The Craft Star Fairuza Balk’s Rare Selfie Is Simply Spellbinding

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Fairuza Balk is as magical as ever.

The actress, known for her role in The Craft, recently offered a personal snapshot to her followers. She posted a rare selfie on Instagram, showing her wearing a sun hat and smiling.

Fairuza playfully admitted she’s still figuring out how to use the app’s filters, adding a cheerful message: ‘Sun hat for a sunny day, just saying hello and sending my love!’

The 52-year-old added a simple message to the photo: “Love you guys, just wanted to say that.”

Fairuza Balk was a familiar face in movies throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, with roles in films like American History X, The Waterboy, and Almost Famous. However, she stepped away from acting in recent years, and her last on-screen appearance was in the 2021 series Paradise City.

She told The Los Angeles Times in 2020 that she needed to prioritize her health and personal life. For years, her career had been her top priority, and she realized she needed to remember there’s more to life than just work. She needed to focus on other important aspects of her well-being.

Fairuza also enjoyed painting, writing, playing music, and making jewelry, and these activities brought her a lot of joy.

I didn’t really stop acting, I just became more careful about the roles I chose,” she said. “I enjoy the acting itself, but all the other stuff that comes with it isn’t for everyone.

She’s thankful for the experience of working on the 1996 film The Craft and seeing how popular it remains, even leading to a sequel series, The Craft: Legacy, in 2020. Fairuza Balk was the only member of the original Craft cast who made a brief appearance in the sequel.

She expressed her surprise at how popular and impactful the movie became. When they made it, she never imagined it would resonate with so many people. She personally didn’t think it was a particularly serious or important work, but she finds it fascinating how art can have such different effects on everyone.

She has similar feelings about Return to Oz from 1985, which was her first movie role, where she played Dorothy Gale.

She remembered that when the film came out, critics said it was too frightening, lacked musical numbers, and felt more like an art film. She was deeply upset by these reviews and believed no one actually watched the movie.

However, Fairuza later learned that the reaction from fans was actually “the opposite.” 

She explained that the film has a huge and lasting fanbase, with millions of people loving it even now.

To see more stars who also made the decision to step back from Hollywood, keep reading.

Following a serious heart attack in 2019, the actor known for The Mask of Zorro returned to his hometown of Málaga, Spain, to dedicate himself to performing on stage.

In March 2026, Antonio told The Times that the experience completely shifted his perspective. Confronting his own mortality, he realized his core identity was that of an actor.

The actor, who has been nominated for a Tony Award and still appears in some TV and movie roles, now owns a theater and actively participates in community events.

He went on, saying he’d never felt happier. Staying connected to his community – his neighborhood and the people he grew up with – was incredibly important to him. He hadn’t lost that bond over time, but actually felt closer to it than ever.

After 19 seasons, The Ellen DeGeneres Show concluded in 2022 following accusations of a negative and harmful workplace. These claims led to an internal investigation, the dismissal of several executives, and widespread public criticism.

Oh my gosh, you guys, Ellen did a Netflix special! It was called For Your Approval and came out in September 2024 – it was EVERYTHING. But honestly, it was so bittersweet because right before it dropped, she announced she was leaving Hollywood! Like, completely stepping away. I was devastated, but also so proud of her for doing what she needed to do. It felt like her final, perfect bow.

During her Ellen’s Last Stand…Up tour, the comedian told the audience, according to SFGate, that she plans to retire after releasing a Netflix special. She stated, ‘This is the last time you’re going to see me.’

Ellen and her wife, Portia de Rossi, have settled in the Cotswolds. Ellen shared with Richard Bacon in July 2025, during a conversation at the Everyman theater in Cheltenham, that they decided to remain there after Donald Trump was reelected in November 2024.

She enthusiastically described the English countryside as “absolutely beautiful,” telling the BBC that its charm was unlike anything she’d seen before. She particularly enjoyed the picturesque villages, towns, and buildings, noting they represented a more relaxed and simple way of life.

“It’s just a nicer place,” Ellen explained. “The animals are well cared for, and everyone is so friendly. We really love living here. We moved in November, which wasn’t the best timing, but I finally got to experience snow! Portia brought her horses with her, I have chickens, and we even had sheep for a couple of weeks.”

Tyra Banks, known for hosting America’s Next Top Model, decided to move to Australia partly to focus on her ice cream company, SMiZE and Dream. She explained on Today with Jenna & Friends that her business had been primarily supplying ice cream to places like airlines and cruise ships, and she was frequently traveling to Australia where a large facility was producing her recipes. She enjoyed her time there and recognized Australia as a promising market. According to Banks, the countries that consume the most ice cream are America, New Zealand, and Australia. She then moved to Australia with her son, York (whose father is Erik Asla), and her boyfriend, Louis Bélanger-Martin, stating that Australia has been a wonderful experience for her and her family.

