Hollywood is a location, sure, but it’s also a business.
It’s really a way of thinking, and many famous entertainers have chosen to step back from their careers—or stop working in the industry entirely—because of it.
Okay, so you won’t BELIEVE this! Ever since Ellen’s amazing talk show wrapped up, she and Portia decided to ditch California and move to the Cotswolds in England! Can you even imagine?! They’re still doing what they love though – buying and fixing up houses, but now it’s in the beautiful English countryside. I’ve been following their journey and it’s just…perfect. Seriously, they’re living my dream!
Where, Ellen told an audience in Gloucester, she found that life was “just better.”
It appears a desire for something new is common among celebrities, regardless of whether they left their careers to pursue it.
In May 2024, Jason Priestley told TopMob News that he, his wife Naomi, and their two teenage children have found it much easier to adjust to life in Nashville after moving from Los Angeles. He also described Nashville as a “cool, interesting place.”
Josh Hartnett, who lives in England with his wife Tamsin Egerton and their four children, enjoys being around people with different lifestyles, calling it what makes life interesting.
The actor from Trap recently told People magazine that he prefers to avoid being surrounded by talk about the movie industry. He explained that he doesn’t want his life to become overly focused on just one topic.
Even when celebrities have physically moved – packed up boxes and everything – it doesn’t always stop them from traveling to wherever the filming is happening.
Brendan Fraser, speaking on Sunday TODAY With Willie Geist in 2023, explained that he took a break from public life to reflect on his personal goals and identity. He said he’d never been away for so long before, but the time away helped him realize the importance of working efficiently rather than just tirelessly. Fraser resurfaced from this period to win a Best Actor Oscar for his role in The Whale.
Because businesses aren’t tied to specific locations anymore, celebrities have more freedom than ever to choose where they want to live.
Find out why more stars left Hollywood, be it the actual zip code, the mindset or both:
After 19 seasons, The Ellen DeGeneres Show ended in 2022 following accusations of a negative and harmful workplace. These claims led to an internal review, the dismissal of several producers, and widespread public criticism.
Ellen made a comeback with her last standup comedy show, For Your Approval, which premiered on Netflix in September 2024. Before the show’s release, she announced her plans to retire from Hollywood.
During her Ellen’s Last Stand…Up tour, Ellen DeGeneres told the audience, according to SFGate, that she plans to retire after releasing her upcoming 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 raved about the English countryside, telling the BBC it was “absolutely beautiful” and unlike anything she was used to. She especially loved the charming villages, towns, and architecture, noting it represented a more relaxed and simple way of life.
“It’s just a nicer place overall,” 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 for the first time. Portia brought her horses with her, I have chickens, and we even had sheep for a couple of weeks.”
Tyra Banks, the host of 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 grew to love the country with each visit.
Banks also recognized Australia as a promising market for her brand, noting that the top three countries for ice cream consumption are the US, New Zealand, and Australia.
She ultimately moved there with her son, York (whose father is her ex, Erik Asla), and her boyfriend, Louis Bélanger-Martin, sharing 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 her entire adult life, the city had changed, and the pandemic accelerated that shift. Issues like homelessness and high taxes contributed to her decision, though she emphasized she doesn’t want to criticize California.
Longoria clarified in an interview on The View: Behind the Table that her move wasn’t a reaction to the political climate, despite speculation. She explained that work opportunities, including filming Land of Women in Spain and Searching for Mexico, led to her extended stay abroad. She feels fortunate to be able to leave the US when many others can’t, expressing anxiety and sadness for those who are stuck in what she describes as a difficult situation.
Despite the move, Longoria remains busy with her career, recently appearing in projects like 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 that his wife, Alejandra Silva, is from Galicia and they plan to live in Madrid for several years. Gere is thrilled about the move, believing it will be beneficial for their sons, Alexander and James, who are already bilingual. He also has an adult son, Homer, with his former partner, Carey Lowell. Gere shared with Elle España that the family is happier than ever and currently enjoying a positive period in their lives.
