Just because we might love a particular actor doesn’t automatically mean that acting is what they’ll do for the rest of their lives. Some beloved actors, from child stars to grownup celebs, gave up acting and picked entirely different paths in their lives.
While some became writers and reporters (in my biased opinion, the very best career paths ever), others were more adventurous with their aspirations, going for PhDs, working as nurses and soldiers, and even going into law.
Bored Panda has dug deep to find out what former actors went on to do with their lives, so scroll on down, upvote the career path changes that you think are the coolest, and let us know which of these actors’ roles you enjoyed in films the most.
Hollywood’s Ultimate Insider, Mike Sington, explained to Bored Panda that some fans believe that acting is a lifelong career because they only hear about them when they’re acting. “When they take a regular job, they fall out of the media’s attention and fans forget about them,” the celebrity and entertainment industry expert said. Read on for our full interview with Mike!
#1 Rick Moranis, Who Played Louis Tully In Ghostbusters, Became A Stay-At-Home Dad
Image credits: Columbia Pictures
#2 Mara Wilson, Who Played The Titular Character In Matilda, Is Now A Writer
Image credits: Sony Pictures Releasing
#3 Danny Lloyd, Who Played Danny Torrance In The Shining, Is Now A Biology Professor At Elizabethtown Community And Technical College In Elizabethtown, Kentucky
Image credits: Warner Bros
It’s far harder to switch careers for well-known individuals like actors than it is for regular folks because there’s an ungodly amount of attention directed at the stage… and celebrities are right in the center of the spotlight.
“It’s difficult to switch careers for an actor because doing so brings with it a feeling of failure, which it shouldn’t. And switching careers is done under public scrutiny for actors, which makes it even more difficult,” celeb expert Mike said.
#4 Kal Penn From Harold & Kumar Nabbed A Serious Position As The Associate Director In The White House Office Of Public Engagement
Image credits: Warner Bros
#5 Karyn Parsons, Former Star Of The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air. After Playing The Role Of Hilary Banks For Six Years, She Moved On To Nonprofit Work. She Founded Sweet Blackberry, A Non-Profit Focused On Teaching Children About Black History
Image credits: NBC
#6 Erik Estrada, Who Played Officer Francis Llewellyn "Ponch" Poncherello On Chips, Became A Real-Life Police Officer In St. Anthony, Idaho
Image credits: MGM Television
He pointed out that establishing a career as a successful actor is a huge accomplishment and it doesn’t happen as often as we might think. Giving up such an accomplishment in exchange for something else is “a major risk.” Though the expert added that “at times, you have to do what you have to do.” Difficult, life-changing decisions shouldn’t be made lightly, but they shouldn’t be a prison that stops you from your other dreams, either.
#7 Jennifer Stone, Who Played Harper On Wizards Of Waverly Place, Is Now A Registered Nurse
Image credits: Disney
#8 Mike Vitar From “The Sandlot” Is Now A Firefighter
Image credits: 20th Century Fox
#9 Ashley And Mary-Kate Olsen. The Former Twin Stars Have Both Chosen Fashion Design As Their Career Path Since Their Retirement At Age 21
Image credits: Warner Bros
Hollywood’s Ultimate Insider, Mike, gave Bored Panda a further sneak-peek into the acting industry. He detailed that actors tend to have a lot of downtime on sets so they can pursue various other activities. That is unless you’re the star of the show and you’re carrying the entire project on your back.
#10 In The ’50s, Tommy Rettig Was The Adorable Boy Whose Sidekick Was The Ubiquitous Lassie. After Lassie He Found Work As A Computer Software Engineer.
Image credits: cbs
#11 Frankie Muniz Of "Malcolm In The Middle" Has Become A Legitimate Professional Racer, Even Earning An Award For Sportsmanship From His Peers. Muniz Also Manages An Olive Oil Shop In Arizona
Image credits: Wikimedia Commons
#12 Danielle Fishel Who Played Topanga In "Boy Meets World" Is Now A Journalist
Image credits: ABC
“For some, it can be an all-consuming profession, but for the vast majority of actors, it’s not uncommon to go weeks or months between acting jobs. It’s one of the most unstable and non-consistent professions one can choose. I have huge respect for anyone who’s successful at it,” Mike shared his admiration for actors and their ability to weather the uncertainty inherent to their chosen profession.