Eva Longoria, known for her role on Desperate Housewives, has moved from Los Angeles and now splits her time between Mexico and Spain with her husband, José Bastón, and their son, Santiago. She explained to Marie Claire that while she spent her adult life in Los Angeles, the city had changed, and the pandemic accelerated her decision to leave. Issues like homelessness and taxes also contributed to her feeling that it was time for a new chapter.

Longoria emphasized her privilege in being able to move, expressing concern for those who aren’t so fortunate. She clarified in an interview on The View: Behind the Table that her move wasn’t politically motivated, despite occurring after the presidential election. Instead, it was driven by work commitments – filming Land of Women in Spain, Searching for Mexico, and returning to Spain again.

Since relocating, Longoria has remained active in her career, with recent projects including appearances in Only Murders in the Building and Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip.

Actor Richard Gere has relocated from Chicago to Spain with his family. He explained on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in November 2024 that his wife, Alejandra Silva, who is from Galicia, Spain, encouraged the move, and they plan to live in Madrid for several years. Gere is enthusiastic about the opportunity for their young sons, Alexander and James, to thrive in a bilingual environment. He also has an adult son, Homer, with his former partner, Carey Lowell. The whole family seems to be enjoying the change. In an interview with Elle España in January 2025, Gere shared that they are happier than ever and are really hitting their stride as a family.

Singer Christina Milian and her family have settled in Paris. She’s been with her French husband, Matt Pokora, for seven or eight years, and for the past three or four years, they split their time between the U.S. and France. They recently decided to make Paris their permanent home so their children—Violet (from a previous marriage to The-Dream), and sons Isaiah and Kenna (with Pokora)—could attend school there. Milian feels it’s a wonderful opportunity for them. She shared with TopMob that her kids are thriving, are learning French, and she’s enjoying a healthy work-life balance, taking advantage of daytime activities and working ahead of schedule. Life in Paris seems to be going wonderfully for the whole family.

Lindsay Lohan is frustrated by the ongoing speculation surrounding her departure from Los Angeles. She recently explained that a busy work life and constant partying in the early 2000s were often overshadowed by intense media attention. In an interview with Bustle in March 2024, she expressed annoyance that paparazzi coverage detracted from her career and ultimately drove her desire for a more private life. She felt the constant media narrative took on a life of its own, and she wanted to ensure the focus shifted back to her work. This desire led her to move overseas, first to London and then to Dubai, where she also started opening beach clubs in Greece, but the primary motivation was escaping the relentless spotlight.

Lindsay Lohan wondered if she’d ever find love, admitting she worried it might never happen. She realized she needed to focus on herself before things could change, and that’s when opportunities started appearing – opportunities she truly wanted.

She eventually found love with Bader Shammas, marrying him in 2022 and welcoming their son, Luai, in 2023.

Though they currently live in Dubai, Lindsay hasn’t left acting behind. She’s continued to appear in films like Our Little Secret, Irish Wish, and Freakier Friday.

Josh decided to leave Hollywood after some careful thought. He explained to People magazine in July 2024 that Hollywood isn’t just a location, but a way of life. Being constantly surrounded by people focused solely on the movie industry, he felt, would limit his perspective. He wanted a more diverse life.

He told the magazine he’d always sought to be around people with varied interests, something that would challenge him and broaden his horizons – what he called “the spice of life.”

So, along with his wife, Tamsin Egerton, and their four children, he moved to the countryside of Hampshire, England. He shared with The Guardian in July 2024 that while life with four kids is busy, it also simplifies things, allowing more time for what truly matters.

Despite the move, Josh has continued to act, appearing in films like Verity, Fight or Flight, and Trap.

If you don’t follow Jesse on social media, you might be surprised to learn he no longer lives in Los Angeles. In a February 2025 interview with CBS News Sunday Morning, the A Real Pain star revealed he’s lived in Indiana for the past ten years, finding it a more comfortable and stable environment. Despite being an Oscar nominee, Jesse leads a relatively normal life with his wife, Anna Strout, and son, Banner. He explained that he avoids social media and doesn’t spend much time networking within the entertainment industry. With a teacher for a wife and a son who isn’t particularly interested in movies, Jesse feels removed from the constant pressures of Hollywood and doesn’t worry about his standing in the industry.

Eliza Dushku, known for roles in shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the movie Bring It On, announced in September 2024 that she’s now a certified psychedelic-assisted therapist and is continuing her education in the field of mental health.

