Haley Joel Osment, the actor who captivated audiences as a child star in The Sixth Sense, has resurfaced in the public eye, sharing a rare and personal update that offers a glimpse into his life away from Hollywood.
Now 36, Haley recently reflected on his decision to step back from the industry after high school and the journey that led him back to the silver screen.
“When I first started out, my parents always told me, ‘If it ever stops being fun, you can quit tomorrow,’” Haley shared to E! News, recounting the advice that shaped his early years in Hollywood. After achieving international fame at just 11 years old with an Oscar nomination under his belt, the pressure to continue acting could have been overwhelming. But when Haley reached college age, he made a pivotal decision: to take a step back and explore whether a life in acting was truly what he wanted.
“I had the opportunity to study theater and really think about whether this was something I wanted to pursue for the rest of my life,” he explained. The result? A resounding yes. Despite the challenges and uncertainties that come with the acting profession, Haley realized that his passion for the craft had not waned.
Haley’s latest project, Blink Twice, marks a new chapter in his career. Directed by Zoë Kravitz and set to hit theaters on August 23, the film showcases Haley in a role that’s a far cry from his past work. Yet, his love for acting remains as strong as ever, even as the industry—and the world—has changed dramatically since his early days as a child star.
When Haley decided to enroll at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in 2006, the Hollywood landscape was far different from what it is today.
“Those were pretty tense years in terms of how celebrity culture was in Los Angeles,” Haley recalled. The early 2000s were marked by an aggressive, often predatory, tabloid culture that hounded young stars relentlessly. Haley admitted that he was relieved to put some distance between himself and the chaotic world of Hollywood during that time.
Living in New York for about 15 years allowed Haley to cultivate a sense of normalcy, away from the relentless paparazzi and the pressures of fame. But last fall, he returned to Los Angeles, where he was spotted on the picket line outside Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, standing in solidarity with his fellow Screen Actors Guild members during the strike.
Los Angeles, Haley noted, has “mellowed out a bit” since the days of his youth. The toxic paparazzi culture he once witnessed has subsided somewhat, replaced by a new era of celebrity engagement. This shift is something Haley attributes, in part, to the rise of social media—a platform he initially resisted.
“It took me a long time to figure out how to navigate social media,” Haley confessed. As a public figure who values his privacy, the idea of sharing his life online was daunting. However, after seeing numerous fake accounts claiming to be him, Haley decided to join Instagram as a way to control his narrative and connect with his fans on his terms.
Reflecting on his own childhood in Hollywood, Haley expressed admiration for the younger generation of actors who must navigate the complexities of today’s digital age. “When I was coming up in the industry, the Internet was around, but it wasn’t omnipresent like it is today,” he said. “I’m really impressed with how younger actors manage the TikTok-Instagram-social media landscape, because that’s not something I had to deal with at their age.”
As for his own family, Haley is quick to acknowledge the role his parents played in keeping him grounded throughout his career. Raised by a theater actor father and a teacher mother, Haley was encouraged to attend “regular school” and maintain friendships outside the industry—a decision he believes helped him stay balanced.
Haley’s sister, Emily Osment, has also carved out a successful career in Hollywood, and the two remain close. “We definitely try to help each other as much as we can,” Haley said, though he’s quick to note that Emily “forged her own path” in the industry.
With Emily’s wedding on the horizon, the Osment family has much to celebrate. Haley shared that they’ve been busy getting their groomsmen suits tailored, eagerly anticipating the big day.