The life of Hollywood stars is much more competitive than that of the average person. Every year, new up-and-coming talent catches the eye of producers and moviemakers, stealing the spotlight from many of the older, more familiar faces.
For this reason, some of our favorite and most iconic stars are often seen less and less frequently when it comes to big films and shows. For example, when was the last time Zooey Deschanel appeared in an award-winning movie?
In this article, we will be mentioning stars who disappeared from our screens after playing massive roles and shooting to success. You will surely be surprised by how some of their lives turned out…
Zooey Deschanel
Millions of people worldwide fell in love with Zooey Deschanel after she appeared in major films, such as (500) Days Of Summer and Yes Man. Her most recent project, the series New Girl, also obtained massive success and left her fans wanting more.
However, it has been more than 10 years since we last saw or heard from Deschanel. It turns out that after the star had two children, she decided that she was done with Hollywood life and wanted to focus more on her family.
The former star now works to make food farms more affordable and has even been featured in a few commercials.
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Jennifer Love Hewitt was a major name in Hollywood a few years back. She shot to fame after appearing in Heartbreakers and I Know What You Did Last Summer. However, since then, her name has been thrown around less and less.
Similar to Deschanel, Hewitt decided to move away from the spotlight and devote her time to her children and husband. While she did promise to eventually make a return, the actress has only appeared in 9-1-1 since her last major success.
Casper Van Dien
Casper Van Dien was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood for a while. Thanks to his performance in Starship Troopers, producers and filmmakers began offering him major roles in massive Hollywood films.
Casper’s biggest success stories include Tarzan and The Lost City and Sleepy Hollow. However, after the star made his mark with these films, his career began dwindling.
Even though the actor still features in some movies, they are mostly low-budget and receive nowhere near as much success as what he is used to.
Daryl Hannah
A young Daryl Hannah shot to fame after her role in the iconic film Blade Runner. In fact, after the movie's release, Hannah was invited to star in many other Hollywood projects, such as Kill Bill in 2014.
However, even though the young star gained so much attention during her prime, she began to fall short after the release of the Kill Bill sequel.
Daryl continued to star in various films and shows, but critics and fans all admitted that these projects were nowhere near the quality of her older work.
Charlie Sheen
Charlie Sheen captured the attention of producers and movie makers all over the world after starring in various successful shows and films. Some of his most notable works include Two And A Half Men, Anger Management, and Platoon.
However, as with many stars of Hollywood, Sheen battled with his fair share of substance abuse issues. Eventually, his addiction began costing him roles.
Even though the star still appears in a few TV show episodes and lesser-known movies, we do not see him acting anywhere near as much as we once used to.
Alyson Hannigan
Alyson Hannigan never earned herself a leading role in a major film or TV show. However, the star did not need to be the main character to be loved by millions of viewers all over the world.
Hannigan was featured in two very successful franchises, including How I Met Your Mother and American Pie.
Even though she gained so much attention for these roles, the star’s career was met with a dead-end after they concluded. She acted in a few low-budget projects, but they simply were not very good.
Andie MacDowell
In the 1990s, any movie that featured Andie MacDowell became a success. In fact, the star was featured in a few classics, including Hudson Hawk, Michael, Groundhog Day, and Crush. In her prime, MacDowell was a household name and had millions of adoring fans all over the world.
With that being said, the actress has not starred in a major film or series since 2005. In fact, the chances of you seeing Andie at a concert or festival are higher than on the movie screen.
With the competitive and busy nature that comes with Hollywood life, it is no wonder why the star decided to move away from the spotlight.
Claire Forlani
Claire Forlani is an incredibly talented British actress that once proved how versatile her abilities were. Unfortunately, the star's natural talent was not enough to earn her a spot in Hollywood.
This actress has not been offered a role in a major film or series for many years. In her prime, Forlani was approached by the producers of Meet Joe Black, Mallrats, and Hooligans. However, the star now only appears in a few TV shows and unsuccessful films.
Matthew Perry
Matthew Perry quickly shot to fame after he starred in the beloved sitcom Friends. In fact, he was seen as one of the more likely actors to gain additional success after the show ended. Perry was offered major roles alongside superstars, such as Bruce Willis and Salma Hayek.
However, Perry never played a part that would gain him as much success as Friends did. Although he was featured in the movie 17 Again, this would be his last major acting job. In 2012, he starred in a series called Go On, but the show quickly ended.
Billy Zane
Billy Zane rose to fame after featuring in Titanic. Fans all over the world were instantly attracted to his peculiar good looks and natural acting talent. After Titanic, producers were eager to have him in their films and he gained even more success in Charmed.
Unfortunately, it's been 20 years since the prime of this star's career. He now only features in smaller films - in fact, most of his projects have an average rating of 4/10 on IMDb.
Milla Jovovich
Milla Jovovich is an incredibly talented actress who earned her spot in Hollywood after her role as Leeloo in The Fifth Element. After that, the star appeared in a few other major motion pictures, including Jeanne d’Arc and Resident Evil.
Since then, Jovovich has not taken many strides in her career. Despite her natural acting talent, it is safe to say that the prime of her career is behind her.
Tori is another actress who we haven't seen much since the early days of her career, but she landed herself in big debt.
John Cusack
John Cusack began his career in the 1990s and continued acting in major motion pictures through the beginning of the new millennium. The actor rose to fame after his roles in Say Anything and Serendipity.
However, after Cusack starred in Stephen King’s 1408, his career slowly began winding down. He started appearing on the screen less and less, eventually only earning roles in TV shows or bad films.
John’s last major role was 8 years ago in The Raven, where he played Edgar Allen Poe.
Heather Graham
In the past, Heather Graham was known for her good looks and natural acting ability. The actress appeared in a few notable projects, including Scream (alongside John Travolta) and From Hell (with Johnny Depp).
With that being said, the star has not appeared in any major films for quite some time.
For the last couple of years, the actress has only made appearances on various TV shows, including Get Shorty and Flaked. While she may not be the star that she once was, she definitely has a very successful career and won over the hearts of millions of fans worldwide.
Cameron Diaz
Cameron Diaz was once one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. In fact, the actress has starred in more than 50 films throughout her career, including major success stories, such as Shrek, The Mask, Charlie’s Angels, and Bad Teacher.
However, the actress seemed to disappear from red carpets in 2014. In an interview, the star admitted that she began turning down roles after she felt as though she had lost direction in her life. Diaz currently lives a calm life and writes books in her free time.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
This actor began his career at the age of seven. Since then, the star has appeared in various major films, including Inception, 50/50, The Dark Knight Rises, and (500) Days Of Summer.
However, Gordon-Levitt has only appeared in one short film since 2016. While many do not believe that his career is over just yet, there is no news of him starring in anything at the moment.
Conclusion
Whether by their own prerogative or otherwise, it seems some stars are just not cut out for Hollywood in the long run. Maybe we should all take note form these stars and enjoy the simple life a bit more.
