Have you ever thought about those famous young stars you would watch on TV back in the day and wondered what happened to them? We have all the answers you’re looking for. While some have grown up and only became more successful over the years, other child stars took a different route and you might not even recognize them. Let’s see what the following young stars are up to now.
It’s a Full House for Candace
Candace Cameron Bure was a hit back in the ‘80s and ‘90s as a child star in the TV series Full House. Bure played the role of D.J Tanner in the show and became very popular in the film industry with her performance. The producers even invited her back for the reboot Fuller House.
Candace has continued acting and has featured in a few other roles in some holiday favorites on TV and many Hallmark films. On top of her acting career, Candace is also involved in talk shows and has become an author and producer. She has both beauty and success and even a book to prove it, called Reshaping It All: Motivation for Physical and Spiritual Fitness.
Miranda Cosgrove’s Making the Money
Before Cosgrove was as popular and well known as she is today, thanks to Disney Channel, she was only featured in commercials. The star has since then worked her way to the top and was even listed as the highest-paid child star by Guinness.
Most of you may know her from the famous TV show iCarly - which is actually getting a reboot and Cosgrove will be appearing in it. Miranda is also well known for her performance on Drake and Josh. The star took a break from acting and went into the music business for a little but we will hopefully be seeing her on the new iCarly soon.
The Man Behind the Mask
Tom Holland has become a total hunk in the film industry and he has swooned over the hearts of many fans. His role as Spider-Man has us falling head over heels but before he was shooting webs, he was just a boy in London performing on West End’s theater scene and got his big break after his role in The Impossible.
His role in The Impossible caught the attention of many big names in the industry and lead him to where he is now. Holland is best known for his latest performance as the newest Spider-Man in the Marvel Universe, he's hit it big so we can only imagine what the future holds for him.
Alexa the Spy Kid Is Still Sensational
This wonder child started her start-studedd path at the young age of 12, having already acted before. Her biggest role though was in the 2001 hit Spy Kids and later its sequels Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams and Spy Kids 3-D Game Over.
Vega did not stop there, however, and she would later go back to play Carmen Cortez in Spy Kids 4: All The Time In The World. Though the beloved role has become somewhat of a professional trademark for her, she has been generating quite a stir with her next role in the planned sequel to the film Machete.
The Iconic Wednesday Adams
It’s hard to not recognize this child star Christina Ricci from her famous role as Wednesday Addams in the Addams Family. Portraying her character so well being both cute and creepy, Christina was definitely noticed by the film industry. Ricci has grown up but still has a little bit of Wednesday in her by being trendy and a little dark.
After the Addams Family, Christina continued to act and some of the films you can watch her in are Pan Am, Ally McBeal, and Sleepy Hollow. Ricci is still impressing people wither her roles and will always be remembered as the iconic Wednesday Addams.
Not So Little Anymore
This famous child star, Jonathan Lipnicki, is mostly known for his performance alongside a little mouse in Stuart Little and the Sequel Stuart Little 2. Amongst other acting roles, behind the scenes, Lipnicki was once the voice of a baby tiger in Dr. Doolittle!
He may have received many of his roles because of his irresistible cuteness, but he quickly grew up into a man. Jonathan has decided to perform in shorter films now as an adult and he apparently has a heart of gold. Lipnicki gives back to the community by contributing to animal and research groups.
The Film Industry's Sweetheart
Lacey Chabert is no longer the adorable little girl who played Claudia Salinger in Party of Five. looking all grown up and womanly, the star has just become more successful over the years. Her big break came from her role in Party of Five but she also had a role before that in the TV show All My Children. It may have only been for one year, but the star became highly demanded.
After her childhood, Lacey just became more popular and her success in the film industry landed her even more famous roles. Her iconic role in Mean Girls as Gretchen was a successful step in her career and the audience love the flawed but adorable character. Since then, Chabert has gotten involved in video games and many other TV shows and films.
Who Could Forget Annie?
The little girl you see here is the only star of the classic film Annie played by Aileen Quinn, who won a Young Artist Award for her execution of the role. Having red hair and freckles made Aileen special and solicited in the film industry.
Annie was her claim to fame as Quinn landed many roles after that in the ‘80s. Aileen performed in another famous film - Maggie is 30. The young Annie is now all grown up and is still making a name for herself. Quinn has not only been in many films but has also been working on her musical side as she has three albums and a few singles out.
Hillary Duff Took the World by Storm
Who could forget one of the most well-known child stars, Hillary Duff? Whether it was her role in Cinderella Story, Cheaper by the Dozen, or her iconic role as Lizzie McGuire, the young actress is simply adorable.
Duff is easily recognizable even today with her wavy blonde hair and her beautiful features but she’s no longer acting. McGuire has branched out and tried all avenues from being a co-author of a novel, trying her career in music, and even having her own fashion line! The star is now a mother of two children and it’s safe to say she’s all grown up.
