1. Rick Moranis
Rick Moranis became a household name in the ’80s thanks to SCTV, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, and of course, his run on Ghostbusters. But before that, he got plenty of laughs on sitcom-style sketch TV. In the mid-1990s, Moranis made the surprising decision to step away from Hollywood to focus on raising his two children after his wife’s passing.
It wasn’t a dramatic retirement but more of a quiet exit, choosing family life over the Hollywood spotlight. Though he has occasionally lent his voice to animated films and even popped up in commercials, he never returned to sitcoms or major acting roles. Fans still hope for a full comeback, but Moranis seems content with the low-key life he carved out away from showbiz.
2. Shelley Long
Shelley Long charmed audiences as Diane Chambers on Cheers, but her time in Hollywood was shorter than most expected. After leaving the hit show at the height of its popularity in 1987, she tried her hand at movies, but the projects never really took off.
Although she popped back in for guest appearances on Cheers and a few TV movies, Long never recaptured the magic of her earlier days. By the 2000s, she largely stepped away from Hollywood altogether, only taking the occasional small part. These days, she keeps an incredibly private life, far from the spotlight that once made her one of TV’s biggest stars.
3. Mike Myers
While best known for his movies, Mike Myers started out in TV comedy and even did sitcom-adjacent sketch work on Saturday Night Live. By the early 2000s, though, after Austin Powers and Shrek, Myers all but vanished from Hollywood.
Rumors swirled about creative differences and burnout, but Myers himself admitted he wanted more time for his family. For years, he avoided the spotlight almost completely, surfacing only occasionally for cameos or small projects. He may not have had a traditional sitcom run, but his early comedy roots and complete retreat from Hollywood put him firmly in this category.
4. Heather Langenkamp
Heather Langenkamp is mostly remembered as a scream queen for A Nightmare on Elm Street, but she also starred in the short-lived sitcom Just the Ten of Us. The show gave her steady work, but when it was canceled, she took a very different path.
Instead of chasing sitcom roles or film fame, Langenkamp moved behind the scenes. She now runs a special effects company with her husband, working on makeup and prosthetics for major Hollywood productions. While she occasionally appears at conventions, she’s long since stepped away from acting and is thriving in her second career.
5. Danica McKellar
Danica McKellar will forever be Winnie Cooper from The Wonder Years. The role made her an icon of coming-of-age TV, but once the series ended, McKellar didn’t stick around Hollywood in the way many expected.
She went back to school, earning a mathematics degree and later becoming an author of popular math books aimed at young girls. While she’s popped up here and there in Hallmark and GAC family films, her real passion is education and advocacy. McKellar has said that inspiring kids to love math feels far more rewarding than chasing acting roles.
6. Amanda Bynes
Amanda Bynes made her name on All That and her own spinoff The Amanda Show, later branching into sitcoms like What I Like About You. For a while, she was one of Nickelodeon and teen comedy’s biggest stars.
But after a string of personal struggles and burnout from the industry, she stepped away from Hollywood altogether in 2010. She later studied fashion and explored design work, keeping out of the spotlight. Fans remember her comedic timing fondly, but Bynes herself has said she prefers life without Hollywood pressure.
7. Mara Wilson
Mara Wilson became a child star in the ’90s with Mrs. Doubtfire and Matilda, but she also had a recurring role on the sitcom Melrose Place. By the early 2000s, though, she was done with Hollywood.
Wilson has spoken openly about how uncomfortable she felt with fame and the pressure of being a child star. Instead, she pursued writing, becoming a successful author and essayist. Today, she occasionally lends her voice to podcasts or animated projects, but her acting days are firmly in the past.
8. David Caruso
David Caruso is remembered for dramas like NYPD Blue and CSI: Miami, but he actually got his start in sitcom guest spots. His sudden departure from NYPD Blue was one of TV’s most talked-about exits, and after CSI: Miami wrapped in 2012, he quit Hollywood completely.
Caruso shifted his focus to art and business ventures instead. He opened a gallery and began dealing in art and furniture design. Unlike many stars who keep one foot in the industry, Caruso has stayed out of the spotlight entirely since leaving his detective role behind.
9. Angus T. Jones
As Jake Harper on Two and a Half Men, Angus T. Jones grew up in front of America’s eyes. But during his teenage years, he became increasingly uncomfortable with the show’s content and eventually walked away in 2013.
Jones later pursued education and became involved in faith-based organizations. While he briefly returned for the sitcom’s finale, he has no interest in acting again. Instead, he’s kept a quiet, private life away from Hollywood, focusing on personal projects and his own spiritual journey.
10. Phoebe Cates
Phoebe Cates is best remembered for Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Gremlins, but she also popped up in sitcom-style TV roles in the early days of her career. At the height of her fame, she made the unexpected decision to step away from acting in the mid-1990s.
Instead of chasing more roles, Cates focused on raising her children with actor Kevin Kline. She later opened a boutique in New York City, where she still works today. While fans may still ask for her return, Cates seems perfectly happy with her post-Hollywood life.
11. Jonathon Taylor Thomas
Jonathon Taylor Thomas was one of the biggest teen heartthrobs of the ’90s, thanks to his role as Randy on Home Improvement. But unlike many of his peers, he decided early on to step away from the spotlight.
He left the show before its final season to focus on school, later studying at Harvard and abroad. While he did a few small projects here and there, Thomas never fully returned to Hollywood. These days, he lives a private life, far from the screaming fans who once plastered his face on their bedroom walls.
12. Lauryn Hill
While Lauryn Hill is best remembered as a musician, she actually got her start on the sitcom As the World Turns and later appeared on Sister Act 2. She had a brief moment where acting could have become her future, but she turned her back on Hollywood altogether.
Hill focused on music, releasing her legendary album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, and then later stepping away from that spotlight too. For her, the lure of acting never outweighed the importance of privacy and family. Though she still performs occasionally, her Hollywood acting chapter was short-lived and firmly closed.