The Little Girl From You've Got Mail Doesn't Look Like This Anymore
The 1998 film You've Got Mail is rom-com gold. Starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, the film was about more than opposites attracting — it was also an examination of the world moving into a new, more connected age with the rise of the internet.
The film's central romance between Joe and Kathleen is certainly memorable, but so is the character of Annabelle, Joe's younger aunt. Annabelle was played by child star Hallee Hirsh, who not only gave an excellent performance but also gave a wonderful rendition of the song "Tomorrow" in the film.
Decades after You've Got Mail was released, Ryan and Hanks are still big stars, but Hirsh has maintained a lower profile. What is she up to these days?
Hallee Hirsh has traded acting for a simpler, more sustainable lifestyl
Hallee Hirsh has left Hollywood and is focused on raising her two kids and running her business. On her Instagram profile, she describes herself as "a yurt-dweller," a "mother of two," and a "permaculture seeker." She is also the co-owner of North Carolina donut shop Hole Donuts along with her husband, fellow actor Ryan Martin.
"We just kind of decided to change everything," Hirsh told Citizen Times of the couple's decision to leave Los Angeles for West Asheville, North Carolina. "We went off searching for somewhere in America full of the culture we love, that included homesteading and food — and Asheville called our name so loudly."
Hirsh is keeping fans updated about her exploits on social media where she posts plenty of pics of her simple lifestyle which includes raising livestock and spinning wool. Hirsh explained that she doesn't miss acting, because running the donut shop fulfills her need to perform as she and Martin make donuts right in front of their customers. Her husband agreed. "I don't need to go do a play or audition for things; this is good enough," he said. "Even making tortillas and bringing them to the store — running into people who say it's the best they've ever had — that is way more satisfaction than performing in a play for me. Or at least it scratches that same itch."