13 ’90s Movie Stars You Never See Anymore

Rising stars can sometimes fade from the Hollywood spotlight, but in the case of these 90s stars, some disappeared rather quickly, whether intentionally or not. Here are 13 former 90s stars you never see anymore.

Christian Slater

Christian Slater is an interesting case, as while the actor would have some supporting voice acting roles in the 2010s and onward, as well as some acting jobs in the 2000s, nothing would be as prolific as his work in the 90s. Starring in films such as Young Guns II, Interview with the Vampire, and True Romance, Slater’s career-defining roles would all be in the 90s before taking more of a background role. While the actor has had consistent work beyond his peak, he’s less easy to spot in his newer work.

Alicia Silverstone

Alicia Silverstone appeared in several music videos before rising to prominence in films in the mid-90s. While her debut in the 1993 film Crush would garner praise, it was really her central role in Clueless that would make the actor a star. Silverstone would become a 90s icon thanks to the film, but she would never find future success as remarkable as Clueless. One of her last big performances and flops was as Batgirl in the 1997 film Batman & Robin. While this wouldn’t completely undo the actor’s career, she would go on to star in smaller and more supporting roles in the 2000s.

Lara Flynn Boyle

Lara Flynn Boyle captivated audiences with her unique look and surprisingly deep performance as Donna Hayward in the 90s mystery series Twin Peaks. David Lynch has always had an eye for exceptional talent for his various projects, and Lara Flynn Boyle was no exception. The actor would go on to star in films such as Wayne’s World, Equinox, Cafe Society, and Happiness as her fame in the 90s rose. For one reason or another, Boyle took a break from acting and appeared in a small number of films from the 2000s and onward.

Mara Wilson

Mara Wilson is just one example of many 90s child stars who experienced a busy career in the 1990s before transitioning out of the spotlight in their later years. With a breakout role in Mrs. Doubtfire in 1993, Wilson became a recognizable face and name before landing the lead role in Matilda, an adaptation of the classic Roald Dahl book. Despite a few scattered appearances in films afterward, Mara Wilson retired from acting before returning in 2012 to work on web series.

Joe Pesci

Joe Pesci is an actor with plenty of range, as evidenced by his comedic turns in My Cousin Vinny and Home Alone and his more serious and demented performances in Martin Scorsese classics like Goodfellas and Casino. The interesting part about the actor’s disappearance from the movie industry is that it was not due to a lack of success but rather an intentional choice to retire from acting in 1999. Pesci returned to acting a handful of times, most recently in his Oscar-nominated performance in 2019’s The Irishman and the 2023 film Day of the Fight.

Macaulay Culkin

When you think of 90s actors, specifically child actors, it’s hard not to first think of Macaulay Culkin. The young actor gained instant fame for starring as Kevin McCallister in the now-iconic Christmas movie Home Alone, directed by Chris Columbus, and the sequel Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. There are also plenty of other notable movies in which the child actor starred, such as The Good Son and My Girl. While the actor mostly disappeared from acting in the 2000s, he still remains a relevant celebrity because of his work in his youth.

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Val Kilmer

While first rising to prominence in the 80s with classic films such as Top Gun, it was the 90s in which Val Kilmer would receive some of his most iconic roles. The actor played significant roles in acclaimed projects such as Tombstone, Heat, and the Quentin Tarantino-scripted True Romance. Kilmer even portrayed Batman in Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever. Unfortunately, going into the 2000s, Kilmer’s roles and films wouldn’t be as successful critically and financially (save for the Shane Black classic Kiss Kiss Bang Bang).

Jonathan Taylor Thomas

Jonathan Taylor Thoams is perhaps one of the most obscure names on this list, which speaks to how much the actor stopped working in voice acting roles. Thomas is probably most well known for voicing young Simba in the 1994 film The Lion King, which is the actor’s most prominent role and most relevant film. While Thomas would do more voice roles in the 90s, such as in 1996’s The Adventures of Pinocchio, the actor’s last movie would be in 2005. It’s interesting to see an actor have such a massive debut before eventually fading into irrelevancy.

Bridget Fonda

Many thought that since Bridget Fonda came from the prominent family of Fonda actors (with her aunt and grandfather having prolific careers of their own), she would stay just as relevant and successful. Fonda would indeed find success in the 90s with her roles in films like Singles, It Could Happen To You, and Jackie Brown. Unfortunately, Bridget Fonda would not keep up the momentum, and she last appeared in a TV movie in 2002 before retiring from acting.

Fairuza Balk

Fairuza Balk was an actor who showed impressive range when her career peaked in the 90s. First becoming an icon of the goth aesthetic with films like The Craft and American History X, Balk would also show her comedic chops in The Waterboy as her star power became well known during the decade. As the 2000s came along, Balk would still remain prolific for her role in Almost Famous before eventually fading from the spotlight.

Geena Davis

Geena Davis is an actor whose prominence in the 1980s translated into great success in the 1990s. With classics like Beetlejuice and The Fly under her belt, Davis would go on to make waves in the 1990s with films such as Thelma & Louise (for which she was nominated for an Oscar for her performance) and A League of Their Own. While Davis acted less in the 2000s and onward, she founded her own institute to research gender disparities in the media industry.

Meg Ryan

Meg Ryan starred in multiple romantic comedies in the 1980s and 1990s, most notably in 1989 with When Harry Met Sally. This run of romantic movies continued into the 1990s with films such as Sleepless in Seattle, The Doors, and You’ve Got Mail, with the actress peaking during this decade of films before eventually starring in some poorly received projects in the 2000s and eventually no longer starring in films soon after a phenomenal run of films in the 90s.

Edward Furlong

While Edward Furlong has kept busy with direct-to-DVD projects throughout the years, it was his first significant breakout role in James Cameron’s Terminator 2: Judgement Day that the actor is most known for. Judgment Day is often considered one of the best sequels and action films ever made, and when it came time for Furlong to reprise his role as John Connor for Terminator 3, substance abuse problems cost the actor the role.

And those are 13 ’90s movie stars you never see anymore.