These Actors Have Turned Their Backs On Hollywood

Sean Connery used to be incredibly successful in Hollywood until he decided to stop acting. He's known for his roles as James Bond, or in the Indiana Jones series, and The Untouchables. Connery was even voted People's "Sexiest Man Alive" and "Sexiest Man of the Century"! His last movie was The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen in 2003 and he then enjoyed well-deserved retirement! When asked if he was ever tempted to return to the screen Sean says he considers it sometimes "But in the end, retirement is just too damned much fun!"

Sean passed away on October 31st, 2020, and we're positive he enjoyed his days of retirement from acting. 

Portia de Rossi wanted to completely step away from Hollywood and focus on being a business owner. The Arrested Development star announced on her wife's program The Ellen DeGeneres Show that she was retiring from acting with an exception for future seasons of Arrested Development! Phew!

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Rick Moranis is best known for his roles in Ghostbusters, Spaceballs, The Flintstones, and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. The reason behind Rick's retirement from Hollywood life is a sad one. His wife Ann died of breast cancer in 1991 and he was left alone to look after their children. As he could not act and be a single dad at the same time, he decided to abandon his career and focus on bringing up his children instead.

Since his children have grown up he has just recently returned for a few on-screen roles like in the hit comedy The Goldbergs and is signed on to be a part of the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids reboot Shrunk!

Peter Ostrum rose to fame after starring as "Charlie" in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. In spite of this, this was the only role he ever had! After filming finished in 1971 he decided that he did not want to have a career in acting as it was too much hard work. He became a veterinarian instead!

The older brother of Hollywood hunk Dennis Quaid, Randy Quaid has an impressive filmography. He was quite versatile, able to don serious roles for dramas, and become extra silly for comedies! He starred in Independence Day, Midnight Express, Saturday Night Live, The Last Detail, and Brokeback Mountain. He even won a Golden Globe!

Unfortunately, Randy had a few too many run-ins with the law and he and his wife Evi fled to Canada to avoid arrest warrants and believed they were being hunted by a group of killers ending actors' lives.

RELATED CONTENT: Remember When Dennis Quaid Was Married To Meg Ryan?

As a little girl, Mara desperately wanted to be an actress and begged her parents to take her to castings. And Mara was a success. She had main roles in both Mrs. Doubtfire and Matilda. After starring in Thomas and the Magic Railroad in 2000, she took a 12-year hiatus from acting and declined roles in movies like Donnie Darko and others. She now has a degree from New York University and does some voice work for TV and movies, as well as playing roles on different podcasts...

Lauryn Hill had an extremely successful career as a singer and recording artist as part of the band The Fugees and also had a few minor acting roles. Unable to keep up with the needs of family and friends, however, she ended her career in the music as well as in the acting industry.

Many actors love working in front of the camera and life as a member of the Hollywood jet-set. There are others though, who turn their back on Hollywood and decide to pursue a more normal life. Jack Gleeson is one of these actors. The Game of Thrones star ended his career when he left the series. He simply did not want to act anymore. He currently runs his own touring theatre company, whose debut show—"Bears in Space"—had its premiere in 2016.

Greta Garbo was one of the biggest names in Hollywood in the thirties. When her part in the 1941 film Two-Faced Women was scorned by critics, it was the beginning of the end. None of her following films received the critical acclaim that her earlier ones had. She decided to retire from the Hollywood rat race at only age 35 and lived a very private life until her death in 1990...

Jonathan Taylor Thomas, better known as "Randy Taylor" from Home Improvement ended his acting career so that he could study at Harvard. He spent 2 years there, then studied abroad at St. Andrews in Scotland alongside Prince William and eventually graduated from Columbia University! The heartthrob longingly referred to as "JTT" has only returned to the screen for his good friend Tim Allen on the sitcom Last Man Standing in 2016. He even directed a few episodes!