She explained to Boston Magazine that she was able to change her life’s path to focus on her own well-being, with the goal of then helping others heal. She felt it was important to share her personal transformation and the sense of peace and purpose she’d found, believing this was truly her calling.

The actress best known for playing a character on The Flintstones shared that she relocated to Ireland in January 2025 with her son, Clay, and is working to become an Irish citizen because of her family’s heritage. While she mentioned current political events as a factor in her move, she hasn’t ruled out the possibility of returning to her home country in the future.

In a TikTok video, she shared that she misses her children, her friends, and many aspects of her life back home. She’s currently working to build a new life in this beautiful country, and she and her family will consider returning to America when it’s safe and everyone there has equal rights.

Actress Evangeline Lilly, known for her role in Ant-Man and the Wasp, has said she’s stepping away from acting for an unspecified amount of time after two decades in the business.

In a June 2024 Instagram post, Evangeline shared how happy and at peace she feels while pursuing her dreams. She expressed gratitude for her good fortune, explaining that while it can be daunting to choose a path different from what’s expected – like prioritizing purpose over money and recognition – embracing her true calling has brought her a deep sense of satisfaction instead of fear.

However, she’s not ruling out a return to Hollywood completely, saying, “I could see myself going back someday, but right now, I’m happy where I am.”

Since finishing his role in the 2019 Netflix series V-Wars, the actor best known for The Vampire Diaries has been focusing on a personal mission: fighting climate change by working to improve soil health around the world.

Ian, who has two children with his wife Nikki Reed, took a break from acting about four years ago to focus on raising his family and developing his businesses. He was also working to release two documentaries: Kiss the Ground (released in 2020) and its sequel, Common Ground. Both films highlight the importance of regenerative farming practices, he told TopMob News in November 2023.

Looking ahead, the actor shared that he plans to become a rancher and focus on building lasting brands – including his bourbon and wellness company. He’s deeply committed to sustainable farming and healthy soil practices, which are central to his and his family’s lifestyle. He explained this is his long-term vision and the reason behind his passions, stating, ‘This is who I am and what I’m working towards.’

During a February 2021 episode of her podcast, Empty Inside, former iCarly star Jennette McCurdy shared with guest Anna Faris that she had quit acting a few years prior. She’s now pursuing writing and directing, alongside hosting the podcast.

Jennette recently shared that she regrets many of the acting roles she took earlier in her career, detailing her feelings in her 2022 memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died. She explained that she feels frustrated with her past work and found the roles she played to be cheesy and embarrassing. Having started on shows at age 13 and continuing until 21, she was already self-conscious about her work by age 15, feeling it wasn’t something her friends were impressed by.

Despite stepping away from acting, she hasn’t ruled it out completely. She explained to TopMob News in October 2022 that writing her book helped her consider a return, but only if she could create a role specifically for herself. She believes this would be the only way to approach acting without being weighed down by past experiences.

It seemed like a pretty easy decision. The chance to marry Prince Harry, devote ourselves to causes we care about, and wear the Queen’s beautiful tiaras would make leaving Hollywood totally worth it.

Similar to Grace Kelly’s transition from Hollywood to Monaco, Meghan Markle left her life and acting career in Toronto, including her role on the show Suits, to join the British Royal Family. Now that she and Prince Harry have stepped down as senior royals and live in California, Meghan is returning to professional life. This includes a production deal with Netflix, where she released the docuseries Harry & Meghan in 2022 and will launch a lifestyle show called With Love, Meghan in 2025. She’s also started a podcast and launched her brand, As Ever.

After starring in over 40 films since she began her career with 1994’s The Mask, the actress really needed a rest when she finished filming Annie in 2014.

She told Gwyneth Paltrow that she realized she wanted a different lifestyle. After years of intense work and filmmaking, she felt burnt out. She explained that making a movie is incredibly demanding – it requires long hours and complete dedication, leaving no room for personal life.

Cameron Diaz had many interests she wanted to pursue, including writing—she followed up her successful 2013 book, The Body Book, with The Longevity Book in 2016—and starting a family with her husband, Benji Madden. While she told InStyle in 2019 that she didn’t miss acting and was focused on wellness, it seems she might be open to returning for at least one more project.

Jamie Foxx explained that he and others had to really plead with Cameron Diaz to star in the 2025 Netflix movie Back in Action, saying they ‘begged and pleaded on our knees’ for her to agree. He added that they all love her, have been eagerly awaiting her return to acting, and believe the film will be amazing.

The actor stated firmly that he wouldn’t return to the show after completing his five years on Empire. When Extra asked Terrence Howard about his plans before the sixth and final season aired in 2019, he said he was finished with acting and no longer wanted to play roles.

