A lot of people seem to think that Hollywood is the pinnacle of the job market. So many people aspire to be an actor or famous musician that it's easy to forget that for some people, it's still just a job. There are apparently a lot of former celebrities who decided that the Hollywood lifestyle just didn't fit with them, so they moved on to a much less visible career.
While it may seem strange that your former favorite childhood stars are living a life that is away from the cameras, it's more common than you'd think. Many iconic stars have either taken a short break to try something else, or just moved on completely. But what have they been up to since leaving the spotlight?
1. Peter Ostrum
It was a huge responsibility playing Charlie Bucket in the hit movie Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, but Peter Ostrum did a great job. However, shortly after filming, he started to get interested in horses. He took his love of animals and decided to make it his entire career, heading off to school to become a veterinarian. He lives in Lowville, New York, and spends his time saving animals. It may not be a chocolate factory, but it's a really honorable choice!
2. Charlie Korsmo
Charlie Korsmo was lucky enough to work with Robin Williams in one of the best movies from the 90s. Hook is still an amazing movie and rewatching it now is guaranteed to bring you so much joy. Korsmo also starred in Can't Hardly Wait, but shortly after decided acting wasn't for him. He ended up attending the prestigious MIT and Yale Law Schools and became a lawyer and professor.
3. Gene Hackman
Gene Hackman was in several amazing movies in his long career, but in 2004 he decided it was time to retire. Hackman has instead decided to focus on his writing career. He has written several novels in different genres, including, historical fiction and political thrillers.
4. Jeff Cohen
The "Truffle-Shuffle" will probably follow Jeff Cohen around for his entire life, but the former Goonies actor now spends his time as an entertainment lawyer. He stepped away from acting in 1991 after playing Chunk, deciding that he would rather stay behind the scenes.
5. Michael Schoeffling
He was likely a lot of girls' first crush after he played Jake Ryan in Sixteen Candles, but Ryan decided that he would rather live a life focused on his family. He stepped out of the Hollywood spotlight to become a carpenter and to spend more time with his kids. He stays out of the spotlight completely now.
Who else has stepped away from the spotlight? A lot of really big names...
6. Frankie Muniz
Frankie Muniz came onto the scene as the star of Malcom in the Middle. He seemed to have everything going for him at the time, but he decided to take his life in a different direction. Muniz decided to become a racecar driver. He participated in many races up until 2011. He also played drums in a band called Kinsfoil for a few years but had to leave because of scheduling conflicts. He is currently on Dancing With The Stars trying to win that trophy.
7. Austin St. John
He was the original Red Ranger on the amazing show Might Morphin Power Rangers, but now he is saving lives in a new way. He actually became a certified paramedic after he was done fighting crime. He has actually been trying to come back in the Hollywood world and has a few movies in pre-production.
8. Nikki Blonsky
While it isn't a full step back, Nikki Blonsky, has become a hairstylist. It's a little ironic given that she first became famous after she played Tracy Turnblad in the movie version of Hairspray. She continued acting, but has not had a lot of success in recent years, so she ended up getting her cosmetology license in between auditions.
9. Taran Noah Smith
As the youngest Taylor brother on Home Improvement, Smith found his own path in life. Instead of acting, the former child-star has instead become a restaurant owner. It's called Playfood and specializes in vegan and organic foods.
10. Mike Vitar
The Sandlot was one of the most popular movies of it's time, but Benny 'The Jet' Rodriguez actor, Mike Vitar, decided to step away from acting to become a fireman. He did however face some legal issues after he was charged with assault with a deadly weapon in 2015, but has since reached a plea deal to a misdemeanor battery charge.
