Between 2004 and 2010, the series Lost has marked television history. For six years, viewers passionately followed the six seasons depicting the fate of plane crash survivors stranded on a mysterious island plagued by supernatural events. Among the actors who made this series a cult favorite is Matthew Fox, who portrayed the character of Dr. Jack Shepard.
While the actor had Hollywood at his feet, he decided to step back for several years. Returning in The Madison, a spin-off of Yellowstone, Matthew Fox spoke to Variety on March 10, 2026 about the reasons that led him to pause his acting career.
Matthew Fox explains being retired to spend time with his family
On the red carpet of The Madison premiere, Matthew Fox reflected on his departure from Hollywood in 2014, four years after the end of Lost. “I felt it was time to fully invest in my family,” he explained, acknowledging that his busy schedule during the peak of the ABC series prevented him from fully enjoying certain moments of his children’s youth.
“I had missed part of their childhood because I was constantly on the set of Lost, between filming and promotion,” he continued. “It was the right time for me to step back, refocus, and spend time with the people I love and who are most dear to me in the world.” After more than a decade away from television, Matthew Fox eventually admitted that he missed his profession.
Matthew Fox felt he had accomplished everything he wanted
After starring in the 2015 western Bone Tomahawk, Matthew Fox felt he had completed his goals. “I sort of had a list of things I wanted to achieve in this career,” he revealed in 2022 to Variety. “I wanted to do a western. A rather particular western, yes, but a western nonetheless. And so, in a way, that completed my list.”
At the same time, his two sons, now 28 and 25 years old, were growing up quickly. “I felt it was time to come home,” he continued, praising his wife of over thirty years, Margherita Ronchi, who had “magnificently” held the fort while he worked. “I really felt like I was retiring from the business world and devoting myself to other creative projects that truly resonate with me: music and writing.”
Before achieving international fame with Lost, Mathew Fox became known in the series Party of Five from 1994 to 2000, notably alongside Neve Campbell.
