In a world where Hollywood celebrities are akin to the Royal Family in England, it’s hard to imagine a world without them in it. All the glitz and glamour of red carpet premieres, award shows and fundraisers leave us to yearn for their lifestyle and to be famous. Especially prominent are the actors who star in blockbuster hits that set their careers for life and leave them with a legacy that’ll last for the ages.
Reputable actors such as Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep, Morgan Freeman, and many more have built careers that have lasted decades. They are the generation of actors that continue to influence newer talent to gain notoriety in the acting sphere. These are the actors that have dominated both the entertainment and theatre industry. They are what keep people entertained at the movie theatres.
So it’s difficult to understand: why are actors leaving Hollywood? What’s turning actors away from wanting to be in the entertainment industry? Why is the one career that they’ve spent decades building suddenly coming to an end? What does this mean for the future of the industry?
Say Goodbye to Hollywood
Is it the end of Hollywood as we know it? Well, some may say that we saw this day coming and others are shocked. With Denzel Washington’s recent announcement of retiring from Hollywood, it’s hard to imagine why he would want to leave. His career spans five decades, he’s starred in multiple blockbuster hits, and he’s won multiple Emmys and Oscars.
Washington’s reasoning: there’s no more originality in Hollywood. This statement is not incorrect; with many reboots, prequels, and sequels to popular films and television shows from the 90s, early and late aughts, and 2010s, it’s hard to want to stay in an environment that doesn’t value originality.
Denzel has provided so much talent and entertainment to us both in front of the screen and behind the screen. It’s heartbreaking when actors who’ve had as much longevity and talent as Denzel feel that there’s no longer any need to continue their time in Hollywood.
However, originality may not be the only reason and Denzel Washington is not the only actor who is planning/has planned to leave Hollywood. Yes, there are others. Who are these others? Why are they also leaving Hollywood?
A Hollywood Story: Lost Edition
With news of Denzel’s retirement, other actors’ plans to leave the industry became known to the public, particularly Evangeline Lilly, who quietly left the industry this year. Her retirement was one that she’d been planning for years. When she was interviewed in ’06, the “Lost” alum made it known that within the next ten years, she would make her exit from Hollywood. Her last known film was “Ant Man: Quantamania”, and she’s since devoted her time to her children and humanitarian work. She’s enjoyed the quiet life. She’s also published two children’s books.
She notes that her reason for stepping away was because she wasn’t able to enjoy the other wonderful things in life outside of acting. Acting is a job. Acting can bring you a lot of feelings and while Lilly didn’t leave having any animosity towards acting, she knew that there was a life outside of it that she wanted to enjoy.
Celebrity Skin
In a world where ageism and beauty standards rule American society, as well as Hollywood. Is it hard to recognize where talent truly lies? Or, are we so caught up in observing a pretty face on screen that we forget?
Kathy Bates’ career has spanned four to five decades. Although she’s been acting since she was twenty-one, her break didn’t come until she starred in the 1990 film, “Misery”. Bates jokes that if she’d have the opportunity to die while performing on stage, she would. There’s a joy to acting that she enjoys and loves. She’s also aware and has brought it up in interviews that she’s not considered the typical beauty. Because of this, she knew that she’d have to be a lot more memorable in Hollywood since Beauty Queen was out for her.
While Bates has grown to appreciate this in an age where ageism is very evident, she’s still experienced some frustration within the industry. Although her recent role in Matlock has proved that her talent will carry out for years to come, sometimes she feels that her talent is “too much to handle”. It consumes her life. Sometimes, she wants to have the freedom to not think about acting.
Life in the Fast Lane
It’s not just these three big-name actors who are retiring. Other actors have taken a pause or have considered leaving altogether. With documentaries such as “Quiet on Set” and Demi Lovato’s upcoming documentary about child stars, the secrets of the industry have been toppling down, one by one.
Stars like Brendan Fraser left Hollywood after a horrific encounter of sexual assault that was not taken seriously. We also look at former child stars like Jeanette McCurdy who quit acting after a tumultuous childhood where she suffered emotional and sexual abuse at the hands of her narcissistic mother and abuse from Dan Schneider.
Cameron Diaz discusses how she stepped back from acting after her role in “Annie”. She needed the break, and she realized like so many actors have expressed, there were parts of her life that she felt that she hadn’t necessarily explored. Acting is a high-energy job and sometimes it’s okay to have those boundaries and focus on yourself. She says that the decision made her feel whole and since then, she’s given birth to a daughter.
Actors both past and present such as Shirley Temple, Gene Hackman, Cary Grant, Sean Connery and others have taken steps back from the industry. While we may not understand it, it’s important to respect and pay attention to their decisions. They’re human, like us.
Hollywood Waltz
While Denzel Washington didn’t lead by example, it’s important to note that within a 2024 context, we must see the many reasons why actors are leaving Hollywood. It isn’t the same as it used to be and actors are finally putting themselves first.
This year in particular has removed the rose-colored glasses of what we once saw as Hollywood, and now we must confront ourselves with the reality of how we want to see it and how we want to make an effort to see change in the industry.