Winning Awards Thanks to the Apocalypse
Being only four years old when he started a major acting role, Chandler Riggs was born to be a star. You may recognize his cute face from his role as Carl Grimes in The Walking Dead but don’t be fooled as the youngster sure knows how to slay some zombies. The star had some practice before as The Walking Dead wasn’t the first zombie film he featured in.
Riggs' zombie-fighting role has gained him major popularity in the film industry but he decided to give have a break from the apocalypse. Chandler has focused on other roles in well-known films such as A Million Little Things and Inherit the Viper.
Mae Got All the Attention
Mae Whitman was snatched up for roles as a kid, with those big eyes and her cute face, who wouldn't want her in their film? Whitman featured in Independence Day in 1996 and One Fine Day. Both of these films caught the attention of big names in the film business when they saw her performance.
Looking her absolute best, Whitman is spreading her wings all around the entertainment industry. One of her popular roles was in the TV show Good Girls but she has also branched out into doing voiceovers and audiobooks and getting into her musical side.
Not Your Average Cutie
Isabelle Fuhrman decided to take a different route when it came to acting. Instead of going for girly roles, Fuhrman preferred edgy roles such as her role in Orphan and Clove in The Hunger Games. At only 12 years old, Isabelle was playing serious horror roles and showed us her potential. Fuhrman is still young and who knows what she will get up to next?
One of her more recent roles has been on Hellbent in 2018. Now there is a sequel we've all been waiting for called Orphan: First Kill starring Fuhrman taking a different spin on the classic. Orphan grossed $78.8 million worldwide so we can expect OG fans will want to see this. Even though puberty has hit the young actress, you can still recognize her by her unique features.
A Little Girl With Loads of Talent
This brown-eyed beauty is Madeline Zima who you may remember from her lead role in The Nanny. Zima was watched on the show over six whole seasons back in the ‘90s as the quirky and adorable younger sister of the Sheffields.
Madeline wasn’t done with her acting after her role in The Nanny, but she did change things up. Zima realized most of her roles were innocent and a bit too reserved so she decided to change that. Zima purposely went for roles that would challenge her and be different from what she was used to like her role in Californication as a wild child.
Jonathan Ke Quan, From Stunt Choreographer To Oscar Winner
The Vietnamese-born Chinese-American actor and stunt choreographer first became known for his acting role as Short Round in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom back in 1985. He carried on with his work until the late 90s, where Quan decided to stop and quit acting due to lack of work opportunities. But that did not stop Quan from pursuing other goals. He went on to work as a stunt coordinator and assistant director. A man of many talents, Jonathan is also fluent in English, Cantonese, Mandarin and Vietnamese.
We hadn't heard much of him until 2022, where he returned to acting in his role as Waymond Wang in the film Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022), a role for which he received outstanding critical acclaim. To top it all, he was awarded both a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. If we can learn anything from Quan's story, it's that one must never give up on one's dreams!
Malcolm's Growth Affected His Career
At the age of 12 years old, Malcolm David Kelly was cast in the TV show Lost. Malcolm's extreme growth spurt had to make the showrunners change things and cut down his appearance during the series. Before his height shot up, he was in another popular TV series Malcolm in the Middle.
Growing up too fast may have ended his Lost performance sooner than he had liked but he’s grown into a good-looking young man. His career was still on track, however, he’s giving his music a shot. Kelly is one-half of the MKTO duo and has even done a duet with Celine Dion!
Talk About a Glow Up
We wouldn't be surprised if you already recognized this photo as Nicholas Hoult, the British actor. Hoult has been in too many well-known roles to keep count and he’s been brilliant in all. Starting on the stage in theater as many actors do, Hoult soon got involved in the show biz. Two well-known roles he’s played have been in the series Skins or the film About A Boy.
Nicholas is young and thriving, the cute child star is now a handsome hunk and is still playing famous roles in his career. Acting in films such as Mad Max and X-Men lets his success speak for itself and to top it off he’s still working on stage productions and doing philanthropic work at the same time.
You Have to Start Somewhere
Michelle Trachtenberg started her career in the entertainment industry by doing some commercials when she was young. This is how many young actors start before becoming the famous stars they are now. Michelle landed the role of Harriet the Spy and everything went uphill from there.
Michelle’s career is not the only thing that's grown, the star is now a grown woman and flaunts her beautiful features. Landing major roles in many popular TV shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gossip Girl only added to her success and fame. The star has even branched out into modeling.
What Happened Since Narnia?
This young star is Georgie Henley and has been acting for as long as she can remember. Playing the role of the youngest sibling Lucy in The Chronicles of Narnia gave Georgie a lot of recognition at a young age. Henley spent a lot of her childhood working on her Narnia performance and we got to see her grow up in the films.
