If a comedy in the 1980s required a nerdy and lovable guy, it was a safe bet that character would be played by Rick Moranis. He was a staple of the decade, appearing in beloved films like “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Ghostbusters,” and “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids,” to name a few. However, not much has been seen of him in recent decades, as the real reason Moranis left Hollywood was to focus on raising kids following the death of his wife, Ann Belsky. He may not be as ubiquitous today as he once was, but he’s unmistakable when seeing him walking down the street. 

The last place people might have seen him was in a 2020 ad for Mint Mobile alongside Ryan Reynolds, where he acts confused about what he’s doing in the commercial in the first place. A few years later, People published some photos of the actor walking around New York City around the time of his 71st birthday, continuing to sport his signature glasses. No doubt it was great for many to see him out and about, especially considering he was assaulted in the same city in 2020. Moranis was ultimately fine, with the perpetrator getting apprehended, and Ryan Reynolds had the perfect response to the whole incident, continuing to voice the sentiment that 2020 was just a bad year for all. 

Rick Moranis has largely kept a low profile since 1997’s “Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves!” However, he’s continued acting here and there, mostly in voiceover capacities, like for 2003’s “Brother Bear.” He also reprised his role of Dark Helmet for an episode of “The Goldbergs,” but he’s not always so willing to come back for the sake of a bit part. Moranis turned down a cameo in 2016’s “Ghostbusters” because the prospect didn’t appeal to him. However, he’s open to more work if the right project comes along.

In a rare interview in 2015, Moranis told The Hollywood Reporter, “I still get the occasional query about a film or television role, and as soon as one comes along that piques my interest, I’ll probably do it.” There was talk a few years back of Disney being interested in another sequel to “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids,” titled “Shrunk.” The plan was to bring Moranis back as Wayne Szalinski, with Josh Gad joining the project in some capacity. Unfortunately, Gad posted this on X (formerly known as Twitter) in June 2023: “Truth is, we were inches from starting and then COVID hit, inches from starting again & then my schedule exploded with conflicts, inches from starting again & budget got the best of us.”

With “Shrunk” stuck in limbo, it’s unclear what Moranis’ next project will be. But he looks good and seems happy, and that’s all that really matters.