Everyone deserves a break each from time to time, and that features actors. A few of Hollywood’s most interesting have even indulged in stepping away from the digital camera for years on finish, similar to these celebrities.
Joe Pesci
Academy Award winner Joe Pesci went eight years with out an performing function, the final being in Deadly Weapon 4, earlier than making a cameo in 2006’s The Good Shepherd. He lastly appeared in one other starring function in 2010’s Love Ranch, lent his voice to 2015’s A Warrior’s Story, and later acquired his third Oscar nomination for portraying Russell Buffalino in 2019’s The Irishman. He waited one other 4 years to interrupt retirement for Peacock’s Pete Davidson-led TV present, Bupkis, and a boxing film referred to as Day of the Battle.
Ke Huy Quan
After making a reputation for himself in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and The Goonies, Ke Huy Quan appeared in nothing between 1996’s Pink Pirate and 2002’s Second Time Round, throughout which he labored as a stunt coordinator for films like X-Males and The One. He was absent from the display for an additional 19 years earlier than exhibiting up in Discovering Ohana, however the former youngster star’s large comeback got here the next yr together with his Oscar-winning function in Every little thing All over the place All At As soon as.
Meg Ryan
Following 2009’s Severe Moonlight, Meg Ryan appeared in a number of episodes of Internet Remedy between 2011 and 2013 earlier than returning to cinema as star and director of 2015’s Ithaca. That very same yr, the When Harry Met Sally… actor appeared in a TV film referred to as Fan Lady and, eight years later, she wrote, directed, and starred in a 2023 rom-com referred to as What Occurs Later.
Eddie Murphy
After profitable the Razzie for “Worst Actor of the Decade” in 2010, Oscar-nominated former Saturday Night time Stay star Eddie Murphy determined to take a year-long break that become a six-year hiatus, in response to an interview with Individuals. He got here out of retirement to play the title function of a 2016 drama referred to as Mr. Church earlier than incomes a Golden Globe nomination for portraying Rudy Ray Moore in 2019’s Dolemite Is My Identify.
Joaquin Phoenix
The world would finally uncover that Joaquin Phoenix’s declare that he was retiring from performing in favor of a rap profession was all a hoax for Casey Affleck’s 2010 mockumentary, I’m Nonetheless Right here. Nevertheless, he did briefly step away from the highlight throughout that point, following the 2009 launch of Two Lovers. He made his official return in 2012 with Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Grasp and would go on to win an Oscar for Joker in 2019.
Rick Moranis
After taking part in Wayne Szalinski a 3rd time in 1997’s Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves, the widowed Rick Moranis determined to step away from performing and deal with elevating his kids. The Canadian comedy legend would solely come out of retirement for voice performing, similar to within the Brother Bear films and a cameo on The Goldbergs because the voice of his Spaceballs character, Darkish Helmet.
Marlon Brando
Two-time Academy Award-winning legend Marlon Brando introduced that he would retire from performing after starring in 1980’s The Method. Nevertheless, the Godfather star would return 9 years later for A Dry White Season, which he adopted with memorable performances within the likes of 1990’s The Freshman and Don Juan DeMarco.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s final main performing gig earlier than taking workplace because the governor of California was the title function of 2003’s Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. Not counting a number of uncredited cameos throughout his political stint – specifically in The Rundown, Across the World in 80 Days, The Child & I, and The Expendables – the Austrian-born bodybuilder made his official return to performing as a part of the ensemble solid for The Expendables 2.
Ryan Gosling
Ryan Gosling has taken a number of breaks all through his largely profitable profession, beginning together with his hiatus between 2007’s Lars and the Actual Lady and Blue Valentine in 2010. The Oscar-nominated Canadian heartthrob stepped out of the highlight once more after 2018’s First Man earlier than coming again for Netflix’s The Grey Man in 2022.
Cameron Diaz
The timeline of Cameron Diaz’s performing profession skilled a spot after she starred within the 2014 remake of Annie with Jamie Foxx. The Charlie’s Angels star spent the following 11 years specializing in elevating her household and entrepreneurship earlier than making a comeback in 2025 with Netflix’s spy comedy, Again in Motion, which additionally stars Foxx as her husband and espionage accomplice.
