Peter Ostrum – Child Star to Veterinarian

Warner Bros. Pictures, Wikimedia Commons

Former child star Peter Ostrum was only 12-years-olf when a talent agent spotted him at the Cleveland Playhouse Children’s Theater. Ostrum’s performance earned him a deal and, soon enough, the lead part in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. However, while he had plenty of potential, the young boy retired after Willy Wonka, deciding against signing a three-movie contract with Warner Brothers.

Since then, Ostrum has decided to pursue normal jobs instead of returning to Hollywood. Back in 1984, he earned a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University College. These days, Ostrum works as a veterinarian. That’s right!

Sarah Michelle Geller – Actress to Entrepreneur and Author

Warner Bros. Television, Jaguar PS/Shutterstock

Believe it or not, actress Sarah Michelle Geller’s career actually started when a talent agent stopped her on the street. From there, she began earning roles in everything from All My Children to Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, the show that truly turned her into a star. After Buffy she made the jump to film, starring in hits like Scooby-Doo and I Know What You Did Last Summer, where she met her future husband, Freddie Prinze Jr.

After an incredibly successful career, Gellar decided to switch things up. The actress has become an entrepreneur, co-founding FoodStirs, an all-organic cooking-and-baking-kit. Just a few years later, she also released a cookbook, Stirring Up Fun with Food.

Jeff Cohen – Child Star to Lawyer

Warner Bros. Pictures, IMDB

Who can ever forget actor Jeff Cohen as the hilarious “Chunk” in The Goonies. However, while viewers all loved watching his childhood antics on the big screen, Cohen says he didn’t love his time as a child star. Apparently, unfair entertainment contracts caused plenty of pain and misery.

So, Cohen decided to become an entertainment lawyer, helping actors avoid a similar fate! “I wasn’t sure that I wanted to be a lawyer, but I was sure that I wanted a legal education,” Cohen explained. “A legal background seemed to be a unique tool to help me make an impact in those areas once I figured out what I wanted to do.”

Gene Hackman – Actor to Author

Paramount Pictures, The Celebrity Wiki

Academy Award-winning actor Gene Hackman started his Hollywood career over five decades ago. That’s right! However, while he earned his first role in 1961, his big break didn’t come for six years, when Hackman snagged the part of Buck Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde. The rest, as they say, is history! Now, he’s one of the most beloved actors of all time.

Still, to the dismay of fans, in 2004, Hackman decided to retire from the silver screen. Since then, he’s pursued another passion: writing. Since then, he’s authored five books, most historical fiction. His latest novel, Pursuit, debuted in 2013.

Mara Wilson – Child Star to Author

Sony Pictures, Wikimedia Commons

If you grew up in the ’90s or had kids then, you certainly recognize actress Mara Wilson. After all, she’s one of the biggest child stars of the decades. During her brief childhood career, she starred in some of the biggest hits of the ’90s, including Matilda and Mrs. Doubtfire. However, since graduating college, Wilson has decided to focus on normal jobs instead of returning to Hollywood.

These days, Wilson works as an author and journalist. In addition to writing articles for the publishing site Publicolor, Wilson also published ner memoir, Where Am I Now?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame, in 2016.