Vampire Diaries’ Claire Holt Reveals Why She Stepped Back From Acting

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Claire Holt traded her scripts for running shoes. 

Actress from The Vampire Diaries, who has three children – James (6), Elle (5), and Ford (2) – with her husband, Andrew Joblon, recently explained why she stepped away from acting and what has been making her happy since.

Claire shared with TopMob News that she used to spend a lot of time trying to present herself in a way she believed employers would want, or how she thought she should be, during the Samsung Galaxy Wellness Tour in New York City on December 9th.

The actress, who began her career at age 16 with the show H2O: Just Add Water, shared that having a family changed what was most important to her.

I was completely focused on advancing my acting career. But after having children, I decided my priority was to be actively involved in their lives.

The former Pretty Little Liars star explained that becoming a mother has helped her understand herself better. She’s learned to prioritize her own well-being and happiness, and she’s no longer willing to compromise those things. She sees this newfound self-awareness as a positive outcome of motherhood.

Claire confessed she felt unfulfilled creatively and intellectually after leaving television. But that changed when she found a passion for running.

After finishing the 2025 TSC New York City Marathon, I connected with a really supportive community of runners and made a lot of new friends. Seeing others succeed was incredibly rewarding and brought me a lot of happiness.

Okay, seriously, you guys, Claire is obsessed with her Samsung Watch8 and the S25 Edge! She’s always talking about how they’re total lifesavers, helping her juggle everything – being a mom, taking care of herself, and actually getting some recovery time in. She swears by Samsung Health and Galaxy Wearables – honestly, she says she couldn’t do it without them! It’s amazing to see how they help her stay on track with wellness, even with all the craziness of being a parent.

Becoming a parent is incredibly rewarding, though also very tiring,” she said. “You constantly worry about making the right choices for your child, and it’s easy to lose sight of your own needs. That’s why it’s crucial to take care of yourself – to get enough sleep, practice mindfulness, and find ways to manage stress – so you can be the best parent you can be.

Claire isn’t the only celebrity choosing to prioritize personal interests over fame. Here’s a look at other stars who have stepped away from Hollywood to pursue different paths.

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

Ellen DeGeneres recently returned to performing with her Netflix stand-up special, For Your Approval, released in September 2024. Before the special aired, she announced her plans to leave Hollywood completely.

During her recent stand-up tour, Ellen DeGeneres told her audience that she plans to retire after her next Netflix special. According to SFGate, she said, “This is the last time you’re going to see me.” She and her wife, Portia de Rossi, have since moved to England. Ellen confirmed to Richard Bacon in July 2025 that they relocated in November 2024 following Donald Trump’s reelection.

Tyra Banks, host of America’s Next Top Model, decided to move to Australia partly to oversee her ice cream company, SMiZE and Dream. She explained on Today with Jenna & Friends that her business had been focused on supplying ice cream to places like airlines and cruise ships, and she’d been traveling to Australia frequently because that’s where her ice cream was being manufactured. She enjoyed her time there and recognized Australia as a promising market. According to Tyra, the countries that consume the most ice cream are the US, 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 lived in Los Angeles for most of her adult life, the city had changed, and the pandemic accelerated her decision to leave. Issues like homelessness and taxes also contributed to her feeling it was time for a new chapter.

Longoria clarified that her move wasn’t a reaction to the political climate, despite speculation. She told The View: Behind the Table podcast that her work, including filming Land of Women in Spain and Searching for Mexico, led to an extended stay abroad. She feels fortunate to be able to leave the US, expressing anxiety and sadness for those who can’t. Despite the move, Longoria remains active in her career, with recent roles 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, encouraged the move, and they plan to live in Madrid for several years. Gere is thrilled about the opportunity for their sons, Alexander and James, to thrive in a bilingual environment. He also has an adult son, Homer, with his former partner, Carey Lowell. In a January 2025 interview with Elle España, Gere shared that the whole family is happier than ever and currently experiencing a wonderful phase in their lives.

Singer Christina Milian and her family have officially made Paris their home. Married to French singer Matt Pokora for over seven years, the couple previously spent six months of each year traveling between the U.S. and France. They recently decided to fully relocate so their children – Violet (from a previous marriage), and sons Isaiah and Kenna – could attend school in France. Milian feels it’s a wonderful opportunity for them. The family seems to be thriving in their new life. Milian shared with TopMob that her kids are happy and fluent in French, she enjoys an active lifestyle, and she’s able to balance work with family time by working ahead of schedule. She describes it as a healthy and fulfilling balance.

