Gay Actresses Who Quit Hollywood to Pursue Other Interests

The entertainment industry is known for its intense pressure and demanding schedules that often lead performers to seek different paths. Many talented actresses have chosen to step away from the spotlight to focus on personal fulfillment, advocacy, or entirely new careers. This list explores the lives of LGBTQ+ women who transitioned from acting to diverse fields such as politics, literature, and visual arts.

Portia de Rossi

Best known for her roles in ‘Ally McBeal’ and ‘Arrested Development’, Portia de Rossi stepped back from acting to focus on the art world. She founded General Public which is an art curation and publishing company that uses 3D technology to reproduce paintings. Her decision to leave Hollywood allowed her to pursue her passion for visual arts and support other artists. She has stated that she wanted to find something more challenging and different from her previous career.

Kristy McNichol

Kristy McNichol was a teenage superstar in ‘Family’ and ‘Little Darlings’ before retiring from acting in 2001. She stated that she left the industry to play her biggest part which was herself after suffering from immense pressure and anxiety. McNichol later came out publicly to support kids who are bullied for their sexuality. She now focuses on her health, travels, and teaches acting occasionally while living a private life.

Adèle Haenel

French actress Adèle Haenel gained international acclaim for ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ before announcing her departure from the film industry. She cited political reasons and a desire to distance herself from what she described as a complacent system regarding sexual violence. Haenel has since focused on theater and political activism. Her exit was a powerful statement that resonated globally within the entertainment community.

Nancy Kulp

Nancy Kulp was famous for her role as Miss Jane Hathaway on ‘The Beverly Hillbillies’. After her acting career wound down, she shifted her focus to politics and ran for a congressional seat in Pennsylvania. She later taught film and drama at a liberal arts college. Kulp came out later in life and her transition from sitcom star to academic and aspiring politician showcased her intellectual depth.

Greta Garbo

Greta Garbo is one of the most enigmatic figures in cinematic history who retired at the age of 36. She famously sought solitude and lived the rest of her life in New York City surrounded by art and close friends. While she never married, her relationships with women such as Mercedes de Acosta were well documented in private letters. Garbo left the industry to escape the public eye and live on her own terms.

Amanda Bearse

Amanda Bearse is widely recognized for her role as Marcy D’Arcy on ‘Married… with Children’. She transitioned from acting to directing during her time on the sitcom and found great success behind the camera. Bearse has directed numerous episodes of television shows and became a vocal advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. Her career shift allowed her to exercise creative control and shape stories from the director’s chair.

Mara Wilson

Mara Wilson captivated audiences as a child star in ‘Matilda’ and ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’. She stepped away from film acting to pursue writing and storytelling. Wilson has authored a memoir and writes plays while advocating for bisexual rights and mental health awareness. Her career now revolves around the literary world rather than the screen.

Kelly McGillis

Kelly McGillis starred in blockbusters like ‘Top Gun’ and ‘Witness’ before stepping back from the Hollywood mainstream. She moved to North Carolina and worked as a rehab counselor to help others struggling with addiction. McGillis came out as a lesbian in 2009 and has since taken on sporadic acting roles while focusing on teaching and her personal life. She prioritized her well-being and family over the demands of A-list stardom.

Josephine Baker

Josephine Baker was a world-renowned entertainer who found fame and acceptance in France after leaving the United States. She was a bisexual icon who used her platform to fight for civil rights and even served as a spy for the French Resistance during World War II. Baker left the constraints of American show business to build a life where she could be free. Her legacy involves her adoption of children from around the world to form her Rainbow Tribe.

Patsy Kelly

Patsy Kelly was a comedic actress in the 1930s who won a Tony Award later in her career. She was known for being openly gay in private circles which contributed to her being marginalized by major studios for a period. Kelly worked as a personal assistant to Tallulah Bankhead during her hiatus from the screen. She eventually returned to character roles but her career was significantly altered by the homophobia of the era.

Eva Le Gallienne

Eva Le Gallienne was a Broadway legend who largely rejected the allure of Hollywood to focus on theater. She founded the Civic Repertory Theatre in New York and was open about her relationships with women within her artistic circle. Le Gallienne dedicated her life to the stage as an actress, director, and producer. She saw theater as a higher art form and refused to compromise her vision for film stardom.

Katharine Cornell

Katharine Cornell was known as the First Lady of the Theatre and avoided film contracts throughout her illustrious career. She lived openly with her female partner and director Guthrie McClintic in a lavender marriage that allowed them both freedom. Cornell focused on touring productions and bringing high-quality theater to audiences across America. Her rejection of Hollywood allowed her to maintain control over her artistic legacy.

Louise Brooks

Louise Brooks was a silent film icon who walked away from Hollywood due to her disdain for the studio system. She moved to New York where she worked in sales and later became a respected writer and film historian. Brooks was open about her fluid sexuality and lived a reclusive life in her later years. Her pivot to writing allowed her to critique the industry that she had famously rejected.

Leisha Hailey

Leisha Hailey gained fame as Alice Pieszecki on ‘The L Word’ but has always been a musician at heart. She formed the band Uh Huh Her and toured extensively as a musician. While she returned for the television reboot, her primary focus for many years was her music career. Hailey successfully balanced her acting legacy with her passion for songwriting and performance.

Alice Wu

Alice Wu directed and wrote ‘Saving Face’ but then left the industry for over a decade. She worked in software engineering to support her family and care for her mother. Wu eventually returned to write and direct ‘The Half of It’ for Netflix. Her long hiatus was driven by personal responsibility rather than a desire for fame.

