Golden Globe Winner, 76, Left Hollywood at the Height of Her Career-and She Has no Regrets
Ann Jillian, best known for her roles in Mr. Mom and Babes in Toyland, made the decision to put her family ahead of her career and walked away from Hollywood at the height of her career. After giving birth to her son, Andrew Joseph Murcia, Jillian wanted to stay home and raise her child. Now, more than three decades later, she's opening up about that decision.
"I've been out of it for a while. I've been out of it for a good reason. I gave birth to my one and only son when I was 42, and I took that seriously too," Jillian said on the Famous with Jacy Dawn Valeras podcast.
"Now, maybe somebody out there can do this, and good for them," she said, referring to balancing family life and a career. "I love that they can. For me, I recognize that I cannot. Since I like to focus on what I do, I cannot do all things at the same time."
"I can, over the course of a lifetime-the life that the good Lord has given me-I can do everything that I want to do, but not all at the same time. Ultimately, if you try to do it all at the same time, something is going to suffer because your focus is going to go away from one thing," she continued, adding, "and I was determined at my age, at 42, that it was more likely going to be my only son."
Jillian said that by the time she had her son, she felt she had a "great career," but she chose to step back so she could be home every night to put him to bed. She didn't want to miss the fleeting moments of being a mother-and she is happy with that decision.
Jillian has dabbled in acting since leaving Hollywood, with more than a dozen credits to her name in the 90s. Her last role, according to IMDb, was in an episode of Walker, Texas Ranger that aired in 2000.
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This story was originally published April 26, 2026 at 9:49 AM.