Rick Moranis Spotted Out and About in New York City Ahead of His 71st Birthday

The rare photo comes amid buzz about Moranis returning to the screen in 'Shrunk,' more than 25 years after his last live-action movie role

Suddenly, Rick Moranis!

The Little Shop of Horrors legend was seen in a rare candid photograph during a rainy day outing in New York City on Wednesday.

Moranis, who celebrates his 71st birthday in April, was dressed for the wet weather in a blue jacket over a matching shirt, tan pants and black shoes. He finished the look with a multicolored knit cap.

The actor and comedian, who has not appeared in a live-action feature film in more than 25 years, has rarely been spotted out and about since he was the victim of a random punch to the head in the same city back in October 2020. (A suspect was apprehended and charged the following month.)

Moranis decided to take a step back from Hollywood a year after his wife, costume designer Ann Belsky, died in February 1991 of breast cancer. The couple shared two children: daughter Rachel Moranis and son Mitchell Moranis.

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Related: Actors Who Decided to Step Away from Acting — and Whether or Not They Stuck to Their Decisions

The Ghostbusters actor slowly left public life after her death to focus on being a single father, but he's never retired from the business, as he told The Hollywood Reporter in 2015.

"I took a break, which turned into a longer break," he told THR. "But I'm interested in anything that I would find interesting. I still get the occasional query about a film or television role and as soon as one comes along that piques my interest."

"Stuff happens to people all the time, and people make adjustments, change careers, move to another city," he told THR. "Really, that's all I did."

While Moranis left Hollywood to focus on being present for his children, he didn't express regret over his decision.

"I was working with really interesting people, wonderful people. I went from that to being at home with a couple of little kids, which is a very different lifestyle. But it was important to me," he said, adding, "I have absolutely no regrets whatsoever. My life is wonderful."

Related: Ryan Reynolds Brings Rick Moranis Back for New Mint Mobile Ad: 'I'm a Huge Fan'

In February 2020, it was announced that Moranis would make his return to the big screen in Shrunk, reprising his iconic role of scientist Wayne Szalinski that he first played in 1989's Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. He later played Wayne in two sequels: Honey, I Blew Up the Kid (1992) and 1997's Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves, which was his most recent in-person movie role.

More than three years after Moranis' Shrunk casting was first announced, Josh Gad, who is set to costar in the film, gave an update on the anticipated production.

"A lot of u ask me what’s going on with this film. 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," Gad, 43, wrote on X (formerly Twitter) in June 2023.

"If you want it, let your local @disney know," he added, sharing an unofficial poster for the film, featuring Moranis, that he credited as being made by artist BossLogic.

Shrunk will take place decades after the first movie, with Gad starring as Wayne's grown-up son, Nick Szalinski (played by former child actor Robert Oliveri in the first two movies).

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