12 Popular Actors From the 2000s We Don’t Hear About Much Anymore

Some actors achieve fame and remain staples in the entertainment industry for decades, if not the rest of their lives. Others, however, find themselves thrust into the spotlight only for that light to fade a few years later. The 2000s were a golden decade for film and television. Whether it be iconic teen dramas, rom-coms, or blockbuster action franchises, this era propelled countless stars to fame.

Many actors’ faces and names are synonymous with the 2000s. However, not all of them are still as relevant as they once were. Some intentionally chose to step away from the industry, whereas others were driven to obscurity for one reason or another. Regardless, the nostalgia still holds strong for fans who consumed content during that time. Check out these famous actors from the 2000s we just don’t hear about anymore.

12 Mischa Barton

Mischa Barton debuted in the longstanding soap opera All My Children in the ’90s. Barton did steady work through the remainder of the decade and truly blossomed in the 2000s. Many recognize her as Marissa from Fox’s The O.C. This landed her on the cover of practically every teen magazine, with most expecting her to rise to A-list status.

What Happened Next

The public was reminded of her in 2016 when she competed in Dancing with the Stars. After The O.C., Barton worked on smaller, independent projects and had some guest appearances on series. It’s unclear whether this focus on niche roles was by choice or not. Nevertheless, Barton’s performances are often praised by those who do catch her recent work.

11 Amanda Bynes

Nickelodeon helped launch Amanda Bynes‘ career as a cast member in All That, a sketch comedy show. She guest starred on various Nick shows before nabbing her own, titled The Amanda Show. Bynes later became a staple in teen comedy films, delivering 2000s classics like She’s the Man and What a Girl Wants.

Fame Isn’t for Everyone

Unfortunately, mental health and substance abuse issues shook things up. In 2010, Bynes took a step back from acting. She ventured into podcasting in 2023 but opted out after just one episode. It appears this once-child star wants to enjoy life out of the public eye.

10 Taylor Lautner

Taylor Lautner‘s most well-known role is in the Twilight franchise as Jacob Black. Team Edward vs. Team Jacob discussions were inescapable after 2008 when the first film premiered. However, this wasn’t Lautner’s first acting gig. He starred in a Disney film, The Adventures of Sharkboy & Lavagirl, and had a supporting role in Cheaper by the Dozen 2.

Taylor x3

Whenever a franchise is as successful as Twilight, it can be hard for actors to venture into other roles. Lautner dabbled in acting after Twilight, but nothing ever at the same level. His name was brought up again when people realized he married a woman also named Taylor, and the two of them took a photo with Lautner’s ex-girlfriend Taylor Swift.

9 Olsen twins

The Olsen twins made their acting debut in the role of Michelle Tanner in Full House. As they grew, they created their own brand, including movies, TV shows, books, and a successful clothing line. Holiday in the Sun was a fun movie that also saw Megan Fox’s acting debut. New York Minute is a fun comedy people still enjoy today.

Goodbye, Hollywood

But these two were overworked. They decided to retire from acting and instead focus their energy on fashion. Many fans were disappointed when they didn’t reprise their role in Fuller House, the Full House reboot. It seems these ladies are content with a quieter life enjoying the fruits of their labor from building an early empire.

8 Matthew Lawrence

Matthew Lawrence’s biggest roles came in the ’90s, first in Mrs. Doubtfire alongside Robin Williams and later as Jack Hunter in Boy Meets World. These gave him the cred in the business to continue building his portfolio in the 2000s. He appeared in many films and series, mainly comedies, such as The Hot Chick.

No Runaway Hits

It seemed he was primed to be the next Leading Lad of Hollywood. Yet that didn’t happen. He never landed a true breakout role that edged him out over the competition. It was nice when he popped up in an episode of Girl Meets World in 2015. Besides that, we don’t hear much from this actor.

7 Ian Somerhalder

When most people think of Ian Somerhalder, they probably think of the brooding vampire brother Damon he played on The Vampire Diaries. That series premiered in the late 2000s, but he was a working actor well before that. He starred in Lost from 2004 to 2010, in which he played one of the survivors of a plane crash.

