Why Celebrities Are Leaving Hollywood Behind

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Josh Duhamel has no qualms about transforming his life.  

Ultimately, an actor known from the “Transformers” series revealed the reasons behind his swap of the bustling Hollywood life for a tranquil existence in a rural Midwest house that he has been refurbishing for fifteen years.

Josh shared with Parade in a recent interview that one motivation behind building his home in the secluded woods of Minnesota was its isolation from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The nearest store lies approximately 40 miles away. When they do make it there, the focus shifts to mutual support, creating cherished moments, and spending quality time with loved ones.

He went on to say that this is an opportunity to return to fundamental aspects,” he said. “Here, you’re free from the clutter of other distractions. Out here, it’s all about enjoying yourself, ensuring everyone stays comfortable, has enough food, and water.

The 52-year-old man considers his residence an ideal spot for his 11-year-old son Axl, who is also his ex-wife Fergie’s child, to take a break from technology.

He’ll always remember this spot, he mentioned. ‘Outside, away from his tablet, that’s where my son is. He’s either fishing with me in the boat, playing soccer on the beach, or exploring the woods alongside me.’

He remarked, “It reconnected me on a deep level.” There’s an essence about it that nourishes the spirit in many aspects.

As a doting father to my 15-month-old son Shepherd and husband to Audra Mari, I am thrilled about the prospect of both my children continuing to cherish our family property.

One day, he mused, he wishes to transfer this to them, enabling them to pass it down to their own children. For him, this isn’t merely about possessing comforts and luxuries, which we often grow accustomed to. Instead, it’s deeply rooted in family values and creating a lasting legacy.

Born and raised in North Dakota, the actor from the movie “Shotgun Wedding” once confessed that the flashy lifestyle of Hollywood didn’t quite appeal to him, even during the pinnacle of his success.

He shared during the “In Depth with Graham Besinger” show in November 2023, “I didn’t quite adapt to everything, it was overwhelming. I yearned for the straightforwardness of my true self. I’m simply not someone who enjoys attending grand events and embracing the glitz and glamour of Hollywood.

He made it clear that he didn’t dislike it. Instead, he had improved his skills over time, but it took a significant period for him to truly find his niche. Having this place outside serves as a reminder of the child who cherished nature and the great outdoors, helping him reconnect with that part of himself.

Not just Josh, other celebrities have also chosen to leave Hollywood behind. Continue reading to discover additional stars who took this step.

The popular talk show hosted by Ellen DeGeneres concluded in 2022 following a 19-year run due to accusations of a harmful work atmosphere, which led to an internal probe, dismissals of several high-ranking staff members, and widespread criticism from the public.

As an over-the-moon fan, I was thrilled when the voice behind Dory made a comeback for her swan song stand-up special, “For Your Approval,” streaming on Netflix in September 2024. In the build-up to this momentous event, she dropped a bombshell – Hollywood would no longer be her home.

She informed a gathering during her “Ellen’s Final Stand…Up” tour, as reported by SFGate, that this would be the final occasion they’d see her. Following her Netflix special, she plans to retire.

Ellen DeGeneres and her spouse, Portia de Rossi, are said to have relocated to England following the alleged victory of Donald Trump in the 2024 elections, as reported by several media sources.

Following stints in television series like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and the movie “Bring It On” from 2000, Eliza announced in September 2024 that she had obtained certification in psychedelic-assisted therapy and is pursuing additional education in mental health care.

She shared with Boston Magazine, “I found the resources to alter my life’s path towards healing myself first, in order to aid others later on.” She continued, “It would be wrong not to express the transformation, the tranquility, and the enthusiasm that I now feel. This is undeniably my true vocation, my genuine purpose.

The actor who played a role in “The Flintstones” shared that she relocated to Ireland along with her 12-year-old son Clay in January 2025. She’s currently working on acquiring Irish citizenship, as her grandparents hail from there. Although she mentioned recent political changes as the motivation for her move, she didn’t dismiss the possibility of returning to her original home at some point.

In a TikTok video, she expressed her longing for her other children, friends, and various aspects of life back at home. She’s currently searching for a new home here in this stunning nation. When all citizens in America can enjoy equal rights safely, that’s when we might think about returning.

Actress who played a role in “Ant-Man and the Wasp” has revealed her decision to temporarily step away from acting, following two decades in the entertainment business.

In a post on Instagram in June 2024, Evangeline expressed her overflowing happiness and contentment. She’s deeply thankful for all the blessings in her life. Choosing a path that might appear unconventional (wealth and fame) can sometimes be daunting, but embracing one’s true purpose (dharma) transforms fear into an incredible sense of accomplishment.

