These '90 Actors Completely Changed Their Careers

While now it’s hard to lose track of celebrities (even those who purposefully try not to be found) because of social media, things weren't always that way. Back in the '90s, it was relatively easy for actors to stop acting and decide to live life out of the public eye without a slew of strangers on Twitter harassing them about where they've been and what they're doing. In fact, some of your favorite '90s actors are doing different things with their lives, other than acting, and you probably had no idea about it. The nerve of them! Up and made a life for themselves without so much as a postcard.

In all seriousness, while the individuals below may not act anymore (at least not much), it doesn’t mean that they’re lives are any less spectacular. In fact, as you’ll find out, for many of them quitting acting wasn’t an out-of-work, starving artist, has-been situation; it was a conscious choice. And judging by their super cool current occupations, it was a good one at that. To each his own, I always say.

Here are nine actors from the '90s who are doing completely different things with their lives these days.

1. Zachery Ty Bryan

In an interview with Fox News back in 2012, Bryan said, "I don’t miss acting at all. It’s my roots, so I will always be open to it, but I always knew that some day I would end working behind-the-scenes." And, as the article explains, behind-the-scenes work for the Home Improvement alum means being an independent film producer.

2. Jonathan Taylor Thomas

Johnathan Taylor Thomas decided to focus on writing and directing after studying at Harvard, Columbia, and St. Andrew's University. He explained in a 2013 interview with People, "I never took the fame too seriously. It was a great period in my life, but it doesn't define me." But just because acting isn't exactly his career anymore, doesn't mean he hasn't done some now and then. Thomas has been featured on Tim Allen's show, Last Man Standing, and directed two episodes.

3. Mara Wilson

While she isn't acting in movies any longer, she does do theater. According to her bio on the Public Theatre website, Wilson "is a recovering former child actor who writes plays, fiction, and nonfiction." And any FAQs you have about her, are answered in a hilariously up front manner in her blog, Mara Wilson Writes Stuff.

Before you call Wilson out after looking at her IMDb page and noticing movie projects both in the frequent past and coming up, she's got a perfectly good answer on hand. She explains on her blog,

I don’t act professionally anymore, i.e., I do not pursue film acting as a career. I don’t go on auditions or casting calls: the business of acting stresses me out, and I don’t think it’s worth it. But I do enjoy acting with or for good friends, or at least for people I know and respect. Acting can be fun (stage and voice acting, especially) and I’ll do it if I feel like it will be. I’m sure you can think of many activities people do with people they love and trust, but would never do for money.

4. Kellie Shanygne Williams

While appearing on Celebrity Wife Swap in August 2015, Williams explained that she is now a stay-at-home mom and that her kids "are her number one priority." And, no, Urkel is not their father.

5. Erik von Detten

Like our beloved Laura Winslow, the Disney Channel star is now a father and seemingly is focusing on that — just check out the video of him with his son below. His last role was voicing Sid, yet again, in 2010's Toy Story 3 .

6. Hallie Kate Eisenberg

According to Seventeen, Jesse Eisenberg's little sister chose college over Hollywood in 2010. Not sure if she still drinks Pepsi or not, though.

7 & 8. Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen

As Mary-Kate explained to The Daily Mail in 2013, "I don't think it ever felt like we were actresses — because we spent so much more of our time not in front of the cameras, building a brand." Ashley added, "I always looked at myself, even as a kid, as a businesswoman." Which makes a lot of sense considering they own Dualstar Entertainment and are now stars in the fashion world with their lines The Row and Elizabeth and James.

9. Karyn Parsons

Parsons last major acting gig was in 2002 on The Job, and now the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star writes and produces. According to ABC News, she "is the founder and president of Sweet Blackberry, an organization, whose mission is 'to bring little known stories of African American achievement to children everywhere.'"

So, you see, acting isn't everything, people.

Images: ABC (2); Decade-old Commercials/YouTube; Giphy (5)