The It Girls Who Quietly Stepped Away—And Then Made a Real Comeback in the 2020s

Once upon a time, these women were everywhere—splashed across magazine covers, headlining blockbuster after blockbuster, and defining entire eras of pop culture. They were the undisputed It Girls, the actresses who had it—the look, the talent, the mystique.

And then… they were suddenly gone. Some stepped away by choice. Others faded from view due to Hollywood’s fickle nature, personal challenges, or just plain burnout. But the 2020s have been a decade of comebacks, and if there’s one thing we love more than an It Girl, it’s an It Girl with a second act.

Here’s a look at eight iconic women who disappeared for years, only to make a triumphant return to the spotlight—and remind us exactly why we fell for them in the first place.

Demi Moore

Back in the ’90s, Demi Moore was at the top of her game in Hollywood. From Ghost to G.I. Jane, she dominated the screen with a blend of toughness, glamour, and vulnerability that made her one of the highest-paid actresses of her time. But after a few box office misfires and years of intense tabloid focus on her personal life (and, let’s be honest, ageist Hollywood nonsense), Demi quietly stepped out of the limelight.

She never fully retired, there were occasional roles and appearances, but nothing quite stuck. Until The Substance.

Not only did the film earn rave reviews, but critics specifically singled out Moore’s performance as a career best—raw and painfully relevant. Suddenly, the same industry that once discarded her was applauding her for the very things it once punished her for. Demi made a triumphant return. And this time, she’s not playing by anyone else’s rules.

Lindsay Lohan

Few celebrity falls were as dramatic as Lindsay Lohan’s. She had the world at her feet with hits like Mean Girls and Freaky Friday. But the late 2000s brought a chaotic mix of tabloid scandals, arrests, and rehab stints. She became more famous for nightclub exits than acting gigs.

After a string of underwhelming projects and a failed reality show or two, Lohan all but vanished from Hollywood. But then, to everyone’s surprise, Netflix cast her in a 2022 holiday rom-com, Falling for Christmas. And honestly, Lindsay did a great job, she was charming, funny, and totally at ease, as if she never left the silver screen.

The film wasn’t trying to reinvent the genre, but it reminded us what Lindsay Lohan brings to the screen: undeniable charisma and a little chaos (in a good way). She’s since launched a podcast, signed a two-picture Netflix deal, and seems genuinely grounded for the first time in forever. A comeback fit for a former queen bee.

Drew Barrymore

Drew never fully disappeared, unlike some of the other celebrities on this list. But after a long run of rom-coms and the occasional indie flick, she slowed down dramatically in the 2010s. Marriage, kids, and a beauty brand (Flower) became her focus. Her priorities seemed to shift away from acting.

Then in 2020, she returned in a very Drew way—with The Drew Barrymore Show, a daytime talk show that somehow feels like a cozy hangout and a group therapy session in one.

It’s definitely not your usual talk show, it’s a little weird, but it’s warm and touching and it’s so her. Drew’s earnest, slightly chaotic energy turned what could’ve been a cookie-cutter format into something genuinely refreshing. Add in her candid conversations about mental health, divorce, and parenting, and you’ve got a comeback that feels less like a brand relaunch and more like a personal evolution.

Neve Campbell

Scream queen Neve Campbell owned the late ‘90s with Party of Five and, of course, the Scream franchise. But unlike some of her peers, she chose to step away. In interviews, she cited the lack of good roles for women—especially once they hit their 30s—and the exhausting pressures of fame. She worked sporadically through the 2010s, focusing more on stage work and raising her family.

Then she reprised her role as Sidney Prescott in Scream (2022), and while it was a nostalgia-fueled return, it also reminded us just how good she is—nuanced, grounded, and still capable of carrying a horror film without breaking a sweat.

Even though she chose not to return for Scream VI due to a pay dispute (get your coin, Neve!), she’s back on casting radars, and there are rumblings of future roles that don’t involve ghost-faced killers.