Amber Heard takes a significant step back into the spotlight, preparing for her stage debut in Jeremy O. Harris’ play, “Spirit of the People,” at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Her journey back to acting comes after her highly publicized legal battle, making the Johnny Depp trial impact on Amber Heard an ongoing focus as she finds balance in her life with personal and professional milestones in Madrid.
Amber Heard Embraces New Beginnings on Stage and at Home
Amber Heard is set to return to performing arts, starring in Jeremy O. Harris’ upcoming play “Spirit of the People,” alongside Brandon Flynn. This marks her first major role since the tumultuous and closely watched trial with ex-husband Johnny Depp ended. Heard provided a rare peek behind the scenes by sharing a rehearsal photo with Jeremy O. Harris on Instagram ahead of the production’s debut at the Williamstown Theatre Festival.
Heard, now 39, took this step after a three-year hiatus from major roles, following the courtroom battles and intense public scrutiny that began when Depp accused her of defamation. The trial, lasting six weeks, concluded with Heard found liable. She later shared her desire to redirect her attention to her family, devoting time to raising her daughter Oonagh Paige, now four years old, and her newborn twins, Ocean and Agnes, signaling a new chapter away from legal entanglements and public scrutiny.
Heard has often spoken about motherhood and its transformative effect on her life. In a candid interview in June 2022, she reflected on adapting to a quieter, more domestic routine after years spent primarily under a media microscope.
“I get to be a mom full time, where I’m not having to juggle calls with lawyers,”
—Amber Heard, Actress.
The trial and subsequent settlement in December 2022 led Heard to contemplate how she might explain these years to her children in the future.
“I think no matter what, it will mean something,”
—Amber Heard, Actress. She continued,
“I did the right thing. I did everything I could to stand up for myself and the truth,”
—Amber Heard, Actress.
While Johnny Depp recently conveyed regret regarding their relationship and the circumstances of his upbringing, Heard chose a different path, seeking respite in a new city. She and her daughter Oonagh moved to Madrid, Spain, leaving much of the previous negativity behind. There, she embraced her new environment wholeheartedly, as heard in a Spanish-language TikTok video, maintaining her privacy while occasionally updating her fans.
“I hope so. Yes, I love living here,”
—Amber Heard, Actress.
Heard also announced the birth of her twins recently, reflecting deeply on her journey to motherhood.
“Mother’s Day 2025 will be one I’ll never forget,”
—Amber Heard, Actress. She elaborated,
“This year I am elated beyond words to celebrate the completion of the family I’ve strived to build for years. Today I officially share the news that I welcomed twins into the Heard gang. My daughter Agnes and my son Ocean are keeping my hands (and my heart) full,”
—Amber Heard, Actress.
She recalled her experiences raising her first child, Oonagh, and how her life changed profoundly.
“When I had my first baby girl Oonagh four years ago, my world changed forever,”
—Amber Heard, Actress. The joy, she recounted, multiplied as her family grew.
“I thought I couldn’t possibly burst with more joy. Well, now I am bursting times three!!! Becoming a mother by myself and on my own terms despite my own fertility challenges has been the most humbling experience of my life,”
—Amber Heard, Actress.
Heard was candid about the difficulties in sharing her private story with the world.
“A part of me wants to uphold that my private life is none of anyone’s business,”
—Amber Heard, Actress. She weighed the demands of public life against her desire for privacy.
“I also get that the nature of my job compels me to take control of this,”
—Amber Heard, Actress.
Other Celebrities Who Left Hollywood for a Simpler Life
Amber Heard is among a growing number of stars who have stepped back from the glare of Hollywood, prioritizing personal fulfillment, mental health, or family. From established actors to television icons and musicians, their decisions to leave the industry behind—or simply relocate for a slower pace—mirror broader changes in society and show business. Below are selected examples of others who made similar transitions.
Ellen DeGeneres Makes Her Farewell
Known for her influential daytime talk show, Ellen DeGeneres ended her television run after 19 seasons amid controversy and an internal investigation that led to several firings. She marked her exit from the spotlight with a final Netflix special before announcing her move to England. During her stand-up tour, she told fans,
“This is the last time you’re going to see me, After my Netflix special, I’m done,”
—Ellen DeGeneres, Host.
Ellen and her wife Portia de Rossi reportedly decided to move to England following the U.S. 2024 election, although the couple has not publicly commented on their reasoning.
Tyra Banks Pursues Business Dreams Down Under
Tyra Banks, former host of “America’s Next Top Model,” relocated to Australia to oversee her ice cream company, SMiZE and Dream.
“So I have this ice cream company, SMiZE and Dream,”
—Tyra Banks, Entrepreneur. She noted that her business required considerable time in Australia, where she felt content both personally and professionally.