Leonardo DiCaprio
Following his Academy Award-winning efficiency in 2015’s The Revenant, Leonardo DiCaprio took a break from the craft, throughout which he centered on environmental activism. He would reemerge with an Oscar-nominated efficiency as, mockingly, an actor fearing he could also be nearing his time of retirement in Quentin Tarantino’s As soon as Upon a Time in Hollywood in 2019.
Brendan Fraser
We didn’t see Brendan Fraser in a film for 5 years, between 2014’s The Nut Job and The Poison Rose in 2019. The actor has credited that hiatus together with his allegation towards then Hollywood Overseas Press Affiliation President Philip Berk, whom he claims assaulted him in 2003. Whereas the Mummy star did some TV work throughout that point, it was unusual to see the A-lister utterly absent from the large display for therefore lengthy, making his subsequent comeback and Oscar win for 2022’s The Whale such a refreshing second.
Eva Mendes
Eva Mendes’ final main movie function earlier than settling right down to deal with elevating her household was 2014’s Misplaced River, which is written and directed by her longtime accomplice, Ryan Gosling. Nevertheless, in 2021, the model-turned-actor would lend her voice to an episode of Bluey, which she and her kids are followers of, as she informed Individuals.
Macaulay Culkin
Macaulay Culkin is, fortunately, a former youngster star who nonetheless acts, however there was a big hole between adolescence and maturity wherein he was virtually nowhere to be seen. After taking part in the title function of 1994’s Richie Wealthy, which earned him a Razzie, he took a break, solely to emerge 9 years later together with his most mature function but, in Social gathering Monster.
Daniel Day-Lewis
Daniel Day-Lewis has all the time been recognized to maintain a number of years of area between every performing function, however the extensively revered Academy Award winner introduced that he can be formally retiring after starring in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread in 2017. In 2024, it was introduced that he would make a return to star in his son, Ronan Day Lewis’, directorial function debut, Anemone.
Sean Connery
It appeared like Sir Sean Connery was achieved with performing after the essential and industrial failure of 2003’s The League of Extraordinary Gents, which the actor was brazenly essential of. Nevertheless, the Scottish former James Bond star did come out of retirement as soon as in 2012 to voice the title function of Sir Billi (also called Guardian of the Highlands within the US) earlier than he handed away in 2020.
Renée Zellweger
After starring in My Personal Love Track in 2010, Renée Zellweger stepped away from Hollywood to deal with her humanitarian efforts. She would return to reprise considered one of her most iconic roles in 2016’s Bridget Jones’s Child and would go on to win her second Academy Award for her efficiency as Judy Garland within the 2019 biopic, Judy.
Martin Lawrence
After dressing in drag a 3rd time for Massive Mommas: Like Father, Like Son in 2011, Martin Lawrence determined to deal with his household and return to stand-up, and even launched a comedy particular in 2016 referred to as Doin’ Time. The comic would come out of performing retirement for The Seaside Bum in 2019 and return to the Unhealthy Boys franchise the next yr.
Jane Fonda
Jane Fonda, who earned Academy Awards for Coming Residence and Klute, would take a break from performing after starring in 1990’s Stanley & Iris. She made her return 15 years later to star reverse Jennifer Lopez within the rom-com, Monster-in-Legislation.
Matthew McConaughey
After mediocre comedies appeared to outline his profession for some time, Matthew McConaughey took a break from films after the discharge of 2009’s Ghosts of Girlfriends Previous. He returned to the large display in 2011 for what can be labeled the McConaissance with extra critical roles within the likes of The Lincoln Lawyer, Mud, and his Oscar-winning flip in Dallas Patrons Membership.
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Sarah Michelle Gellar’s absence from the large display alone (between Veronika Decides to Die and Do Revenge) lasted 13 years, if you happen to don’t rely her function within the English dub for the Peruvian 2012 animated movie The Illusionauts. Nevertheless, she didn’t even have any small display roles between 2016 – when she appeared in an unaired pilot for a Merciless Intentions sequel sequence and guest-starred on These Who Can’t – and 2019, when she made a cameo as herself on The Massive Bang Idea.
