- 4 weeks ago
Some stars had it all — fame, fortune, and a place in pop culture history — but chose to step back when family came first. From 80s icons to modern-day favorites, these entertainers traded red carpets and packed schedules for parenting, privacy, and a different kind of legacy. Which of these celebrity parents made the biggest sacrifice?
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00:03Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for famous entertainers who
00:08traded the glitz and glam of Hollywood in order to raise their families.
00:1910. Phoebe Cates
00:21After starting out in the entertainment industry as a child, she gained prominence as an adult
00:27in the 1980s. Appearing in such films as Fast Times at Ridgemont High and the Gremlins film
00:32series, Phoebe Cates' career was on an upward trajectory. Then around 1994, she vanished
00:39from the public eye to raise her two young children.
00:42Her skill at knowing how to give the just right gift spawned the opening of her dream
00:47store, Blue Tree, right here in Manhattan.
00:49In 1998, her husband Kevin Kline explained that they initially planned to take turns working
00:55to make sure the kids had one parent present.
01:08However, whenever it was Phoebe's turn away from home, she opted to stay instead. She's
01:14been in one film and one TV program since, but that's been the extent of her appearances.
01:18You'll see details of her family hidden in the shelves, a portrait of her husband, actor
01:23Kevin Kline, her daughter Greta's school project on Edgar Allan Poe, and novels that
01:29were chosen by son Owen.
01:319. Candace Cameron Bure
01:33Thanks to Full House, she became a national star before she was old enough to get her driver's
01:39license. Candace Cameron Bure also had a few solid film and television roles under her belt
01:44by the time the 21st century began. Her priorities began to shift once she had her daughter in
01:501998.
01:51My life is so different from when I was on Full House. I mean, I'm a wife, I'm a mother
01:57of three.
01:58She found herself turning down jobs in order to maintain a balance between work and raising
02:03her baby, leading her to step back for a while so she could focus on the latter.
02:08Candace's positive experience with Hollywood's star machine means her children are welcome
02:12to follow in mom's footsteps.
02:14I think I'm probably one of the few people that would encourage my kids to take the same
02:18path.
02:19In an interview with Variety, she explained that working so hard in her youth allowed her
02:24to spend ample time with her family. She made a comeback in 2008 and became a mainstay on
02:30the Hallmark Channel.
02:44After he broke out in the role of Jake Ryan in 1984's Sixteen Candles, it seemed he would
02:50be securing plenty of other roles as a heartthrob or otherwise.
02:55Something about her. Do independent study with her? Kids are looking at me a lot. It's kind
03:00of cool the way she's always looking at me.
03:01However, Michael Scheffling made it clear less than a decade later that the acting life wasn't
03:07for him. Instead, he left so that he could prioritize his true passions, his family and
03:13woodworking.
03:14He shot his final film, Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken, in 1991, the same year his daughter
03:20was born.
03:21That was the last time we heard from Michael during promotion for his film, Wild Hearts
03:25Can't Be Broken, in 1991.
03:28After that, he never looked back. Doing so allowed him to raise her away from the spotlight, which
03:33in turn gave her the freedom to choose to return to it as an adult.
03:457. Ava Mendez
03:47For over a decade, she was one of the most prominent actresses in Hollywood. Ava Mendez
03:53had plenty of success on the silver screen, particularly when it came to her involvement
03:57in the Fast and Furious franchise.
04:08After nearly 20 years in the business, she pulled away following the birth of her first
04:13daughter in 2014. She's been vocal about how it was the right choice for her, including
04:18how fortunate she was to stop working without financial repercussions.
04:22I just thought, I feel fortunate enough that, you know, that I could have taken some time
04:29out from acting. I actually still worked. I just didn't act.
04:32Although she isn't fully in the limelight anymore, she still pops into the industry once in a while.
04:38Whether it's a voice spot on Bluey or having a children's book published, she's been able
04:43to return to her roots when she wishes.
04:526. Demi Moore
04:54Some treat parenthood as an opportunity to learn what truly matters to them. The same
04:59could be said for Demi Moore, who temporarily left a life of superstardom to focus on her
05:04children. She'd been experiencing personal strife around the same time, and putting her
05:09focus into motherhood allowed her to realize that her Hollywood successes weren't doing
05:14enough to fulfill her.
05:15There was a part where I realized that being with them, it was never a question. I needed
05:20to be with them. My life was going through a transition with my marriage, and that they
05:25needed me home.
05:26In a way, raising her daughters gave her the opportunity to raise herself as well. During
05:31this time, her work was sporadic, with her taking on a project and then going on a hiatus
05:36afterwards.
05:43While she did eventually make a full comeback, it was clear that it came with wisdom she didn't
05:50have before.
