These Stars Made A Comeback After "Retiring"

Daniel Day-Lewis entered a period of "semi-retirement" in 1997, only to make a comeback with a role in 'Gangs of New York' five years later. While he has since retired for good—at least for now—his talent continues to be celebrated.

Ozzy Osbourne, the iconic front man of Black Sabbath, headlined the "No More Tours" tour in 1992. However, he made a comeback just three years later with the "Retirement Sucks Tour," proving that his passion for music was far from over.

Jay-Z initially retired in 2003 following the release of 'The Black Album.' However, he returned to the music scene just three years later, candidly admitting in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that his retirement had been a less-than-ideal decision, stating, "It was the worst retirement."

Tom Brady, widely regarded as the NFL's greatest quarterback, made headlines with his retirement announcement in early February 2022. However, in a surprising turn of events, less than 40 days later, he reversed his decision, stating that he realized his place was still on the field. Brady returned for the 2022-2023 season but eventually declared his retirement again on February 1. The seven-time Super Bowl champion expressed his gratitude to fans for their support in a video message. With an impressive legacy, Brady's retirement marks a significant moment in sports history. While future comebacks can't be ruled out entirely, given his age of 45, this retirement seems to be a final farewell.

Nicki Minaj -

In September 2019, Minaj tweeted about her retirement, stating, "I've decided to retire & have my family." Yet, she subsequently clarified that she had new music in the works and was primarily contemplating her position regarding her fifth album.

Actress Shelley Duvall rose to fame in the 1970s, notably starring as Wendy in the iconic 1980 horror film 'The Shining.' However, her experience with director Stanley Kubrick on the set was challenging. After continuing to act for several more years, she made her final appearance in the 2002 film 'Manna From Heaven' and announced her retirement from acting and public life. This decision was influenced by her mental health struggles. Recently, at the age of 78, Duvall surprised fans by returning to the screen for the horror movie 'The Forest Hills,' directed by Scott Goldberg. She portrays a character's mother and the first glimpses of her in this role received a heartwarming and positive response from her admirers.

Serena Williams -

In August 2022, tennis champion Serena Williams shared her plans to step away from competitive tennis in an essay for Vogue. While she announced her intention to retire after the US Open, she expressed her perspective on retirement as an evolution rather than a complete departure. However, her retirement plans took an unexpected turn when, a few months later at a TechCrunch event, Williams revealed that she is not retired and that there's a high likelihood of her returning to competitive tennis. She emphasized her continued engagement in her investment company and affirmed, "I am not retired. The chances [of me returning] are very high."

In 2018, Cameron Diaz surprised many by announcing her retirement from acting after a successful career. However, her hiatus was short-lived. She excitedly revealed her return to the big screen in a Netflix action-comedy titled 'Back in Action,' co-starring with Jamie Foxx. On 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,' she shared her excitement about the return, mentioning, "It's a little bit of muscle memory, you know what I mean? I did that for so long, it's kind of like the process, I kind of just fell back into it. But it feels a little bit different." She gushed about how "amazing" it was to return alongside Jamie Foxx, who's "so great, he's so easy, he's so professional, he's so talented," she said. "The last movie I made was 'Annie with Jamie Fox', and so the first movie back is this film with Jamie," adding, "It will be so much fun."

Michael Jordan -

NBA legend Michael Jordan made waves with his retirement and comeback journey. He initially retired in 1993 after his father's tragic death and NBA investigations. After returning in 1995, he led the Chicago Bulls to more championships. His second retirement happened on January 13, 1999. Jordan surprised fans with a return in 2001 with the Washington Wizards, achieving significant milestones before finally retiring for the last time on April 16, 2003. His career is a remarkable tale of triumph, challenges, and multiple returns to the sport.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. -

Having declared his retirement in 2015 after defeating Andre Berto, the boxing legend surprised everyone with a return in 2017 for a special match against Conor McGregor. Since then, he has engaged in several more fights, including facing Logan Paul in 2021 and Mikuru Asakura in 2022.