12 Times Actors Disappeared From Our Screens but Had a Good Reason for It

Whether they chose to take care of their family or run a business, many actors have made the decision of retreating from working onscreen for a period of time. Most often, the break is short, and the comeback is somewhat impressive, leading us to believe that time off can be a great opportunity to develop one’s career.

We at Bright Side decided to shed light on our favorite actors’ decision to take a break. We believe they had a good reason for it, although, we can’t wait to see them again on our screens.

1. Sandra Bullock

Sandra Bullock has taken some time off to be 24/7 with her 2 kids and family at home, in a place that makes her the happiest. According to the actress, she’s planning on “servicing their every need” as well as “their social calendar.” She decided to take a break without revealing how long it will take for her to get back to acting, but we know for sure that she’ll come back stronger.

2. Emma Watson

As much as we hate to admit it, Emma Watson has also taken a step back from acting for some time. She’s also laying low on social media and from the public eye, as she hasn’t posted anything on her Instagram account since 2020. She’s focused on her studies, as she took a break to attend college and be a goodwill ambassador for the UN.

3. Chris Hemsworth

The Thor legend decided to take a break in 2019 to spend some time with his children. He revealed that he’d give the priority to his 3 children when he said, “They are at a very important age. They are still young, and they are aware when I leave more than before.” The separation is hard for him and his children, and we understand his brave decision.

4. Jennifer Lawrence

The actress had decided to shift her focus to non-profit organizations in 2019. In an interview, she declared, “I’m going to take the next year off,” the 27-year-old actress revealed. “I’m going to be working with this organization as a part of RepresentUs...trying to get young people engaged politically on a local level.” We can’t help but admire her for standing for a cause she believes in.

5. Ryan Gosling

The Canadian star took a break at a certain point in his career to sit down and reflect on what he was doing. He revealed at the time, “I’ve lost perspective on what I’m doing. I think it’s good for me to take a break and reassess why I’m doing it and how I’m doing it.” He took a break but got back to his audience with many outstanding roles that we still enjoy watching.

6. Selena Gomez

Because of her battle with lupus, Selena Gomez suffered severe side effects, such as anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. The actress and singer decided to take some time off to focus on her health and happiness, and she received great support from her fans, who were relieved to know that she received a kidney transplant as part of her treatment for the disease.

7. Eddie Murphy

After winning 3 Razzie awards, Eddie Murphy told himself that he probably started to make bad movies and started to get awards for the worst actors. The actor wanted to be remembered as someone funny with multiple Emmy Awards and Golden Globe nominations. As of today, he’s been off-screen for 6 whole years, although he only planned to take a break for one year.

8. Eva Mendez

We haven’t seen Eva Mendez for a long time, and that’s because of her commitment to her family. She explained her absence by saying that there are many roles she can’t do, as she has to set an example for her girls. So she decided to put her daughters first, above her acting career, and we can’t blame her for that.

9. Tom Hiddleston

Tom Hiddleston’s retreat from the spotlight has been noticeable among fans. He called that break from the screen “a moment of consideration” because, according to him, he’s “been playing so many different people in so many different parts of the world, and it’s very important to distinguish what’s real in one’s own life.” Marvel’s Loki is preparing his comeback, and we can’t wait to see him again on our screens.

10. Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow has decided to concentrate her time and effort on her wellness and lifestyle company, goop. She said, “We took some investments last year, so as soon as we had other people’s money, I realized I really better focus on this completely.” The actress launched Goop in 2008 as a homespun weekly newsletter, and it has grown into a lot more than that and includes podcasts, shops, and other wellness products.

11. Renee Zellweger

Since receiving an Oscar for Cold Mountain and nominations for 2 other awards in the 2010s, the star of Bridget Jones’s Diary has taken a break for 6 long years. She explained that she needed a break because she suffered from imposter syndrome, describing the constant feelings as, “This is the time you’re going to be figured out, this is the time you’re going to get fired for sure.”

12. Cameron Diaz

Cameron Diaz has been in the game for quite some time, and her roles and personality have made her an icon that we’d love to see in every movie we stumble upon. However, she disappeared from Hollywood in 2014 because she needed some time to charge her battery. “I just went, ’I can’t really say who I am to myself,’ which is a hard thing to face up to. I felt the need to make myself whole,” she explained.

Do you believe that celebrities need to take a break from the spotlight to come back stronger? We’d love to know what you think in the comments!