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Hollywood can be a scary place. One day you’re on top and the next, you’re nowhere to be found. Some people love the fame and try their best to always stay in the spotlight, while others want nothing to do with it. It can take years to build your name, or you can rise to fame because of one hit movie or TV show.

There are so many actors out there waiting for their big break, while others just enjoy the art of acting or singing without the fame, like Sia. Celebs rise to fame in very different ways. Kim Kardashian got her big break when she was in a “leaked” tape with Ray J, and now she’s building a cosmetics empire and enjoying every part of stardom. Other celebs love the art of filmmaking, but hate the spotlight, like Daniel Craig. Some celebs love the spotlight, and some hate it.

Many celebs can’t handle the stardom so they turn to drugs or partying, and eventually their careers are over before they even began, while others know that they can’t handle Hollywood, so they leave before it gets ugly. It’s rare to find, but some stars are so grounded that they are able to stay in Hollywood, have fabulous careers, yet stay humble. Sometimes stars want to leave Hollywood, and other times, Hollywood leaves them behind.

Brad Pitt Was Unofficially Kicked Out Of Hollywood

At some point, a poster of Mr. Pitt was in every teenage girl’s bedroom. It was a while back so you may not remember it, but imagine Brad Pitt when he was a guest star on Friends in 2001. So much has happened since that episode that has led us to this moment, where Brad Pitt is almost non-existent in Hollywood. Pitt married Jennifer Aniston in 2000 and for 5 years the couple was the most loved duo in Hollywood. In 2005 divorce struck, and when rumours of his affair with Angelina Jolie became public, Pitt’s poster quickly came down in most girls’ bedrooms. Earlier this year, Jolie filed for divorce, accusing him of being too strict with the kids and having very different parenting styles, not to mention drinking and smoking weed too much. When was the last time we saw a Brad Pitt in a movie that we loved, anyway? Better yet, who would actually want to see him in a lead role anymore?

Cameron Diaz Decided To Leave The Spotlight

The last time we saw anything with Cameron Diaz it was 2014 when she starred in S*x Tape and Annie, and it seems like there are no projects in store for the actress. The once cute Charlie’s Angel’s girl is pretty much non-existent in Hollywood. The actress has always led a pretty private life, so many were surprised to know that she has been married to Benji Madden since January 5, 2015. Like Jennifer Aniston, Oprah and other celebrities, Diaz has expressed that she doesn’t want to have kids. Cameron was once one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood. The blonde cutie expressed that traveling from one set to another overwhelmed her. The star shared, “I just went, I can’t really say who I am to myself, which is a hard thing to face.” Many celebrities definitely feel so overwhelmed from traveling and living out of a suitcase, and assuming they are not spending their money like maniacs, most celebs definitely have the financial stability to take time off.

Robert Pattinson Was Unofficially Kicked Out Of Hollywood

In 2008, Pattinson was every teenage girl’s heartthrob when he landed the role of Edward Cullen in the series of Twilight movies, and pretty much everyone thought that the actor had made it. Unfortunately, Hollywood doesn’t really work that way. One day you’re huge and the next you're totally over, and that’s exactly what happened to Pattinson. During the filming of Twilight, the British actor was pretty much on every late night show, on every red carpet event, and on every magazine cover, but where is he now? After the last Twilight movie, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2, Pattinson has pretty much been MIA. The actor was first discovered in the fifth Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire, when he played the role of Cedric Diggory. Pattinson was involved in a scandal with ex-girlfriend Kristen Stewart who played the role of Bella Swan in the series of Twilight movies when she cheated on him with married director Rupert Sanders.

Lisa Kudrow Was Unofficially Kicked Out Of Hollywood

After Friends ended, many actors on the show just disappeared from Hollywood. One of the main actresses was Lisa Kudrow, known for her iconic role as Phoebe. I think we can all agree that no one could have played a better Phoebe than Lisa Kudrow, but after Friends ended, she wasn’t involved in much else. Kudrow played small roles in a couple of movies since then, like Neighbors and Easy A, but that has been pretty much it. Like any stars in Hollywood, the hilarious blondie had her moment and sadly now it’s over. Many of her co-stars have actually had the same fate. In fact, the only two actors who have had flourishing careers post-Friends were Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer. Aniston moved on to make several movies, including Rumor Has It, The Break-Up, He’s Just Not That Into You, Horrible Bosses and so many more, and co-star David Schwimmer has recently starred as lawyer Robert Kardashian in The People v. O.J. Simpson.

