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Rachel McAdams Felt ‘Guilty’ Taking A 2-Year Break From Acting

Rachel McAdams is reflecting on her decision to take a break from acting for two years. In a new interview with Bustle, McAdams said of pausing her career, “I guess…

Rachel McAdams

Rachel McAdams attends the “Are You There God It’s Me, Margaret.” Los Angeles Premiere at the Regency Village Theatre on April 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

Amanda Edwards/Getty Images

Rachel McAdams is reflecting on her decision to take a break from acting for two years. In a new interview with Bustle, McAdams said of pausing her career, "I guess I always had a sense that it would be OK. Either it's going to work out, or it's not."

McAdams, 44, has taken time off from acting in the past. She did not appear in any films in 2006 or 2019. Her upcoming film, Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret marks her third feature film since 2020's Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga. The breaks from acting “really helped me feel empowered," the Mean Girls alum told the publication. "It helped me feel like I was taking back some control. And I think it sort of allowed me to come in from a different doorway.”

Guilty, But No Regrets

She did not feel entirely confident her break was the right decision after her success in 2004's Mean Girls. Rachel turned down parts in big movies like The Devil Wears Prada, Casino Royale, Mission: Impossible III, Iron Man, and Get Smart. The Canadian actress felt "anxious" about her decision, wondering if she was "just throwing it all away." She admits, "It's taken years to understand what I intuitively was doing."

Despite feeling "guilty for not capitalizing on the opportunity" she was being given, the Notebook star knew "it wasn't quite jiving with my personality and what I needed to stay sane." Stepping back, the actors who ultimately took on those movies were "the right person for that," she said.

Rachel will next be seen in Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, out in theaters on April 28. Based on the Judy Blume coming-of-age novel of the same name, it follows sixth-grader Margaret Simon as her family moves from New York City to the suburbs of New Jersey. Margaret, whose parents are Christian and Jewish, has been raised without an affiliation to one faith and thus goes on a quest to explore her religious identity. Watch the trailer below:

Ranking the ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Red Carpet Premiere

Marvel fans have been eagerly looking forward to the next installment of Doctor Strange's story following his role in last year's Spider-Man: No Way Home. Now, Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange takes center stage for Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness. Joining him is Benedict Wong  playing the character named Wong, Wanda Maximoff, played by Elizabeth Olsen, Rachel McAdams' Christine Palmer and Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness opens in theaters this Friday, May 6.

The time has now come, as the film's Hollywood premiere took place Monday evening and the stars looked glamorous on the red carpet. See below our rankings of the event:

22. Sam Raimi

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HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MAY 02: Director Sam Raimi attends Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness" premiere at Dolby Theatre on May 02, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)


21. Mayim Bialik

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HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MAY 02: Mayim Bialik attends Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness" premiere at Dolby Theatre on May 02, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)


20. Omarion

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HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MAY 02: Omarion attends Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness" premiere at Dolby Theatre on May 02, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)


19. Adam Hugill

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HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MAY 02: Adam Hugill attends Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness" premiere at Dolby Theatre on May 02, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)


18. Thuso Mbedu

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HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MAY 02: Thuso Mbedu attends Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness" premiere at Dolby Theatre on May 02, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)


17. Samantha Hanratty

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HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MAY 02: Samantha Hanratty attends Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness" premiere at Dolby Theatre on May 02, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)


16. Tatiana Maslany

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HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MAY 02: Tatiana Maslany attends Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness" premiere at Dolby Theatre on May 02, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)


15. Benedict Wong

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HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MAY 02: Benedict Wong attends Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness" premiere at Dolby Theatre on May 02, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)


14. Michael Evans Behling

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HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MAY 02: Michael Evans Behling attends Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness" premiere at Dolby Theatre on May 02, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)


13. Sheila Atim

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HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MAY 02: Sheila Atim attends Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness" premiere at Dolby Theatre on May 02, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)


12. Woosung

GettyImages-1395057911-scaled-1.jpg(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MAY 02: Woosung attends Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness" premiere at Dolby Theatre on May 02, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)


11. Tiffany Haddish

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HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MAY 02: Tiffany Haddish attends Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness" premiere at Dolby Theatre on May 02, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)


10. Savannah Moss

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HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MAY 02: Savannah Moss attends Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness" premiere at Dolby Theatre on May 02, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)


9. Benedict Cumberbatch

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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 02: Benedict Cumberbatch attends Marvel Studios "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness" at El Capitan Theatre on May 02, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)


8. Jett Klyne and Julian Hilliard

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HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MAY 02: (L-R) Jett Klyne and Julian Hilliard attend Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness" premiere at Dolby Theatre on May 02, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)


7. Hayley Atwell

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HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MAY 02: Hayley Atwell attends Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness" premiere at Dolby Theatre on May 02, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)


6. Frank Grillo

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HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MAY 02: Frank Grillo attends Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness" premiere at Dolby Theatre on May 02, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)


5. Sir Patrick Stewart and Sunny Ozell

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HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MAY 02: Sir Patrick Stewart and Sunny Ozell attend Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness" premiere at Dolby Theatre on May 02, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)


4. Rune Temte

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HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MAY 02: Rune Temte attends Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness" premiere at Dolby Theatre on May 02, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)


3. Elizabeth Olsen

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HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MAY 02: Elizabeth Olsen attends Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness" premiere at Dolby Theatre on May 02, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)


2. Xochitl Gomez

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HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MAY 02: Xochitl Gomez attends Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness" premiere at Dolby Theatre on May 02, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)


1. Rachel McAdams

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HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MAY 02: Rachel McAdam attends Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness" premiere at Dolby Theatre on May 02, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Laila Abuelhawa is the Top 40 and Hip-Hop pop culture writer for Beasley Media Group. Being with the company for over three years, Laila's fierce and fabulous red-carpet rankings have earned her a feature on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert!' Her favorite stories are those surrounding the latest in celebrity fashion, television and film rankings, and how the world reacts to major celebrity news. With a background in journalism, Laila's stories ensure accuracy and offer background information on stars that you wouldn't have otherwise known. She prides herself in covering stories that inform the public about what is currently happening and what is to come in the ever-changing, ever-evolving media landscape.