The Full Story: Why Phoebe Cates Left It All Behind
For millions of fans in the 80s, she was the ultimate dream girl. From the red bikini in Fast Times to the sweet girl-next-door in Gremlins, Phoebe Cates had the world at her feet. But just as she reached the top, she did something almost unheard of in Hollywood: she simply walked away.
The reason wasnât a scandal, a flop movie, or a lack of offers. It was something much simpler: love and family.
In 1983, she met actor Kevin Kline during an audition. Despite a 16-year age gap, the connection was instant. They married in 1989, and as they started a family, they made a pact: they would alternate work schedules so one parent was always home with the kids. But whenever it was Phoebeâs “turn” to work, she found she didnât want to leave.
“I wasn’t driven by it,” Kevin later explained. “She loved acting while she was doing it, but she was not driven by it the way I was.”
By 1994, after the birth of her second child, she effectively retired. She traded red carpets for school runs and scripts for bedtime stories.
So, what is she doing now?
In 2005, Phoebe fulfilled a different kind of dream. She opened a boutique general store called Blue Tree on Madison Avenue in New York City.
It wasnât a vanity project where she just slapped her name on the door. For years, she was the one actually working behind the counter, wrapping gifts, and helping customers pick out jewelry or clothing. Many customers would walk in, do a double-take, and whisper, “You look just like Phoebe Cates,” not realizing it was actually her.
Now 62, she is still happily married to Kevin Kline (a rarity in Hollywood!), and they share two successful adult children, Owen and Greta (who is the musician known as Frankie Cosmos).
She has no social media, no reality show, and no desire to return to the chaos of fame. She found her happy ending not in the movies, but in the quiet, real moments of a life well-lived. â¤ď¸
