80s movie star unrecognizable as he’s spotted in NY 25 years after quitting fame and Hollywood career

THIS 80s movie star looks unrecognizable as he was spotted in New York 25 years after quitting fame.

The 71-year-old Toronto actor was seen making a rare outing as he strolled through the city on Christmas Eve.

The movie star stepped back from the spotlight 25 years ago to become a full time parent after the death of his wife.

He has been in a number of hit films, including the Ghostbusters franchise in the 80s.

But can you guess who it is?

It's none other than Rick Moranis, famed for hit movies including Honey, I Shrunk The Kids, Spaceballs and Ghostbusters.

Rick was spotted enjoying a day out in the Big Apple, wearing a green padded jacket, a pair of olive coloured trousers and black boots. 

The star wrapped up warm with a colourful beanie hat and a pair of gloves.

He was seen listening to music while he carried his shopping in two plastic carrier bags.

Rick confirmed in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in 2017 that he has not retired from the big screen, but he is being more selective about the roles he takes on.

His last on-camera role was in 1997, before his hiatus.

Most recently, Moranis featureds in an advertisement for Mint Mobile in 2020, a phone plan company owned by actor Ryan Reynolds.

Reynolds himself tweeted that he "wept" when Moranis agreed to do the commerical.

It was after he stepped away from the big screen after his wife, costume designer Ann Belsky, tragically died from breast cancer in 1991.

He said he wanted to focus on their children, Mitchell and Rachel.

"I pulled out of making movies in about 96 or 97," he told USA Today in 2005.

"I'm a single parent, and I just found that it was too difficult to manage raising my kids and doing the traveling involved in making movies.

"So I took a little bit of a break. And the little bit of a break turned into a longer break, and then I found that I really didn’t miss it."

In 2020, the star was walking through Manhattan's Upper West Side at 7.24am on Thursday morning when he was viciously assaulted.

Footage showed a man wearing all black and an "I love NY" hoodie approach the actor and knock him to the ground.

"Rick Moranis was assaulted on the Upper West Side yesterday. He is fine but grateful for everyone’s thoughts and well wishes," a rep for Rick shared following the assault.

Rick went to a hospital after the attack, suffering from injuries to the head, back, and hip.

He then reported the attack to cops at the 20th Precinct, with the NYPD requesting aid in identifying the attacker.

"[An unidentified] male punched a 67-year-old male knocking him to the ground and causing substantial pain / injury," police said on X, formerly known as Twitter, at the time.

In 2022, a homeless man pleaded guilty to randomly attacking Rick, along with other attacks in the city, according to the New York Post.