Danielle Colby
Best known for her appearance on American Pickers, Danielle was succeeding in another career before acting: burlesque dancing. Falling in love with dancing after seeing a performance live in Chicago, she took up dancing and even began her own troupe.
Danielle Colby
Lucy Liu
Lucy is a very busy woman as she is both an actress and a visual artist, but people are unaware of Lucy’s creative side. She spends most of her time doing TV work nowadays but also uses any free time she has for her artwork.
Lucy Liu
Julia Stiles
Having had so many roles in television and movies, Julia is a seasoned actress, but even with a busy career, she still finds time for her philanthropic and charity work. Some of her work includes Habitat for Humanity and Amnesty International.
Julia Stiles
Jim Carrey
World-renowned for his comedy roles in films like The Mask and Dumb and Dumber, it’s easy to say that Jim is known for his acting. However, few know of his other passion, painting. He now spends most of his time creating art and painting.
Jim Carrey
Ariana Richards
Best known for her roles in Jurassic Park and its sequel, she didn’t do much acting work after. However, she did receive a fine arts degree at Skidmore College. Since then she has been painting, becoming well known in the art community.
Ariana Richards
Bo Derek
She started her acting career in a film called Orca and two years later she starred in her most memorable film, 10. Today Bo spends most of her time outside of entertainment, instead focusing on her company that sells pet care products.
Bo Derek
Karyn Parsons
You may recognize her from her role on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as Will Smith’s cousin and she landed a few other smaller roles in films after. She now runs a production company that creates educational videos for children.
Karyn Parsons
Chuck Norris
Everyone knows Chuck Norris for being an action and karate star, but what most people don’t know about him is that he is very passionate about uplifting underprivileged youth. His foundation, Kickstart Kids, aims to use “karate to teach character-building values to students”.
Chuck Norris
Elisabeth Shue
Known for her performances in The Karate Kid and Adventures in Babysitting, Elisabeth has always also been passionate about tennis. During her youth, she played many sports but after becoming a star she started playing tennis and hasn’t stopped ever since.
Elisabeth Shue
Corey “Big Hoss” Harrison
You’ll recognize Corey as an employee of Gold & Silver Pawn Shop and from the hit reality show Pawn Stars, but after he had lap-band surgery he began to work out. He now boxes five days a week and he really enjoys it.
Corey “Big Hoss” Harrison
Angus T. Jones
For ten seasons Angus starred in the TV show Two and a Half Men, but after he was baptized, he renounced the show and quit. He called the show “filth” and said he was a “paid hypocrite.” He then decided to go to college and now lives a quiet life away from the limelight. However, he hasn’t ruled out returning to TV: “The door is definitely still open for me to do that, but I’m taking things slowly. But I’m kind of liking the ability to travel and to move around at a moment’s notice and not have to be in one spot for years at a time.”
Angus T. Jones
Frankie Muniz
Frankie started his Hollywood career strong starring in films like Malcolm in the Middle and Big Fat Liar, but after his career stagnated, he became a drummer for a band called Kingsfoil and now professionally races cars for Jensen Motorsport.
Frankie Muniz
Sarah Michelle Gellar
The most prominent role Sarah Michelle Gellar played was that of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, but even though she was very well known, she gave up acting for her food crafting company called Foodstirs and is planning to release a cookbook in the future.
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Chris Owen
Known for his role as “The Sherminator” in the film American Pie, and all of its sequels, Chris didn’t give up acting but he did need a way to make ends meet. After the series ended, he decided to become a waiter.
Chris Owen
Nikki Blonsky
After appearing in the film Hairspray, Nikki needed another job in-between her roles in TV and film. So, she got her cosmetology license and started working as a stylist. She now works in New York and even continues to act.
Nikki Blonsky
Marisa Tomei
People know her acting through roles like My Cousin Vinny, Crazy, Stupid, Love and in Marvel films as Aunt May, Marisa is a well-established actor, but she has another passion: fitness. She has released two fitness videos and is still going strong—literally!.