“But we’ve been more what we call B2B, like on an airplane and on cruises. I’ve been going to Australia a lot because we were making a lot of our ice cream there in a big facility doing our recipes. And I just fell in love with it every time I went back and went back,”
—Tyra Banks, Entrepreneur. Sharing the move with her partner and son, she added,
“Australia has been a dream come true for me and my family,”
—Tyra Banks, Entrepreneur.
Eva Longoria Finds New Roots in Mexico and Spain
Eva Longoria, recognized for her role on “Desperate Housewives,” left Los Angeles for a split life in Mexico and Spain. She described her changing relationship with California.
“I had my whole adult life here, But even before [the pandemic], it was changing. The vibe was different. And then Covid happened, and it pushed it over the edge. Whether it’s the homelessness or the taxes, not that I want to s–t on California—it just feels like this chapter in my life is done now,”
—Eva Longoria, Actress.
Longoria emphasized the privilege of being able to relocate,
“I get to escape and go somewhere. Most Americans aren’t so lucky. They’re going to be stuck in this dystopian country, and my anxiety and sadness is for them,”
—Eva Longoria, Actress. She also clarified her decision was not political:
“I didn’t leave because of the political environment, I left because my work took me there since Land of Women—shooting six months in Catalonia, then four months in Mexico for Searching for Mexico, then back to Spain. Now I’ve been there for years. So I just don’t like that it’s politicized,”
—Eva Longoria, Actress.
Richard Gere Embraces Family Life in Spain
Richard Gere has transitioned from Hollywood to life in Spain, honoring his wife Alejandra Silva’s heritage.
“My wife is Spanish, and she gave me about seven years here, And so we’re going to spend some years in Madrid,”
—Richard Gere, Actor. Their children are adapting well,
“so they’re going to flourish there,”
—Richard Gere, Actor. He also shared that the family is content with the move,
“The truth is that you are seeing us in our momentum,”
—Richard Gere, Actor.
Christina Milian Settles in Paris for Family and Education
Christina Milian, married to French singer Matt Pokora, moved with her family to Paris, ensuring her children’s education in France.
“My husband is French, and we’ve been together for over seven or eight years, And for the last three or four years we were commuting back and forth every six months,”
—Christina Milian, Singer. She found joy in her new lifestyle,
“They’re all going to school in Paris, I was like, ‘What better than an opportunity than that?,”
—Christina Milian, Singer. On day-to-day life, she stated,
“I have an active lifestyle that’s really nice during the day. Then at night time, I do my work because I work hours ahead. It’s a nice, healthy balance for me,”
—Christina Milian, Singer.
Lindsay Lohan Reinvents Herself Abroad
After years in the entertainment industry, Lindsay Lohan moved away from Los Angeles to London and then Dubai, seeking relief from relentless paparazzi. She shared,
“I feel like some of [my work] got overshadowed by paparazzi and all that kind of stuff when I was younger, and that’s kind of annoying, I wish that part didn’t happen. I feel like that kind of took on a life of its own. So that’s why I wanted to disappear. I was like, ‘Unless there’s no story here, they’re not going to focus on just my work,’”
—Lindsay Lohan, Actress. Lohan’s decision also stemmed from personal reflection and the search for genuine love:
“I was like, ‘What if I never fall in love? What if this never happens?’ And it took me just taking time for me for all those doors to open and the ‘yeses’ to come—the things I wanted to say ‘yes’ to,”
—Lindsay Lohan, Actress.
She eventually found happiness in marriage and motherhood, while still maintaining a presence in the film industry with new projects.
Josh Hartnett Shifts Focus to Family in the English Countryside
Josh Hartnett relocated with his family to Hampshire, England for a quieter lifestyle.
“Hollywood is more than a place; it’s like a state of mind,”
—Josh Hartnett, Actor. He valued being surrounded by people with different interests, saying,
“I’ve always wanted to be around … people generally doing lots of other things that would bring my mind off of my work and force me to grow in different directions, To me, that’s the spice of life,”
—Josh Hartnett, Actor. Hartnett’s priorities now revolve around his wife, Tamsin Egerton, and their four children.
“With four children, you have so much to do. In a way, less is happening. But more of the important stuff is happening,”
—Josh Hartnett, Actor.
Jesse Eisenberg Finds Stability in Indiana
Jesse Eisenberg, noted for his role in “The Social Network,” opted for a life in Indiana, away from industry distractions.
“I’ve lived in Indiana for the last decade on-and-off, That’s where I feel the most comfortable. I’m not somebody who wants to surround myself in an industry that just feels kind of unstable to me,”
—Jesse Eisenberg, Actor. His daily routines now include more family and less celebrity lifestyle.
