When Celebrities Drop Fame for Normal Jobs

Most of us picture the red carpet and constant cameras. A surprising number of performers got exactly that, then walked away for quieter, ordinary lives. From Greta Garbo to MC Hammer, big names at every level chose steady routines and regular work over non-stop fame. Want to see who swapped stardom for something simpler? Keep reading.

The Goonies' Chunk Turned Lawyer

Jeff Cohen, the kid who played Chunk, left acting and went to school at UC Berkeley. He built a career in law, started his own firm called Cohen & Gardner and even writes about legal topics for outlets like the Huffington Post. That child-star moment became a launchpad for a steady professional life. It’s a neat example of a sharp, successful pivot.

Heartthrob Trades Hollywood for Woodshop

Michael Schoeffling, the Jake Ryan everyone swooned over in Sixteen Candles, walked away from acting to become a woodworker. He now crafts handcrafted furniture and runs a small shop, focusing on family and a calmer routine. The lights and premieres were replaced by sawdust and steady hours. It’s a humble, hands-on life he clearly prefers.

Greta Garbo Left Fame at 35

Greta Garbo made a huge mark in classic cinema, yet she retired from films at just 35. After 1940 she favored a quiet life, traveling, collecting art and spending time with a small circle of friends. She famously avoided publicity and kept her distance from Hollywood’s grind. For Garbo, private comfort trumped public adoration.

MC Hammer Switched to Ministry and Business

MC Hammer exploded into mainstream success with hits like Can’t Touch This and a look everyone remembers. Financial trouble and bankruptcy changed his course, and he later became an ordained minister. Alongside various business ventures over the years, he now focuses much of his time on his Christian calling. Fame didn’t end his hustle, it redirected it.

Agnetha Faltskog

Back in the 1970s and '80s, Swedish pop group ABBA was one of music's most influential collaborations. With far-reaching, worldwide success, ABBA were a force to be reckoned with - and Agnetha Faltskog, ABBA's leading woman, was the one who wielded it. But after the band's breakup and Agnetha's short-lived solo career, the Swedish musician bought an isolated country house in her homeland, and focused on her astrology studies, yoga and horse-riding.

Chris Owen

Chris Owen played the Sherminator - ehrm, Chuck Sherman, that is - in the cult classic American Pie, but despite the film's success and his recognizable part in it, Owen had difficulty landing further roles, and went back to making money like the rest of us, even working as a waiter at a sushi restaurant for a while. Happily, his luck seems to have turned in recent years, and he's landed several more film roles since then.

Greta Garbo

Greta Garbo's name is almost synonymous with "Classic Hollywood." Despite having only appeared in a handful of movies, many of them silent, Garbo made a lasting impression on the world of film, before she decided to retire at the early age of 35. From 1940 onward, Garbo led a life of leisure, vacationing abroad and travelling with an exclusive group of friends, as well as collecting art.

Kirk Cameron

Kirk Cameron is a well-known and much loved actor, having played Mike Seaver in the successful 1980s sitcom, Growing Pains.But in addition to his acting career, Cameron is very active in another field: religion. In 2002, Cameron founded the Way of the Master ministry with his fellow evangelist, Ray Comfort, and has been focused on preaching and missionary work ever since.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played 20 seasons in the NBA for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers. The six-time NBA champion has been referred to by many coaches and players as the greatest basketball player of all time and when he retired, he was the NBA’s all-time leader in points scored, games played, and career wins. After retiring Abdul-Jabbar acted, coached, became a martial artist and a best-selling author. He’s written over 15 books!

Kurtis Blow

Rapper Kurtis Blow was the first commercially successful rapper to sign with a major record label and his song “The Breaks” is the first certified gold record rap song. During his career, he released 15 albums before being born-again in 1994 and becoming an ordained minister in 2009. Blow founded The Hip Hop Church in Harlem where he’s combined his love of music with his love for God—he’s a rapper, DJ, worship leader, and licensed minister.

Reed Alexander

Nickelodeon fans may recognize Reed Alexander as Nevel Papperman from *iCarly*, which he played from 2007-2012 and later reprised in a 2014 episode of *Sam & Cat*. Since then, the 27-year-old actor has kept busy, publishing a website on healthy eating for young people and getting his undergraduate degree in media studies and broadcast journalism from New York University followed by a master’s of science degree in journalism from Colombia University. Currently, he’s a financial news reporter at *Insider* and you can catch him in and the 2021 revival of *iCarly*.

