Giving Up The Spotlight
A lot of celebrities love being in the spotlight all the time. But haven’t you ever wondered if some of them don’t like the pressure of having all eyes on them? Well, it’s apparent that some stars felt that way.
Here are just a few examples of celebrities who felt it best to step away from the spotlight and live normal lives with normal jobs. You’ll be surprised who’s on this list.
Shaquille O’Neil
Shaquille O’Neil, or Shaq to his fans, is one of the most famous ex-basketball players in history. The 6 feet, 11-inch man’s career has spanned decades. But it seems that he’s happy to give it up.
He’s decided to give up the life of a celebrity and get himself a doctorate in Education. He’s even become a deputy in the county of Georgia.
Angus T. Jones
Angus T. Jones played Jake in Two And A Half Men for most of his adolescent life. Being exposed to Hollywood, that young have to change your perspective, and he says that it really has.
He’s said that being on the show made him feel like a paid hypocrite, and these days he’s enjoying life away from the big screen. Jones works as a manager for Tonite, a production company.
Kevin Jonas
The Jonas Brothers were one of the biggest pop groups in the world at one stage. But it seems that life has moved on for the trio. With one of them marrying Sophie Turner, and another being on the cover of magazines, Kevin Jonas is the only one taking things slow.
The oldest Jonas brother has decided that he would prefer to live a quiet life and look after his family. Being married and having two kids will do that to you.
Sarah Michelle Geller
Sarah Michelle Geller starred in Buffy The Vampire Slayer as the girl of the same name. These days, Geller has decided to give her life of acting up to pursue a different passion. One that lets her enjoy family life.
These days, Geller’s most important passion is baking. She created her own baking supply company called FoodStirs in 2015.
MC Hammer
MC Hammer had a successful career as a rapper until he decided to reinvent himself away from the paparazzi. He made it back from bankruptcy after trying to get his own search engine off the ground.
These days MC Hammer still hasn’t given up his entrepreneurial dreams and has decided to keep at it. He’s currently a tech investor and consultant in his field.
Vanilla Ice
Another ex-rapper on our list is Vanilla Ice. He had a breakthrough with one of his songs in the 90s becoming a hit. But three decades later, Vanilla Ice has given up his musical career to follow more realistic goals.
These days, Vanilla Ice has gotten himself into the real estate business. He’s a house flipper, making quite a sustainable income from the business.
Amanda Bynes
Amanda Bynes used to be the up-and-coming teen star in the 90s. She starred in What I Like About You and Lovewrecked. But after going to rehab multiple times. She seems to finally have cleaned up her act.
She’s stepped away from the spotlight and opted to pursue higher education. She’s busy studying at California’s Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. She’ll put it to good use once she’s gotten her qualification.
George Foreman
George Foreman used to be a professional boxer. But after hanging up his boxing gloves, he cleverly used his fame to fund a multinational company to do with his passion - cooking. A lot of people have heard of the George Foreman grill.
The George Foreman Grill or the George Foreman Lean Mean Fat Reducing Grilling Machine. The ex-boxer has managed to sell 100 million worldwide. That equals at least 240 million dollars in his business.
Mara Wilson
Mara Wilson was one of the biggest child actors of the 1990s. She played Matilda in the film adaptation of the Roald Dahl book of the same name. She also starred in Mrs. Doubtfire alongside Robin Williams.
These days Mara Wilson has taken to her natural aptitude for writing. She’s written two books, one titled Where Am I Now?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame. She doesn’t like to act regularly anymore but still plays guest roles in Bojack Horseman.
Chris Owen
Chris Owen starred in the American Pie films as the Sherminator. He enjoyed his fame as a teenager, but after being in the film franchise, he decided to shy away from the big screen as he got older.
These days if you want to meet Chris Owen, all you need to do is go to Sushi Roku in Los Angeles. He still occasionally acts in films when he can find roles.
Charlie Korsmo
Charlie Korsmo starred in Hook and Can’t Wait. But when he grew up, he decided to move on with his life and pursue his passion in life. He took the bar and managed to become a fully qualified lawyer in New York.
After working in law for a number of years, Korsmo managed to find a job as a professor at Case Western Reserve University.
Jack Gleeson
Jack Gleeson played Prince Joffrey in HBO’s adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones anthology series. After three years on the show, he stepped away from Hollywood and decided to pursue nobler things.
He’s decided to pursue his studies in Dublin at Trinity College. He is currently studying theology and philosophy. We’re sure he’ll do great things once he gets his qualification.
Al Green
Al Green was a popular soul singer that won 11 Grammy Awards for his music. His career spanned multiple decades, with his music being at its peak in the 1970s. These days he’s pursuing different things.
Al Green is a registered pastor and preaches all things, God. These days you can find him at the Full Gospel Tabernacle Church in Memphis, Tennessee, where he preaches.
Peter Ostrum
Peter Ostrum starred as Charlie Bucket in Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory. He was selected by talent agents to play a role in 1971 when he was only 12 years old. But in the five decades since, he’s moved away from the spotlight.
In the years after his acting career, Peter Ostrum decided to study and finally qualify as a licensed veterinarian. He’s 62 years old now and still working.