Singer Christina Milian and her family have settled in Paris. Married to French singer Matt Pokora for over seven years, they previously spent six months of each year commuting between the U.S. and France. They recently made the move permanent so their children—Violet (from a previous marriage to The-Dream), and sons Isaiah and Kenna (with Pokora)—could attend school in France. Milian feels it’s a fantastic opportunity for them. She shared with TopMob in December 2024 that her kids are thriving, are fluent in French, and she’s enjoying a balanced lifestyle, working ahead of schedule to accommodate the time difference. She describes their life in Paris as happy and healthy.
Lindsay Lohan is frustrated by the ongoing speculation surrounding her departure from Los Angeles. Looking back on her busy career and social life in the early 2000s, she recently explained her decision to step away from the public eye. In an interview with Bustle in March 2024, the Parent Trap star expressed annoyance that her work was often overshadowed by paparazzi and tabloid attention. She wished the focus had remained on her career, and felt the constant media scrutiny drove her to seek a quieter life. While she moved to cities like London and Dubai, and even opened beach clubs in Greece, Lohan also wanted to escape the relentless spotlight.
Lindsay Lohan wondered if she’d ever find love, questioning if it would ever happen for her. She realized she needed to focus on herself, and once she did, opportunities started appearing – things she genuinely wanted to pursue.
Lindsay did eventually find love with Bader Shammas, marrying 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 star 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 whole way of life. He wanted to avoid being surrounded by people constantly focused on the movie industry, fearing it would narrow his perspective. He longed for a more diverse life, telling the magazine he always wanted to be around people with varied interests to challenge him and broaden his horizons – what he called ‘the spice of life.’
So, Josh, along with his wife Tamsin Egerton and their four children, moved to the countryside of Hampshire, England. He told The Guardian in July 2024 that time flies with a large family, and while it might seem like less is happening on the surface, more of what truly matters is. Despite the move, Josh has remained active in his career, 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 industry. With a teacher for a wife and a son who isn’t particularly interested in movies, Jesse feels removed from the pressures of constantly evaluating his place in Hollywood.
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. She felt it was important to share her personal growth, newfound peace, and passion, as she believes this is truly her calling and purpose in life.
The actress best known for playing in The Flintstones shared that she relocated to Ireland in January 2025 with her son, Clay, and is applying for Irish citizenship because of her family’s heritage. 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, friends, and her life back home. She’s working on building a new life in her current country, and says her family will think about returning to America when it’s safe and everyone there has equal rights.
Actress Evangeline Lily, known for her role in Ant-Man and the Wasp, has announced she’s stepping away from acting for an unspecified period after two decades in the film industry.
In a June 2024 Instagram post, Evangeline shared how happy and at peace she feels while pursuing her life’s purpose. She expressed gratitude for her good fortune, explaining that while choosing a less conventional path – prioritizing meaning over money and fame – can be daunting, it ultimately brings a deep sense of fulfillment.
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.
It’s been a little over four years since I really focused on acting. I needed to prioritize my kids and build my businesses, and I was also really passionate about getting these important films out there. I’m so proud of Kiss the Ground, which came out in 2020, and its sequel, Common Ground. Both films are all about why regenerative farming is so crucial, and it’s been a really fulfilling project to work on alongside my wife, Nikki Reed.
Looking ahead, the actor said he envisions himself as a rancher, focused on building lasting brands – like his bourbon and health company. He’s deeply committed to sustainable farming and healthy soil, principles he and his family follow. He explained this is his long-term goal, and the reason behind his passions. ‘It’s simply who I am and what I’m working towards,’ he stated.
In a February 2021 episode of her podcast, Empty Inside, former iCarly star Jennette McCurdy shared with guest Anna Faris that she had stepped away from 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 in the past, detailing these feelings in her 2022 memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died. She explained she feels frustrated with her career and unfulfilled by the parts she played, describing them as cheesy and embarrassing. Having worked on those shows from ages 13 to 21, she was already self-conscious about her work by age 15, feeling it wasn’t something her friends were impressed by.
She hasn’t ruled out returning to acting completely. In an October 2022 interview with TopMob News, she explained that writing her book helped her consider acting in a new light, free from past pressures. She believes she might be open to it again, but only if she were to write a role specifically for herself.