Lindsay Lohan is frustrated by ongoing speculation about her decision to leave Los Angeles and decided to clarify what happened. Looking back on her busy career and social life in the 2000s, she explained to Bustle in March 2024 that she felt her work was often overshadowed by the constant attention of the paparazzi. She wished the focus had remained on her career, but the media attention grew out of control, which is why she wanted to step away. She moved to London and then Dubai, even opening beach clubs in Greece, but a desire for a life outside the spotlight was also a major factor in her move.

Lindsay Lohan admitted she worried she might never find love, wondering if it would ever happen for her. She realized she needed to focus on herself before she could open herself up to new possibilities and the things she truly wanted.

Eventually, she did find love with Bader Shammas, marrying him in 2022 and welcoming their son, Luai, in 2023.

The couple currently lives in Dubai, but Lindsay hasn’t left acting behind. She’s continued to appear in films like Our Little Secret, Irish Wish, and Freakier Friday.

As someone who’s observed a lot of shifts in how people approach life and career, I completely understand Josh’s decision to step away from Hollywood. He realized it wasn’t just a location, but a whole mindset – and if everyone around you is focused on the same thing, it can limit your perspective. He wanted a richer, more varied life, something that would challenge him to grow in different ways. That ‘spice of life,’ as he put it, is so important! So, he, his wife Tamsin Egerton, and their four children made a wonderful move to the Hampshire countryside in England. He’s found that slowing down actually allows more of what matters to come into focus – family, personal growth, and simply being present. And despite the change of pace, he’s still pursuing projects he loves, like his recent roles in Verity, Fight or Flight, and Trap. It’s a great reminder that you can redefine success and create a life that truly feels fulfilling.

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 lives a fairly ordinary life with his wife, Anna Strout, and their son, Banner. He explained that he avoids social media and doesn’t spend much time networking within the industry, which helps him maintain a sense of normalcy. His wife is a teacher, and his son isn’t even a big movie fan, further distancing him from the pressures of Hollywood and allowing him to avoid constantly worrying about his standing in the industry.

Eliza Dushku, known for her 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. She felt it was important to share the positive changes she’d experienced and the sense of fulfillment she now felt, believing this was truly her life’s work.

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

She shared on TikTok that she misses her children, her friends, and many aspects of her life back home. She’s now focused on building a new life in her current country, and the family will think about returning to America when it’s safe and all citizens have equal rights.

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. This comes after two decades working in the film industry.

In a June 2024 Instagram post, Evangeline shared how happy and peaceful she feels while pursuing her dreams. She expressed gratitude for her life and explained that choosing a path guided by purpose—even if it means sacrificing conventional success like wealth and fame—brings a deep sense of satisfaction instead of fear.

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 on the Netflix series V-Wars in 2019, the actor best known for The Vampire Diaries hasn’t taken on another acting job. Instead, he’s been focusing on a personal mission: fighting climate change by working to improve the health of the world’s soil.

Ian, who has two children with his wife Nikki Reed, explained to TopMob News in November 2023 that he took a break from acting over four years ago to focus on his family and businesses. He was also working to release two documentaries – Kiss the Ground (2020) and its sequel, Common Ground – both of which highlight the importance of regenerative farming.

Looking ahead, the actor shared that he plans to become a rancher and focus on building lasting brands – including his bourbon and health company. He’s deeply committed to regenerative agriculture 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. He said, ‘This is who I am, and this is what I’m working towards.’

In 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 opportunities, alongside hosting the podcast.

Jennette recently shared that she regrets many of the acting roles she took earlier in her career, detailing these feelings in her 2022 memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died. She admitted to feeling unfulfilled and embarrassed by the ‘cheesy’ roles she played from ages 13 to 21, even starting to feel that way around age 15. She explained that, unlike what one might expect, her peers weren’t impressed with her being on a Nickelodeon show – it was actually a source of embarrassment for her.

She hasn’t ruled out returning to acting completely. In an interview with TopMob News in October 2022, she explained that writing her book helped her consider acting in a new light, free from past negative experiences. She feels the only way she might consider it again would be if she wrote a role specifically for herself.

It seemed like a pretty easy decision. The chance to marry Prince Harry, focus on the charities we care about, and wear the Queen’s tiaras would make leaving Hollywood completely worthwhile.

