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If you want a good dose of nostalgia, just say Freddie Prinze Jr.’s name.
The actor was the “It” guy of the ’90s, best known for I Know What You Did Last Summer , She’s All That , Summer Catch , and Scooby Doo .
Unfortunately, like many other teen heartthrobs, Freddie’s rising star power eventually fizzled.
Here, we take a look at the actor’s life — past and present — to see if leaving Hollywood was truly the right decision.
We can trace the start of Freddie’s career to one film in particular: ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer.’
He starred as Ray Bronson in the 1997 slasher. Audiences were immediately gripped with Freddie’s performance in his breakout role. He was poised, charming, and yet he seemed like the guy next door.
That film changed Freddie’s life in more ways than one.
In addition to launching his movie career, he also met his future wife, Sarah Michelle Gellar.
At the time, the pair had a lot in common. Sarah was also a ’90s teen star at the time, most known her her work on Buffy the Vampire Slayer .
At first, though, the pair were just friends.
Things didn’t take a romantic turn until they found themselves on an accidental date two years later.
“We were fortunate enough to be at the right times in our lives where we both wanted something serious and it worked. So we’re lucky, but we also work very hard at it. It’s not just dumb luck, it’s work,” Prinze told The Huffington Post .
Since then, the pair have defied all odds by being together for over two decades.
That’s like 40 years in Hollywood time! They also have two children together, Charlotte, 12, and Rocky, 9.
Freddie’s family is actually a big part of why he made the decision to step away from Hollywood.
See, Freddie’s name is dripping in nostalgia because he’s not current anymore.
The actor made the choice to step away from Hollywood many decades ago.
Since he was poised to be a huge star, this decision seemed crazy at the time. But by looking at his relaxed life now, you’ll see that it all paid off.
But back to Freddie’s family being his number one priority!
A lot of this stems from him growing up without a dad.
His father passed away a year after he was born from suicide. So when his daughter, Charlotte, was born, he proudly took on the role of “full-time father.”
“When my daughter was born, that was pretty much it for me. I became a full-time father. It’s not a job. It’s what I love to do,” he told ‘E! News’.
Fatherhood isn’t his only job. He also balances other interests in his life, like cooking. In 2016, he released the cookbook, Back to the Kitchen .
Their love of food is another thing Freddie and Sarah have in common.
Sarah has her own junk-free bakery called Foodstirs and her cookbook called Stirring Up Fun With Food . She’s also happy to be out of the spotlight and focused on her family.
Lastly, there’s one final reason why Freddie Prinze Jr. stepped away from acting.
This all has to do with a horrible experience with Kiefer Sutherland. Freddie played Cole Ortiz alongside him in 24 until he quit.
Freddie told ABC news that Kiefer “was the most unprofessional dude in the world.”
“That’s not me talking trash, I’d say it to his face. I think everyone that’s worked with him has said that,” he said.
Yikes! While you likely won’t see Freddie on screen anymore, you will still hear his voice!
That’s because the actor has gotten into voice actor work over the years.
He voiced Karen in ‘Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker’ and has worked with ‘Robot Chicken’ since 2005, just to name a few.
At the end of the day, it’s clear to see that the actor has struck the one thing we’re all searching for in this life: balance.
And even though we won’t see him on-screen, he’ll always be the Prinze of Hollywood in our hearts <3.
