Celebrities Who Stepped Away From Hollywood: Bruce Willis, Cameron Diaz

Bruce Willis retired from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia.

In March 2022, his family announced his departure from acting due to health issues affecting his cognitive abilities.

“This is a challenging time for our family, and we appreciate your love and support,” they stated. “We are moving through this as a strong family unit.”

In February 2023, his wife, Emma Heming Willis, confirmed his condition had developed into frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

“Challenges with communication are one symptom of the disease Bruce faces,” she explained. “While this is painful, it’s a relief to have a clear diagnosis.”

Currently, there are no treatments for this degenerative brain disease, according to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration.

After 2014’s Annie, Cameron Diaz paused her Hollywood career.

“I needed to reclaim my life,” she said at Fortune‘s Most Powerful Women Summit in 2024. “No one’s opinion could change my decision.”

During her break, Diaz married Benji Madden and launched the organic wine brand Avaline with Katherine Power in 2020.

She returned to acting in the 2025 Netflix film Back in Action with Jamie Foxx.

In June 2017, Daniel Day-Lewis announced his departure from acting before Phantom Thread was released.

“Daniel Day-Lewis will no longer be working as an actor,” his representative, Leslee Dart, stated. “This is a private decision.”

After a seven-year hiatus, he returned to work with his son, Ronan, on Anemone.

“I never used the word retirement,” he clarified. “I needed to work on something else for a while.”

In a 2023 interview with the Financial Times, Emma Watson discussed her hiatus after Little Women in 2018.

“I wasn’t very happy with acting,” she said. “I do not miss selling things, but I miss the art.”

She described her time away as the “happiest and healthiest” she has ever been.

Evangeline Lilly announced an indefinite hiatus in June 2024.

“I am filled with joy and contentment today,” she shared. “I might return to Hollywood, but for now, this is where I belong.”

She noted she had been on a hiatus for three years since Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

“I am devoting my time to humanitarian work and writing,” she stated.

Ian Somerhalder shifted his focus from acting to filmmaking and other projects.

He told People, “I stepped away to build companies, launch films, and raise my kids.”

Somerhalder, who shares two children with Nikki Reed, said he reached a point of feeling “most authentic.”

“I want to focus on family, farming, and energy,” he added. “I don’t need to chase awards.”

Jennifer Lawrence ended her two-year break with the 2021 film Don’t Look Up.

She reflected on her break, saying, “I was at peace with the possibility of my career ending.”

After working with Leonardo DiCaprio, she starred in more projects, including Causeway and No Hard Feelings.

Jim Carrey returned to reprise his role as Dr. Robotnik in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

“You can’t be definite about these things,” he told ComicBook. “Things tend to change.”

He added, “Stepping away gave me a new perspective on my career.”

At the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Michael Douglas discussed his break from acting in 2022.

“I realized I had to stop,” he said. “I didn’t want to drop dead on the set.”

Douglas added, “I’m not retired, but I’m happy watching my wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones) work.”

In an Instagram statement, Nelly Furtado announced a pause in her career to explore other creative pursuits.

“I have enjoyed my career immensely,” she said. “I’ll always be a songwriter.”