Matthew Fox is back in the spotlight, and he is speaking plainly about why he stepped away at the height of his fame. The former ‘Lost’ star, now 59, said he chose family over Hollywood after years of nonstop work. While promoting ‘The Madison,’ a ‘Yellowstone’ spinoff, Fox explained that his long break from acting came after he realized how much of his children’s early years he had missed. His return now brings fresh attention to a decision he says was deeply personal and made at the right time.
Matthew Fox explains Hollywood break after ‘Lost’
Speaking at the New York premiere of ‘The Madison’ on Monday, Fox told Variety, “I felt like it was time to engage really intensely with my family.” He explained that the pace of ‘Lost,’ film work, and constant promotion had taken him away from home too often.“I had missed some of their childhood because I was on set all the time with ‘Lost’ and doing films and promoting everything,” he said. “It was the right moment for me to step back and take a moment and engage with the people that I love and care about the most in the world.”
Matthew Fox returns with ‘The Madison’
Fox stayed away from regular television work for more than a decade. He later admitted that, with time, he began to miss acting again. “I kind of missed storytelling,” he said, adding that he quickly agreed when producer Taylor Sheridan approached him about joining ‘The Madison.’ In the new series, Fox plays Paul, described as a rugged bachelor who is most at home outdoors. The show follows a New York City family that moves to Montana’s Madison River Valley after a devastating plane crash kills two relatives. Michelle Pfeiffer stars as Stacy Clyburn, the wealthy matriarch who moves her family from Manhattan after the tragedy.Fox’s decision to leave acting also matched his personal goals. In a 2022 interview, Fox said he had already completed much of the career path he had wanted, including starring in a Western with ‘Bone Tomahawk.’ He explained, “I kind of had a bucket list in my mind of things that I wanted to accomplish in the business,” and added, “I wanted to do a Western. It’s a very odd Western, but it’s a Western. And so that sort of completed the bucket list.” Fox returned to television in 2022 with ‘Last Light,’ his first TV role since ‘Lost’ ended in 2010. He later appeared in the comedy series ‘C*A*U*G*H*T’ before taking on ‘The Madison.’