“I’m not on social media, and I’m not a person who’s on the phone with industry people all the time, So, my life feels pretty separate. My wife is a teacher. My kid doesn’t really even watch movies. So, I’m not like knee-deep in the world of constantly trying to assess my own status in an industry,”
—Jesse Eisenberg, Actor.
Eliza Dushku Palandjian Pursues Healing Work
Eliza Dushku Palandjian has focused on mental health and therapy, stepping away from acting after prominent roles in television and film.
“I had the means to shift directions and choose a course in my life that focused on healing myself so that I could help heal others, I would be remiss if I didn’t now share the transformation and the peace and the passion that I have. This is just absolutely so clearly my real calling, my real purpose,”
—Eliza Dushku Palandjian, Mental Health Professional.
Rosie O’Donnell Moves to Ireland for Family Safety
Rosie O’Donnell relocated to Ireland with her youngest child, seeking Irish citizenship. She discussed missing her loved ones back in America.
“I miss my friends. I miss many things about life there at home and I’m trying to find a home here in in this beautiful country. And when it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights there in America, that’s when we will consider coming back,”
—Rosie O’Donnell, Entertainer.
Evangeline Lilly Steps Away for Fulfillment
Evangeline Lilly, acclaimed for her performance in “Ant-Man and the Wasp,” has taken an indefinite break from acting after two decades.
“I am so filled with joy and contentment today as I live out my vision, I feel so grateful for my blessings. Stepping away from what seems like the obvious choice (wealth and fame) can feel scary at times, but stepping into your dharma replaces the fear with fulfillment,”
—Evangeline Lilly, Actress. She remains open to a future return,
“I might return to Hollywood one day, but, for now, this is where I belong,”
—Evangeline Lilly, Actress.
Ian Somerhalder Pursues Sustainability
Former “Vampire Diaries” star Ian Somerhalder redirected his efforts to climate advocacy and regenerative agriculture.
“I stepped away from acting a little over four years ago to raise my kids, build my companies and get these films launched,”
—Ian Somerhalder, Environmentalist. Looking ahead, Somerhalder explained,
“I will be a rancher and building legacy brands, whether it’s my bourbon or my health and wellness company, and the regenerative agriculture and healthy soil management practices that I live by and our family lives by. That’s where my life was going. So when people say ‘Why do you care?’ That’s why I care. Because that’s who I am, that’s what I’m going to become,”
—Ian Somerhalder, Environmentalist.
Jennette McCurdy Finds Voice Through Writing
Jennette McCurdy, known for her work on “iCarly,” stepped back from acting in favor of writing and directing.
“My experience with acting is, I’m so ashamed of the parts I’ve done in the past, I resent my career in a lot of ways. I feel so unfulfilled by the roles that I played and felt like it was the most cheesy, embarrassing. I did the shows that I was on from like 13 to 21, and by 15, I was already embarrassed. My friends at 15, they’re not like, ‘Oh, cool, you’re on this Nickelodeon show.’ It was embarrassing,”
—Jennette McCurdy, Writer.
However, she is open to acting again under the right circumstances,
“I do feel like only through writing the book have I gotten to a place where I think there might be a way of exploring acting that doesn’t carry that baggage that I carried with me for so long, Maybe if I write something for myself. I think that’d really be maybe one of the only ways I could kind of try exploring it again,”
—Jennette McCurdy, Writer.
Meghan Markle Forges a New Royal Path
After leaving her acting career and life in Toronto, Meghan Markle embraced her role within the British royal family, marrying Prince Harry. Her transition drew parallels with Grace Kelly’s similar shift decades earlier. Now living in Montecito, California, Meghan has carefully re-entered media through strategic projects, such as her Netflix production deal and the docuseries “Harry & Meghan,” as well as launching various brands and podcasts.
Cameron Diaz Chooses Family and Wellness
Cameron Diaz, star of more than 40 films, took a hiatus after completing “Annie” in 2014, seeking a different life rhythm.
“I just decided that I wanted different things out of my life, I had gone so hard for so long, working, making films and it’s such a grind. When you’re making a movie—it’s a perfect excuse—they own you. You’re there for 12 hours a day for months on end and you have no time for anything else,”
—Cameron Diaz, Actress.
She focused on writing and family, sharing in another interview,
“I don’t miss performing. Right now I’m looking at the landscape of wellness and all that,”
—Cameron Diaz, Actress. On her eventual return, Jamie Foxx recalled,
“We just begged and pleased on my knees, like, ‘Just give the people one more again,’ We love her, we’ve been waiting on her and this is just gonna be fantastic,”
—Jamie Foxx, Actor.
