After years in Hollywood’s spotlight, Chris O’Donnell decided to leave fame behind and open a pizza chain in the U.S. The “Batman & Robin” actor shared details about his new career path.
Known for his roles in “Scent of a Woman” and “Batman & Robin,” Chris O’Donnell, 54, chose to step away from acting and launched a pizza business in California and Texas.
O’Donnell’s career started early—by age 13 he wanted to be on TV, and at 16, in 1987, he was already appearing in commercials with Michael Jordan.
After doing a McDonald’s commercial, his film career began to take off. In 1990, he made his debut in “Men Don’t Leave” with Jessica Lange and Kathy Bates.
He also worked alongside Brendan Fraser and Matt Damon in “School Ties” (1992), but it was his role opposite Al Pacino in “Scent of a Woman” that made him a star.
The young actor received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in the film that earned Pacino an Oscar for Best Actor.
In “Batman Forever” (1995), O’Donnell beat out Leonardo DiCaprio for the role of Robin, playing opposite Val Kilmer as Batman.
In 1997, he reprised the role of the Caped Crusader’s sidekick, this time alongside George Clooney. The film, however, was panned by critics and dealt a blow to O’Donnell’s career.
To appear in “Batman & Robin,” O’Donnell had to turn down the roles of Jack Dawson in “Titanic” and Agent J in “Men in Black.”
+ Watch Chris O’Donnell’s interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
“I think the hardest time in my life was right after the release of Batman, because no matter where I went, everyone knew who I was,” he told La Verdad.
The actor said he needed to choose a path that allowed him to raise a family with his girlfriend Carolina Fentress, whom he married in 1997 and with whom he has five children.
“If I wanted to live the playboy lifestyle, I would’ve had to give up my family—but I chose to build a traditional home like the one I grew up in,” he shared.
He continued acting in the film “Vertical Limit” (2000) and made appearances in series such as “Grey’s Anatomy” and more recently “NCIS: Los Angeles,” which aired its final episode in 2023.
Today, Chris O’Donnell works with Italian chef Daniel Uditi at their restaurant Pizzana in California, which now has seven locations. In addition to making pizzas, O’Donnell occasionally delivers orders himself.
In an interview on “Live! with Kelly and Michael,” he said that pizza nights with friends inspired him to open the restaurant.
“Daniel used to cook in my backyard for five or six years. Our friends—owners of Sprinkles Cupcakes—told me, ‘This guy is amazing, we have to open a restaurant,’” said the former Hollywood star.
At 54, Chris O’Donnell now leads a quieter life, closer to his family.
Photos: YouTube TheEllenShow. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
