Actors often say that they will be taking a break from acting, and just as often no such thing ever actually happens. Every once in a while, a significant amount of time passes before an actor gets back on the saddle. Many actors decide to take a break from the camera to live their regular lives outside of the spotlight.
Sometimes it's to work on themselves, have a family, or live their regular off-camera lives. History shows it could also be for rehab or just because they can. Most of the time, the hiatus is temporary, and when they return to the screen, it's in a majorly successful way.
10 Robert Downey Jr. 1997-2003 (6 years)
Robert Downey Jr. began acting in the 80s in films like The Pick-Up Artist and Less Than Zero. That's when his career took off, and he even got an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Charlie Chaplin in 1992. He continued acting through the 90s, but he was struggling with a serious drug and alcohol problem. He started getting arrested, and in 1996 he served time in prison and went to rehab for 6 months.
The first movie RDJ acted in after his recovery was Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, but his giant success was definitely landing the role of Iron Man in 2003, which has led to him being one of the highest-paid and most successful actors in Hollywood.
9 Renee Zellweger 2010-2016 (6 years)
Renee Zellweger began her break from acting in 2010 when she realized she wasn't taking care of herself. She credits her much-needed break to fellow actress and good friend, Salma Hayek. She said that taking a break was a creative opportunity for her and a once-in-a-lifetime choice she just couldn't pass up.
Zellweger spent her free time traveling and volunteering in Africa before her return to the successful film Bridget Jones's Baby in 2016. She has since won numerous awards for her portrayal of Judy Garland in the 2019 biopic Judy.
8 Eddie Murphy 2010-2016 (6 years)
After being so successful on Saturday Night Live when he was only 19, Eddie Murphy began making a lot of movies, some of which were total flops. He received the Razzie for The Worst Actor of the Decade and decided to take a year-long break from acting. That break turned into six years, but he eventually returned to acting in Mr. Church in 2016 and Dolemite Is My Name in 2019, for which he won a Razzie Redeemer Award.
Murphy said he never planned for his break to be so long, but he had a plan when he did finally return. His comeback included the highly anticipated sequel Coming 2 America and winning an Emmy for hosting SNL.
7 Joe Pesci 1998-2006 (9 years)
1998's Lethal Weapon 4 was Joe Pesci's last movie until 2006. This hiatus was due to him wanting to pursue a musical career and enjoy life away from the camera. He appeared in The Good Shepard, and in 2010 he starred opposite Helen Mirren in Love Ranch. For the next few years, he did a few voice-over jobs for Home Alone shorts and games, but he waited 9 years before finally giving in to Scorsese and agreeing to do The Irishman in 2019.
6 Tobey Maguire 2017-2021 (4 years)
When he starred in the Spider-Man movies, Tobey Maguire was given rave reviews for his performance as Peter Parker. For Spiderman 3, however, the reviews were not as positive. Critics tore the film to shreds, and his series wasn't given a fourth installment as they had planned. Sony decided to create The Amazing Spider-Man with a new Peter Parker, Andrew Garfield.
This decision really tarnished Maguire's acting career. He did keep acting and was successful in movies such as Brothers and The Great Gatsby, but in 2017 he stopped acting. His return as Peter Parker in the 2021 phenomenon Spider-Man: No Way Home was a huge hit, and fans can't wait to see more from him.
5 Macaulay Culkin 1994-2003 (9 years)
Being a child actor, Macaulay Culkin was set for life after starring in Home Alone. After being nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance as Kevin McCallister, he starred in several other movies. After Richie Rich in 1994, he stopped acting altogether, saying he was tired and wanted a normal life.
He came back into the acting world in 2003, appearing on an episode of Will and Grace and in the movie Party Monster. He spent his time off working on a music career and creating a podcast. As of 2021, he is a cast member in American Horror Story: Double Feature.
4 Arnold Schwarzenegger 2004-2012 (~8 years)
Arnold Schwarzenegger started his career as a bodybuilder, then an actor, then a politician, and then back to an actor. He began acting in 1970 with Hercules in New York. Action was the most popular movie genre in the 1980s, so his career took off with hits like The Terminator and Predator.
He had always been interested in politics, so he ran for governor in the state of California. After winning the election in 2003, he began his 8-year break from acting. Just weeks after resigning in 2011, it was announced that he was reading scripts and preparing to reprise a few of his roles. He wasn't seen on the silver screen again though until The Expendables 2 in 2012 and has since made several successful films.
3 Ryan Gosling 2007-2010; 2013-2015 (~5 years)
Ryan Gosling has taken a few breaks in his career, but he is currently in his longest yet. The last time he appeared on screen was in 2018 as Neil Armstrong in First Man. The first gap occurred in 2007 when he took a 3-year break and returned in 2010 with the highly-rated film Blue Valentine. He took another brief stint away from acting in 2013. He took this break because he thought he needed to take a step back and reassess things. His return came in with a bang with the greatly anticipated film The Big Short. He has been acting steadily up until 2018, but he is expected to return this year in The Gray Man, as well as more currently in production.
2 Joaquin Phoenix 2008-2012 (4 years)
Joaquin Phoenix was last seen in Two Lovers before 2012 when he returned to acting with a wonderful performance in The Master. Many people argued that the Joker star went on this hiatus as a publicity stunt, but regardless, everyone was shocked. It's speculated that this break was part of his role in the mockumentary I'm Still Here, but there was truth to it nonetheless. He said he wanted time off for his music in addition to other things.
Needless to say, his return was welcomed with an Oscar nomination and the gratitude of his fans. He might've won, too, if he wasn't competing against Daniel Day-Lewis.
1 Marlon Brando 1980-1989 (9 years)
Marlon Brando announced his retirement in 1980, leaving a giant hole in the heart of Hollywood. Being one of the greatest actors of all time, his decision caused great sadness in his many fans. His long-awaited return came in 1989 with A Dry White Season. Although he personally wasn't a big fan of the film, his comeback performance was greeted with an Oscar nomination and rave reviews from critics. Even his next movie, The Freshman, was deemed amazing. The quality of his roles slightly lessened as the years went on, but no one was complaining.