However, she doesn’t definitively close the door on returning to Hollywood. Instead, she expresses, “While I might revisit Hollywood someday, for the moment, this is where I feel I truly belong.

Since appearing in Netflix’s 2019 series V-Wars, the actor from The Vampire Diaries hasn’t taken on a new character. Instead, this father of two (with wife Nikki Reed) has immersed himself more deeply into a personal project: combating climate change by enhancing the quality of our soil.

About four years back, I took a break from acting to focus on my family and growing my businesses, leading up to the release of the 2020 documentary ‘Kiss the Ground’ and its sequel ‘Common Ground’, which both emphasize the importance of regenerative agriculture,” Somerhalder shared with TopMob News in November 2023.

Looking ahead in time, I envision myself as a rancher and creator of enduring brand names, be it my bourbon or health and wellness business. My commitment to regenerative agriculture and healthy soil management is not just a personal passion but a way of life for me and my family. This is my path, so when others ask “Why do you take an interest?”, I can confidently say, “This is who I am, this is what I’m striving to become.

In a February 2021 episode of her “Empty Inside” podcast, the former iCarly star revealed to guest Anna Faris that she made the decision to step away from acting a few years ago. Now, she’s devoting her time to ventures in writing, directing, and hosting the podcast, among other things.

Jennette candidly shared that her background in acting leaves her with a sense of regret for the roles she took on earlier in her career. In her recently published memoir “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” she explained that she harbors resentment towards her profession and feels unsatisfied with the characters she portrayed, viewing them as cheesy and embarrassing. From the age of 13 to 21, she starred in various shows, but even by 15, she felt embarrassed about it. Her peers at that age didn’t express admiration for her being on a Nickelodeon show; instead, it was something she found embarrassing.

Although she hasn’t definitively ruled out a return to acting, her recent statements suggest that writing the book has opened up a new perspective for her. She told TopMob News in October 2022 that this newfound view might provide an opportunity to revisit acting without the heavy burden she had carried for years. If she writes something tailored for herself, she believes it could be one of the few ways for her to cautiously delve back into acting again.

This seemed like a straightforward choice. If we had the chance to marry Prince Harry, devote our life to charitable endeavors that are most meaningful to us and have access to the Queen’s magnificent collection of tiaras, saying goodbye to Hollywood might not be such a hard decision.

After following in the footsteps of Grace Kelly by transitioning from Hollywood to Monaco’s Palace, Meghan Markle gave up her home in Toronto and her successful role on Suits for a life within The Firm. However, since they have relinquished their senior positions, she is gradually returning to business affairs, with strategic decisions such as their multi-year production agreement with Netflix.

Since making more than 40 films starting from her debut in “The Mask” in 1994, it had been a while since the actress deserved a rest, as production on the 2014 movie “Annie” came to an end.

She shared with her friend Gwyneth Paltrow that she had chosen to pursue different goals in life, explaining that she had been pushing herself relentlessly for a long time, working tirelessly on films. It’s an exhausting routine, she said. When you’re involved in making a movie, it becomes like they own you. You’re expected to be there for 12 hours a day, day after day, for months on end, leaving little room for anything else.

Beyond what she already delved into, there were numerous other areas she was eager to investigate. This included continuing her writing journey, having started with her 2013 New York Times best-seller “The Body Book” and followed by “The Longevity Book” in 2016. Additionally, she embarked on family life with husband Benji Madden. However, although she expressed in 2019 to InStyle that she doesn’t miss performing and is focusing on wellness, it seems there might be a possibility of her revisiting the stage for one more performance.

In a conversation with TopMob News, Jamie Foxx expressed his enthusiasm about persuading Cameron Diaz to join their upcoming Netflix project, “Back in Action”. He shared that they had humbly requested and shown great admiration for her participation, saying something like, “Please, one more time for the audience,” on bended knees. He added that they cherish her, have long anticipated her return, and are confident that this collaboration will be extraordinary.

The actor firmly declared that there would be no additional performances following his five-year stint on Empire, a statement made to Extra during their interview before the musical drama series wrapped up in 2019. In response to questions about his future plans, the Academy Award nominee simply stated, “I’ve had enough of acting. I’m done with the pretending.

Although he came back for a few productions, he declared his intention to retire from acting during promotions for the Peacock series The Best Man: The Final Chapters in 2022. In an interview with ET, he stated, “I’ve exhausted my best abilities as an actor. Now, I prefer observing fresh talent emerge, and I don’t want to mimic my past performances.”

Even though those remarks were made, it’s worth noting that Howard has reappeared in various projects subsequently. For instance, he’s been part of the TV series “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist” and the Netflix film “Shirley”. Moreover, there are several upcoming projects on his agenda.

