15. Peter Ostrum
In 1971, Peter Ostrum dazzled audiences as Charlie Bucket in the hit film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. He was 12 at the time and seemed to have an auspicious acting career ahead of him. He even had the option to sign a three-year film contract. However, Ostrum ultimately decided that an actor’s life was not for him in the long run.
As it turned out, Ostrum had a real affinity for animals, horses in particular. He went on to receive a degree from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. To this day, he enjoys a fruitful career as a veterinarian, mostly dealing with horses, but cattle as well.