It's no surprise that so many people want to be famous. Between the fan adoration, fancy award shows, and millions of dollars that the biggest stars get to enjoy, it's almost a surprise that anyone would ever want to leave showbiz once they got into it. But just like any job, even acting or singing gets to be too much for many people after a while, leading many of the industry's most famous celebs to retire after they make it big.
Even though the paparazzi makes sure that we're always on top of celebrity news whether we want to be or not, our favorite stars still manage to surprise us on a regular basis. Sometimes, we're shocked to learn that the actors we love most are actually huge jerks in real life, but other times, we might be completely unaware that the people we see smiling for the cameras are actually longing for a more quiet life with their families. Really, I don't blame them — it must be so exhausting to constantly have to be in the spotlight. I'm sure there are plenty of stars who long for the lives they had in these old pictures that were taken before they were so famous!
Check out these celebs who have retired from the life of fame and fortune. Whether they just faded away after their career fizzled out or made a deliberate move to get away from Hollywood life, they've definitely taken a big turn away from the glamorous lives they once had.
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1. Jack Gleeson
After a minor role in Batman Begins and a major role as the wicked Joffrey Baratheon in HBO's Game of Thrones, Gleeson decided to leave his acting career behind him and pursue an education instead.
2. Amanda Bynes
The star of The Amanda Show and She's the Man once had a successful comedic acting career, but in 2012, she decided to retire from the spotlight and focus on building a career in fashion design instead. She's since been hit with a number of legal issues, but she'll hopefully be on the right track to her new dream soon.
3. Sean Connery
This man was the original James Bond, but he began to fade from Hollywood after taking roles in movies that didn't do so well. He is now enjoying retirement away from the spotlight.
4. Dylan and Cole Sprouse
The twins who starred on the hit Disney show The Suite Life of Zack and Cody might not be done with acting for good, but they're certainly taking a hiatus. They decided to focus on their education, and both young men graduated from New York University this year. While they don't have any immediate plans to begin acting again, both brothers have said that they wish to continue after their education has been completed.
5. Meg Ryan
The actress, who had an iconic role in When Harry Met Sally, had continued her acting career up until the mid-2000's. After her high-profile divorce from Dennis Quaid, she seems to have stepped away from Hollywood to lead a quieter life away from all the cameras.
6. Rick Moranis
The man who starred in Ghostbusters and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids left his acting career behind in 1997 following the tragic death of his wife so he could focus on raising his children.
7. Axl Rose
The lead singer of Guns N' Roses hadn't released any music for 15 years before finally recording the album Chinese Democracy in 2008. Since then, he hasn't done a lot of work in the music industry, and he even skipped the ceremony for his band's induction into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame.
8. Grace Kelly
The star of films such as Dial M for Murder and The Country Girl quit acting at age 26, but she certainly didn't step out of the public eye. She became the princess of Monaco after marrying Prince Rainier III.
9. Dave Chappelle
Despite becoming a widely successful comedian on Comedy Central's Chappelle's Show, this funny guy ultimately quit after disagreements with the show's producers. He still does standup, but doesn't often appear on TV anymore.
10. Doris Day
The Pillow Talk actress was one of the most famous film stars of her time, but in the late 1960's, she retired from movie acting and instead focused on her music and brief television career. She's still alive today and focuses most of her time on the many animals she has adopted.
11. Shirley Temple
This curly-haired child star was ridiculously famous in the 1930's, but faded out of the spotlight as she grew older despite multiple attempts to have a successful acting career as an adult. She eventually gave up and retired.
12. Phoebe Cates
She became famous after she wore that bikini in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, but soon after, Phoebe Cates decided to quit acting to raise her children with her husband. She came back in 2001 to help with her friend Jennifer Jason Leigh's The Anniversary Party, but that's the last that Hollywood has seen of her.
13. Gene Hackman
The star of The Royal Tenenbaums retired in 2004, but even though he doesn't appear in movies anymore, you can enjoy his work in the form of the multiple historical fiction novels that he's written since stepping away from Hollywood.
14. Elizabeth Hurley
The Austin Powers actress had a recurring role in the TV series Gossip Girl, but has mostly retired from being on camera. She's been spending a lot more time with her family on their farm in England.
15. Cary Grant
The Bringing Up Baby star had a long and successful career as an actor, but when he was 62, he decided to retire in order to focus on his family.
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