The real reason Jennifer Love Hewitt vanished from Hollywood

As one of Hollywood’s hottest young stars of the 1990s, Jennifer Love Hewitt was poised to become a celebrated actor with respectable adult performances for decades to come.

But in 2015, the star of the hit TV show Ghost Whisperer, the “it girl” who tabloids loved, ghosted Hollywood, leaving fans speculating on the reason behind her disappearance.

It is not an exaggeration to say that Jennifer Love Hewitt was one of the biggest teen stars of the nineties. I mean, who didn’t fall for Jennifer Love’s Hewitt?

According to me, she possessed the most captivating smile, and there was something truly heartwarming and genuine about her presence.

After appearing in several TV commercials, Hewitt, now 44, had her big break when she was only 10 with the Disney Channel’s Kids Incorporated (1989 to 1991).

The show, about young people who perform in a rock band, served as a launching pad for many celebrities, like Fergie of the Grammy-winning band Black Eyed Peas, Mario Lopez, of Saved by the Bell and Access Hollywood, And Eric Balfour who had starring roles in 24 and Haven.

Of course, also Hewitt, who was later cast as a regular on the popular TV drama Party of Five, where she starred with an ensemble cast of Scott Wolf, Matthew Fox, Neve Campbell, and Lacy Chabert.

When Party of Five ended after six seasons in 1999, Hewitt then went on to star in touchstone films of the 1990s like the teen horror franchise I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997 and 1998) and the teen drama Can’t Hardly Wait (1998). 

Jennifer Love Hewitt attends “The Greatest Show on Earth” 125th Edition of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Opening Night Performance to Benefit Variety – The Children’s Charity on April 27, 1995 at the Los Angeles Sports Arena in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

In 2001, Hewitt starred as the daughter of Sigourney Weaver’s character in the film Heartbreakers, an appearance that Roger Ebert critiqued in his review as Hewitt spending “the entire film with her treasures on display, maybe as product placement for the Wonderbra.”

Hewitt, who’s had a turbulent relationship with the media since she started filling out as a woman, said in a 2018 interview with LA Times, “It wasn’t actually until later, in the time when I took the step back, that I went “ugh.” It’s the worst–that’s not what I want to be remembered for.” She continued, “I don’t want my kid to Google me one day and see ‘She looks terrible’ or ‘She has big boobs and she’s hot.’ I don’t want that to be who I am.”

In 2002, she co-starred with Jackie Chan in the spy parody Tuxedo, where she was mostly covered up, oftentimes wearing the superpower-holding tuxedo.

Jennifer Love Hewitt and Ross McCall at the World premiere of ‘The Break-Up’ / Shutterstock

Returning to TV in 2005, she played Melinda Gordon, a woman who communicates with the dead, in Ghost Whisperer.

Though the show failed to earn the respect of critics, it still had a loyal following. Hewitt said she was crushed when Ghost Whisperer was abruptly canceled in 2010, leaving viewers hanging.

“For me, it was a total shock… I thought our next season probably would be the last, just because the show had been on for a really long time,” she said. “It’s hard to come up with new things that will keep people intrigued, but I never thought in a million years that was going to have been our last season.”

In 2012, Hewitt earned her first Golden Globe nomination for her starring role in the Client List, where she plays a single mother, who makes a living as an erotic masseuse to support her children.

Wikipedia Commons / lukeford.net

While filming Client List, Hewitt, also a singer, met her first and only husband, Brian Hallisay, who in the show plays the deadbeat dad to her on-screen children.

In real life, Hallisay is a great husband and father of three. The two married in 2013 and had their first daughter, Autumn, days after they wed. The pair then had Atticus in 2015, and Aiden in 2021.

Having worked tirelessly since she was a child, Hewitt slipped away from the spotlight in 2015, explaining that she needed time to be a wife and mother.

“There was a lot going on in my own life that just felt like I needed some space and some time to kind of be. I’ve really enjoyed the break, and I feel like now, the last few months, having gone back into acting, it’s really done a beautiful thing for me in that it’s made everything that I do in my acting/entertainment life not less important but less like, ‘It’s everything all the time,’ like it used to be.”

