Gay Actresses Who Quit Hollywood to Pursue Other Interests

Hollywood is often seen as the dream for actors, but many talented women have intentionally chosen to leave the industry. These actresses successfully moved on from film and television to find rewarding careers in fields like art, politics, music, and business. They often left to gain more privacy or to pursue creative passions that weren’t possible within the mainstream film industry. This explores the different paths taken by lesbian and queer actresses who decided what success meant to them, independent of the usual Hollywood system.

Portia de Rossi

Portia de Rossi became well-known for her memorable roles in TV shows like ‘Ally McBeal’ and ‘Arrested Development,’ where she demonstrated her talent for comedy. In 2018, she decided to leave acting to pursue her passion for building businesses. She founded General Public, a company that uses unique technology to create and sell three-dimensional art. Now, she’s focused on changing the way people experience and buy art, while also helping artists thrive.

Ellen DeGeneres

As a longtime fan, I’ve always admired Ellen DeGeneres, from her hilarious sitcom to her incredibly popular talk show – she really became a part of all our lives! It was a bit sad to hear she decided to step back from TV to focus on things she’s passionate about outside of entertainment. I know she’s always had a great eye for design, so it’s cool to see her getting into flipping houses. And it’s amazing that she continues to dedicate so much energy to wildlife conservation, especially her work protecting mountain gorillas through the Ellen DeGeneres Wildlife Fund. She’s truly someone who uses her platform for good.

Kristy McNichol

Kristy McNichol was a popular actress in the 1970s and 80s, best known for her roles in the TV shows ‘Family’ and ‘Empty Nest’. In 2001, she decided to leave acting to live a quieter life and escape the pressures of fame. Since then, she’s focused on her well-being and spent time teaching acting at a school in Los Angeles. She continues to support mental health awareness and occasionally participates in charitable events.

Kelly McGillis

Kelly McGillis became a famous actress in the 1980s with starring roles in movies like ‘Top Gun’ and ‘Witness.’ Later, she decided to leave the fast-paced world of Hollywood to focus on her family and help others struggling with addiction. For years, she worked at a rehabilitation center in New Jersey, and also shared her acting knowledge by teaching. Now, she enjoys a peaceful life in North Carolina, occasionally taking on small, meaningful film projects.

Clementine Ford

Clementine Ford is an actress known for her appearances in shows like ‘The L Word’ and ‘The Young and the Restless,’ but she now focuses on writing and raising her children. She’s been exploring who she is as an individual, separate from her well-known family. Ford openly shares her journey with sobriety and the challenges and rewards of parenting online. Currently, she dedicates her time to building community and being honest about her personal growth and recovery process.

Amanda Bearse

Amanda Bearse is best known for her eleven seasons as Marcy Rhoades on ‘Married… with Children,’ but she’s also built a successful career behind the camera. While she still works in television, she stepped away from regular acting to concentrate on directing and teaching. She’s directed numerous TV episodes and enjoys guiding aspiring filmmakers, even teaching at the Seattle Film Institute to pass on her expertise.

Meredith Baxter

Meredith Baxter is a well-known actress who became famous for playing the mother on the TV show ‘Family Ties,’ and she appeared in many television movies. Later in life, she stepped back from acting to focus on speaking engagements and charitable work. After publicly sharing her personal experiences, she became a strong voice for breast cancer awareness and preventing domestic violence. She also created her own successful skincare brand and wrote a memoir about her path to finding herself.

Maria Bello

Maria Bello is well-known for her acting roles in shows like ‘ER’ and films such as ‘A History of Violence,’ but she’s now focusing on other passions. She’s become a dedicated advocate for women’s rights, especially in Haiti, and has also written a book called ‘Whatever… Love Is Love’ that examines contemporary relationships and how we understand identity. Though she still works on creative projects, Bello says she’s more interested in diplomacy and writing these days than in acting.

Jasika Nicole

I’ve been a huge fan of Jasika Nicole ever since she was on ‘Fringe’ as Astrid, but I’m even more impressed with what she’s doing now! She’s really embraced being a maker, especially with sewing and shoemaking. She shares all the details of her projects online, and it’s amazing to see her commitment to sustainable fashion. While she still does some voice acting, she’s mostly focused on her art and crafting business these days, and it’s inspiring to watch her pursue her passion.

Amber Heard

I’m a big supporter of Amber Heard, and I admire her decision to prioritize her life and her daughter. After everything she went through with those highly publicized trials, she made a brave choice to leave Hollywood behind and start fresh in Spain. She’s now living a much quieter life in Madrid, focusing on being a mom and getting involved in her local community. While she’s done a few projects here and there internationally, she’s really stepped away from the whole LA scene, and I think that’s a really positive change for her.

Mariel Hemingway

Mariel Hemingway, once a well-known actress who received an Oscar nomination for her role in ‘Manhattan,’ has shifted her focus to health and wellness. Driven by her family’s experience with mental illness, she became a certified health coach and now writes about holistic living and emotional well-being. Today, she primarily focuses on speaking engagements and wellness consulting, rather than acting in leading roles.

Heather Matarazzo

Heather Matarazzo first gained recognition with her role in ‘Welcome to the Dollhouse’ and later appeared in ‘The Princess Diaries’. She’s been honest about the challenges she faced in Hollywood and chose to shift her focus to public speaking and advocacy work. Matarazzo is a passionate supporter of LGBTQ rights and mental health, using her voice and workshops to educate others and prioritize a more balanced life outside of big-budget films.

