Freddie Prinze, Jr. Works An Incredibly Normal Job Today
Fans of '90s films remember Freddie Prinze Jr. With his boyish good looks, he seemed poised to be the next Hollywood star when he appeared in the classic horror flick "I Know What You Did Last Summer." Prinze Jr. followed that film up with the sequel, "I Still Know What You Did Last Summer," but he became the apple of every teen's eye when he appeared in the romantic comedy "She's All That."
So, what has Prinze Jr. been up to in the years since? While he does occasionally appear in film projects, it may surprise you to learn that Prinze Jr. left behind much of his fame for something even more rewarding — Prinze Jr. says he doesn't miss acting. "Yeah, I didn't miss [acting] at all when I walked away," Prinze Jr. told People in 2020. "And the business had changed so much, nothing filmed in L.A. anymore, but maybe four or five projects a year."
In fact, he didn't even know he was in one of his biggest recent films, "Star Wars: Rise of the Skywalker." "I didn't even know until the movie came out," he told Extra in 2020, after appearing in an uncredited vocal cameo. These days, Prinze Jr. works a job many American men do: He's a stay-at-home dad.
Freddie Prinze Jr. is a proud father
Freddie Prinze Jr. married his "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and "Scooby-Doo" co-star Sarah Michelle Gellar in 2002 and together they are the proud parents of two kids — daughter Charlotte Grace and son Rocky James. "I wanted to be a stay-at-home dad," he told GQ in 2016. "I wanted to cook breakfast and dinner for my kids every day."
Prinze Jr. himself dealt with tragedy early in life after his father Freddie Prinze Sr. died by suicide when Prinze Jr. was only a child. Prinze Jr. grew up struggling without a father and had a breakdown years later when he learned how his father passed away. "Nobody in my family could deal with how my father's legacy ended, so I had to at least write one more chapter that was positive. You can't end the book on that or it's a Shakespearean tragedy. It's a Greek tragedy," he continued.
According to Bustle, Prinze Jr. wanted to be a positive force in his children's lives and that meant being present for them. While he has appeared in more recent projects, such as the short-lived "Punky Brewster" revival, the '90s star has essentially stopped acting..
Freddie Prinze Jr. shows off his cooking skills
In fact, even Freddie Prinze Jr.'s wife Sarah Michelle Gellar is jealous of how much time he gets to spend with the kids. She once said that they often fought over who would get to stay home with the children, but she decided he was a natural.
"He loves it," Gellar told Us Weekly in 2012. "We fight over who gets to stay home. You'd think it would be the opposite, that the parents would be like, 'No, I'll go to work!' but he's like, 'You stayed home for two years! It's my turn!'"
Outside of being a stay-at-home dad, Prinze Jr. has found a new calling as a celebrity chef. Perhaps, all of those meals for his children served as an inspiration. According to People, Prinze Jr. released a cookbook "Back in the Kitchen" in 2016, which features 75 original recipes. He also occasionally does voice work, such as Kanan Jarrus in the animated show "Star Wars: Rebels," as well.