Alfonso Ribeiro

Alfonso Ribeiro is perhaps better known to most people as Carlton from the 1990s sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. But following his stint as a television actor, Alfonso went on to become a TV show host, a contestant on Dancing with the Stars a dancer and singer.

Jennifer Stone

We fell in love with Jennifer Stone when she played Harper Finkle on *Wizards of Waverly Place* from 2007-2017 and in 2009’s *Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie*. While she went on to star in many films including 2010’s *Harriet the Spy: Blog Wars* and 2011’s *Mean Girls 2*, at just 28 years old, she’s disappeared from the spotlight. After getting diagnosed with latent autoimmune diabetes in adults when she was 20, Stone left acting to become a nurse so she could better understand her disease.

Dylan Sprouse

Dylan Sprouse rose to fame with his twin, Cole, after the two brothers played in a string of hits like Big Daddy, Friends and in their own show, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody on the Disney Channel. The two siblings have grown since, and today, Dylan has become a brew master, operating a meadery and bar in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Andrew Shue

Andrew Shue was a huge heartthrob as Billy Campbell in Melrose Place between 1992 and 1998 - but following his acting stint, Shue became a professional soccer player, playing for the Bulawayo Highlanders in Zimbabwe's premier soccer league, and, later, for several professional soccer teams in the States. In addition to his sports career, Shue established two prominent online businesses - "DoSomething" and "CafeMom," which, in 2007, was the site most visited by women on the entire internet.

Grace Kelly

For some people, the entire course of their lives, both in and out of Hollywood, is extraordinary and magical. Grace Kelly only worked as an actress for 6 years - but these 6 years were enough to earn her several Golden Globes, an Academy Award, a New York Film Critics Circle Award, and a BAFTA nomination, as well as for her to star in three classic Hitchcock films - all before she was 26. Following her astronomical success and inevitable rise to fame, Kelly then met - and fell in love with - Rainier Louis Henri Maxence Bertrand Grimaldi, better known as Rainier III, Prince of Monaco. Kelly and Rainier III married, and Grace became a real-life princess in a story fit to be a fairytale.

Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey is one of Hollywood's most talented, recognizable and financially successful actors. The Canadian star appeared in countless classics and has made a lasting mark in both comedy and drama. But in recent years, the actor has shown less interest in acting, and more interest in directing theater and documentaries, and well as in his art, which he creates in a small New York studio.

Mara Wilson

Mara Wilson is often recognized for her roles in Mrs. Doubtfire and Matilda, but has not acted in years. Instead, she spends her time focusing on her work as a writer, having penned multiple journalistic pieces, as well as a play.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger is truly the embodiment of the American Dream. An immigrant with a heavy (and iconic) accent, Schwarzenegger worked his way up, first as a bodybuilder, then as an actor, and finally as the governor of the USA's most populous state, California, completing two terms.

Erik Estrada

It’s ironic that Erik Estrada is best known for his role as officer Francis (Frank) Llewelyn "Ponch" Poncherello in the police drama *CHiPs*, which ran from 1977 to 1983. Even though he went on to star in tons of TV shows and movies and participate in a few reality TV shows, his role in *CHiPs* made quite the impression on him. Now, you can find Estrada riding on a police motorcycle—he went on to become a police officer and then an I.C.A.C. (Internet Crimes Against Children) investigator. As of 2016, he’s a reserve police officer.

Syd Barrett

Syd Barrett was one of the founding members of the most successful musical groups of all time: Pink Floyd. Despite Pink Floyd's success, Barrett retrieved from public life, and chose to live in a quiet home in his hometown of Cambridge, where he focused on creating large, abstract canvas pieces, as well as on his gardening.

Geena Davis

Geena Davis is an extremely talented actress with a special place in film history after her parts in Thelma & Louise and Cutthroat Island. But being a strong female star isn't easy, and in recent years, Davis has veered away from acting and focused on social activism, by founding the Geena Davis Institute of Gender in Media, which does important work in the form of research on female representation in TV and film, as well as advocacy for equal representation of women in these fields.

Cameron Diaz

Starring in multiple blockbusters in the '90s such as The Mask (1994), My Best Friend's Wedding (1997), and There's Something About Mary (1998), Cameron Diaz's start was shining bright and it seemed nothing could ever stop her. However, after she starred in Annie in 2014, the world was bewildered by her disappearance from the big screen. Everyone's questions were answered in 2017 when the mega star announced that she's retired from acting. Since her retirement from acting, the former actress and published author has been since invested in health and biotech startups. In May 2019 she was a keynote speaker at The Infatuation's annual food festival, EEEEEATSCON.