#13 Charlie Korsmo, Who Played Jackie In Hook, Is A Law Professor At The Case Western Reserve University School Of Law
Image credits: TriStar Pictures
#14 Jeff Cohen, Who Played Chunk In The Goonies, Is Now A Lawyer
Image credits: Warner Bros. Pictures
#15 Peter Ostrum, Who Played Charlie In Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, Is Now A Dairy Veterinarian
Image credits: Paramount Pictures
Switching careers can be stressful because we’re uncertain about a lot of things that might happen in the future: from how our daily routines will change to how this will change our long-term financial and other prospects.
#16 Mike Vitar Became Famous After Working On The Films The Sandlot And The Mighty Ducks Franchise. However, He Exited The Acting Scene, Making His Last Film In 1996. He Now Works As A Firefighter In Los Angeles. Before That, He Briefly Worked For An Ambulance Company
Image credits: Disney
#17 Geena Davis Known For “Thelma And Louise,” “A League Of Their Own” Is Now A Social Activist
Image credits: Wikimedia Commons
#18 Michael Maronna Who Played Big Pete In “The Adventures Of Pete & Pete” Is Now A Electrician
Image credits: CBS Television Distribution
But it’s not only that. Large career changes mean massively changing your life, too. You’re changing your goals, your purpose, your aspirations and going on a journey of self-discovery. As anyone who’s ever had to go through a small identity crisis about who they are and what they value most in life will know, it’s not all rainbows and sunshine when you feel like you’re drifting without any direction.
#19 Lark Voorhies Who Played Lisa Turtle In "Saved By The Bell" Is Now A Writer
Image credits: NBC
#20 Cary Grant Best Known For "His Girl Friday" And "North By Northwest" Later Served On Boards For Mgm, The Academy Of Magical Arts, And Western Airlines
Image credits: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
#21 Sarah Michelle Gellar Slays Vampires No More. Sarah Michelle Turned Her Interests To Starting Up Her Non-Gmo Cooking And Baking Companies
Image credits: 20th Television
For one thing, you’ll have to deal with a lot of extra stress. And even though there are ways to manage it with exercise, meditation, social support, etc., it can, at times, become overwhelming. So your health, both physical and mental, can suffer if you don’t see a clear path forward.
#22 Lucas Babin, Who Played Spider In School Of Rock, Became The District Attorney For Tyler County, Texas
Image credits: Paramount Pictures
#23 Vanilla Ice Is Now Working As A House Flipper
Image credits: Rick Marshall
#24 Josh Saviano Who Played Paul From The Wonder Years Now Works As A Lawyer In His Native New York
Image credits: 20th Television
We sometimes tend to forget that actors are human beings just like us and don’t have everything figured out perfectly. So going from acting to trying something else entirely can make celebrities behave just like us.
#25 Former Two And A Half Men Star Angus T. Jones, Who Ditched Acting At Age 21. These Days, Jones Is Working On The Management Side Of Tonite, A Production Company Co-Run By Diddy's Son, Justin Combs
Image credits: CBS
#26 Ariana Richards Most Known For Her Role In Jurassic Park Became A Full-Time Painter
Image credits: Universal Pictures
#27 Maia Brewton Starred In The 1987 Box Office Hit Adventures In Babysitting And Spent Three Seasons On The Fox Sitcom Parker Lewis Can’t Lose. The Actress Currently Works As A Lawyer
Image credits: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
What’s important in these moments of career transition is keeping a positive mindset on the one hand and having a clear-cut action plan on the other. Being optimistic and grateful for what you have will sustain you in moments of difficulty while having even a rough idea of what you need to do will move you forward and give you a sense of accomplishment. So, despite all the media attention and the uncertainty, sometimes you’ve got to aim for your dreams—even if that means leaving something that you love, like acting, behind.
#28 Brittany Ashton Holmes Enjoyed A Successful But Short-Lived Career As An Actress. She Is Perhaps Best Known For Her Portrayal Of The Cheeky Darla In The 1994 Film Version Of The Little Rascals. She Now Works As A Barista And Seems To Enjoy Her Current Pace Of Life.
