Jennifer Lawrence plans to take a sabbatical from acting to concentrate on political activism. Here are other actors who took a breather from movies to pursue other interests
You are at the peak of your career, calling the shots, but rather than immersing yourself in more work, you choose to take the road less travelled. Some may call it a career harakiri but these actors chose to refer to it as ‘taking a break’ from acting, only to come back stronger. Joining the actors-taking-a-break club is The Hunger Games star, Jennifer Lawrence.
In a recent interview to an international website, Jen revealed she is taking a sabbatical to focus on activism, adding, “I’m going to be working on trying to get young people engaged politically on a local level.” Back in November, she told a magazine that she wants to get a farm and milk goats, while previously, she’d expressed her desire to focus on pottery. Whatever JLaw’s reasons may be, her decision to take time out from acting is one that draws both support and scepticism. Other actors, too, have felt the need to take a break from the studios to pursue other interests and return to the big screen after recharging their batteries.
KRISTEN STEWART
According to Forbes, Twilight actress Kristen Stewart was the highest-paid actress in 2012. However, that did not stop her from taking a break from acting for more than a year so that she could focus on her true calling, which is art.
EMMA WATSON
After completing the filming of the Harry Potter franchise in 2008, actress Emma Watson decided to take a much-deserved breather from acting. In 2009, she enrolled at Brown University to study Literature, and officially graduated in May 2014.
BOLLYWOOD ACTORS HAVE DONE IT TOO...
PARINEETI CHOPRA
Pari took a 10-month break from Bollywood. It gave her time to battle her 12-year-long struggle with her weight. She got back to work with a fresh perspective, feeling more confident. Post her return she signed Meri Pyaari Bindu and the hugely-successful Golmaal Returns.
KANGANA RANAUT
Kangana pursued a course in filmmaking and screenplay-writing at the New York Film Academy. She took a breather from her hectic work schedule in January 2014 and returned to B-Town in July the same year.
IDRIS ELBA
Apart from being a talented actor, Idris Elba is passionate about music. He also decided to spend time away from cameras to pursue a career in music in 2013, and deejays under the name Driis.
KURT RUSSELL
His most recent appearance was in the second instalment of Guardians of the Galaxy as Star-Lord’s father, and boy did he impress. However, not many know that the actor is a wine lover, and even took a four-year sabbatical from acting from 2007 to 2011 to learn to make wine.
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS
Daniel Day-Lewis is a name to reckon with, but that did not stop him from taking a brief hiatus in 1997. He moved to Florence to explore his interest in woodworking and shoe-making, but not much is known about this time as the actor refuses to discuss the same. When prodded, he was tight-lipped about it, saying, “It was a period of my life that I had a right to without any intervention of that kind.” Clearly indicating he would rather not share more about his time away from acting.
BOLLYWOOD ACTORS HAVE DONE IT TOO...
R MADHAVAN
Tanu Weds Manu star R Madhavan also took a sabbatical. After Jodi Breakers, which released in 2012, the actor returned to the big screen with Tanu Weds Manu Returns (2015). In an interview, the actor had said, “I took a break so that I can entertain my audience properly. I think I took my audience for granted and was not able to justify myself. It was important to take a break and rediscover myself as an actor.”
ABHAY DEOL
Abhay took a sabbatical from acting for a year to do a welding course in New York and later took up martial arts. He took time-off post the release of Dev.D (2009) to explore new avenues that saw him renting out an apartment and living on his own in the Big Apple.
(Clockwise top left) Idris Elba, Kurt Russell, Daniel Day-Lewis, R Madhavan and Abhay Deol
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