Carrie Brownstein

Carrie Brownstein is a talented performer best known for the comedy series ‘Portlandia’. While she’s a capable actress, her main passion remains music with the band Sleater-Kinney. She’s also found success directing for TV and writing well-received books. Currently, Brownstein focuses more on her music and directing work than on acting.

Leisha Hailey

Leisha Hailey is well-known for her role as Alice on ‘The L Word,’ but she originally built her career in music. After the show ended, she dedicated herself to her band, Uh Huh Her, and toured a lot. She also started Marimacho, a lifestyle and luggage brand designed for the LGBTQ+ community. Today, Leisha continues to pursue both music and fashion, taking on acting roles selectively.

Guinevere Turner

Guinevere Turner was an important part of the New Queer Cinema movement, notably starring in and writing the film ‘Go Fish’. Although she also acted in movies like ‘The Watermelon Woman’, she later focused on screenwriting and teaching. She went on to write the screenplays for films like ‘American Psycho’ and ‘The Notorious Bettie Page’, and also published her own writing. Today, Turner primarily teaches screenwriting at universities and works on her personal literary projects.

Cynthia Nixon

Most people know Cynthia Nixon as Miranda Hobbes from ‘Sex and the City,’ but she’s now heavily involved in politics. She ran for Governor of New York in 2018 and is a strong advocate for things like better schools and the right to choose. Even though she reprised her role in the show’s revival, she sees herself as an activist first and an actress second. Nixon uses her public platform to support progressive issues and works with community groups in New York City to make a difference.

Rosie O’Donnell

I’ve always been a huge fan of Rosie O’Donnell! She was amazing in movies like ‘A League of Their Own,’ and I loved her talk show – she was just so real. It’s great to see her prioritizing family and following her artistic passions. She’s a really talented painter and uses her art to give back, which is awesome. Now she’s doing a podcast where she talks about important stuff, and honestly, it’s so refreshing to see her doing her own thing outside of the usual Hollywood scene. It’s inspiring to see someone so successful reinvent themselves and focus on what truly makes them happy.

Laurel Holloman

Laurel Holloman became well-known for her role as Tina Kennard on ‘The L Word,’ but she surprisingly left acting when her career was at its peak. She chose to focus completely on painting abstract art, and has since achieved international recognition. Her large paintings have been shown in prominent galleries in cities like Venice and Berlin. Holloman has explained that painting gives her a feeling of freedom and independence she didn’t experience as an actress.

Erin Daniels

Erin Daniels first gained recognition for playing Dana Fairbanks on ‘The L Word’. After leaving the show, she shifted her focus from acting to photography. Now based in Los Angeles, she works as a lifestyle and portrait photographer, known for her beautiful use of natural light, and enjoys raising her children.

Rachel Shelley

Rachel Shelley, known for her role as Helena Peabody on ‘The L Word’, enjoyed a thriving acting career on both sides of the Atlantic. She later moved into journalism and podcasting, sharing her insights about the entertainment world. Now, she writes for different publications and creates content that looks at how entertainment connects with important social topics. While still involved in creative work, Rachel has changed her focus from performing to reporting and creating content from behind the scenes.

Greta Garbo

Greta Garbo was a hugely popular movie star during the silent film era and the beginning of talkies. Surprisingly, she retired from acting at just thirty-six years old, after her film ‘Two-Faced Woman’ came out. For the rest of her life, she lived privately in New York City, intentionally avoiding public attention. She never made another film, instead enjoying walking around the city and collecting art until she passed away.

Louise Brooks

Louise Brooks was a popular actress in silent films, famous for her short, bobbed haircut and her role in ‘Pandora’s Box’. Feeling unhappy with how Hollywood studios operated, she broke her contract and chose to live life on her own terms. After facing some difficulties, she successfully became a respected film historian and writer. Today, her analyses of early cinema are considered vital reading for anyone studying or passionate about film.

Marlene Dietrich

Marlene Dietrich was a famous movie star, known for films like ‘The Blue Angel’. Later in life, she stopped making movies and became a popular cabaret singer. In her final years, she lived as a recluse in Paris, refusing to allow anyone to photograph her. She chose this private life to maintain her iconic image and enjoy time for personal thought.

Patsy Kelly

Patsy Kelly was a well-known comedic actress in the 1930s, appearing in many films and short subjects. She was fairly open about being a lesbian, which, at the time, led to Hollywood studios refusing to hire her. Forced to leave the industry, Kelly worked as a personal assistant and housekeeper for other stars for several years. Though she briefly returned to acting later in life, her career was largely ended by the widespread prejudices of that era.

Alla Nazimova

Alla Nazimova was a famous star of silent films and a successful producer, even owning her own studio called Garden of Allah. She was a key figure in the early Hollywood LGBTQ+ scene and was known for hosting extravagant parties for her close female friends. When her popularity in film began to fade, she went back to her original passion: theater and Broadway. In her later years, Nazimova devoted herself to the stage and helped launch the careers of up-and-coming performers who looked up to her innovative and independent spirit.

Mary Portas

Mary Portas is a well-known British figure who started her career as an actress but became famous as a retail expert. She earned the nickname ‘Queen of Shops’ by helping struggling businesses on British high streets. Beyond retail, Portas is a strong supporter of LGBTQ+ rights and has authored books on both business and making a positive social impact. Her successful move from acting to retail has made her a leading voice in British business.

Please share your thoughts on these career transitions in the comments.

2025-12-22 15:17