After King Joffrey’s unexpected, purple-hued demise in 2014, the then-21-year-old actor shared with EW that he was stepping away from acting. “I’ve been acting since I was eight,” explained the star of Game of Thrones, stating his reason for leaving: “I simply wasn’t enjoying it as much as I once did.

Initially, acting was a pastime and a source of joy, shared with friends and during summer breaks. But now, the possibility of turning it into a career has shifted my perspective on it. Instead of just fun, it’s become something I might have to do for a living. It doesn’t mean I dislike it; rather, it’s not the path I wish to pursue anymore.

Following a hiatus of six years, I found myself eager and prepared to reclaim my throne. In 2020, I graced the cast of BBC’s captivating series, “Out of Her Mind,” once again immersing myself in the world of entertainment and storytelling.

In September 2020, when Jennifer Aniston played her role in a virtual table read for the movie “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”, she married fellow actor Kevin Kline in 1989. They decided to take turns working so that they wouldn’t be employed simultaneously, which allowed them to effectively balance their careers and care for their children, son Owen and daughter Greta (who is now known as Frankie Cosmos in her music career).

In my professional expertise, when it’s Phoebe’s turn to work, she consistently opts to spend time with her children instead. Although she briefly appeared in Jennifer Jason Leigh’s 2001 independent film “The Anniversary Party,” Cates primarily dedicates her time to managing her New York City boutique, Blue Tree.

At the peak of his popularity from “Ghostbusters” and “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids,” the ’80s actor took a break from filmmaking shortly after his wife died from breast cancer in 1991, instead choosing to prioritize raising his children Rachel and Mitchell.

Despite not appearing in any live-action roles since 1997 and declining a cameo in Paul Feig’s 2016 Ghostbusters remake, his cultural significance remains high, as demonstrated by the public outcry following reports of his alleged assault while walking in New York City on October 1.

It’s great news for fans, as he’s coming back to our screens in the upcoming Disney remake of “Shrunk,” and this time he’ll be joined by Josh Gad.

After marrying fashion designer Adam Kimmel in 2010, the leading actress from “Never Been Kissed” seemed to suggest that she might be moving away from movies. As she put it to Vogue, “Ninety percent of acting roles require a lot of intimate scenes with others, and I’m not interested in that. It’s such an intense flame to deal with, and our relationship is robust enough to handle it, but if you’re going to walk through fire, there needs to be something extraordinary waiting on the other side.

Her resolve was strengthened when her son Martin joined her older daughter Louisanna in 2014. In a statement to Us Weekly at a 2016 event, she expressed, “I no longer engage with movie matters. I am completely detached! I … am simply a mother and an outsider.” She explained that she assists Kimmel in his business ventures and pursues painting as a hobby on the side. “I am solely focused on my children,” she added, suggesting that this is primarily why she stepped away from the spotlight.

She had previously watched shows like Ally McBeal, Nip/Tuck, Arrested Development, and Scandal. It dawned on her Australian self that perhaps it was time for a change.

In her appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2018, she shared that she was nearing 45 and pondering if there was an opportunity she hadn’t seized before, something demanding and distinct. She had a sense of how her acting career might progress for the next decade or two, so she chose to step away from it and venture into entrepreneurship instead.

She still had one more item to complete for her consumer-focused art company, General Public, which was currently under development.

I reached out to Mitch Hurwitz, the mastermind behind ‘Arrested Development’, expressing that if there’s a fifth season, I won’t participate due to my retirement from acting. He appeared very understanding, and we both shared a meaningful discussion about it. In the end, he included me in five episodes.

After winning three Academy Awards, one might wonder what more there is to achieve. Shortly following his sixth Oscar nomination for his last film, “Phantom Thread” (2017), the actor announced his retirement from acting. His representative released a statement expressing gratitude towards all collaborators and audiences over the years. This decision was personal, and neither he nor his representatives plan to provide any additional comments on this matter.

However, right when he believed he had stepped away, his son managed to draw him back, with production company Focus Features revealing in October 2024 that the Academy Award winner would act in “Anemone“, a film he and his son Ronan Day-Lewis co-wrote. Ronan will also take on the role of director for this project.

In 2018, the actress who was well-known for her role on “Good Luck Charlie” decided to step away from the limelight and instead focused on her studies. She completed a master’s degree and later a PhD at MIT. Currently, she is also working towards a law degree at Harvard Law School.

Moreover, not only did Bridgit accomplish something remarkable, but she also founded her personal venture, Northwood Space, with a goal to construct earth-based satellite stations for transmitting and receiving data from space. In February 2023, she took on the role of CEO for this company.

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2025-04-11 16:19