Tobey Maguire
Tobey Maguire performed Bobby Fischer in Pawn Sacrifice in 2014, the identical yr he additionally starred in and produced the miniseries, The Spoils of Babylon. He wouldn’t seem in one other live-action manufacturing till reprising his variation of Peter Parker in Spider-Man: No Method Residence in 2021, however did lend his voice to 2017’s The Boss Child.
Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence had an endlessly busy decade, together with main the Starvation Video games films and her Oscar win for Silver Linings Playbook, earlier than deciding to take a break after saying goodbye to the X-Males films franchise with 2019’s Darkish Phoenix. She would return simply two years later, nevertheless, with Adam McKay’s Oscar-nominated satire, Don’t Look Up, in 2021.
Dave Chappelle
Dave Chappelle was on the high of his recreation in 2005 when he selected to depart his profitable Comedy Central sketch comedy sequence, Chappelle’s Present, and depart the nation, as a consequence of inventive variations and pressures. He would make rare appearances at comedy golf equipment for the following decade earlier than returning to performing in Spike Lee’s 2015 satire, Chi-Raq, internet hosting Saturday Night time Stay the next yr, and releasing a sequence of acclaimed Netflix stand-up specials in 2017.
Winona Ryder
Winona Ryder took a short break from performing within the wake of media scrutiny following her shoplifting case. After her function in 2002’s S1m0ne, she narrated the 2003 documentary, The Day My God Died, and had an uncredited cameo in 2004’s The Coronary heart Is Deceitful Above All Issues earlier than returning in 2006 with The Darwin Awards and A Scanner Darkly. In fact, her massive comeback got here a decade later along with her predominant function in Netflix’s Stranger Issues.
Tom Holland
The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man actor, Tom Holland, introduced that he was taking a break from performing after filming his darkish function in 2023’s The Crowded Room. It was revealed the next yr that he was solid in Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of The Odyssey.
Rachel McAdams
Rachel McAdams has taken a number of transient, periodic breaks all through her profession. As an illustration, on the daybreak of her busy A-list standing, she didn’t seem in a film between 2005’s The Household Stone and 2007’s Married Life. She later took one other two-year hiatus between 2018’s Sport Night time and the Netflix comedy Eurovision Track Contest: The Story of Hearth Saga.
Phoebe Cates
Phoebe Cates was one of the vital in style stars of the Nineteen Eighties, with memorable roles within the likes of the horror-comedy traditional, Gremlins, and the highschool film favourite, Quick Instances at Ridgemont Excessive. Her reputation didn’t repeat within the ’90s as a result of, after starring within the title function of 1994’s Princess Caraboo, she would retire from performing, solely to return simply as soon as extra for 2001’s The Anniversary Social gathering.
Gaby Hoffmann
Gaby Hoffmann got here to prominence at a really younger age with roles in enduring classics like Uncle Buck, Subject of Desires, Now and Then, and Sleepless in Seattle. Later in life, she didn’t seem in a film between 2001’s Fragrance and 2007’s Severed Methods, and finally made a extra memorable comeback with Emmy-nominated activates Women and Clear.
Jim Carrey
After taking part in Dr. Robotnik in 2020’s Sonic the Hedgehog, Jim Carrey’s solely performing roles since can be reprisals of the function for sequels to the online game film. Maybe this ought to be thought-about the retirement he had introduced in 2022.
Emma Watson
Taking part in Hermione Granger within the Harry Potter films made Emma Watson one of many greatest stars on this planet. Nevertheless, she would step away from performing for some time after starring in 2019’s Little Girls as Meg March.
Chuck Norris
After starring in a straight-to-video motion movie referred to as The Cutter and reprising Cordell Walker in a TV particular referred to as Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial By Hearth in 2005, Chuck Norris took a break from performing. He would later to return in 2012 for an look in The Expendables 2.