10 Celebs Who Left Hollywood For Good (& 10 Who Managed To Make A Comeback)
The entertainment industry has seen a lot of its successful stars come and go. And the majority of celebrities have always dreamed of having a successful career in Hollywood. They most likely have always yearned for the opportunity to entertain millions of people across the world with their talents. So, in their minds, being a successful singer or actress was a goal that they've always dreamed of accomplishing.
For some of these stars, being famously known was something that took some time to get used to and having to deal with on a daily basis. Whether it was dealing with constantly being in the public eye, having various opinions about their lifestyles from people they've never met, or trying their best not to slip at their jobs, being a celebrity is never an easy lifestyle.
Some stars were able to leave Hollywood for good and on their own terms. They might've decided that the Hollywood spotlight just isn't for them anymore, and would like to live the rest of their lives under the radar, away from the media.
There are some celebrities who took a break from Hollywood and have surprisingly found a way to re-establish their roles in the industry. These stars were able to make a successful comeback as if they were never gone from the spotlight.
Let's take a look at some of the stars who have decided to leave Hollywood for good, and those that have successfully found their way back.
20 Made A Comeback: Neil Patrick Harris
Fans grew to love Neil Patrick Harris when he was just a child actor starring in Doogie Howser M.D. After that show ended, Harris had a hard time finding a steady acting job due to the fact many people still viewed him as the young kid from Doogie.
It wasn't until a brief cameo in the 2004 film Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle that Harris saw a return to his acting path.
Neil Patrick Harris eventually starred landed a leading role in CBS' How I Met Your Mother as Barney Stinson that gave him the ultimate comeback. Harris is now starring as Count Olaf in Netflix's A Serious of Unfortunate Events.
19 Left For Good: Jack Gleeson
Jack Gleeson was a newcomer in Hollywood with few acting jobs under his belt. His breakthrough role was starring as Joffrey Baratheon in HBO's Game of Thrones. Once Jack Gleeson's time on Game of Thrones came to an end, he announced that he was completely over Hollywood. Gleeson stated that the time and commitment of being an actor on a show as successful as Game of Thrones isn't something that he really enjoyed doing. Gleeson eventually enrolled in college and decided to study philosophy and theology. Jack Gleeson has no desire whatsoever to return back to Hollywood and prefers to live his life under the radar.
18 Made A Comeback: JoJo
In the early 2000s, singer JoJo had everyone singing along with her to her breakout hit single "Leave (Get Out)". JoJo was definitely a teen sensation at only 13-years-old. After releasing her debut album, JoJo ventured off into acting and starred in two popular films, Aquamarine and RV. After the release of her sophomore album, The High Road, it seemed like JoJo's career would continue soaring.
However, after wanting to be released from her record label, JoJo's singing ambitions halted.
Many fans wondered if JoJo would ever record again as she was unable to release new music or perform any of her old songs thanks to the label. JoJo was eventually released from her record label after a seven-year battle and was finally able to release her highly anticipated third album, Mad Love.
17 Left For Good: Jonathan Taylor Thomas
Jonathan Taylor Thomas was one of the biggest teen heartthrobs for those who grew up in the '90s. At the height of his career, Jonathan Taylor Thomas was featured on just about every teen magazine cover. He was also starring in the hit show, Home Improvement, he was the voice of Simba in Disney's Lion King, and he was starring in a few movies. Even after all of his success, Thomas decided that he had enough of Hollywood and just wanted to live a normal and ordinary life. After leaving Hollywood, Jonathan Taylor Thomas enrolled in college, traveled the world, and remains far away from the limelight.
16 Made A Comeback: Ellen DeGeneres
Back in the 90s, comedian Ellen DeGeneres ultimately became a household name after landing her own sitcom on ABC titled Ellen. Ellen's decision to reveal her true self made Ellen the first-ever primetime series to feature a leading gay character.
After Ellen took that big step, ratings from the series dropped and the show was canceled.
Ellen eventually took a break from Hollywood. Years later, she was able to make a comeback after voicing the now beloved Dory in Disney's Finding Nemo. The success of Finding Nemo helped give Ellen a second shot at being a household name. Ellen now has her own award-winning talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, the Finding Nemo sequel, Finding Dory, and many other business ventures.
