Where Did They Go? Stars Who Left Hollywood in the 2000s

Some actors and actresses who were huge in the 2000s decided to leave Hollywood. They chose different paths, and some even came back. Let's see what they're up to now. Amanda Bynes was last seen in the 2010 movie Easy A. She was great in it, but she left acting to try fashion. She's had some public struggles with her mental health too. Brandan Fraser took a break from Hollywood in the late 2000s. He had some health and personal issues. But he came back and even won an Oscar! Frankie Muniz was a big star in the 2000s. He was in lots of sitcoms and movies. But he quit acting and now races cars professionally. Jennifer Stone was a Disney Channel star. She was in Wizards of Waverly Place with Selena Gomez. She left acting to go to college and now works as a nurse. Daniel Day-Lewis retired from acting not once, but twice. The first time was in 1997, and the second time was in 2017. He came back for one movie in 2025, but he doesn't seem to be acting anymore. Bridgit Mendler was another Disney Channel star. She was in Good Luck Charlie and the movie Lemonade Mouth. She left acting to go to MIT and Harvard. Now, she runs a satellite data company. Cameron Diaz retired from acting in 2014, just like Daniel Day-Lewis. She came back for a few roles in the mid-2020s, but she's not acting full-time. Teddy Dunn was in lots of popular TV shows in the 2000s. He was in Veronica Mars, Grey's Anatomy, CSI: New York, and Gilmore Girls. But he left acting to become an attorney. Andy Milonakis had his own show in the 2000s. It was really popular. He kept working in entertainment, but he never got as famous as he was before. In 2025, he moved to Austin, Texas. Jane Sibbett was famous in the '90s and 2000s. She was in Friends as Carol. She took a break from acting for a while, but she came back later. Michael Douglas has been acting for a long time. But he's not acting right now. He might come back if the right project comes along, but he's not planning to anytime soon. Lindsay Lohan never really took a break from acting, but she moved away from Hollywood. She lived in different places before settling in Dubai. Evangeline Lilly has been famous for a long time, but she doesn't want to be part of Hollywood anymore. She's not acting right now and doesn't have plans to come back soon. Portia de Rossi was in Arrested Development. She left acting in 2018 to start a business. Ellen DeGeneres moved to England after her talk show was canceled. She still works in entertainment, but now she's a writer and producer. Eliza Dushku was in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Bring It On. She's not acting anymore. She's focusing on psychedelic-assisted therapy and becoming a counselor. Mischa Barton was really famous in the 2000s. She was in The O. C. She's still acting, but she lives and works in Australia now. Ian Somerhalder was famous for playing a vampire. He left Hollywood to focus on his family and businesses. Lauren Conrad was a big star in the 2000s. She was in reality TV shows. But after The Hills ended, she left Hollywood to focus on fashion. Now, she lives in Laguna Beach with her family.