Danny Tamberelli

Speaking of *The Adventures of Pete & Pete*, Danny Tamberelli, who played Little Pete, had a successful career as a voice actor, starring in *The Magic School Bus* from 1994-1997, 1992’s *The Mighty Ducks*, and the video game 2013’s *Grand Theft Auto*. He was also a cast member on *All That*. In addition to acting, Tamberelli’s also the bassist and vocalist for the rock band Jounce and Every Good Boy. As of 2013, he’s a podcast host with his former *The Adventure of Pete & Pete* cast member, Michael Maronna and he’s the founding member of a sketch comedy group called Manboobs.

Doris Day

Doris Day's meteoric career has ensured her name will never be forgotten. Her achievements in both music and film such as Young at Heart (1954), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), Pillow Talk (1959) and Move Over, Darling (1963) are monumental, and her contribution to American culture is indisputable. But despite the strong mark she's left, she hasn't been acting since the '70s. Instead, she's focused on something else: animal welfare. Day runs multiple nonprofits dedicated to the welfare and well-being of animals, and has even co-authored a book on the subject. In addition to her nonprofit activities, she also owns and runs a hotel.

Alicia Silverstone

Back in the '90s, Alicia Silverstone was a rising star, mainly thanks to her iconic performance in Clueless. There was a hardly a movie she wasn't in, and she garnered multiple awards - but ultimately, decided to step out of the public spotlight to focus on smaller projects - including a rescued pets sanctuary in L.A. and extensive vegan activism.

Nikki Blonsky

Nikki Blonsky got her big break after starring as Tracy Turnblad in 2007’s *Hairspray* to which she was discovered at an open casting call for unknowns. She had no previous professional acting experience, but it was her dream to play Tracy after seeing the musical on Broadway. After *Hairspray*, she’s pretty much disappeared from the spotlight only appearing in a few shows including 2010’s *Huge* and 2013’s *Smash* as well as a few movie roles. To pay the bills, she became a hairdresser and cosmologist. As of 2020, you can find her in her video blogging series on Instagram where she interviews other celebrities.

Karyn Parsons

Karyn Parsons played alongside Will Smith on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air as his cousin, Hilary. Despite the doors that opened for her, Prasons chose to move behind the camera, and founded her own animated film production company, Sweet Blackberry, which funds and produces animated films about unsung African-American heroes.

Ali MacGraw

Ali MacGraw was a real stunner during the ‘70s and ‘80s and became a household name after appearing in 1969’s *Goodbye, Columbus*, for which she won the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer. She went on to star in 1970’s *Love Story* and in 1972, she was voted the top female box office star in the world. Even though it seemed like nothing was slowing her career down, she turned to a new passion—yoga. She became a Hatha Yoga devotee in her early ‘50s and produced a bestselling yoga video with American yoga master Erich Schiffmann titled *Ali MacGraw: Yoga Mind and Body*.

Erik Per Sullivan

Erik Per Sullivan is best known as Dewy, Malcolm's younger brother in Malcolm in the Middle. Following the show's ending, Sullivan took a break from acting enrolled in the University of Southern California, where he focused on his studies.

Sean Connery

Sean Connery is best known for one of his very first roles on film: British secret agent 007, James Bond. Connery was the first to depict the legendary action hero - and is still considered by many to be the definitive Bond - but he's played many, many more iconic parts since, winning BAFTAs, Oscars, the coveted Henrietta award - and a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II for his services to British film and acting. Still, even huge stars like Connery may want to move out of the limelight - and in 2007, Connery confirmed he's entered retirement for good, saying he won't be joining the cast of the fourth Indiana Jones film because “retirement is just too much damned fun."

Erin Moran

Erin Moran was born in 1960 - and was landing TV roles by 1967. A wildly successful child star, she was cast as Joanie Cunningham in the legendary sitcom, Happy Days when she was 13, and continued to play the well-loved character for over 8 years, well into the '80s. Despite Moran's success, she eventually moved out of Los Angeles and settled in the California mountains, and later moved to Indiana, where she sadly passed away in 2017.

MC Hammer

Stop! It's Hammer Time. MC Hammer enjoyed immense success as one of the first people who brought hip hop into the pop music mainstream. His song "Can't Touch This," alongside his distinct look and "Hammer Pants" are still recognizable today, but following economic hardship and bankruptcy, Hammer became an ordained minister, and in addition to all sorts of entrepreneurial undertakings he's taken part in over the years, works full time in his Christian calling.