Different Priorities

Those who frequented Tumblr in the 2000s know just how popular Somerhalder was. In recent years, his priorities have shifted. He’s married to another actor who played a vampire, Nikki Reed. Now, Somerhalder has retired from acting to focus more on family life and other business ventures. He told E! News, “I just did [acting] for so long. We had an amazing run.”

6 Frankie Muniz

Malcolm in the Middle is one of Fox’s most successful and loved shows of all time. It ran for seven seasons from 2000 to 2006 and earned multiple Emmies, a Peabody, and even a Grammy Award. At the forefront of the show? A teenager named Frankie Muniz. The sitcom’s success earned him other roles in children’s films, such as Big Fat Liar and Agent Cody Banks.

An Unusual Path

While it’s common for actors to switch careers, many were surprised when Muniz announced his venture into open-wheel racing. The actor-to-racecar driver pipeline is rare, but he thrived in that space. He’s started to return to the screen, like co-hosting Dancing with the Stars in 2018 and completing work on a sci-fi film, Renner, in 2024.

5 Hayden Panettiere

Hayden Panettiere started acting as a child and did a ton of work before breaking out. She has done everything from voice acting to television cameos spanning genres to films. In the 2000s, she starred in a superhero series called Heroes and in the films Bring It On: All or Nothing and Ice Princess, among others.

Much Needed Time Away

Many outlets followed her, expecting her to be the Next Big Thing. She was busy on the set of Nashville in the 2010s, but things slowed down afterward. Panettiere has openly spoken about her struggles with postpartum depression, addiction issues, and being part of abusive relationships, as reported by Yahoo. She appeared in Scream VI in 2023 and fans are hoping more roles are coming.

4 Chad Michael Murray

One Tree Hill. Dawson’s Creek. Gilmore Girls. A Cinderella Story. Freaky Friday. What teen-centric show or movie wasn’t Chad Michael Murray in during the 2000s? If a script called for a popular boy love interest, there was a good chance Chad Michael Murray was cast.

The Standard Love Interest

Upon aging out of those teen roles, Murray’s momentum slowed. He never stopped working like some actors on this list, but his projects didn’t reach the same level of commercial success are earlier ones, or he had just a minor role. These days he often stars in different Hallmark-esque Christmas movies and will reprise his role in the sequel Freakier Friday.

3 Abigail Breslin

Imagine being nominated for an Academy Award before you’re a teenager. Well, Abigail Breslin doesn’t have to imagine that. After her heartwarming performance in Little Miss Sunshine, that was her reality. She demonstrated sharp acting chops from a young age, including in the emotional My Sister’s Keeper featuring Cameron Diaz.

So Much Talent

Breslin did have a resurgence of popularity when she starred in Scream Queens. However, once that show ended, her name fell out of people’s minds. Her most adored work remains the films she did during the 2000s. Those acting chops are still there and plenty of fans are waiting for the right role to come around for her in the 2020s.

2 Rachel McAdams

Rachel McAdams filmed Mean Girls and The Notebook in the same year. If that doesn’t prove her versatility as an actress, what will? Decades on, Mean Girls is considered a classic teen film, with McAdams’ portrayal of Regina George a huge reason why. The Notebook has reached a similar status in the romance movie space.

Quality Over Quantity

In the 2000s, McAdams was being tracked as the next Julia Roberts or Sandra Bullock. While she never completely disappeared, she did purposely take a step back. A-list status wasn’t the goal for McAdams, quality projects were. Today, she balances both blockbuster (like her role in the MCU) and smaller-budget projects and did a stint on Broadway.

1 Eva Mendes

Eva Mendes came to prominence in the late ’90s and early 2000s, mainly in films. Her resume spanned genres, from romantic comedies to horror to action films. She was in Training Day alongside Denzel Washington, part of the Fast & Furious franchise, and Hitch with Will Smith. A chance for her to be the lead seemed inevitable.

Why She Bowed Out

Mendes voiced frustration at how hard she had to work to get cast as a Latina actress. After acting in her husband Ryan Gosling’s film Lost River, Mendes retired from acting. Gosling noted Mendes’ sacrifice to putting her career on hold to raise their family during an acceptance speech at the Golden Globes in 2017.