Haley Joel Osment has opened up about his decision to step away from acting for over a decade.
Once the young star of iconic films like The Sixth Sense, Osment is now returning to the screen in Zoë Kravitz’s upcoming directorial debut, Blink Twice.
Now 36, Osment recently discussed the pressures of early fame, his reasons for taking a break, and how the industry has changed since he first rose to prominence.
He earned an Oscar nomination at just 11 years old for his role alongside Bruce Willis in The Sixth Sense but chose to put his career on hold in 2006 to attend New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.
Reflecting on that decision, he shared with E! News: ‘My parents always told me, ‘”f it’s ever not fun, you can quit tomorrow.”‘
He added, ‘When I reached college age, I really had to think about whether this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.’
Ultimately, Osment’s love for acting never waned, despite the challenges that come with the profession.
‘The answer has always been yes at all these junctures,’ he said. ‘It’s still a job that I really enjoy, despite all the uncertainty and the difficulty of being able to plan your life three to six months out.’
The actor, who made his big-screen debut in 1994’s Forrest Gump at the age of five, also recalled the Hollywood environment when he decided to take his hiatus.
He described it as a time of intense celebrity scrutiny, particularly in Los Angeles, where the aggressive tabloid culture made life difficult for many public figures.
‘Those were pretty tense years in terms of how celebrity was in Los Angeles,’ Osment noted, adding that he was ‘very happy to not be making my home in Los Angeles at that time.’
Osment’s time away from Hollywood also coincided with a challenging period in his personal life.
In 2006, he was sentenced to probation after pleading no contest to charges of drunken driving and marijuana possession.
Meanwhile, his younger sister, Emily Osment, was rising to fame with her role on Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana.
After years away, Osment returned to an industry that had evolved significantly. ‘Los Angeles has mellowed out a bit,’ he observed, particularly when it comes to the paparazzi culture that once plagued young stars.
He also noted the shift in how celebrities now navigate their public lives, especially with the advent of social media. Although he was initially hesitant to embrace platforms like Instagram, Osment has come to see their value.
He said: ‘In this very large media environment, it’s the way to promote your projects and help people keep up to date on what you’re doing within the balance of reasonable privacy.’
Osment also expressed admiration for younger actors who have to manage their careers in a world where social media is pervasive.
‘When I came up in this industry, the Internet was around but it wasn’t so omnipresent that it is today,’ he said. ‘So for younger actors today, I’m always really impressed with them being able to manage the social media landscape.’
Now, Osment prepares to re-enter the spotlight with his role in Blink Twice, in which he portrays Tom.
Blink Twice features a star-studded cast including Channing Tatum, Naomi Ackie, and Geena Davis, and follows the story of cocktail waitress Frida (Ackie), who is drawn into a dangerous situation during a crazy trip on a billionaire’s yacht.
Blink Twice is set to premiere in theaters on Friday, August 23.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
MORE : What’s going on with Tom Cruise’s space movie?
MORE : Blake Lively under fire again for resurfaced interviews containing offensive slur