Angus T. Jones

Angus T. Jones starred as the funny kid on Two and a Half Men, starting out as a child and continuing his role well into his teen years. Following the show's ending, however, Angus elected not to continue as an actor, but rather to focus on the business side of things, and joined the management team of an event production company called "Tonite."

Barret Oliver

Barret Oliver is best known for his depiction of Bastian in 1984's acclaimed adaptation of Michael Ende's The NeverEnding Story. He was fairly successful during his relatively brief stint as a child actor, and starred in 13 films between 1982 and 1989 - but ultimately, he decided to realize his talent elsewhere. Today, Oliver specializes in 19th century photography and print techniques. His work has been featured in museums, gallery exhibitions and in films, and he even wrote a book about ancient photography techniques titled A History of the Woodburytype.

Kevin Jonas

The Jonas Brothers are still a hugely successful band - but when brother Kevin chose to leave the group, he seems to have known what he was doing. Today, Kevin Jonas is an entrepreneur, having founded a real estate company as well as launched a restaurant-search phone app.

John Cassisi

It’s fitting that John Cassisi was discovered by *Bugsy Malone* and *Fish* director Alan Parker who went to a Brooklyn classroom and asked students to nominate the “naughtiest” who happened to be Cassisi. But Cassisi’s acting career was short-lived—those were his first and last acting roles and he retired from acting in 1982. From there, he became involved in construction work and he worked his way up to the Director of Global Construction for Citigroup. But in 2015 he pled guilty to a bribery scheme and was sentenced to two years in prison and a $500,000 forfeiture, as *The New York Times* reported.

Jonathan Taylor Thomas

Jonathan Taylor Thomas made a name for himself as a child actor, playing Simba in The Lion King and Randy Taylor on the hit ABC sitcom, Home Improvement. Following his career as an actor, Thomas went on to study philosophy at Harvard, and leads a private life today, away from acting and the limelight.

Tony Danza

Who's the boss? Well, Tony Danza might have been the boss at some point - although that's debatable! - but he also had a short stint as an English teacher at Northeast High School in Philadelphia. He's since returned to acting - but not before penning and publishing a book about his experiences, aptly titled I'd Like to Apologize to Every Teacher I Ever Had: My Year as a Rookie Teacher at Northeast High.

Peter Ostrum

Peter Ostrum is possibly one of film history's most beloved child stars - but he only played in one film. In 1971, Ostrum played the titular role of Charlie in the film adaptation of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, opposite of the indominable Gene Wilder. After his short - but brilliant - stint in Hollywood, Ostrum went on to lead a more "normal" life, and ended up working as a veterinarian in the state of New York.

Hayden Christensen

Canadian actor Hayden Christensen had played in a few minor roles before he rose to film history infamy in 2002 for playing Anakin Skywalker in the second two Star Wars prequels. The films were a huge commercial successes, but Christensen decided he wanted a simpler life, and instead moved to his own farm in Ontario, where he slowly learned how to be a farmer through trial and error.

Meghan Markle

Meghan Markle was doing quite well as an actress on the hit lawyer series, Suits, when she met Prince Harry of the British Royal Family. The two married in mid-2018, and Markle left her Hollywood career to focus on her newly-bestowed royal duties.

Frankie Muniz

Frankie Muniz is one of Hollywood's more recognizable faces. He starred in the titular role of cult TV series, Malcom in the Middle, and had many other film and TV appearances over the years. In 2001, Muniz was introduced to the world of car racing, and in 2007 he put his acting career on hold to compete professionally. He's since won multiple race and competed in the Atlantic Championship.

Shaquille O'Neal

Shaquille O'Neal, known as Shaq, is one of the greatest basketball players of all time. The 7-foot-1-inch four-time NBA champion spent 19-years with the NBA and he’s best known for his time with the Orlando Magic, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Miami Heat. But he has so many other hidden talents besides basketball. O’Neal has released four rap albums, appeared in many films and reality shows, and he has an MBA degree and a doctorate in education. He’s also a reserve officer and he has was given an honorary U.S. Deputy Marshal title.

Gene Hackman

At one time, Gene Hackman was a household name. Recipient and runner-up of multiple Academy Awards, BAFTAs and Golden Globes, he first rose to fame in 1967 with the release of Bonnie and Clyde. Since then he's played in such classics as The French Connection, Superman: The Movie, Crimson Tide, Enemy of the State, Get Shorty and many more - but the successful thespian's talent isn't just limited to acting: in 1999, he began to write novels, and in 2004 left his acting career to devote himself to his writing full time. He's written 5 novels so far.