Marisa Tomei
Fabio Lanzoni
He was a huge actor and model in the 80s and 90s and was considered to be the “sexiest man alive” at the time. But as his fame faded, he became a spokesperson for companies like Old Spice, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! and Oral-B.
Fabio Lanzoni
Jack Gleeson
If you watched Game of Thrones you know King Joffrey, and like most people, you were probably shocked to see what happened to him. But you don’t have to worry about Gleeson, he decided to leave acting for good and went to Trinity University to get his degree.
Jack Gleeson
Jeff Cohen
Best known for his work on The Goonies when he was younger, Jeff now spends most of his time in a courtroom and not in front of a camera. He now has his own law practice and is a successful attorney.
Jeff Cohen
Jon Gosselin
Once on the popular TV show Jon & Kate Plus 8, Jon now works as a DJ at Pennsylvania’s Building 24 nightclub. After the show wrapped up, he had to find a job and now has a great DJ gig.
Jon Gosselin
Vanilla Ice
He was one of the biggest rappers in the ’90s but when his popularity began to dwindle, he turned to real estate speculation. He sold property that he wasn’t using, made a profit and now even has a TV show about it on the DIY Network called The Vanilla Ice Project.
Vanilla Ice
Rebecca Ritters
She was a young TV actress on the show Neighbours, but after that role, she didn’t find many other jobs and so she went to school and got a politics and international relations degree and now works as a producer.
Rebecca Ritters
Dylan Sprouse
Known for appearing in the film Big Daddy, Dylan didn’t get much acting work after the film. But now he is a master beer brewer and worked for Kings County Distillery. Eventually, he became the youngest brewmaster in America.
Dylan Sprouse
Michael Schoeffling
Michael started his acting career strong with a leading role in the film Sixteen Candles but now is working as a carpenter living in Virginia. He left the Hollywood business a few years after his big role but now makes custom furniture.
Michael Schoeffling
Tony Danza
From Taxi to Who’s The Boss, Tony has had a great acting career and then he decided to take on one of the hardest jobs in the world, teaching. He now works at Northeast Philadelphia High School and teaches 10th grade English.
Tony Danza
Mara Wilson
Starring the lead role in Matilda and landing a part in Mrs. Doubtfire, Mara was set up to become a star but decided that the life of a writer was better suited to her. Since then she has published a book.
Mara Wilson
Jason Zimbler
You may remember Jason from the sitcom Clarissa Explains It All. After that show ended, he went to the University of Notre Dame and studied software design. He then returned to Hollywood but not as an actor and now works for HBO as a software designer.
Jason Zimbler
Hank Aaron
He is a legend for beating Babe Ruth’s record. Hank coached the Atlanta Braves after retiring from baseball and after that job he opened a BMW dealership in Georgia, and says that he gives out autographs with each car sold.
Hank Aaron
Dylan & Blake Tuomy-Wilhoit
They are best known for playing the twin sons in “Full House” and the Netflix reboot “Fuller House”, but since then they have entirely moved away from the Hollywood scene. Blake is now a sound technician and Dylan is a firefighter.
Dylan & Blake Tuomy-Wilhoit
Danny Lloyd
Danny was a part of one of the most renowned horror films in history, The Shining. He played Danny Torrance in the movie. He chose to leave the movie industry and instead he now works as a biology professor at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.
Danny Lloyd
Cameron Diaz
Everyone knows Cameron, and that’s partly the reason why she has been off the media’s radar lately. After her most recent role, she said that she wanted to take some time to herself and she is now moving away from the public eye in order to pursue motherhood after giving birth to a baby girl with husband Benji Madden.
Cameron Diaz
George Foreman
George Foreman is known for two things, being a heavyweight boxing champion and his quality made grills. After he retired from boxing he helped create and promote his grills to encourage healthy eating as is still doing that to this day.