Guinevere Turner

Guinevere Turner broke out as the star and writer of ‘Go Fish’ in the early 90s. She transitioned from acting to become a prolific screenwriter for films like ‘American Psycho’. Turner teaches screenwriting and continues to work behind the scenes in film and television. Her shift allowed her to shape narratives and create complex characters for others to play.

Jean Acker

Jean Acker was a silent film actress and the first wife of Rudolph Valentino. She lived for many years at the Garden of Allah hotel and was part of the sewing circle of lesbian and bisexual actresses. Acker left the height of her movie fame to settle into a quieter life with her partner. She continued to work in very small roles but largely lived privately.

Natacha Rambova

Natacha Rambova was a costume designer and actress who was married to Rudolph Valentino. After their divorce and her exit from Hollywood, she became a scholar and Egyptologist. Rambova spent her later years studying symbolism and ancient texts. Her intellectual pursuits took her far away from the superficiality she perceived in the film industry.

Alla Nazimova

Alla Nazimova was a silent film superstar who started her own production company. When her film career waned, she converted her estate into the famous Garden of Allah hotel. Nazimova created a sanctuary for Hollywood’s elite and the LGBTQ+ community. She focused on managing the hotel and returning to the Broadway stage in her later years.

Maria Maggenti

Maria Maggenti started as an activist with ACT UP and a filmmaker. She transitioned from indie acting and directing to becoming a successful television writer. Maggenti has written for shows like ‘Without a Trace’ and ‘Supergirl’. Her career evolution took her from the front lines of activism to the writers’ room.

Rose Troche

Rose Troche was a pioneer of New Queer Cinema as the director of ‘Go Fish’. She moved from independent filmmaking to directing high-profile television series. Troche has produced and directed shows like ‘The L Word’ and ‘Black Lightning’. She focused her career on creating platforms for queer stories rather than acting in them.

Cheryl Dunye

Cheryl Dunye made history as the first black lesbian to direct a feature film with ‘The Watermelon Woman’. She acted in her own early films but shifted her focus entirely to directing and teaching. Dunye is now a professor and a prolific television director. She works to educate the next generation of filmmakers while helming major TV episodes.

Angela Robinson

Angela Robinson is a director and writer who created the cult hit ‘D.E.B.S.’. She has moved away from the camera’s front to become a powerful showrunner and producer. Robinson worked on ‘True Blood’ and directed ‘Professor Marston and the Wonder Women’. Her work consistently explores themes of sexuality and identity through a commercial lens.

Jamie Babbit

Jamie Babbit directed the cult classic ‘But I’m a Cheerleader’ early in her career. She has since become one of the most in-demand television directors in Hollywood. Babbit has directed episodes for ‘Girls’, ‘Silicon Valley’, and ‘Only Murders in the Building’. She built a sustainable career by shaping the visual style of top-tier television comedies.

Stacie Passon

Stacie Passon began her career as a commercial director and producer. She directed the acclaimed film ‘Concussion’ and then moved into directing premium television. Passon has worked on series like ‘Transparent’ and ‘Dickinson’. Her career path demonstrates a successful pivot from commercial production to narrative storytelling.

Desiree Akhavan

Desiree Akhavan starred in her own debut film ‘Appropriate Behavior’ as a bisexual Iranian-American woman. She has increasingly focused on directing and writing for television and film. Akhavan directed ‘The Miseducation of Cameron Post’ which won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance. She continues to create nuanced portrayals of queer women behind the camera.

Nicol Paone

Nicol Paone was a cast member on ‘The Big Gay Sketch Show’ alongside Kate McKinnon. She left sketch comedy to write and direct feature films such as ‘Friendsgiving’. Paone utilized her comedic background to transition into filmmaking. Her work now focuses on creating female-driven comedies from the director’s chair.

Clementine Ford

Clementine Ford is the daughter of Cybill Shepherd and appeared on ‘The L Word’. She stepped away from acting to focus on her work as a writer and blogger. Ford has been open about her sexuality and uses her platform to discuss lifestyle and parenting. She found a new voice in the digital space outside of traditional acting roles.

Meredith Baxter

Meredith Baxter is a television icon known for ‘Family Ties’ who came out later in life. While she still accepts occasional roles, she shifted her focus significantly towards interior design and writing. Baxter wrote a memoir about her life and her journey to self-acceptance. She also became an active speaker on issues related to addiction and LGBTQ+ rights.

Kay Francis

Kay Francis was the highest-paid actress at Warner Bros during the 1930s. She eventually left Hollywood to return to the stage and work in summer stock theater. Francis was known for her diaries that detailed her relationships with women. She chose the immediate connection of live theater over the studio system that she had grown to dislike.

Marjorie Main

Marjorie Main was the beloved character actress who played Ma Kettle. She retired from acting and lived a quiet life with her long-term companion Spring Byington. Main was known for her distinct voice and comedic timing but was very private off-screen. Her retirement marked the end of a prolific career in classic Hollywood cinema.

Jane Sibbett

Jane Sibbett played Ross’s ex-wife Carol on the hit sitcom ‘Friends’. She left the acting world to become a spiritual healer and tour manager. Sibbett now focuses on holistic wellness and producing documentaries. Her journey took her from one of TV’s most famous sets to a life centered on spirituality and connection.

Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen DeGeneres broke barriers by coming out on her sitcom in the 1990s. After a successful talk show run, she returned to stand-up comedy and then announced she was done with show business after her 2024 special. DeGeneres has expressed interest in gardening, architecture, and gorilla conservation in Rwanda. She has decided to leave the public eye to pursue a quieter life with her wife.

Share your favorite performance from these actresses or tell us who we missed in the comments.