Like Grace Kelly before her, Meghan Markle transitioned from a successful acting career – most notably her role in the TV show Suits – to a life within 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 2022 docuseries Harry & Meghan and will launch a lifestyle show, With Love, Meghan, in 2025. She’s also ventured into podcasting and created her own 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 burned out. She explained that making a movie is incredibly demanding – it requires long hours and completely takes over your life, leaving no room for anything else.

Cameron Diaz had many interests she wanted to pursue, including writing – she followed up her successful book, The Body Book, with The Longevity Book – and starting a family with her husband, Benji Madden. Though she told InStyle magazine 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 to TopMob News how they convinced Cameron Diaz to star in the 2025 Netflix movie Back in Action. He said they practically pleaded with her, getting down on their knees to ask her to do it. “We love her, and we’ve been waiting for her to do another film – this is going to 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, “I’m finished with acting. I’m done with pretending.”

Despite briefly returning for a few projects, the Academy Award nominee announced his retirement from acting again in 2022 while promoting his Peacock series, The Best Man: The Final Chapters. He explained to Entertainment Tonight that he felt he’d given his all as an actor and now wanted to focus on watching and supporting new talent, rather than simply repeating performances he’d done before.

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

After his character, King Joffrey, died on the show in 2014, Jack Gleeson, who was 21 at the time, decided to stop acting. He told EW that he’d been acting since he was a child and simply wasn’t enjoying it anymore.

Jack isn’t a child star anymore, and some of the excitement has faded. He explained that turning his hobby into a job is a big shift. ‘I used to do it just for fun with friends, or during the summer,’ he said. ‘I still like it, but making a living from something changes how you feel about it. It’s not that I dislike it, I just don’t want it to be my career.’

After a six-year hiatus, 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.

I was so excited to see Jennifer Aniston participate in the Fast Times at Ridgemont High table read! It reminded me of when she married Kevin Kline back in 1989. They were a really dedicated couple, and he once shared that they made a special agreement to never work at the same time so they could both be there for their kids, Owen and Greta. It’s amazing to see how Greta has grown up and is now a talented singer known as Frankie Cosmos!

He also pointed out that Phoebe consistently prioritizes staying home with her children whenever she’s scheduled to work. While she briefly appeared in a 2001 independent film, The Anniversary Party, starring her friend Jennifer Jason Leigh, Cates mainly focuses on running her boutique, Blue Tree, in New York City.

Oh my gosh, it just broke my heart when Rick Moranis basically disappeared! He was at the absolute peak of his career, like, the guy from Ghostbusters and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids – everyone loved him! Then, tragically, his wife passed away from breast cancer in ’91, and he just… stepped away. It was so admirable, though. He wanted to be there for his kids, Rachel and Mitchell, and honestly, I totally understood. It was a huge loss for us fans, but family comes first, you know? I always admired him for that sacrifice.

Despite not appearing in a live-action film since 1997 – he even turned down a small role in the 2016 Ghostbusters remake – Rick remains a beloved figure, as shown 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.

I remember when Drew Barrymore married Adam Kimmel back in 2010, she started talking about potentially stepping back from acting. She explained in Vogue that so many roles require intense romantic or sexual scenes, and she just wasn’t comfortable with that anymore. She said it felt like ‘playing with fire,’ and while she and Adam had a solid relationship, she needed a truly amazing part to justify taking on anything that felt too personal. She basically wanted something truly worthwhile on the other side of that boundary.

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 in the movie industry and was now focused on being a mom. She explained she helps her husband, Kimmel, with his work and enjoys painting, but her children are her main priority, which is why she stopped pursuing acting roles.

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.

Turning 45, I started thinking about trying something completely new and challenging,” she shared on her wife Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show in 2018. “I had a good idea of what my acting career would look like for the next couple of decades, so I decided to leave it behind and start my own business.

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

I spoke with Mitch Hurwitz, the creator of Arrested Development, and told him I wouldn’t participate in a fifth season because I had decided to stop acting. 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 consider their career complete. Following his sixth Academy Award nomination for the 2017 film Phantom Thread, Daniel Day-Lewis announced through his representative that he was retiring from acting. The statement expressed his gratitude to colleagues and audiences 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 will also be directing.

After finding fame on Good Luck Charlie, she decided to focus on her education in 2018. 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 also 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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2025-12-13 17:19