Kevin Jonas Decided To Leave The Spotlight

We all remember when the Jonas Brothers first came into the spotlight in 2005 (yes, over  10 years ago!). While Nick and Joe moved on and are working on their solo careers, Kevin stepped back and decided to focus on sleeping. The last time we saw Kevin on TV as an actor was in 2010 when he played Jason in Disney’s Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam. He married in 2009 and has two children now. The older Jonas brother was always the one who got the least attention in the band, so it wasn't a surprise to fans when he decided to lead a different lifestyle. In 2012, Kevin starred in his own reality show with wife Danielle called Married to Jonas, which only aired for two seasons. Kevin was the only Jonas brother to reportedly lose his virginity on his wedding night. Middle brother Joe just got engaged to Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner while Nick Jonas has been linked to many celebrities, but nothing has been confirmed.

Mischa Barton Was Unofficially Kicked Out Of Hollywood

After watching her in the Sixth Sense in 1999 and later on The O.C. as Marissa Cooper, we all thought that Mischa Barton was only beginning her career, but we were wrong. The actress decided to leave The O.C. and Hollywood to take a year off and went to England because she couldn’t handle fame. Barton said, “The O.C. was like an overnight success and I was the youngest of everyone on the cast at the time.” However, Hollywood didn’t seem to miss the actress. Earlier this year, Barton came into the spotlight again, but for all the horrible reasons. First, Barton was caught on camera by the neighbours having a meltdown in her backyard. The actress seemed delusional and hysterical. Later she explained that she was drugged. Another unfortunate incident that brought Barton into the spotlight was the fact that she was being taunted by an ex-boyfriend who had taped them being intimate and was threatening to release the footage.

Amanda Bynes Decided To Leave The Spotlight

Amanda Bynes was a great actress. Can we take the time to appreciate her role in She’s The Man? The last time we saw Bynes was in 2010 when she played Marianne in the hilarious comedy Easy A, alongside Emma Stone. Amanda Bynes had great potential but like many celebrities she just couldn’t handle the life of Hollywood and all the fame, and lost it. We remember seeing Bynes in the news for all the wrong reasons: for a hit and run, drugs, wearing a weird, blonde wig, and her very random tweets. One thing is for sure. 2012 and 2013 were definitely not good for Bynes. One of her worst moments in 2013 was when she tweeted Rihanna on May 26th, “Chris Brown beat you because you’re not pretty enough,” and “You look so ugly trying to be white.” Bynes is now reportedly sober, and earlier this year gave an interview and surprised fans by saying, “I do miss acting, and I have something surprising to tell you: I’m going to start acting again... I want to do TV. Maybe a few guest spots on some shows that I’m a fan of and maybe another TV show where I’m the star of it.” Who knows what the future holds for Bynes, but for now, she is definitely staying under the radar.

Jack Gleeson Decided To Leave The Spotlight

If you’re a Game of Thrones fan then you know who this is and have probably wished death upon his character so many times. Jack Gleeson is supposedly the nicest guy, but his character on Game of Thrones destroyed his image. I think it's safe to say that the actor will never be looked at the same way. He will forever be known as one of the most hated characters on the show. The actor has been pretty much out of the spotlight since 2014. Despite his brilliant role on GoT, Gleeson has expressed that he wasn’t interested in staying in Hollywood. The actor said, “The lifestyle that comes with being an actor in a successful TV show isn’t something I gravitate towards.” The actor now reportedly lives a normal life in Dublin. After the show he moved on to studying philosophy and theology at Trinity College.

Jessica Alba Decided To Leave The Spotlight

There are many mixed opinions about Jessica’s acting skills. Some say she’s a good actress, while others have said that she was hired solely based on her looks. Alba married Cash Warren in 2008 and has had two children. Alba has announced last summer on Instagram that she is expecting baby number 3. When the 36-year-old beauty became a mom, she took a little break from acting and decided to focus on raising her kids. The star co- founded The Honest Company in 2012. Jessica has definitely had different priorities since she had her first daughter. We’re not sure many people really miss the actress since she has received several Razzie Awards. She won in 2005 for Fantastic Four and Into the Blue, in 2007 for Awake and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, and Good Luck Chuck, and in 2008 for The Eye and The Love Guru. Maybe Alba is better off focusing on her company and staying away from the spotlight.