Shutterstock

In her time away, Hewitt was also trying to heal from the death of her mother, who was 67 when she died of cancer in 2012, a loss she says still “feels very raw.”

During this challenging period in her life, Jennifer made the decision to leave Twitter as well. For some reason, she faced a great deal of hate on the platform.

Being pregnant, she couldn’t handle all the negativity and hostility, so she chose to step away from Twitter, which caused quite a stir.

”Unfortunately with all the negativity people choose to send on twitter as well as threats to their own well being I’m sad to say Twitter is no longer for me,” Jennifer wrote in 2013.

Jennifer Love Hewitt is seen on October 10, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by SMXRF/Star Max/FilmMagic)

Since starting her career in 1989, Jennifer Love Hewitt has embarked on an incredible transformation journey, both physically and emotionally.

Unfortunately, she has also experienced the downsides of Hollywood, celebrity status, and objectification by tabloids. Some online media outlets went too far and made some really derogatory and harsh comments when bikini photos of Jennifer were leaked, highlighting her weight gain. Some of these outlets commented on her bikini pictures, saying things like “I know what you ate last summer.”

Jennifer could handle the tough comments, but she worried about how the pictures and headlines were impacting other girls struggling with their body image.

Jennifer Love Hewitt arrives at the FOX Summer TCA 2019 All-Star Party at Fox Studios on August 7, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic)

In a powerful response, she directed a message to all the ”girls with butts, boobs, hips and a waist” and instructed them to “put on a bikini, put it on, and stay strong”.

The Ghost Whisperer star encouraged them to proudly wear a bikini, stay strong, and embrace themselves as they are. Jennifer has gone through several weight journeys, sought the help of personal trainers, and strives to live a healthy lifestyle.

Today, she “never looks at the scale” and she doesn’t count calories. The 90’s star looks healthier than ever and remains active on social media and regularly shares updates about herself on her Instagram and Facebook accounts.

Jennifer Love Hewitt and Kenneth Choi in the Breaking Point episode in 2020 / Getty Images

In 2020, following a three-year hiatus, Hewitt returned to work with “renewed energy and vigor,” appearing in the TV series 9-1-1, that follows the lives of first responders.

Starring as Maddie Buckley, a former nurse turned 911 operator, the show–now in its eighth season–gave Hewitt a platform to develop her profile, from one where she was earlier typecast as a symbol, to a mature, seasoned actor.

jenniferlovehewitt/Instagram

“I also feel like I have new things to pull from as an actress that I didn’t have before. I think it’s so odd as actors that we, especially kid actors, which I was, we’re expected to pull from all these life experiences that so many of us haven’t had,” Hewitt told the LA Times. “I feel like I acted for a lot of years from my heart, but not really, truly understanding some of the things that I understand now.”

It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost 25 years since we fell in love with Jennifer Love Hewitt’s infectious smile on Party of Five!

As the mother of three, it’s great she’s found the balance between work and family life, and we look forward to seeing her in even more mature roles in the future!

My Twin Sister Deleted Our Photos and Disappeared — When I Finally Found Her, She Pretended Not to Know Me

Miley’s life turned upside down when her twin sister, Sara, erased all their photos from social media and disappeared without a trace. When Miley finally found her months later, Sara’s reaction was even more chilling: she pretended not to know her.

I’ll never forget the day when I found out that every photo of Sara and me had vanished from social media. Just… gone. Like we’d never existed.

My heart was pounding so hard, and I almost felt like throwing up.

A close-up shot of a woman's face | Source: Midjourney

A close-up shot of a woman’s face | Source: Midjourney

Let me back up a bit. I’m Miley, just a regular 24-year-old girl trying to do her best in life. Everything was going well up until a few months ago.

It all started after I had finally landed a job that could jumpstart my career. I was sharing a tiny apartment with my twin sister, Sara.

We’d been through thick and thin together, from losing our mom in a car accident when we were five to navigating the foster care system.

Those early days after Mom died are a blur.

Twin sisters | Source: Pexels

Twin sisters | Source: Pexels

I remember holding Sara’s hand as we walked into our new foster home. We were so terrified.

