10 Hollywood celebs who quit acting after enjoying fame; Cameron Diaz to Gwyneth Paltrow

Hollywood is one of the biggest entertainment industries around the world. People struggle to get into the business and make it big. The life of an actor could be quite hectic with irregular work hours and no surety of future projects. But as someone gets the recognition then big paychecks and fame follow. Actors long for such a high in their career, however, there have been few entertainers who quit their job after getting fame. 

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Hollywood celebs who quit acting after enjoying years of fame

Cameron Diaz

One of the most shocking retirements in the Hollywood industry came from Cameron Diaz. The acclaimed actor made her debut in 1994 with The Mask and was praised by many, gaining instant fame. She appeared in hit projects like There’s Something About Mary, Being John Malkovich, Charlize Angeles series, Vanilla Sky, Gangs of New York, Knight and Day, Bad Teacher, and more. Her final role came in Annie in 2014. She was also seen in two more movies in the same year, The Other Woman and Sex Tape.

Daniel Day-Lewis

Daniel Day-Lewis is among the most decorated actors ever, with three Oscar wins in the Best Actor category for his performances in My Left Foot, There Will Be Blood, and Lincoln. He has also received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II for his services to drama. Day-Lewis’ last big-screen appearance was in the acclaimed historical drama film Phantom Thread (2017) written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.

Danny Lloyd

Child Artist Danny Lloyd caught everyone’s attention with just his first performance as Danny Torrance in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining in 1980. He later appeared in Will: G. Gordon Liddy and Terror in the Aisles in 1982 and 1984, respectively. That was it for the young star as he ended his acting career and became a teacher. Lloyd had a cameo role in The Shining sequel Doctor Sleep (2019) starring Ewan McGregor.

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Gene Hackman

Gene Hackman was an actor for around six decades and won two Academy Awards, four Golden Globes, two BAFTAs, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. He was praised for his performances in The French Connection, Unforgiven, Bonnie and Clyde, I Never Sang for My Father, and Mississippi Burning. Hackman had a long career, but his retirement still stunned many as it came in 2004 in Welcome to Mooseport.

Gwyneth Paltrow

Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) actor Gwyneth Paltrow has taken a break from acting following her childbirth. However, her return to the industry is not confirmed. The Academy Award-winner has been in movies like Shakespeare in Love, Sliding Doors, Bounce, Glee, The Royal Tenenbaums, and more.

Meghan Markle

Before marrying Prince Harry, Meghan Markle was seen in the legal drama series Suits. She played Rachel Zane on the show for seven seasons from 2011 – 2017. As she became the Duchess of Sussex, she quitted acting. Markle is now coming up with her production company.

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Michael Schoeffling

Michael Schoeffling gained fame in the ‘80s and ‘90s but soon dropped out of the frame. He was best known for his role as Jake Ryan in the coming-of-age romantic comedy film Sixteen Candles. Schoeffling was last seen onscreen in 1991 released Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken.

Phoebe Cates

Much like Michael Schoeffling, Phoebe Cates garnered much attention in the late 20th century. She was seen in movies like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Drop Fred, Gremlins, and others. After that in 1994, she pretty much left acting as Cates was only seen in The Anniversary Party in 2001.

Rick Moranis

Ghostbusters, Spaceballs, I Shrunk the Kids, Little Shop of Horrors and Honey, are some popular projects featuring Rick Moranis. He was often appreciated for his performances but scaled down his acting after his wife passed away due to cancer in 1991. Moranis then focused his attention on raising his children.

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Shirley Temple

Getting fame at a younger age is not a piece of cake, especially in the 20th century. But Shirley Temple made her name in the Hollywood industry as a child actor. Being one of the most popular child artists, she was awarded a special juvenile Oscar in 1935 for her contribution to the movie that year when she was just seven years old.

Promo Image Source: camerondiaz Instagram And A Still from There Will Be Blood