George Foreman
Nick Offerman
Starring in the hit TV series, Parks and Recreation, Nick is actually very similar to his on-screen counterpart Ron Swanson. They both love meat and woodworking and he owns the ‘Offerman Woodshop’ in LA where he makes tables and canoes.
Nick Offerman
Susan Boyle
She became an international star after appearing on Britain’s Got Talent and then went on to release multiple albums. However, she did not like all the fame and attention, so she pulled back from public view and has been seen applying for a cashier position.
Susan Boyle
Rick Moranis
Rick has seen a good deal of success in the Hollywood circle. He appeared in films like Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and Little Shop of Horrors but since then he has branched out into other entertainment – namely comedic singing.
Rick Moranis
J.K. Rowling
The creator of Harry Potter herself has even focused her time on other careers, namely charity work. She is the president of Gingerbread, an organization that aims to help single parents deal with the difficult reality of raising a child. She hasn’t abandoned writing, but has chosen to spend a significant amount of her time on charity work.
J.K. Rowling
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
He is best known for is wrestling and his acting in many movies over the years but what most people don’t know is that he is also an Exercise Apparel Designer. He has recently released a line of clothing called “Project Rock”.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
Richard Rawlings
He is the presenter for the series Fast N’ Loud, a mechanic and a bar owner. His bar is called the Gas Monkey Bar N’ Grill and serves as a great place for anyone looking for live music and a good time.
Richard Rawlings
Ronda Rousey
She is one of the best UFC fighters currently in the competitive sport, but she also spends her free time writing. She published her autobiography, My Fight, Your Fight, in 2015 in which she describes her many achievements in life.
Ronda Rousey
Peter Ostrum
You’ll recognize Ostrum as Charlie, the boy who was lucky enough to find the last golden ticket, in 1971’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. He played the iconic role when he was just 12 years old, but he made the decision not to pursue acting any further. Instead, when he grew up, Ostrum became a veterinarian.
Peter Ostrum
Gene Hackman
Gene Hackman is a legendary and award winning actor who has starred in films such as Bonnie and Clyde, Unforgiven, and Superman. Though he has had an illustrious career as an actor, in his later years he decided to pursue a different passion: writing. He currently spends most of his time writing historical novels.
Gene Hackman
Phoebe Cates
Phoebe Cates stole our hearts in the 80’s when she starred in Fast Times at Ridgemont High as well as Gremlins. She married her husband Kevin Kline in 1989 and in 1994 she retired from acting in order to raise their kids. She opened up a boutique called Blue Tree in 2005, and it is located on Madison Avenue in New York City.
Phoebe Cates
Danielle Fishel
You may remember Danielle Fishel as Topanga Lawrence on hit show Boy Meets World and its spinoff, Girl Meets World. Fishel is now a journalist and reporter, working for popular media site PopSugar. She also appears on PopSugar’s YouTube channel.
Danielle Fishel
Ali McGraw
Ali McGraw came to prominence after starring in the 1970 film Love Story, for which she was nominated for an Academy Award and won the Golden Globe for Best Actress. She became devoted to Hatha Yoga and eventually released a yoga video alongside Yoga Master Erich Schiffmann. She is also highly involved with work to improve animal welfare.
Ali McGraw
Kevin Jonas
Kevin Jonas is one of the members of The Jonas Brothers band, who broke up in 2013. After this, Kevin pursued home improvement and became a contractor and even appeared on an episode of The Real Housewives of New Jersey as a contractor. However, the Jonas Brothers band recently reunited, so his contract-work was placed on hold.
Kevin Jonas
Mike Vitar
Mike Vitar is known for playing Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez in the much loved film The Sandlot. He continued acting here and there, landing several guest appearances both on TV and films, however he decided to leave acting as a profession. He has since become a firefighter and works in Los Angeles.
Mike Vitar
Josh Saviano
Remember Paul Pfieffer, Kevin Arnold’s super smart best friend from the hit TV show The Wonder Years? He was played by Josh Saviano who chose to attend Yale University and study political science after his stint in acting. He then earned a J.D. and worked in law for several years before pursuing entrepreneurship.
