Listed: Disappearing Act: Five Stars That Left the Industry

There are numerous stars from that have absolutely disappeared. It's shocking to think that so many of these great stars have totally abandoned acting. We'd like to see them make a comeback to reclaim their rightful place in Hollywood. 



1. Craig Wasson

Kicking right off with one of our favorite actors from the Reagan era is none other than Craig Wasson. As a guy that could play the every man with an eccentric sense of dynamism and dread, Wasson is totally missing from the cinematic landscape. With amazing performances in Body Double, Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, Ghost Story and many more, this man was an integral part of the '80s by spreading his talent across a multitude of genres and roles. Wasson abandoned the Hollywood life sometime around 2006, but seemed to slow down his bigger roles in the mid-'90s, focusing more on TV and televised movies.  Please come back, Craig. We need you now more than ever. 



2. Bridget Fonda

As part of Hollywood royalty, it was rather shocking when Bridget Fonda literally disappeared off the map. With numerous huge roles under her belt including the La Femme Nikita remake Point of No Return, Fonda was a household name and one of the most successful working actresses of the '90s. But after the 2001 action film Kiss of the Dragon, she opted out of acting other than in a few TV roles. Currently married to the musical icon Danny Elfman, Fonda may never act again. She shows no interest in the industry and has nothing listed on her slate. It's too bad, she's a wonderful actress. 



3. Rick Moranis

Perhaps one of the most discussed comedic stars to have left the acting circuit is one of our favorites, Rick Moranis. Since the release of the 1996 film Big Bully, Moranis has been on the outskirts of his former career. With numerous voice credits for animated films that lead up to 2006, the star has been completely missing other than one voice over as Dark Helmet in 2018. Opting out so that he could take care of his family after his wife's untimely death from cancer, Moranis has chosen to live a life of privacy. There have been numerous rumblings that he might return if the long touted Spaceballs 2: The Search for More Money ever happens. However, we're not holding our breath. 



4. Phoebe Cates

Perhaps one of the most discussed disappearing acts in modern Hollywood history is that of Phoebe Cates. She chose to leave the limelight just as she was beginning to peak. With huge hits under her belt like Gremlins, (the obvious) Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and Bright Lights Big City, she decided to live a private life while her husband Kevin Kline continued to act. In 1991 she was going to play Annie Banks in Father of the Bride opposite Steve Martin, but bowed out due to her pregnancy. After that, she only appeared on screen three more times before totally retiring in 2001.  It's our hope that she one day returns to making movies. 



5. Joe Pesci 

After being one of Martin Scorsese's go to guys for decades, Joe Pesci disappeared off the map. Taking a long hiatus between 1998 and 2006, the actor took a long winded break from being in movies. Then he came back for two films and decided to leave again. He'll be back in 2019's The Irishman but has basically been kicking back for nearly 20 years. It's strange because it doesn't really seem that long. At 75 years old, we're not sure if he'll ever make a proper comeback, but we'd love to see some more from Pesci. After all, whatever you want, Leo gets.