At the height of late-1990s Hollywood, Leelee Sobieski seemed destined for superstardom. She was everywhere—an It Girl directors coveted and a fixture on red carpets whom many believed would become the next major Oscar contender.

She starred in massive hits including Deep Impact, which grossed over $349 million worldwide, and rom-com staples like Never Been Kissed. She shared the screen with Tom Cruise, Drew Barrymore, and Paul Walker, and Stanley Kubrick personally selected her—at just 14—for Eyes Wide Shut.

Her performance in the miniseries Joan of Arc earned Emmy and Golden Globe nominations before she turned 17. Critics praised her as unusually mature, and she moved easily between commercial blockbusters and darker independent films.

By the early 2010s, Sobieski’s constant presence began to fade. After occasional television guest spots, she quietly stepped away from acting in 2016—leaving fans puzzled about why a star with such momentum would disappear.

In rare interviews, she explained that Hollywood’s demands no longer aligned with the life she wanted. Acting required too many compromises, particularly when it came to family and personal boundaries.

Years later, she resurfaced in an entirely different creative world. Now working under her married name, Leelee Kimmel, she reinvented herself as a visual artist in New York City, creating abstract paintings that earned praise for their bold composition.

Now 42, Sobieski chose reinvention over Hollywood longevity. She didn’t fade away—she walked away, built a new identity, and proved that success sometimes means knowing when to leave the spotlight behind.