Josh Saviano
Jennie Garth
Garth was at the height of her stardom in the 90’s when she starred as Kelly Taylor in the hugely successful TV show Beverly Hills 90210. After 10 seasons, the show ended and Garth appeared in a handful of small roles elsewhere. However, she later decided to start her own online business: MomGiftBox.com, which is a subscription gift service. She has also released a workout video.
Jennie Garth
Charlie Korsmo
If you’ve seen 1991’s movie Hook, then you remember the adorable Jack, played by Charlie Korsmo. He appeared in several other films as a child actor, but decided to leave showbusiness. He has since pursued law and after becoming a successful lawyer, Korsmo is now a member of the faculty of Case Western Reserve University’s School of Law.
Charlie Korsmo
MC Hammer
MC Hammer is the name behind one of the catchiest and best-known songs of the early 90’s, “U Can’t Touch This.” While he was a successful entertainer for quite some time, he found himself bankrupt. However, he has recently turned to religion and has become a minister, starting a TV ministry called M.C. Hammer and Friends.
MC Hammer
Tiffany
Tiffany became a pop music sensation and toured many malls in the 80’s after her smash song “I Think We’re Alone Now” topped the charts. After her fame began to fade, she had to turn to other ventures. She opened up a shop called Tiffany’s Boutique in Nashville, Tennessee. However, she recently revealed on Twitter that the store has closed down.
Tiffany
Taran Noah Smith
Taran Noah Smith played tiny Mark Taylor on the hit 90’s sitcom Home Improvement. He did not pursue acting as a career in adulthood, but he very fittingly chose to become a carpenter! He has helped victims of Hurricane Harvey by working with Burners Without Borders in order to help rebuild after the storm.
Taran Noah Smith
Michael Maronna
Michael Maronna starred as big Pete on The Adventures of Pete & Pete, a hit Nickelodeon series from the 90’s. He later went on to appear in films such as Home Alone and its sequel Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. However, he is no longer an actor but does work as an electrician on film and TV productions.
Michael Maronna
Jonathan Taylor Thomas
Jonathan Taylor Thomas is yet another Home Improvement alum who chose to leave acting after exiting the show. He said: “I’d been going nonstop since I was 8 years old,” Thomas said. “I wanted to go to school, to travel and have a bit of a break.” He also voiced young Simba in The Lion King. He spends most of his time writing and directing now.
Jonathan Taylor Thomas
Kirk Cameron
Kirk Cameron became a well-known name after he played Mike Seaver in popular TV show Growing Pains. However, Cameron felt a connection to religion and decided to convert to Christianity, distancing himself from his former co-stars in the process. He has partnered with Ray Comfort in The Way of the Master, an evangelical ministry.
Kirk Cameron
Shirley Temple
Everyone knows Shirley Temple, adorable child actress who became an icon of the early 20th century. She appeared in numerous films including The Little Princess, Heidi, and Bright Eyes. She chose to leave acting when she was 22 and turned to politics instead. She served as the U.S. ambassador to former Czechoslovakia and also Ghana throughout the 70’s and 80’s.
Shirley Temple
Geena Davis
Geena David is an award-winning actress known for her roles in films like Thelma and Louise, Beetlejuice, A League of Their Own, and The Accidental Tourist. She has now turned her attention to activism, founding the organization the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, which aims to improve gender equality in the entertainment industry and Hollywood as a whole.
Geena Davis
Steven Seagal
Steven Seagal made a name for himself while starring in films such as Hard to Kill, Under Siege, and Out for Justice. He attempted to continue his foray into fame with a reality TV show, but it was quickly cancelled. After some legal troubles, apparently he was named as a special US-Russian envoy.
Steven Seagal
Blake McIver Ewing
You’ll definitely recognize Blake McIver Ewing from his roles as a child actor. He played Derek on Full House and Waldo in the movie The Little Rascals. He is now a singer and released an album in 2014.
Blake McIver Ewing