Like all young actors, she grew up fast and decided to go to the University of Cambridge. Henley wasn’t prepared to put her acting on hold so she worked on films while studying. Henley has been successful so far and has even played in theatre productions such as Babes in the Wood. Rumors say, she might be making an appearance in the Game of Thrones Prequel - fingers crossed.
Mason Reese
Remember Borgashmord? Born in 1956, Mason Reese was a child actor, mostly famous for TV commercials during the 1970s', specifically for Underwood Deviled Ham, Post Raisin Bran, and Dunkin' Donuts.
Since he retired from acting, Reese has been a culinary entrepreneur in New York City. At one time, he owned Paladar, a restaurant in Manhattan's Lower East Side. He also opened Destination Bar and Grille and a sports bar called The Luxury Box. He appeared now and again over the years in small parts, but nothing significant.
This Teen Wolf Has Our Attention
You may know Tyler Posey from his lead role in the popular TV series Teen Wolf but lately, Posey has been getting up to other business. He played a role in the film Collateral Damage and he’s joined a band called Disappearing Jamie to kickstart his career in music as well! Tyler clearly has a thing for werewolves as he once auditioned for a role in Twilight.
Tyler never got the role as you already guessed, but it's safe to say he’s done pretty well in his career without it. The young star has become more handsome with time and we hope that we get to expect to see a whole lot more from him.
Born Into the Spotlight
Abigail Breslin made a name for herself in the entertainment industry at the young age of three years old! The actress started her career with a commercial for Toys ‘R Us and things only progressed from there. You may recognize her from some of her first famous roles in the film Signs by Mel Gibson or her unforgettable role in Little Miss Sunshine back in 2006.
Breslin is still young and thriving and there are yet so many opportunities for the well-known actress. She may not be the cute girl from Little Miss Sunshine anymore, but she sure has grown up beautifully. The star has continued to impress us in her latest performance in Zombieland: Double Tap and we’re sure there are many more to come.
What Happened to Harry Potter?
Daniel Radcliffe is best known for his legendary role as Harry Potter. When Radcliffe was only 11 years old he was cast as Harry Potter and he impressed the public with his performance, no one could’ve played the role better. The young actor grew up throughout the films and was one of the very few young actors to be earning seven figures.
His parents allegedly were going to decline the offer for their son to play the role but luckily for them, they changed their minds. Radcliffe is no longer the boy we met in the first Harry Potter film as he is clearly all grown up and handsome as ever. Daniel has won a Teen Choice Award and a Grammy for his acting. The famous star is still acting and has been in another film Kill Your Darlings.
So Nice They Made It Twice
What's better than one cute young actor? Two! The well-known child stars Dylan and Cole Sprouse have been on our screens for years. The twins are most known from the TV show The Suite Life of Zack & Cody which quickly got the world's attention. The boys even got to act alongside Adam Sandler and the cast of Friends which would be many child stars' dream come true.
The duo grew up and ended up going to college but their acting roles didn’t stop, in fact, they’re going to become even more successful. The boys are 27 at the moment and are both looking as handsome as ever. Cole Sprouse has been working on his role in Riverdale since 2018 and we’ll hopefully be seeing more of them soon.
One of a Dozen Children
Another famous child star from Cheaper by the Dozen is the well-known and beautiful Alyson Stoner. The young star has grown up into a gorgeous woman and ditched her hair to rock her new look. Alyson has featured in numerous shows such as That’s So Raven, Camp Rock, Drake and Josh as well as The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.
Acting isn't the only thing Alyson is skillful at as the child star has shown off her dancing skills alongside Missy Elliot. And she can also sing! Talk about a triple threat. Alyson has accomplished all this and to top it off, she’s even worked in the magazine industry, publishing the magazine KEWL.
Putting Her Success on Hold
While many child stars went with the flow and just put their acting as their priority, Anna Chlumsky decided to focus on her education instead. The child star became popular after her role in My Girl and My Girl 2 which were both well-known films back in the ‘90s. Instead of continuing with her career in film from there, Anna gave it a break.
The break from fame did her good as she graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in International Studies. After Anna was satisfied with her studies, she went straight back to her acting career. The My Girl star glowed up and one of the TV shows that Chlumsky has featured in as an adult is 30 Rock.
Two Is Better Than One
The most popular child star twins on TV could only be the Olsen sisters. Their performance in Full House from a young age was only the beginning for the duo and the sister branched out in films by themselves soon after that. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen also starred in a mystery music video series and have been icons in the beauty and fashion world since they were young.
Mary-Kate and Ashley are truly inseparable and are still working alongside each other, however, they’ve stepped off of the film sets and into the fashion world. The sisters have pursued their careers in fashion and have created their own fashion lines. Mary-Kate is even an influencer herself with her famous boho-chic style and the two have easily become icons.
