From retiring to returning to fame to spotlight: Actors who un-retired

There’s a famous saying actors don’t retire but there are few famous faces who retired for good, however, some take breaks and then return to the spotlight.

Here is a list of actors and actresses who retired and then decided to unretire:

1. Tobey Maguire

Tobey Maguire the original Spiderman took a long break after starring in Spider-Man 3.

However, Maguire made a memorable comeback and reprised his superhero character in Spider-Man: No Way Home in 2021 and then played a role in the 2022 film Babylon.

2. Brendan Fraser

The Mummy star had an unbelievable extended break from acting before making a triumphant return with a leading role in the 2022 film, The Whale.

The movie not only marked his comeback but also earned him an Academy Award and critical acclaim.

3. Cameron Diaz

Diaz starred in movies such as Annie and The Other Woman in 2014, however, she took a break from acting to focus on her family and businesses.

The 53-year-old actress returned to the screen in 2022 for the film Back in Action which streamed on Netflix.

4. Channing Tatum

The 45-year-old actor took a four-year break from acting in 2018 till 2022 to re-prioritise and re-focus.

In an interview, the Blink Twice actor told People, "I don't want to take too much on, so I can really enjoy my life and enjoy the actual projects that I do take on and just give it all I have."

5. Macaulay Culkin

Culkin, famously known for his role in Home Alone, retired from acting because he said he felt overwhelmed by the pressures of fame and that he hoped to have a semblance of a normal childhood.

Culkin technically returned in 2003 and acted in select roles since then.

6. Chris Tucker

After the success of the Rush Hour films in the 2000s, Tucker in an interview said that he felt like he was getting typecast in comedic roles.

When he eventually returned to acting, it was in more dramatic material and somewhat more serious roles, including movies such as Silver Linings Playbook and Air.

7. Joaquin Phoenix

The Joker actor has taken breaks from acting, including after establishing himself as a child actor.

In 2008, Phoenix announced that he was retiring from acting to pursue a career in hip-hop.

He staged a widely publicised hoax for the 2010 mockumentary I'm Still Here, where he played a version of himself transitioning to a hip-hop career.