15 Left For Good: Amanda Bynes
Amanda Bynes was popular for starring in two hit Nickelodeon comedy shows; All That and her very own The Amanda Show. When Amanda made the transition from child star to an adult actress, she continued her acting streak by starring in The WB's sitcom What I Like About You and the hit films She's The Man, Easy A, Sydney White, and What a Girl Wants. But it was the 2007 film Hairspray that really took Bynes' career to the next level. Amanda was in high-demand after the release of Hairspray. The constant demand was unfortunately too much from Bynes to handle, so she decided to take a break from acting. During her acting break, Bynes decided to enroll in the Fashion Institue of Design & Merchandising to study fashion design.
14 Made A Comeback: Raven-Symoné
You might remember Raven-Symoné from The Cosby Show. But she went on to become a household name in the late '90s and '00s. Raven starred in a variety of films such as Dr. Dolittle, Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century, and College Road Trip.
Raven became a Disney Channel star after landing her very own series, That's So Raven, and starred in two of the network's hit films.
In 2015, Raven eventually joined The View as a co-host. She quit The View after announcing that Disney Channel decided to create a spinoff from her 2003 series, That's So Raven, called Raven's Home, which solidified her return to the Disney Channel. Raven's Home was so successful during its first season that Disney immediately renewed it for a second season.
13 Left For Good: Mara Wilson
Mara Wilson was definitely a fan favorite after starring in the classic '90s films Mrs. Doubtfire, the 1994 remake of Miracle on 34th Street, and of course, Matilda. After having much success as a young actress, Mara Wilson decided to put her acting skills to the side and just quit Hollywood altogether. In her new memoir, Where Am I Now?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame, Mara revealed that she quit Hollywood due to the fact she just wasn't getting roles anymore. Mara realized that she didn't fit into Hollywood's superficial standards of beauty. After leaving Hollywood, Mara enrolled into NYU where she studied playwriting and theater.
12 Made A Comeback: Winona Ryder
In the '80s and '90s, actress Winona Ryder was definitely the 'it' girl. Winona Ryder starred in a variety of films that many fans deem as cult classics such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, and Heathers. After various incidents, Winona Ryder took a much-needed break from Hollywood.
Ryder's time away from Hollywood helped clear her mind and helped give her the ability to focus on what she really loved to do, which is acting.
Fans were surprised when Winona Ryder popped up as Joyce Byers in Netflix's hit sci-fi series, Stranger Things. Stranger Things helped catapult Winona Ryder back into Hollywood.
11 Left For Good: Cameron Diaz
Cameron Diaz was once one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood. After all, she has a lot of successful films on her resumé. The last feature film that Cameron Diaz starred in was 2014's Annie alongside Jamie Foxx and Quvenzhané Wallis. After 20 years of working in the entertainment industry, Cameron Diaz decided it was time for a much need break and announced she was retiring from acting. Diaz decided she wanted to opt for a quiet and normal life away from the spotlight, and she wanted to enjoy spending quality time with her husband, Good Charlotte member Benji Madden.
10 Made A Comeback: Britney Spears
Britney Spears was a certified pop star after the release of her first single "Baby One More Time." Britney was in constant demand after continuing to release chart-topping singles and hit albums.
Of course, with fame comes the fact that a celebrity's life will constantly be under a microscope, and Brit's played out in front of the entire world.
After a few setbacks in the public eye, Britney Spears was able to get her career back on track. She continued to release music and some of her singles were chart-topping. She was also briefly a judge on X Factor and had a successful Las Vegas Residency run.
9 Left For Good: Nikki Blonsky
Nikki Blonksy gained fame when she was just 17 years old after starring in the 2007 remake of the musical Hairspray alongside Queen Latifah, Zac Efron, and John Travolta. Blonksy played the famous role of Tracy Turnblad in the film. Hairspray was Blonsky's first ever theatrical acting gig. After starring in Hairspray, Nikki Blonksy starred in her own series on ABC Family titled Huge. After the cancellation of Huge, and having minor acting roles on other television shows, Blonksy stepped away from acting, returned home, and became a cosmetologist in New York. She continues to try and live life under the radar.
8 Made A Comeback: Alexis Bledel
Many people grew up loving Alexis Bledel when she starred as Rory Gilmore on the hit series Gilmore Girls for seven seasons. Aside from Gilmore Girls, Alexis Bledel also starred in feature films such as Tuck Everlasting, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, and Post Grad.
