25 Celebrities Who Didn’t Care About Fame and Wanted Normal Lives Instead

Many people spend their entire lives trying to break into the film industry, but for some, fame just wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Despite having prominent roles in successful films, many actors and actresses have decided to leave Hollywood in the rearview mirror and pursue a different passion.

For some acting retirees, their time on screen helped set them up enough financially that finding work became less of a priority. For others, living under the public microscope that comes with stardom proved to not be worth it. Here are 25 celebrities who left their acting careers behind to live a normal life.

1. Frankie Muniz. Malcolm in the Middle star Frankie Muniz managed to become a household name very early in his career with his roles in My Dog Skip and playing the title character in FOX’s hit family sitcom. In 2003, Muniz was considered to be “one of Hollywood’s most bankable teens” and starred in a number of hit films in the early aughts. However, in 2008, Muniz decided to put his blossoming career on hold to pursue an open wheel racing career where he competed in the Atlantic Championship. He also dabbled in a music career performing in the band Kingsfoil as a drummer from 2012 to 2014.

2. Leelee Sobieski. With her roles in the hit films Deep Impact and Eyes Wide Shut, Sobieski quickly became an actress on the rise while still only a teenager. She went on to appear in a number of successful teen movies before taking on more mature roles. However, Sobieski made the decision to retire at only 29 years old. In an interview with Us Weekly, Sobieski stated, “I don’t do movie stuff anymore. I am just focused on my kids. I think that’s mainly why I stopped … Also, ninety percent of acting roles involve so much sexual stuff with other people, and I don’t want to do that.”

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