Image credits: Universal Pictures
#29 Jerry Mathers, Who Played Beaver Cleaver On Leave It To Beaver, Became A Sergeant In The Air Force Reserve
Image credits: CBS
#30 Andrea Barber After Full House Wrapped Up Served As The Director Of Its International Study Program
Image credits: ABC
#31 Ali Mcgraw From "Love Story" Followed Her True Passions And Started Rallying For Animal Rights And Also Became A Yoga Instructor
Image credits: Paramount Pictures
#32 Lucy Liu Rose To Fame In The Drama Series Ally Mcbeal, On Which She Played Ling Woo. Later On She Took Up Visual Arts. Her Works Span From Painting To Collages
Image credits: 20th Television
#33 Phoebe Cates Kline, Who Played Linda Barrett In Fast Times At Ridgemont High, Runs A Boutique Called Blue Tree In Manhattan
Image credits: Universal Pictures
#34 Nikki Blonsky, Who Played Tracy Turnblad In Hairspray, Was A Makeup Artist At Superstar Salon In New York
Image credits: New Line Cinema
#35 Andrew Shue Known For “Melrose Place” Is Now A Online Publisher, Co-Founder Of Cafemom, A Website Focusing On Parenting Content And Women’s Interest
Image credits: CBS
#36 Michael Schoeffling Known For "Sixteen Candles" And "Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken" Now Works As A Carpenter And Run A Woodworking Shop
Image credits: Sixteen Candles Channel Productions
#37 Gene Hackman Best Known For Enemy Of The State, The Firm, And Unforgiven Is Now An Author Of Historical Fiction Novels
Image credits: Warner Bros
#38 Bridgit Mendler, Who Played Teddy Duncan On Good Luck Charlie, Is Pursuing A Degree At Harvard Law School
Image credits: Disney
#39 Reed Alexander, Who Played Nevel Papperman On Icarly, Is A Financial News Reporter
Image credits: Nickelodeon
#40 Gene Hackman, The Star Of Films Like Bonnie & Clyde And The Royal Tenenbaums, Decided To Lend His Talents To The Written Word. He Became A Novelist
Image credits: Wikimedia Commons
#41 Amanda Bynes, Who Starred On The Amanda Show, Is A Fashion Student At The Fashion Institute Of Design And Merchandising
Image credits: Nickelodeon
#42 Taran Noah Smith Who Played Mark Taylor "Home Improvement" Is Now A Carpenter
Image credits: ABC
#43 Jonathan Taylor Thomas Who Played Randy Taylor In "Home Improvement" Is Now A Writer
Image credits: ABC
#44 Freddie Prinze, Jr. Known For “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” “Scooby Doo” Is Now A Chef And A Cookbook Author
Image credits: Warner Bros. Pictures
#45 Chris Owen, Best Known For His Role As The Sherminator In The American Pie Movies Is Now A Waiter At Sushi Roku In Los Angeles
Image credits: Universal Pictures
#46 Jeff Cohen Who Played Chunk In The Goonies Is Now A Founding Partner At Cohen Gardner Llp, A Law Firm In Beverly Hills
Image credits: Warner Bros. Pictures
#47 Gary Dourdan Is Mostly Known For His Portrayal Of Warrick Brown On The Popular Csi Series. Dourdan Still Acts Here And There, And Also Collects Classic Cars. He’s Also An Occasional Dj
Image credits: CBS
#48 Freddie Prinze Jr. Known For I Know What You Did Last Summer And She’s All That Is Now A Wrestling Producer
Image credits: Wikimedia Commons
#49 Dylan Sprouse, Who Played Zack Martin On The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody, Runs All-Wise Meadery, A Mead Brewery In Brooklyn
Image credits: Disney
#50 Kevin Jonas, Who Played Jason In Camp Rock, Worked As A Contractor Before Getting Back Into Music
Image credits: Disney
#51 Jennie Garth Who Played Kelly Taylor In "Beverly Hills 90210" Is Now A Online Entrepreneur
Image credits: CBS
#52 Kirk Cameron Who Played Mike Seaver In "Growing Pains" Is Now A Minister
Image credits: Warner Bros. Television
#53 All Throughout The ’90s, Roseanne Barr Played The Hilarious Mom In The Self-Titled Sitcom Roseanne. Today, Barr Is Mostly Known For Being Vocal And Politically Active. In The 2012 Presidential Elections, She Was The Candidate For The Peace And Freedom Party
Image credits: Carsey-Werner Distribution
#54 Jonathan Bennett Who Played Aaron Samuels In "Mean Girls" Took A Short Break From Acting And Pursued His Love Of Fitness, He Taught Spin Classes At Flywheel Studio In Los Angeles. After The Acting Break, Bennett Returned To Entertainment. The Actor Is Now A Host On Food Network’s Cake Wars And The Mtv Karaoke Show Copycat
Image credits: Paramount Picures
#55 Cameron Diaz Is Now A Self-Help Author. Diaz Has Written Two Best-Selling Works Since Her Acting Retirement, Focusing On Bettering Different Parts Of Existence
Image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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