Brandy Norwood (Unofficially Kicked Out Of Hollywood)

Most people didn’t even know that her last name was Norwood, and just know her as Brandy, Ray J’s older sister. The only reason many people know the rapper is because he was the one who "hit it first," and yes, we’re talking about the infamous Kim K tape that was released 10 years ago. Most people know Brandy from her role as Moesha in the TV hit show Moesha, and her role in I Know What You Did Last Summer. During the Ray J and Kim K drama, Brandy was in the background, but since then she’s been pretty much MIA. While the Kardashians have moved on and their name is now associated with a huge empire, Brandy Norwood and her family will always be remembered for that tape. In 2013, Ray J clearly had nothing else going on for him so decided to remind the world of what got him famous in the first place with his pathetic release of the single, "I Hit It First."

Jack Nicholson Decided To Leave The Spotlight

The brilliant actor from Anger Management, The Departed, and so many other movies hasn’t been seen in the spotlight since 2010. The 80-year-old legend has definitely left his mark in Hollywood. Let’s not forget that he was the original big screen Joker in Batman in 1989. Nicholson is definitely known for playing odd characters, from a mental patient in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in 1975 to the iconic Frank Costello in The Departed. The movie was a huge hit and he starred alongside brilliant actors, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, and Mark Wahlberg. There were rumors earlier this year that the icon would be returning to the big screen, but nothing has been confirmed yet. One thing for sure is that the actor definitely has earned himself retirement. At 12 Academy Award nominations, Nicholson has the second most nominations in all four acting categories.

Joseph Gordon Levitt Was Unofficially Kicked Out Of Hollywood

Joseph Gordon Levitt was once on every poster, in every movie, and on every night show. From 500 Days Of Summer to G.I. Joe, to the big blockbuster hit Inception, to The Dark Knight Rises: Levitt was once the go-to guy, but where is he now? The 36-year-old actor seems me to be floating in and out of Hollywood. If you don’t remember where you originally saw him, let us refresh your memory. Do you remember the really cute guy from 10 Things I Hate About You who starred alongside the late Heath Ledger? Yup, that was Joseph Gordon Levitt, and that movie came out in 1999! Feel old yet? Many don’t know that the actor has been married since December 2014 and has two kids now. Maybe that’s what's keeping him so busy!

Nikki Blonsky Was Unofficially Kicked Out Of Hollywood

You probably completely forgot who Nikki Blonsky is and we don’t blame you, since she pretty much came out of nowhere, starred in one movie in 2007 and completely disappeared. Nikki’s rise to fame and fall from stardom was so quick that nobody had a chance to even get to know the actress. Blonsky was first casted as Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray with Zac Efron. The actress' first role was pretty big, so everyone thought that she would stay on the top for maybe a little longer but we were all wrong. To promote the movie, the actress was on every show, but once that was done the actress disappeared. In 2009, Nikki appeared in one episode of Ugly Betty and we haven’t seen her since. I mean, we’ve seen actors come and go, but that was too fast.

Mara Wilson Decided To Leave The Spotlight

Remember the super cute girl from Mrs. Doubtfire and Matilda? She’s definitely all grown up now! Can you believe that Mara Wilson is 30 years old? In 2000, the actress starred in Thomas and the Magic Railroad, which received horrible reviews. Wilson took this as a sign that she should take a break and stepped out of the Hollywood scene from 2000 to 2011 to enjoy her teenage years. Mara graduated from Idyllwild School of Music and Arts in 2005 and moved on to attend New York University. The actress confirmed in a blog post in 2012 that she isn’t interested in making anymore movies. Now, Wilson is a stage and voice actress, a playwright, and a writer. Funny how the actress had such a big break at a very young age, but very quickly lost her stardom. Mara definitely starred in two movies that will live on forever: Mrs. Doubtfire with the late comedian Robin Williams and Matilda, which is one movie every kid has seen at least once.

Sean Connery Decided To Leave The Spotlight

The original James Bond retired at 73 after his last movie, The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, bombed in 2003. Sean Connery was in seven James Bond movies, and many Bond fans to this day say he was the best. Like many actors in a franchise, he reportedly wanted a higher salary and he was becoming less interested in becoming a part of the Bond movies, which is why he stopped after doing six. The actor is now 86 years old and lives a very low-key life in New York. Connery has been married to actress Diane Cilento and had a child with her. In 1975 he remarried and is having his happily ever after with his current wife of 42 years. Being married in Hollywood for that long is a big deal! Connery said more than once that he is never making another movie and that he is enjoying retirement.