Are actors walking away from the industry? Hollywood’s harsh reality

Hollywood may not be what it seems to the naked eye.

For an average viewer Hollywood may seem like the land where dreams come true. Being under the limelight, attending high-profile events, red carpets, awards, and creative opportunities along with a sense of freedom, it has a lot to offer or so it seems.

Some stars, even after garnering immense fame and publicity, start to feel like there is something far better than recognition.

Overtime, the charm of fame can fade and the need for a peaceful life becomes more and more appealing.

It’s a no-brainer that while the entertainment world may shine on the outside, it often does get overwhelming and lonely, making it easy for stars to choose to leave and focus on themselves.

Being famous doesn’t always mean rainbows and sunshine. Sometimes it comes with a price which some might be willing to pay and some might not.

Quite a few big  celebrities have chosen to leave their life in Hollywood and or Los Angeles behind. Is it because the industry’s harsh pace is catching up with them or are there any other underlying reasons that play a role in their decision?

Ariel Winters, known for playing Alex Dunphy in the hit sitcom Modern Family, was born and raised in Los Angeles and began her acting journey at only four years old and ended up facing the harsh side of growing up under the spotlight.  

During a recent chat with People magazine, the 27-year-old actress opened up about dealing with constant judgement from the media and online trolls in regards to her body and appearance as she changed with age.

She revealed that the constant scrutiny had "damaged her self-esteem." The Sofia the First actress recalls her entire childhood to be traumatic and painful.

However, Ariel confirmed that although she left her home city, she still continues to love acting and hasn't left the industry. 

Ariel states that currently she has only left the city, but there are other celebrities that have chosen to move on, leaving acting in their past.

Ian Somerhalder is one of those beloved stars from our childhood that had decided to retire from Hollywood to focus on his life.

After starring as Damon Salvatore in the dark fantasy series The Vampire Diaries, the 46-year-old actor garnered immense popularity and praise. However, despite the love from the public Ian made a decision to leave his acting career in his past and to give all his time to raising his children and making his business successful. 

Another startling example of a big star’s departure from the industry is Brendan Fraser.

For years the 56-year-old actor had lit up our screens, starring in major productions like The Mummy franchise, George of the Jungle, Journey to the Center of the Earth and more, until he quietly disappeared from the spotlight.

Back in 2018 the actor opened up about his depression after an horrifying incident he had been through and assumed he had been blacklisted from the industry.

He also struggled with his health, and faced many injuries especially with filming the third installment of The Mummy. Brendan explained that the stunts he performed in his movies left him with injuries that caused him pain for years. 

The star had undergone many surgeries including a partial knee replacement and operations on his back.

It seems like his experience in Hollywood was less than positive. However, in 2022 he starred in a melodrama production The Whale.

Another example of a popular actor leaving the industry is none other than the beloved actress from our childhood whom we had grown up watching is Lindsay Lohan.

Having starred in multiple major productions as a child to an adult, the 38-year-old actress had gone through a lot.

Her acting career began when she was only three years old. She has starred in films like The Parent Trap, Freaky Friday, Mean Girls and many more. 

As she grew up and gained stardom, a number of problems followed, landing her in some public, personal and legal issues.

During a chat with Bustle, the actress who has made a recent return to the industry, explained that as a child she had always said yes to everything when she should have been learning to say no. She explained that the fame had gotten too much for her and she wanted to get away, causing her to move to Dubai where paparazzi are banned.

A large period of her life was also overshadowed by her battle with substance abuse as she struggled with addiction to drugs and alcohol.

However, now Lindsay seems to be doing better and has made a swift return to Hollywood, having starred in Netflix’s Irish Wish and has reprised her role as Anna Coleman for Freakier Friday. 

Although Jack Gleeson, the Irish actor, hasn’t left the industry, he is a great example of how Hollywood isn’t always a positive experience.

The 32-year-old actor played one of the most despised roles on the fan favourite series Game of Thrones. At the time of playing Joffrey Baratheon on the HBO television series he was only 19-years-old receiving international recognition and appreciation.

But he didn’t just receive praise for his extremely believable acting, he also garnered immense backlash and as a result, the star chose to retire in 2014 and pursued academia. 

Currently, Jack has made a return to acting and has appeared on shows like Safe Harbor, Sex Education and more.

Despite some of them returned to acting, it doesn’t change the fact that there was a reason they had left in the first place.

While fans might have admired the actors and industry, these examples of celebrities choosing to leave opens up a path for questioning. Is Hollywood actually what it seems or have we been blinded by the glamour?

The actors opening up about their decision to exit begs the question if Hollywood is losing its appeal as many celebrities have attempted to move on.