Despite appearing in a few projects since then, the Academy Award nominee announced his intention to retire from acting again in 2022 while promoting his Peacock series, The Best Man: The Final Chapters. He explained to ET that he felt he’d given his all as an actor and now prefers to watch and support new talent, rather than simply repeating past performances.

Even with the previous issues, Howard has continued to act, appearing in shows like Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist and the Netflix movie Shirley. He also has several new projects planned.

After his character, King Joffrey, died on the show in 2014, the 21-year-old actor told EW he was leaving acting. He explained that he’d been working since he was 8 years old and simply wasn’t enjoying it as much anymore.

Jack isn’t a child star anymore, and some of the initial excitement has faded. He explained that turning acting into a career feels different than doing it as a hobby with friends. He enjoyed acting, but making a living from it changes things. It’s not that he dislikes it, he simply doesn’t see it as his long-term career path.

After taking six years off, Jack returned to acting in 2020 with a role in the BBC series Out of Her Mind. Since then, he’s also been in films like Rebecca’s Boyfriend and In the Land of Saints and Sinners, and TV shows including Safe Harbor and The Famous Five.

When Jennifer Aniston, known for her role in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, married actor Kevin Kline in 1989, they decided to stagger their work schedules. This allowed them to both be available to care for their children, Owen and Greta, who is now a singer performing as Frankie Cosmos. Kline shared this arrangement in an interview with Playboy.

He added that Phoebe has consistently prioritized staying home with her children whenever she was scheduled to work. While she briefly appeared in Jennifer Jason Leigh’s 2001 independent film, The Anniversary Party, Cates primarily focuses on running her New York City store, Blue Tree.

During the peak of his success with movies like Ghostbusters and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, the actor took a break from filmmaking after his wife sadly passed away from breast cancer in 1991. He wanted to dedicate his time to raising his children, Rachel and Mitchell.

Despite not appearing in a live-action movie since 1997 – he even turned down a brief appearance in the 2016 Ghostbusters remake – Rick remains a beloved figure, as demonstrated by the strong reaction to news of an assault he experienced while walking in New York City in 2020. Fortunately, fans will be happy to hear he’s returning to the screen alongside Josh Gad in the upcoming Disney reboot, Shrunk.

After marrying fashion designer Adam Kimmel in 2010, actress Drew Barrymore suggested she was considering stepping back from acting. She told Vogue that most roles require intimate scenes, and she wasn’t comfortable with that. While she felt her relationship was solid, she believed any challenging work needed to be truly worthwhile, saying that if you’re going to take risks, there has to be a significant reward.

After her son, Martin, joined his sister, Louisanna, in 2014, she firmly decided to step away from acting. She told Us Weekly in 2016 that she felt like an outsider to the movie world and was now focused on being a mom. She also helps her husband, Kimmel, with his work and enjoys painting as a hobby, stating that her children were the main reason she stopped acting.

She’d built a successful career with roles in popular shows like Ally McBeal, Nip/Tuck, Arrested Development, and Scandal. After all that, the Australian actress started to feel like it was time for a change.

As I was turning 45, I really started to think about what I hadn’t yet tried. I’d been acting for a long time and had a pretty good idea of what the next decade or two would look like professionally. I wanted a real challenge, something completely different, so I made the decision to step away from acting and dive into the world of business. It felt like the right time for a big change!

Her company, General Public, which creates art for everyone, was almost complete – she just needed to finish one final piece.

I spoke with Mitch Hurwitz, the creator of Arrested Development, and told him I was done with acting, so I wouldn’t be in a potential season five. He was very understanding and supportive, and we had a good talk. Surprisingly, he ended up writing me into five episodes anyway.

It’s understandable why, after winning three Oscars, an actor might decide to retire. Following his sixth Oscar nomination for the 2017 film Phantom Thread, Daniel Day-Lewis announced through his representative that he would be stepping away from acting. The statement expressed his gratitude to colleagues and fans over the years, and clarified that this was a personal decision, with no further comments to be made.

Just as Daniel Day-Lewis had announced his retirement from acting, a new project drew him back in. In October 2024, Focus Features revealed he would star in Anemone, a film he co-wrote with his son, Ronan Day-Lewis, who is also directing it.

After finding fame on Good Luck Charlie, she stepped away from acting in 2018 to focus on her education. She went on to earn both a master’s degree and a PhD from MIT, and later attended Harvard Law School.

On top of everything else, Bridgit started her own company, Northwood Space, in February 2023. The company is building ground stations to facilitate communication with satellites, and Bridgit is serving as its CEO.

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2026-06-04 23:54