Joe Pesci is a well-known actor who has given remarkable and great performances in films such as “Goodfellas” and “Home Alone.” His exceptional voice and presence are still remembered by a large audience who saw him as a rising star until, at the end of the 1990s, he decided to just vanish from public life and, with it, from ours. Joe Pesci chose to leave the movie profession 20 years ago, believe it or not.

The Italian-American actor had only made two live-action cinema appearances in the twenty-first century until making a brief comeback with 2019’s The Irishman. Why did Pesci, who is now 79 years old, want to retire so early? Many movie stars have worked until they are 79 years old.

According to Deadline, Pesci told Robert DeNiro and Martin Scorsese “No” 50 times before eventually accepting “The Irishman.” According to the report, Pesci decided to act after Netflix invested $160 million in the film.

“When Netflix got into the picture — because then we had the backing,” Scorsese told Entertainment Weekly regarding Pesci’s decision. “It’s not even about the money or about being compensated and appreciated for your value. It’s about the physicality of [making a film] where nobody’s giving you anything. At a certain age and physicality for the actors, it may not be worth it.”

Joe Pesci and Martin Scorsese pose during the 55th Annual Directors Guild Awards on March 1, 2003 in Los Angeles. | Vince Bucci/Getty Images

Joe Pesci and Robert De Niro have been in seven films together and have been friends for 50 years.

Pesci received his third Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for the Irishman. Brad Pitt won the prize for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood that night, but given that Pesci didn’t attend the event, it’s unlikely he felt strongly about it.

Pesci had the opportunity to play Angelo Ruggiero, one of the Gambino family leaders, in the 2013 film “Gotti,” which was subsequently allocated to John Travolta.

Pesci even gained 30 pounds for the part, but when the project was halted, he sued the filmmakers. The production business reached an out-of-court settlement for $3 million.

Pesci’s decision to leave it all behind while he was at the top of his game is fascinating. Not that he would continue to garner excellent starring parts for years to come, but he would undoubtedly continue to play a significant role in numerous cinematic moments throughout the last two decades.

In a 1992 New York Times interview, Pesci hinted at his aversion to cinematic roles. “I love to star in movies, but I want to have good roles. It doesn’t help to get starring roles in something that’s no good. I mean, that will just kill you.”

There’s also the music: Pesci’s third album, Pesci… Still Singing, was released in 2019.

There’s no indication that Pesci will return to acting. Pesci’s net worth is believed to be over $50 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. As a guy approaching his eighties, it’s hard to blame him for wanting to enjoy his retirement, and considering his body of work, he’ll be recognized as a real cinema icon nonetheless.

Joe Pesci has lived in an Art Deco-inspired waterfront estate on the Jersey Shore in recent years. In 2021, he sold the property and announced his intention to retire to California, where he hopes to play more golf.