Terrence Howard Steps Away from Acting
Having completed his run on “Empire,” Terrence Howard announced an end to his acting career.
“Oh, I’m done with acting. I’m done pretending,”
—Terrence Howard, Actor. While he has returned for occasional projects, Howard stood firm on his belief about stepping aside,
“I’ve gotten to the point where now I’ve given the very best that I have as an actor, Now I’m enjoying watching other new talent come around, and I don’t want to do an impersonation of myself,”
—Terrence Howard, Actor.
Jack Gleeson Returns After a Break
Best known for his role as Joffrey on “Game of Thrones,” Jack Gleeson left acting following his early roles.
“I’ve been acting since age 8, I just stopped enjoying it as much as I used to,”
—Jack Gleeson, Actor. He described how a career in acting shifted his approach,
“Now there’s the prospect of doing it for a living, whereas up until now it was always something I did for recreation with my friends, or in the summer for some fun, I enjoyed it. When you make a living from something, it changes your relationship with it. It’s not like I hate it, it’s just not what I want to do,”
—Jack Gleeson, Actor. He returned to acting with renewed purpose and recent television and film roles.
Phoebe Cates Prioritizes Parenting and Business
Phoebe Cates, once an 80s film icon, shifted her focus to raising her children and running a boutique. Her husband Kevin Kline revealed their arrangement,
“agreed to alternate so that we’re never working at the same time,”
—Kevin Kline, Actor. When Cates had the opportunity to act,
“whenever it’s been her slot to work, Phoebe has chosen to stay with the children,”
—Kevin Kline, Actor.
Rick Moranis Steps Away for Family
After the death of his wife, Rick Moranis withdrew from filmmaking, concentrating on raising his children. Fans, however, look forward to his return in the upcoming Disney reboot “Shrunk.”
Leelee Sobieski Finds Identity Beyond Hollywood
Upon marrying Adam Kimmel, Leelee Sobieski distanced herself from acting due to the nature of available roles.
“Ninety percent of acting roles involve so much sexual stuff with other people, and I don’t want to do that, It’s such a strange fire to play with, and our relationship is surely strong enough to handle it, but if you’re going to walk through fire, there has to be something incredible on the other side,”
—Leelee Sobieski, Artist. After expanding her family, she pivoted to parenting and the arts.
“I don’t do movie stuff anymore. I am totally an outsider! I … am just a mom and an outsider, I am just focused on my kids. I think that’s mainly why I stopped,”
—Leelee Sobieski, Artist.
Portia de Rossi Reinvents Herself in Business
Following an extensive acting career, Portia de Rossi decided to embark on a new path.
“I was approaching 45 and I just kind of…was wondering is there something that I could tackle now that I’ve never done before that would be really challenging and different, I kind of knew what acting would look like for me for the next 10, 20 years, so I decided to quit and start a business,”
—Portia de Rossi, Entrepreneur. When her friend wrote her into several episodes post-retirement,
“I called Mitch Hurwitz, who’s the creator of Arrested Development and I said, ‘If there is a season 5, I won’t be doing it because I quit acting. And he seemed really understanding and he totally got it. We had a great conversation, and then he wrote me into five episodes,”
—Portia de Rossi, Entrepreneur.
Daniel Day-Lewis Revisits Acting for Family
Daniel Day-Lewis, a celebrated three-time Academy Award winner, retired after “Phantom Thread” in 2017. His representatives confirmed the decision:
“will no longer be working as an actor. He is immensely grateful to all of his collaborators and audiences over the many years. This is a private decision and neither he nor his representatives will make any further comment on this subject,”
—Daniel Day-Lewis’ Representatives.
He returned to film to co-write and star in “Anemone” with his son Ronan Day-Lewis directing, showing a unique blend of personal and professional legacy.
Bridgit Mendler Pursues Science and Entrepreneurship
Bridgit Mendler stepped back from the limelight to pursue higher education at MIT and Harvard Law School. She now leads her own company, Northwood Space, focusing on building satellite ground stations and innovating in space technology, illustrating a new trend of former actors impacting science and business.
The Lasting Impact of Celebrity Retreats From Hollywood
Amber Heard’s move back onto the stage after the Johnny Depp trial exemplifies how public attention and personal struggles can shape the trajectory of stars’ lives. The Johnny Depp trial impact on Amber Heard continues to influence her career choices, as well as her emphasis on raising her children and seeking privacy in Madrid. Her journey reflects a wider movement—highlighted by Richard Gere, Eva Longoria, and others—toward balancing the demands of fame with personal well-being and family life. As entertainment culture transforms and the options for work-life balance expand, these stories will likely encourage more public figures to seek fulfillment beyond Hollywood’s traditional boundaries.