Okay, seriously, if I had the chance to marry Prince Harry? Forget everything! I’d ditch Hollywood in a heartbeat! I mean, dedicating my life to actually helping people, doing real good… and getting to wear the Queen’s tiaras?! It’s a dream come true, honestly. It just makes perfect sense, it’s what I’ve always wanted!
Similar to Grace Kelly’s transition from Hollywood to Monaco, Meghan Markle left her life and acting career in Toronto—including her popular 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 multi-year deal with Netflix, where she released the 2022 docuseries Harry & Meghan and will launch a lifestyle show, With Love, Meghan, in 2025. She has also started a podcast and launched her lifestyle 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 all-consuming – you work long hours for months and have no personal time.
Cameron Diaz had many interests she wanted to pursue, including writing – she’d already published the New York Times bestsellers The Body Book in 2013 and The Longevity Book in 2016 – and starting a family with her husband, Benji Madden. Though she told InStyle in 2019 that she didn’t miss acting and was focused on wellness, it seemed she might be open to returning for at least one more project.
Jamie Foxx explained that convincing Cameron Diaz to star in the 2025 Netflix movie Back in Action involved a lot of pleading. “We were practically begging her to do it again,” he told TopMob News. “We adore her and have been eagerly awaiting her return – it’s 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 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 had given his all as an actor and now wanted to focus on watching and enjoying the work of up-and-coming talent, rather than simply repeating performances he’d already mastered.
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 acting 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. “Before, it was just a fun hobby I did with friends, or something to do during the summer,” he said. “I still like it, but making a living at something changes how you feel about it. It’s not that I dislike it, it’s just not my long-term goal.”
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 such as 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, participated in the virtual table read in September 2020, she was already a seasoned actress – having married fellow actor Kevin Kline in 1989. They made a unique agreement to manage their careers and raise their children, Owen and Greta, by never working at the same time. Greta is now a singer known as Frankie Cosmos.
He added that Phoebe consistently prioritizes staying home with her children when it’s her turn to work. While she briefly appeared in a 2001 independent film called The Anniversary Party starring her friend Jennifer Jason Leigh, Cates mainly focuses on running her boutique, Blue Tree, in New York City.
When he was most famous for films like Ghostbusters and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, the actor took a break from making movies after his wife sadly passed away from breast cancer in 1991. He wanted to focus on raising his children, Rachel and Mitchell.
Despite not appearing in a live-action movie 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.
Good news for fans: he’s returning to the screen with 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 acting roles require a lot of intimate scenes, and she wasn’t comfortable with that. While she felt her relationship was solid enough to navigate the challenges of her career, she believed any role she took on needed to be truly exceptional to justify potentially difficult content.
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, explaining, “I think that’s mainly why I stopped [acting].”
She’d built a successful career with shows like Ally McBeal, Nip/Tuck, Arrested Development, and Scandal. After those experiences, the Australian actress began to feel like it was time for a change.
Turning 45, I started thinking about trying something completely new and challenging,” she shared on The Ellen DeGeneres 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 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.
You know, as someone who watches career trajectories closely, it’s easy to understand why some people decide to step away at the peak of their game. Take Daniel Day-Lewis, for example. After an incredible career – and six Academy Award nominations, including one for his final film, Phantom Thread in 2017 – he simply announced his retirement from acting. He expressed immense gratitude to everyone he’d worked with over the years, and made it clear this was a personal decision. He and his team politely declined to discuss it further, which I completely respect. When you’ve achieved as much as he has – three Oscars, no less! – it’s perfectly understandable to want to pursue other passions.
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 appearing on Good Luck Charlie, Bridgit Mendler prioritized her education, starting with a master’s degree at MIT. She continued her studies, earning a PhD from MIT and later attending Harvard Law School.
I’ve been following Bridgit’s career for a while now, and I was absolutely thrilled when she started her own company, Northwood Space! It’s focused on building ground stations that help with sending and receiving data from satellites – a really important piece of the puzzle for space communication. She even became CEO in February 2023, which is just amazing to see!
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2025-12-26 16:21