August 19th 2024.
Haley Joel Osment, known for his iconic role in The Sixth Sense, recently shared his thoughts on his 10-year hiatus from acting. The 36-year-old actor is making his return to the big screen in Zoë Kravitz's directorial debut, Blink Twice.
Speaking about his decision to take a break from acting, Osment revealed that the pressures of early fame and the changing landscape of the industry were major factors. At the young age of 11, he received an Oscar nomination for his role alongside Bruce Willis in The Sixth Sense. But in 2006, he decided to pause his acting career to attend New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.
"My parents always told me, 'If it's ever not fun, you can quit tomorrow,'" Osment shared with E! News. "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."
Despite his parents' support, Osment's love for acting never wavered. He explained, "The answer has always been yes at all these junctures. 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 at the age of five in Forrest Gump, also reflected on the Hollywood environment during his hiatus. He described it as a time of intense celebrity scrutiny, especially in Los Angeles where the paparazzi culture made life difficult for many public figures. "Those were pretty tense years in terms of how celebrity was in Los Angeles," Osment recalled. "I was very happy to not be making my home in Los Angeles at that time."
During his break from acting, Osment also faced personal challenges, including a DUI charge and marijuana possession. Meanwhile, his younger sister, Emily Osment, was gaining fame for her role on Disney Channel's Hannah Montana.
Returning to the industry after a long absence, Osment noticed significant changes. "Los Angeles has mellowed out a bit," he noted, particularly in terms of paparazzi culture. He also acknowledged the impact of social media on celebrities' public lives. Though initially hesitant to embrace platforms like Instagram, Osment now sees their value. "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," he explained.
Osment also expressed admiration for younger actors who have to navigate 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 as 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 is ready to step back into the spotlight with his role in Blink Twice. The film, which also stars Channing Tatum, Naomi Ackie, and Geena Davis, follows the story of a cocktail waitress drawn into a dangerous situation during a wild trip on a billionaire's yacht. Blink Twice is set to premiere in theaters on Friday, August 23.
As Osment prepares for his comeback, he invites fans to join him on his journey. "If you've got a celebrity story, video, or pictures, get in touch with The Agency entertainment team," he said. "We'd love to hear from you."
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