after.
Other actors may be seen performing small roles in movies or working on other projects, but they often overshadow such efforts with their transient fame. Either through personal preference or the changing waters of entertainment, such one-hit wonders left their mark on history. Here are 20 stars who disappeared after one big hit.
Disclaimer: This article contains the author's opinion. Reader discretion is advised.
1) Kevin Jonas
Kevin Jonas and his brothers Joe and Nick exploded into international fame as the Jonas Brothers. They produced hits such as S.O.S. and Burnin' Up. The band dominated at the end of the late 2000s, after which they were disbanded in 2013.
Kevin Jonas walked out of the industry to spend time with family and then to entrepreneurship. He and his wife Danielle starred in the reality series Married to Jonas, wherein he also had some entrepreneurial dealings; he co-founded a real estate development company with a partner, Gino DiMassa.
2) Taylor Lautner
Taylor Lautner became an overnight teen heartthrob playing Jacob Black in The Twilight Saga, but trying to move past that character was extremely hard, especially when films such as Abduction were not doing it. Lautner stepped back from Hollywood because he felt he needed normalcy and a life outside of the studio.
More recently, we have seen him on Netflix comedies such as Home Team, though Lautner stayed relatively off-radar. Lautner also became more private. He is now sharing many more posts on his engagement and personal achievement through social media.
3) Dane DeHaan
Dane DeHaan rose to fame after Chronicle, where he played a rather troubled teenager capable of telekinetic powers. He earned his high-octane performances some places in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, but neither movie hit the mark. After working in indie films and television, DeHaan's most recent role was in the Stephen King miniseries Lisey's Story.
4) Felicity Jones
Felicity Jones received accolades through The Theory of Everything as Jane Hawking, Oscar-nominated. She then came in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Since then, though, her career didn't quite scale such heights. Jones stepped back so she could enjoy family life following the birth of her first child.
Within recent times, she's gone back to the screen—though less often. Jones's early triumphs are still a good conversation, though, as she has tempered the scope of work she accepts.
5) Sly Stone
Sly Stone—Sly and the Family Stone Music visionary leader, whose innovative genre combination of funk, soul, rock, and psychedelia shook up the music scene in the late 1960s. Hits like Everyday People and Family Affair become anthems of unity and reflect the character of change in the atmosphere during that time.
Sly Stone became almost reclusive in the 1980s following too much success and influence to live up to, relegating him to a personal and professional life. Although he is out of music nowadays, he is still present. Many artists across genres claim he had a great influence on them, and there are very inspiring time-carrying tracks with him.
6) Macaulay Culkin
Macaulay Culkin became a household name with his role as Kevin McCallister in Home Alone (1990) and its sequel, becoming one of the most iconic child stars ever. With additional hits like My Girl and Richie Rich, he dominated the early '90s.
Culkin later stepped back from Hollywood, taking an extended break from acting. He returned with notable performances in Saved! He received critical attention as an all-purpose actor in the film American Horror Story: Double Feature (2021). Culkin is doing some personal pursuits and acting undertakings here and there. But his early work is very much known in culture; it continues to fascinate audiences.
7) Armie Hammer
Armie Hammer's Call Me by Your Name established him as a serious actor for the audience and earned him recognition. However, his career imploded after personal and legal controversies came to light in 2021. Hammer was dropped by his agency and removed from key projects, resorting to work outside of Hollywood for survival, even selling timeshares; though he suggested that he could revive his career, Hammer is a polarizing figure.
8) Jeff Mangum
A mysterious mastermind, Neutral Milk Hotel's Jeff Mangum rose to cult status with the folk-psych-rock-lo-fi-indie sounds on his 1998 album In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, which is still deeply emotional and rather unique. Having achieved the already mentioned critical success, Mangum was a point of reference for '90s indie music; however, he remained absent for more than ten years.
It is interesting that, during the 2010s, Mangum surprised many with his return, performing solo and revisiting his groundbreaking work. Even though he keeps away from the public eye, the music of Mangum continues to influence artists through successive generations, and there remains an enduring, passionate fan base for his work.
9) Meg Ryan
Meg Ryan may have given the genre of romantic comedies defining acts in When Harry Met Sally and You've Got Mail, but it seems as though she was largely absent from the cinema halls, especially throughout the 2000s, having withdrawn from the limelight after facing some personal blues and not-so-class performances.
Recently, Meg expressed a desire to return to her genus of origin, which she even directed, namely a romantic comedy. Though little is seen of her lately, publicly, Ryan's work lives on in the film as an old-fashioned favorite of the rom-com crowd.