Shirley Temple

Shirley Temple is perhaps the quintessential child star. Known and loved since she was five years old in 1932, she's had a cocktail and a hairstyle named after her, and had starred in countless films between 1932 and 1949. But after she finished her film career, she didn't retire. Temple went on to become politically active, and was appointed US Ambassador to Ghana between 1974 and 1976, and Ambassador to Czechoslovakia between 1989 and 1992.

Lark Voorhies

Everyone loved Lark Voorhies' depiction of Lisa Marie Turtle on NBC's Saved By the Bell, but Lark chose to end her successful acting career. Since 2010 she has been focusing on a different creative endeavor: she is now a published author.

Lisa Whelchel

Even though Lisa Whelchel is best known for her appearances as a Mouseketeer on *The New Mickey Mouse Club* and her role in *The Facts of Life*, she’s also an accomplished singer and songwriter. Whelchel was Grammy-nominated for her album *All Because of You*. She also had a stint on reality TV, participating in *Survivor* and finishing in second place, winning the fan favorite award. Since the ‘80s she’s pretty much disappeared from TV and she’s written 10 books, many of which focus on motherhood, homeschooling, and adult relationships.

Amanda Bynes

Amanda Bynes was hugely successful as a teen, with her own show on Nickelodeon and in films like What A Girl Wants, Hairspray and She's the Man. But she decided to leave all that, and enroll in California's Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, where she studied fashion design.

Freddie Prinze Jr.

Freddie Prinze Jr. was one of the "it" actors of the early 2000s. Starring in She's All That and I Know What You Did Last Summer, Prinze is also married to his slasher film co-star Sarah Michelle Geller, whom he'd met on set. In addition to his acting career, Prinze is also an avid home cook, and has released a cookbook of his recipes titled Back to the Kitchen.

Brittany Ashton Holmes

Brittany Ashton Holmes is remembered as Darla in 1994's The Little Rascals, which she played when she was just 5. After a few other roles between the ages of 5 and 7, Brittany left acting for good. Today, Brittany is living and working in L.A., where she's also studying for a degree in political science.

Danny Lloyd

Danny Lloyd gave one of horror film's most memorable performances as Danny Torrance in Stanley Kubric's 1980 masterpiece, The Shining. But despite his powerful, memorable and, let's face it, creepy performance, Lloyd didn't pursue a career as an actor. Instead, he became a biology professor in Kentucky.

Sarah Michelle Gellar

After a few memorable appearances in several slasher films, Sarah Michelle Gellar played the titular role in Joss Wheadon's groundbreaking, genre-bending television series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and changed TV forever. But following her success as an actress, Gellar set her sights on the business world. Gellar founded a culinary startup called "FoodStirs" in 2015.

Phoebe Cates

Phoebe Cates is probably best remembered for her part in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, but following her cinematic success, she decided to step back and take a break from Hollywood. Today, Cates focuses on charity work, as well as on raising awareness for Juvenile Diabetes.

Tom Selleck

Tom Selleck - the man and the mustache. Undoubtedly one of TV's biggest, most iconic stars, Selleck made his name and fortune playing Thomas Magnum in Magnum P.I.. He later retired to a 60-acre ranch in California, where he still spends his time managing an avocado farm. He of course made his return to acting and most recently starred in CBS's Blue Bloods.

George Foreman

George Foreman, or “Big George”, is a two-time world heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist who competed between 1967 and 1997. We bet you didn’t know that after retiring for a bit in the ‘70s he became a Christian minister and opened up a youth center. As much as Foreman is known for being a professional boxer, he’s also the grill guy—he’s the man behind the George Foreman grill. The grill has sold a whopping 100 million units since being introduced in 1994!

Vanilla Ice

Vanilla Ice's 1989's hip hop hit, "Ice Ice Baby," catapulted the rapper into pop fame - but despite his initial success, in the mid '90s he became concerned that his musical career may not be able to support him, and he began to study real estate, even publishing a book on the subject. Today, in addition to his musical career, Vanilla Ice also manages a successful real estate company.

Josh Saviano

Most people who recognize Josh Saviano will do so for his role as Paul Joshua Pfeiffer in the comedy-drama series, The Wonder Years. But Josh, who was only around 12 when the show began airing, ditched acting soon after the show ended, graduated from high school and went on to study law, becoming a senior partner in a major law firm. In 2014, Saviano briefly returned to acting, and played a lawyer in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.