“It’ll be okay, Miley,” Sara whispered. “I’ve got you.”

That was Sara. Always the brave one, always looking out for me. She’d always step in whenever kids at school would tease me about my secondhand clothes or my quiet nature.

“Back off!” she’d scream. “Nobody messes with my sister!”

We were the same age, but Sara had taken up the role of the protective elder sister who was always there to keep me safe.

Twin sisters smiling | Source: Pexels

Twin sisters smiling | Source: Pexels

I don’t know how I would have dealt with the bullies if it wasn’t for her.

Growing up, Sara and I were inseparable. We shared everything from clothes to dreams. We even went to the same college together.

After graduation, I landed a job at a marketing firm, while Sara was still searching for her big break.

“Don’t worry about me,” she’d say, waving off my concerns. “You focus on killing it at work. I’ll figure something out.”

A woman talking to her sister | Source: Midjourney

A woman talking to her sister | Source: Midjourney

“I’m here for you, Sara,” I’d tell her. “And I always will be. We’ll figure this out together, okay?”

It was a few months after graduating when we rented this small, cozy apartment.

We’ve made so many memories there, and it felt so good to live with my twin sister. After all, she was the only family I had.

But a few months ago, things started to change.

A woman looking outside a window | Source: Midjourney

A woman looking outside a window | Source: Midjourney

Sara became… different. Secretive. She’d disappear for hours without explanation, or stay glued to her phone at home.

One night, we were sitting in the living room when I decided to confront her. I couldn’t take it anymore.

“Sara, what’s going on? Are you seeing someone?”

She glanced up from her phone, looking annoyed. “What? No. Why would you think that?”

“You’re always on your phone, sneaking off… I’m worried about you.”

A woman looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney

A woman looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney

She rolled her eyes. “Miley, I love you, but you need to chill. I’m fine. Just… doing some research for job stuff.”

I wanted to believe her, but something felt off.

However, since I was swamped with work and wanted to prove myself at my new job, I decided not to worry about it.

Big mistake.

A few weeks later, I was at work when I noticed Sara had erased our online history. All our photos had disappeared from social media, and she had blocked me from every platform.

A person holding their phone | Source: Pexels

A person holding their phone | Source: Pexels

I raced home from work that day, praying I was overreacting. But my worst fears came alive when I burst into our apartment.

Sara was gone.

Her closet was empty and she had taken everything that belonged to her. Books, laptop… even the stupid stuffed penguin she’d had since we were kids.

That was the worst day of my life.

I had no idea what to do. I couldn’t believe that my sister left me without saying goodbye. Without telling me why she couldn’t live with me anymore.

A woman looking straight ahead and thinking | Source: Midjourney

A woman looking straight ahead and thinking | Source: Midjourney

I spent the next few weeks looking for her. I went to the police station, asked my friends for help, posted online… I did everything I could to find her.

“I’m sorry, miss,” the officer said for what felt like the hundredth time. “Your sister is an adult. If she chose to leave, there’s not much we can do.”

But I couldn’t give up. Sara was more than my sister. She was my other half. My best friend. The only real family I had left.

A woman standing outside a building | Source: Midjourney

A woman standing outside a building | Source: Midjourney

Months went by and there was no trace of her.

At that point, I kept myself distracted with work during the day, but the nights were horrible. I cried myself to sleep in our half-empty apartment.

I was at my lowest point.

Then, one day, while I was out doing some shopping to distract myself, I saw her.

Sara. My sister.

She was walking arm-in-arm with an older man, laughing like she didn’t have a care in the world.

An older man with a young woman | Source: Midjourney

An older man with a young woman | Source: Midjourney

My heart skipped a beat.

“Sara!” I cried. “Oh my god, where have you been? Why did you leave?”

But the look she gave me… it was like I was a total stranger. Cold. Distant.

“Who are you?” she asked, her voice eerily calm. “I don’t know you.”

“What? Sara, it’s me. It’s Miley. Your sister. Your twin.”

Sara’s face remained blank. “I’m sorry, but I think you have me confused with someone else. Please leave us alone.”

The older man she was with looked concerned.

