15 Retired Actors, and Their Last Movie Before Hanging it Up

Acting is a tough business, and no matter how iconic the movie you make, the pressure can get to all of us. The spotlight is hard to hold no matter who you are, and it can’t be denied that living as a ‘regular person’ is easier and, often, preferred.

Not all of these actors are of advanced age, but most of them are. While there are always worthwhile roles for the elderly, that doesn’t mean that you want to keep working once you hit retirement age. These are the performers that already gave their all, and deserve some rest.

Gene Hackman, Welcome to Mooseport

Gene Hackman quietly stepped away from acting after Welcome to Mooseport. He later confirmed his retirement, citing health concerns and stress, ending one of Hollywood’s most respected careers on an unexpectedly lightweight political comedy.

Sean Connery, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

Frustrated by difficult productions and declining interest in Hollywood, Sean Connery retired after The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Ironically, the troubled comic-book adaptation became the final live-action role for cinema’s most iconic James Bond.

Greta Garbo, Two-Faced Woman

After Two-Faced Woman received poor reviews, Greta Garbo abruptly left Hollywood at only 36 years old. Despite decades of speculation and massive offers, she never returned to acting again.

Cary Grant, Walk, Don’t Run

Cary Grant retired after Walk, Don’t Run to focus on family life and business interests. Rather than continue aging onscreen, he chose to leave Hollywood while still closely associated with classic leading-man charm.

Rick Moranis, Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves

Rick Moranis largely stepped away from live-action acting after Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves to raise his children following his wife’s death. The beloved comedy actor became one of Hollywood’s most famously private retirees.

Jack Nicholson, How Do You Know

Although he never formally announced retirement, Jack Nicholson has not acted since How Do You Know. Years of retirement rumors and comments from friends effectively turned the romantic comedy into his farewell film.

Phoebe Cates, The Anniversary Party

Phoebe Cates stepped away from acting after The Anniversary Party to focus on raising her family. Despite her cult popularity from the 1980s, she has remained almost completely absent from Hollywood ever since.

Mara Wilson, Thomas and the Magic Railroad

Former child star Mara Wilson retired from onscreen acting after Thomas and the Magic Railroad, later explaining she no longer enjoyed the pressures of the industry and preferred writing and voice work instead.

Michael Schoeffling, Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken

Known to many as Jake Ryan from Sixteen Candles, Michael Schoeffling retired after Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken and left Hollywood entirely to work as a woodworker and furniture maker.

Bridget Fonda, Snow Queen

Bridget Fonda quietly retired after appearing in the television film Snow Queen. Unlike many stars who stage comebacks, she has remained completely removed from acting for over two decades.

Robert Redford, The Old Man & the Gun

Robert Redford described The Old Man & the Gun as his final acting role, turning the film into a reflective farewell to decades of charismatic performances and old-school Hollywood stardom.

Daniel Day-Lewis, Phantom Thread

Daniel Day-Lewis announced his retirement before Phantom Thread premiered, making the acclaimed drama his intended farewell performance after one of the most celebrated careers in modern acting.

Michael Caine, The Great Escaper

Michael Caine confirmed his retirement following The Great Escaper, ending a film career that lasted more than six decades. The movie fittingly centered on aging, memory, and looking back at a long life.

Moe Howard, Kook’s Tour

Moe Howard retired after the unreleased Three Stooges project Kook’s Tour. Health issues and age finally brought an end to one of comedy’s longest-running slapstick careers.

Amanda Bynes, Easy A

Amanda Bynes announced her retirement from acting shortly after Easy A, later explaining she had become unhappy seeing herself onscreen. Although she discussed possible returns, she never truly resumed her acting career.