Seeing how bad some people want the fame and fortune of A list celebs, one would think those who have achieved it would do anything to stay in that position. However, that is not always the case. Some A list celebrities did walk away from it all and did so with no regrets. Perhaps the life of an A-lister isn't all it's cracked up to be?
It's as if these celebrities woke up one day and found a new calling. Some take breaks from acting and find their way back, others leave the spotlight, never to be seen again. One might wonder how a person at the height of their career came to the conclusion that they wanted to give it all up. It's true what they say, different strokes for different folks.
10 Angus T. Jones Hated Working On Two And A Half Men
Angus T. Jones portrayed Jake Harper in the CBS sitcom Two And A Half Men for 11 seasons. Angus who'd been on the show since he was 9 years old, is reported to have been making $350,000 per episode. However, he would later take to YouTube to call the show that had made him millions "Filth."
He also referred to himself as a "paid hypocrite", and suggested that people stop watching Two And A Half Men. Angus quit the show over his religious beliefs, the show isn't the only thing he quit though. He quit acting altogether.
9 Cameron Diaz Wanted Different Things Out Of Life
The Charlie's Angel's star was once among Hollywood's elite. Cameron Diaz enjoyed a long and successful acting career, before giving it all up.
According to CNN, Diaz spoke about her departure from Hollywood during an episode of Gwyneth Paltrow's In Goop Health: The Sessions series. The star revealed that" When you're making a movie, it's the perfect excuse. They own you. You're there 12 hours a day for months on end. You have no time for anything else."
8 Jack Gleeson Retired From Acting Because He Stopped Enjoying It
For Game Of Thrones fans, Jack Gleeson is a familiar face that seemed to have vanished from the spotlight after his character was killed off in the show.
At the height of his career, Gleeson retired from acting. He told Entertainment Weekly, "I’ve been acting since age 8. I just stopped enjoying it as much as I used to. And now there’s the prospect of doing it for a living, whereas up until now it was always something I did for recreation with my friends, or in the summer for some fun."
7 Jessica Alba Went On A Decade Long Hiatus... But Came Back
Jessica Alba is known for movies like Fantastic Four, Into The Blue, and Machete. While some may argue that Jessica's filmography is not all that impressive, she certainly does have noteworthy films on her resume.
In 2008 the star went on hiatus and according to ET Online, "Jessica wasn't interested in acting any more unless she was the one in charge." Well, A decade later the El Camino star got an offer she couldn't refuse. She ended her hiatus to star in L.A.'s Finest alongside Gabrielle Union.
6 Macaulay Culkin Retired In The '90s But Takes On Minor Roles In His Friends' Projects
Thanks to the Home Alone movies, Macaulay Culkin became a household name at a young age. He went on to star in a handful of movies before retiring from acting and leaving child stardom behind.
He may have retired as a kid but still does indie projects and minor supporting roles in his friends' projects. It's hard to tell whether the child star plans to resume acting full-on and make his big Hollywood return or perhaps just enjoys dipping his toes here and there.
5 Mary-Kate And Ashley Olsen Quit Their Acting Careers And Never Looked Back
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen made their acting debut in the cult-classic sitcom, Full House. The Olsen twins went on to star in various movies in their teens and would have transitioned into Hollywood leading ladies had they not taken an abrupt break from showbiz.
The former child actors lead extremely private lives and have kept their fans wondering why they turned their back on acting. Ashley revealed to Intouch Weekly that, "With what we were doing in business when we were younger, I don’t think it ever felt like we were actresses."
4 Dylan Sprouse Left Showbiz To Further His Education
Following the end of Disney's The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody franchise, Dylan and his twin brother Cole took a break from the spotlight to attend college. Dylan did not return to showbiz right away, alternatively, he opened a meadery.
He has been in a few projects in the past couple of years but hasn't actively pursued an acting career. He's still kinda on hiatus and only makes films that appeal to him, like his 2018 movie Banana Split.
3 Nikki Blonsky Is Now A Makeup Artist
When Nikki Blonsky starred in Hairspray many people assumed that the bubbly star would go on to become a household name. She was a star on the rise and seemed to have the promise to gain A-list stardom. Although she has appeared in a handful of projects since then, Nikki has not attained the amount of fame she had hoped to.
Without roles pouring in, Nikki left Hollywood and now works as a makeup artist. She insists that she will never lose sight of her dreams. Starring alongside John Travolta and Zac Efron in Hairspray would be enough motivation for anyone to not give up their dream of making it in Hollywood.
2 Frankie Muniz Quit Acting And Became A Race Car Driver
Frankie Muniz is famous for his roles in movies like Agent Cody Banks and Big Fat Liar. He also played the titular role in Malcolm In The Middle. When filming ended in 2006, Muniz decided to take an indefinite break from showbiz. However, he has appeared in minor roles over the years and even competed on Dancing With The Stars.
Despite taking a break from acting, he has spent time behind the wheel of a race car and even competed in the Champ Car World Series.
1 Amanda Bynes Choose To Focus On Improving Her Mental Health
Amanda Bynes's rise to stardom came at an early age. The child actor was seemingly well-adjusted in earlier years of her career, however, the cracks in her ability to handle stardom began showing later on. In 2008, Bynes announced her retirement from acting.
The star had to deal with difficult times, choosing to check into a mental health facility to focus on healing and getting better. The former actor caused quite a frenzy with her antics on Twitter for a while but seems to have settled into her life out of the spotlight.