A man at a mall | Source: Midjourney

A man at a mall | Source: Midjourney

“Is everything alright?” he asked, glancing between us.

I turned to him. “Please, you have to help me. This is my sister, Sara. We grew up together. She disappeared months ago, and I’ve been looking everywhere for her.”

“Is this true?” he asked Sara.

She sighed. “Fine. Yes, it’s true. This is Miley, my twin sister.”

The man’s eyes widened.

“Twin sister? But that would mean…” He extended his hand to me. “I’m Kevin. I’m… well, I guess I’m your father.”

A man extending his hand | Source: Pexels

A man extending his hand | Source: Pexels

I stared at him as my mind struggled to process this bombshell. “Our… father? But we never knew our dad. Mom always said…”

“Maybe we should sit down,” Kevin suggested gently. “I think we all have a lot to talk about.”

I followed them to a nearby café. Sara finally met my eyes when we settled into a booth.

“I’m sorry, Miley,” she said softly. “I didn’t mean for it to happen like this.”

“What happened?” I asked. “Why did you leave? Why didn’t you tell me?”

She took a deep breath.

A woman in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney

A woman in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney

“Remember when I was being all secretive with my phone? I… I took one of those DNA tests. You know, the ones that tell you about your ancestry?”

I nodded, still confused.

“Well, it matched me with Kevin here,” she continued. “He’s our biological father.”

“I had no idea,” Kevin began explaining. “I took the test on a whim. All my golf buddies were doing it. And I was so shocked when Sara contacted me… I dated your mother briefly. Years ago. But she never told me she was pregnant.”

A couple on the street | Source: Pexels

A couple on the street | Source: Pexels

“But why keep it a secret?” I asked Sara. “Why disappear?”

Sara’s eyes filled with tears. “I… I wanted something that was just mine, for once. We’ve shared everything our whole lives, Miley. Our clothes, our friends, our tiny apartment. When I found out about Kevin, I just… I wanted to explore this connection on my own. Just for a little while.”

“And you erased me from your life?” I whispered.

“I know it was wrong,” Sara said, reaching for my hand.

A woman in a restaurant, looking down | Source: Midjourney

A woman in a restaurant, looking down | Source: Midjourney

“I got carried away. I convinced myself that you’d be fine without me, that you had your new job and your life… I’m so sorry, Miley.”

Kevin cleared his throat.

“I take full responsibility too,” he said. “When Sara told me about you, I should have insisted we contact you right away. I was just so excited to get to know my daughter… I didn’t think about how it might affect you.”

At that point, all I needed was some time to process everything.

A woman looking at a person sitting in front of her | Source: Midjourney

A woman looking at a person sitting in front of her | Source: Midjourney

What was supposed to be a trip to the mall had suddenly turned into an unexpected family reunion. I couldn’t believe I was sitting with my long-lost father and my twin sister who I thought was gone forever.

“I need some air,” I mumbled as I stood up. “I’ll be back”

I quickly left the café and took a deep breath.

A few seconds later, I felt a hand on my shoulder.

A woman looking behind her | Source: Midjourney

A woman looking behind her | Source: Midjourney

It was Sara.

“Miley,” she said softly. “I know I messed up. Big time. But you’re my sister and nothing will change that. Can you forgive me? Please?”

I looked at her for a few seconds and realized she was still the person who’d always protected me. She was my Sara, and I had to forgive her.

“On one condition,” I smiled. “No more secrets. Okay?”

“Deal,” she nodded and pulled me into a hug.

As we held each other tight, I realized our story wasn’t over.

A woman hugging her sister | Source: Midjourney

A woman hugging her sister | Source: Midjourney

It was just beginning… with a new chapter, a new family member, and a bond that couldn’t be broken.

At that point, we had a lot to figure out, but I knew we’d do it together. Just like we always had.

If you enjoyed reading this story, here’s another one you might like: When Nina’s twin sister Emma tricked her husband, Luke, into a scandalous betrayal on their wedding night, Nina devised a plan for vengeance. With the help of a homeless man transformed into a faux tycoon, she orchestrated a public humiliation that left Emma’s world in shambles.

This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.

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