05:51You're always juggling, and something is always getting slightly cheated. And at that moment,
05:56I just knew that I couldn't make them anything less than the ultimate priority.
06:07In the 1980s, he defined childhoods across the nation with his iconic movies like The
06:12Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Yet in the end, the youths that the writer-director
06:18truly cared about shaping were that of his children.
06:31Following his death in 2009, his friend and pen pal Alison Burnfield revealed why he left
06:38Hollywood in 1994. Essentially, he'd been worried that Hollywood would negatively influence
06:43both him and his sons, and that it would cause them to lose sight of what really mattered
06:48in life.
06:56She then added that he made it clear the choice had been right for him. Hughes continued working
07:02as a writer and sometimes producer, but his time-consuming director career was in the past.
07:174. Cary Grant
07:19It may be hard to fathom, but even legends from the golden age of Hollywood sacrificed their
07:25place in the industry for their families. Cary Grant is the perfect example. For decades,
07:31he was one of cinema's most popular stars, and remained a box office draw for many years.
07:36Well, I thought everything was fine until I saw you last night. Then I knew there must
07:41be something between us, even if it's only an ocean.
07:45However, his priorities shifted in 1966 when his daughter Jennifer was born. His life immediately
07:51revolved around her, with him even proudly stating that she was his greatest accomplishment.
07:56Real people have emotions. He had a very tough boyhood. He was abandoned, felt left alone, unloved,
08:07unneeded, unwanted, deprived. Shall I go on?
08:11He was heavily involved in her life, to the point where he saved mementos from her childhood
08:17in a vast vault for safekeeping. His love for her lasted until his final days, with him gushing
08:22about her and the strong familial relationship they had formed.
08:353. Angelina Jolie Some actors leave the spotlight directly
08:40after starting their families. Others, like Angelina Jolie, go about it in a different way.
08:46While adopting and giving birth to her six children, she remained a staple of the entertainment industry
08:52for several years. That changed in 2012, when she revealed that she would likely retire
08:57once they reached adolescence.
09:11She went on to explain that there would be too much going on at home to miss. Since then,
09:16she's put more focus into her family and humanitarian work, and has been more selective about what roles
09:22she takes on.
09:23We all have times in our lives where we feel broken.
09:27She has since said that being a parent means the world to her, and that in the end, nothing
09:32else truly matters compared to it.
09:35I don't love it as much as I used to, so I don't know if it's that or if it's
09:40just getting
09:41to another stage in my life where I want to do other things.
09:432. Lauryn Hill
09:45Actors aren't the only ones to choose their families over fame. Esteemed musician Lauryn Hill
09:51did the same, despite cementing herself early on as one of the most important artists in
09:56her genre.
09:57See, no one loves you more than me.
10:03She abandoned the public eye entirely in 2000. She then continued to have and grow her family,
10:09which is when her reasoning for leaving her career behind began to shift. In a 2020 interview,
10:15Hill disclosed just how much they've impacted her decision.
10:30She explained that she realized she had to protect herself in order to keep her children safe,
10:35and that the pitfalls that came with immense success led to them not having a proper childhood.
10:40By stepping back, she was able to provide them something money never could.
10:44Just to know that people, you know, not only acknowledge you as a musician, but appreciate what you do,
10:50is a heavy feeling, and it makes me feel good.
10:56Before we continue, check out this single from Current, EDM Transform. Check out the full track and album below.
11:091. Rick Moranis
11:11With roles in some of the most memorable comedies of the 1980s,
11:16he cemented himself as one of the greatest performers of his era.
11:20After his children were born near the end of the decade, he continued to take on new roles.
11:25Let's try it together.
11:26Unfulfilled dreams.
11:29I'm sorry to be boring on this question, but I really have never had any goals or any dreams.
11:35I've sort of fallen into things as they've come along.
11:37Have you really?
11:38However, the tragic loss of his wife in 1991 caused him to reevaluate.
11:43He slowly began pulling away from the industry, with his last on-screen performance occurring in 1997
11:49with the final film in the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids franchise.
11:53We've run out of time, but can you tell us what we can expect next on the silver screen to
11:58find you in?
11:59I don't know. I'm unemployed. I don't have a job.
12:02Unemployed and back in Toronto?
12:03Yeah.
12:04From that point on, Moranis devoted his life to single parenthood, a decision he didn't regret.
12:10Fortunately for fans, Moranis is returning to the big screen in the Spaceball sequel.
12:15I like pestering better than harassment, but ultimately I said yes to this because it was the only way I
12:24could get Josh Gad to stop texting.
12:27Which of these celeb parents would you love to see make a comeback? Let us know in the comments below!
12:37We'll see you in the comments below!