She took some brief time away from her acting roles to get married and start a family.
Bledel's career rejuvenated after reprising her role as Rory Gilmore in Netflix's Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. She now has a role starring in Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale.
7 Left For Good: Kevin Jonas
Kevin Jonas, along with his two brothers Nick and Joe, had a successful career with their musical group the Jonas Brothers. The Jonas Brothers were a teenage phenomenon. They had movies, their own show on Disney channel, dolls, and so much more. When it was announced back in 2013 that the Jonas Brothers would be disbanding, many fans were heartbroken and wondered what was next for the trio. Kevin Jonas decided to take a break from music and developed his own real estate company. Aside from real estate, Kevin has also created a tech startup company. He's the co-CEO of The Blu Market, which specializes in marketing social media influencers, and We Heart It, a video-sharing app. Kevin also married his longtime girlfriend Danielle Deleasa and is a father of two.
6 Made A Comeback: Mayim Bialik
Mayim Bialik is famously known for her role as the title character in NBC's sitcom Blossom. As a young actress, Miyam Bialik had a variety of guest-starring roles on popular sitcoms throughout the '90s.
She eventually stepped away from on-camera roles and proceeded to do voiceover work for cartoons instead.
During her time behind the scenes doing voice-over work, Bialik attended UCLA where she earned a degree in neuroscience and later a Ph.D. Bialik returned to onscreen acting after landing a role on CBS' The Big Bang Theory. Her role on the series not only made her become a household name again, but she also became an Emmy nominated actress.
5 Left For Good: Elizabeth Berkley
Elizabeth Berkley played the beloved Jessie Spano on Saved By The Bell. After leaving Saved By The Bell, Elizabeth Berkley wanted to have a role in feature films, so she auditioned for and snagged the role in the film Showgirls. The film was supposed to be Berkley's next big break in Hollywood after leaving the Saved By The Bell series, but unfortunately, that was not the case. The film received a lot of not-so-good reviews from film critics and Berkely was dropped from her agency. She has since had plenty of guest starring roles on various shows, but she's never been cast as a series regular. Berkley continues to live her life privately and under the radar.
4 Made A Comeback: Molly Ringwald
Molly Ringwald is perhaps one of the most recognizable actresses from the '80s. The actress starred in plenty of films that have made their mark on pop culture history such as The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, and Pretty in Pink.
Ringwald made a huge comeback in the entertainment world when she starred in the ABC Family series, The Secret Life of the American Teenager.
Once Secret Life ended, Ringwald landed a leading role on the series Raising Expectations. Fans can also see Molly Ringwald back in action on the CW's drama series Riverdale starring as Archie Andrews' mother, Mary Andrews.
3 Left For Good: Helen Hunt
Helen Hunt was an in-demand actress in the '90s. She's known for starring in the hit series Mad About You and the films What Women Want, As Good As It Gets, and Twister. After starring in awarding winning shows and films, Helen Hunt's career kind of hit a standstill, and she ultimately retired from acting. Since she stopped acting, Helen Hunt gave birth to her daughter and decided to try another type of career. Instead of working in front of the cameras like she normally did as an actress, Hunt decided to try her hand at directing, and she now has her own production company.
2 Made A Comeback: Ashlee Simpson
Ashlee Simpson is the younger sister of singer and fashion mogul Jessica Simpson. When Jessica got her MTV reality series, Ashlee was able to secure her very own reality series on the network as well.
Ashlee Simpson's reality series followed her everyday life and showed everything leading up to her debut album.
But her career took a hit after a lipsynching incident on Saturday Night Live, however. Simpson's record sales dropped tremendously and she faded away from the industry. Now, almost a decade later, Ashlee Simpson is stepping back into the limelight with her husband, Evan Ross. The two are starring in their own reality series and are planning to release a joint album together.
1 Left For Good: Frankie Muniz
Frankie Muniz had everyone laughing when he starred in the FOX comedy series Malcolm in the Middle. After Malcolm ended, Frankie Muniz continued his acting career by starring in films such as Agent Cody Banks, Big Fat Liar, and My Dog Skip. After being in various films, Frankie Muniz decided he wanted to pursue a new kind of career away from Hollywood. He actually wanted a career in race car driving. He's stated that he's always been passionate about race car driving. But after starting his race car driving career, Muniz had to quit racing due to an injury.
References: People, ET Online, Vanity Fair