10) Joe Pesci
Joe Pesci was an overnight sensation, particularly with Goodfellas and My Cousin Vinny, with his intense yet comedic acting chops. Pesci stepped back largely from acting after The Good Shepherd, although he returned from time to time, as he did in 2019 for The Irishman.
Joe's retirement was motivated by the desire for a low-key life outside of Hollywood. He received praise for his brief return but has since resumed retirement and continues to stay away from the big screen for the sake of his quieter life.
11) Gene Hackman
Gene Hackman is another Hollywood legend, with his The French Connection and Unforgiven. Active in the industry for about four decades, Hackman retired in 2004 after Welcome to Mooseport.
In retirement, he stays behind a desk writing novels. Today, his life is very quiet: he hardly, if at all, makes public appearances. His absence from Hollywood has only made his mystique deeper, but fans today yearn for those intense and riveting performances.
12) Phoebe Cates
Phoebe Cates proved to be the '80s iconic female with memorable roles in both Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Gremlins. Despite her fame, she took time out to run her family life with her husband Kevin Kline in the early '90s. Other than re-emerging briefly in The Anniversary Party (2001), she has stayed out of Hollywood, dedicating herself to running a boutique in New York City.
13) Jack Nicholson
Jack Nicholson's career includes iconic roles in The Shining, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and Chinatown. Apparently, since his last role in How Do You Know (2010), Nicholson has retired and does not act anymore. Allegedly, memory issues and other personal reasons made him give up acting.
However, Jack Nicholson has been rumored to have come out of his retirement; still, he chose to avoid publicity and occasionally attended Los Angeles Lakers games.
14) Daniel Day-Lewis
Daniel Day-Lewis is known for method acting. The actual transformation in films such as Lincoln and There Will Be Blood has made this actor successful.
Day-Lewis has shocked his fans saying he will never act again after Phantom Thread in 2017. He mentioned that he no longer feels tied to the work he was doing, so he has relinquished the time to invest in his personal life. The industry speaks of hope and aspirations for him to come back, but he stands by his decision and appears on stage seldom.
15) Freddie Prinze Jr.
Freddie Prinze Jr was a '90s heartthrob. Some of his films include She's All That, I Know What You Did Last Summer, etc. After their early stardom, he gradually drifted towards voice acting in Star Wars: Rebels and being a WWE producer, among other things. Prinze recently dropped some hints that he's interested in returning to Hollywood, but he's kept a low profile for all of that time.
16) Rene Russo
René Russo seemed to explode into visibility during the '90s, with Lethal Weapon 3, Outbreak, and The Thomas Crown Affair. After two decades, she has returned with Nightcrawler and the Thor series, reading lines just to prove that she is still a talented actress.
Russo made her choice to give ample time for family, and so her presence in Hollywood is rare, but an impact nonetheless. Her return movies received critical acclaim, proving talent never fades with time.
17) Demi Moore
Demi Moore rose to stardom with Ghost and A Few Good Men. Post G.I. Jane, her film career went downhill as did her personal life. In the past years, Moore renewed her film life by featuring in projects like Rough Night and published her memoir, which turned out to be candid and telling of her life in Hollywood.
18) Mike Myers
One of the most iconic comic characters ever conceived was Austin Powers and Shrek by Mike Myers. His film The Love Guru, however, in 2008 failed both critically and commercially, relegating him to staying away from mainstream comedy.
Myers briefly returned with Bohemian Rhapsody and his Netflix show The Pentaverate. However, his popularity was at its best in the 2000s. Thanks to his quirky sense of humor, Myers remains a comical figure but coming in and going out has proved that the Hollywood industry does have it tough to keep these momentum touches of this kind on course.
19) Sean Connery
There are not so many actors who portrayed James Bond, and Sean Connery will be remembered as the career-defining role for an actor turned cinematic legend. After an illustrious career, Connery retired in 2003 with The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, reportedly disillusioned by what was happening in Hollywood. He went into a reclusive retreat in the Bahamas, where he stayed until he died in 2020.
Connery retired on his terms, sealed his mystique forever, and endorsed an iconic position in film. His legacy as Bond and beyond created an indelible mark on Hollywood, defining him as one of the most iconic actors of his generation.
20) Dave Chappelle
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Chappelle changed comedy with Chappelle's Show, but at his best, he took an eight-year hiatus to commit to his role as a father. Years passed, and he is back to stand-up, now with a deal with Netflix, though he picks his projects very carefully. The irony makes his alienation from Hollywood a very poignant one.
Despite regular spots of controversy, Chappelle's impact on comedy remains huge and his intermittent returns drive home the message that he only does things on his terms. His early show is a cultural landmark in comedy history.
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