Life After Spy Kid
The guy you see here was a famous child actor back in the ‘90s, you may already know him as Daryl Sabara because he is so well known. From a young age, he played a big role in the Spy Kid films with another famous actress Alex PenaVega. Daryl was also featured in Wizards of Waverly Place shortly after.
The curly-haired boy is now a man and he’s still impressing the world with his acting. Playing roles in newer films such as World’s Greatest Dad and also being a judge on World’s Most Talented Kids. An interesting fact you may already know is that the actor is married to the singer Meghan Trainor.
Growing up In Front of the Camera
Tyler James Williams has been in front of the camera since he can remember, the world has watched him transition from a boy to a young adult. Tyler was the main character in Everybody Loves Chris which got him recognition for his acting roles at a young age. Williams even won a Young Actors Award for his lead role and things haven't slowed down since then.
Tyler may have been a little nerdy looking when he was a child but you wouldn't believe your eyes if you saw him now. Puberty really hit hard when it came to Tyler James and he has also become more successful in his career. Tyler has performed in popular shows such as Dear White People and Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, which is the new version of the original Criminal Minds.
Dreams Can Come True
Looks like we have another Harry Potter child star again, this time it’s Rupert Grint. Grint played the unforgettable role of Ron Weasley. Rupert was a big fan of Harry Potter and little did he know he would be one of the lead roles in the films. Since his performance as Ron, it’s hard to picture him as anyone else since he played the role so well.
Rupert Grint has disappeared from the acting side over the last few years but he’s still involved in the film industry. Grint has been focusing more on TV production and Shakespearian stage work.
The Boy With the Golden Ticket
Back in 2005, when the film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was released, Freddie Highmore was one of the main characters in the film. Although he has been in other films and shows, this was his claim to fame. Freddie also played other memorable roles such as Charlie Bucket and his role in Women Talking Dirty.
Freddie is still blowing up with screen when it comes to TV series, he’s recently been in Bates Motel which is based on the prequel of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. Besides his acting success and his transformation into a charming man, he is also involved in writing and directing.
The Relatable Struggles of Maureen McCormick
The young star from The Brady Bunch, Maureen McCormick has always been a favorite in the show biz. Maureen played the role of the eldest daughter in the show and gave the public a look into the difficulties of growing up.
After her role on The Brady Bunch, McCornick had her own battles to fight, one being addiction. Maureen managed to pull through the tough times and got back into her acting as well as some theater work and even featuring in reality TV shows and country music.
The Wheel Keeps on Spinning
For this talented actor, Jerry O’Connell, things have never slowed down. Since he was a young boy he has been successful with his acting and his charming smile. Some of his roles you may know him from are from Stand by Me which he played Vern Tessio or his role of Frank Kushman in Jerry Maguire.
The star is now an older man and has created quite a name for himself. Apart from his appearance in films, he has also taken his talents to video games and some music videos. If you didn't know, he also started his own talk show and you can also see him in the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks.
Matthew Lewis Became a Real Charmer
You may not believe your eyes but the nerdy kid from Harry Potter had a major glow up and has us all under his spell. Looking back at his childhood photo, no one would think they would be head over heels someday for Neville Longbottom! But look at him now, puberty really did him good.
While his looks changed drastically, his career is more steady-paced. Lewis is still acting but he has shaken things up a bit by not only being in films. The star has decided to play in music videos, TV shows and even gave video games a shot. Two of his most recent films you may recognize him from are Me Before You and Death in Paradise.
Matilda’s All Grown Up
Mara Wilson had many famous roles as a child and whether you remember her from her lead role in Matilda or as the adorable little sibling in Mrs. Doubtfire she was easy to love. While many things have changed for Mara thanks to puberty, she decided to stick with her well-known bangs and still pulls them off.
In the year 2000, Mara called it quits on her acting career. The young star decided to focus on writing for magazines and some stage work as well. Mara has been open about her experiences with mental illness and has even written her own memoir.
Thora Birch Started Young
The Halloween Hocus Pocus star we have here is Thora Birch. At a young age, Thora was on the screens and making an impression. In 1988, Birch was awarded “Best Young Actress Under Nine Years of Age” but later on ended up winning a BAFTA nomination for her performance in American Beauty.
As an adult, she won an Emmy Award nomination for her acting in Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story. Thora hasn't been on the big screens as much but she’s still working on smaller projects.
D. J Conners Still Has His Cheeky Smile
His famous role in the ABC series Roseanne gave Michael Aaron Fishman the recognition he needed in the entertainment industry. His role as D.J Conners was executed brilliantly and he got to act alongside George Clooney! Most of his childhood was spent on the show and we got to watch him grow into the man he is now.
Michael returned to play D.J Conners again for the spinoff called Conners in 2018. He also made an appearance on some other shows such as Seinfeld and Walker, Texas Ranger. Nowadays he is the father of two children.