Not every star shines for eons. In the 1990s, these performers who were tipped to be the next big thing seemed to be everywhere. But for some reason, just before ascending to the level of huge stardom, they never quite took the final, enormous leap to Brad Pitt or Julia Roberts zone.
Some of these largely forgotten ’90s celebrities made the decision to stop appearing in public. One of the busiest actors during the grunge era, Leelee Sobieski abruptly left the entertainment industry. Some of the other 1990s movie stars experienced a string of unfavorable reviews and/or poor box office performance, which prevented them from becoming megastars.
They continue to exist, nevertheless, and continue to work in independent films or on television. But Leelee Sobieski, one of the most well-known stars of the 1990s and the early 2000s appeared to be involved in almost all of our favorite films and had a bright future in front of her.
Even though we all expected her to be around for a long time, she seems to have vanished from the public eye.
She shortened her true name, Liliane Rudabet Floria Elsvea Sobieski, to Leelee because it fits better on a movie poster. She was cast in the television film Reunion after being found when she was quite young. She was just 11 years old when it was released, but it served as the impetus for the beginning of her successful career. Before turning 16, she appeared in the Tim Allen comedy Jungle 2 Jungle, the wildly popular Deep Impact, and the critically acclaimed picture A Soldier’s Daughter Never Cries.
The box office and critical results from movies like Here on Earth, The Glass House, London, and The Wicker Man all dimmed her star power. Sobieski also appeared in films like Eyes Wide Shut and Never Been Kissed with A-list celebrities like Drew Barrymore and Tom Cruise. She received nominations for illustrious honors, and it appeared that her star was rising.
But where is she now? Leelee Sobieski seems to slowly distance herself from Hollywood. In 2001, she appeared in Joy Ride and The Glass House, but after that, she appeared to concentrate on minor roles. She began appearing in more independent movies, however, she did accept a part in the 2006 Nicolas Cage thriller The Wicker Man, which was frequently derided.
Even if the movie didn’t go well, she was doing very well for herself. She ultimately chose to attend Brown University to pursue a degree in literature and visual art, and at that time, she played a very limited number of small roles in independent films. Since 2006, she has only had a small number of parts, although this is simply because she has been preoccupied with other significant life events.
Sobieski has been married twice since 2006. Actor Matthew Davis was her first husband, however, they quickly split in 2009. She wed fashion designer Adam Kimmel in 2010 and has two children with him.
She argues that her children stop her from acting.
“I am totally an outsider (in Hollywood), I am just a mom and an outsider. I am just focused on my kids. I think that’s mainly why I stopped,” she said.
Sobieski chose to devote her time to being a full-time mom rather than pursuing her career, which is a job that requires a lot of labor, as any mom would attest.
Sources: AWM, nzherald, independent