Had enough? An Oppenheimer star is ‘frustrated’ and ‘fed up’ — taking a break from acting

David Krumholtz, who you’ll recognise from Nolan’s Oppenheimer and as the comic relief in Supergirl, has decided to back away from acting – at least for now. This isn’t your typical Hollywood “taking a break to recharge” announcement either; he’s sounded off about being thoroughly burnt out and rather disillusioned with the business at large.

The Oppenheimer and Supergirl actor announced his hiatus in a post on Threads (which he’s since deleted): ‘I kinda sorta put my acting career on hold the other day. It’s been something I’ve been petrified to do for years. Specifically, the fear was that I’d go broke and not be able to handle being out of the game. But I sent the definitive email. And gotta say, a huge wave of relief washed over me. Not sure what I’m going to do for money instead, or how I’m going to do it, but I just removed a humongous burden, one that I truly didn’t fathom the weight of until it was gone. Frustrated, fed up, fried.’

Krumholtz, who’s now 48 and has been at this for ages (Numb3rs, anyone?), picked up quite a lot of reactions after his post went up. He was open with fans in the comments, admitting that the warm responses caught him off guard. He broke things down a bit, basically saying there’s a hefty difference between acting for the sheer love of it, and actually having to do it as a paid job on set after set. He’s genuinely loved working, the limelight, the craft – but those old instincts to grind and hustle for roles just aren’t there anymore.

As for those panicking that he’s leaving showbiz for good, he’s made it clear that’s not the deal. He told Deadline that he’s ‘not quitting entirely’, instead he wants ‘an indefinite break’ – so don’t be too surprised if he does pop up again (eventually). Right now, he says, it’s about having a think about whether there’s something bigger, or just less exhausting, he should be doing with his time.

Krumholtz clarified in a follow-up: ‘Just taking a bit of a step back and an indefinite break. The stress of the moment has me wondering if there’s a higher calling to pursue. Thanks for the very kind thought. Means the world.’