27 Before And After Photos Of Child Stars Who Turned Out Just Fine
These child stars are still killing it as adults.
When a child possesses a full creative talent that the world wants to see, the world also wants to witness their growth into the superstars they aspire to be. The parents of these children play a significant role as well, often going out of their way to manage the schedules of their child stars until they become adults.
Whenever young actors achieve renown early in life, they face one of two decisions: either they choose to remain in show business and pursue even greater achievements, or they transition to another profession that seems worthwhile.
With all the events surrounding former child stars over the years, we inevitably want to know how they ultimately turned out. Some tend to be more than just all right, like Leonardo DiCaprio, who was once homeless but acted in the movie Growing Pains back in 1991 and is now an Oscar winner.
On the other hand, some may have gone through challenging times but are still standing strong. We’ve compiled a list of child stars and how they later turned out.
So go on and grab yourself a cup of whatever you desire, sit back, and enjoy the view.
1. Jonathan Taylor Thomas
He became famous playing the brainy middle child Randy Taylor on Home Improvement and co-starred with Brad Renfro in 1995's Tom and Huck and Devon Sawa in 1997's Wild America. He left the spotlight to live his life, and a rare paparazzi pic of him went viral in 2021.
Getty Images, Coleman-Rayner2. Jonathan Lipnicki
He acted in Jerry Maguire and went on to prominent roles in the Stuart Little films, Doctor Dolittle, The Little Vampire, and Little Mike. He is still working in showbiz, appearing in movies like Limelight and Broil while also writing and producing short and feature-length films.
Columbia Tri Star/Kobal/Shutterstock3. Mara Wilson
She acted in Mrs. Doubtfire at age 6 and Matilda at age 9 before acting took a backseat for her. She is now a writer and activist and has released her memoir, Where Am I Now?
Wilson Dr. Alexandra Solomon, a relationship therapist, emphasizes the challenges of early fame, stating, "Child stars often face unique pressures that can impact their mental health and relationships." She highlights the importance of support systems for those navigating the complexities of growing up in the public eye.
Getty Images
4. Joseph Gordon-Levitt
He was a veteran actor who starred as Tommy Solomon in 3rd Rock From the Sun. He then acted in 1999's 10 Things I Hate About You, 2004's Mysterious Skin, and the 2005 noir drama Brick.
As an adult, he has acted in 500 Days of Summer, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Inception, among others. He's now married with kids.
Getty Images
5. Natalie Portman
She acted at the age of 12 in The Professional and is still living up to her reputation. She's starred in huge blockbusters like Star Wars, the Thor franchise, and Avengers: Endgame, among others.
She is now married with kids.
Getty Images
6. Angus T. Jones
The actor starred in the '00s hit sitcom Two and a Half Men, with his last onscreen credit being Louis C.K.'s 2016 limited series Horace & Pete. He attended the University of Colorado at Boulder and is living what he describes as a "normal existence." As noted by Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, a happiness researcher, "Finding joy in everyday life is crucial for well-being," which aligns with his current lifestyle choices. For more insights on happiness and well-being, visit Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky's website.
Getty Images
7. Daniel Radcliffe
He has featured in dramas like Equus and The Cripple of Inishmaan, not to mention Harry Potter. He has been dating Erin Darke since 2013.
Zuma Press/Shutterstock
8. Jodie Foster
At age 6, she acted in the Andy Griffith Show spinoff Mayberry R.F.D. and received her first Oscar nomination at 14. She attended Yale, after which she won her first Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
Now, she's married and is a mother of two.
Columbia Pictures; Sara De Boer/startraksphoto.com
9. Kristen Stewart
She played the daughter in David Fincher's 2002 thriller Panic Room, and she now prefers taking on more intimate films, including The Clouds of Sils Maria. After her relationship with Robert Pattinson ended, she has only dated women.
Merrick Morton/Columbia/Kobal/Shutterstock
10. Jennifer Connelly
She featured in the 1986 fantasy classic Labyrinth and won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for 2001's A Beautiful Mind. She followed that up with Hulk, among others.
Connelly has been married since 2003 and has two kids.
Jim Henson Productions/Kobal/Shutterstock
11. Josh Brolin
He got his start in the 1985 Brandon Walsh and has since appeared in more movies, including Mimic, No Country for Old Men, Deadpool 2, Avengers: Infinity War, and Endgame, among others. He has been married three times and has kids.
Shutterstock
12. Christina Ricci
She first acted in the 1990s Mermaids and The Addams Family and has been in films such as The Opposite of Sex and Sleepy Hollow, among others. She has a son, Freddie, with ex-husband James Heerdegen. She filed for divorce in July 2020.
In 2021, the actress Dr. Shefali Tsabary, a parenting expert, noted, "Navigating relationships and family dynamics can be challenging, especially for those in the public eye." Ricci quietly tied the knot with hairdresser Mark Hampton.
Shutterstock
13. Macaulay Culkin
He acted in Home Alone when he was barely 10 but had already been acting at the age of 5 in TV movies. He has appeared in small films with significant cultural footprints, such as Party Monster and Saved.
He has been dating his Changeland co-star Brenda Song since 2017.
20th Century Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock
14. Kieran Culkin
Remember the 1990s Home Alone? He has also appeared in heavy dramas like Margaret and other projects. He earned his first Emmy nomination in 2020 and has been married to Jazz Charton since 2013.
YouTube/Touchstone/Kobal/Shutterstock
15. Dakota Fanning
She played Ally McBeal's 5-year-old self and Sean Penn's 6-year-old daughter in I Am Sam and also featured in The Alienist. She's also been in movies like Uptown Girls, Man on Fire, Hide and Seek, Charlotte's Web, and three Twilight movies, among others.
Lorey Sebastian/New Line/Kobal/Shutterstock
16. Elle Fanning
She acted in I Am Sam and has guest-starred on multiple CSI franchises, Criminal Minds, House, Law & Order: SVU, and much more. She is signed up to play sisters in Kristin Hannah's World War II-era epic The Nightingale.
Moviestore Collection/Shutterstock
17. Hilary Duff
She acted in Disney Channel's Lizzie McGuire, as well as in Agent Cody Banks, Cheaper by the Dozen, and A Cinderella Story. Duff began filming the sitcom How I Met Your Father, and she's now married with kids.
Krista Niles/AP/Shutterstock
18. Candace Cameron
She acted in Full House, which ran from 1987 until 1995, and also in 1996's No One Would Tell. More recently, she has become the queen of the Hallmark Channel Christmas lineup and the star of the network's Aurora Teagarden murder-mystery franchise.
She is married to former NHL player Valeri Bure and has kids.
Shutterstock/Getty Images
19. Jodie Sweetin
She acted in Full House for eight seasons and has had three marriages between 2002 and 2016, adding to the headline fodder. She is the mother of two daughters and rejoined the Tanner family for five seasons of Fuller House on Netflix.
Shutterstock/Getty Images
20. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen
They acted in the ABC sitcom Full House and are now both fashion industry superstars as the co-founders of CFDA Award-winning The Row and Elizabeth & James. Ashley and Louis Eisner have been dating since 2017, and Mary-Kate married Olivier Sarkozy in 2015 and divorced in 2020.
Moviestore Collection/Shutterstock
21. Ryan Gosling
At age 12, he acted in The All-New Mickey Mouse Club, and so far, he has played every type of character, from a thrill killer in Murder by Numbers to an aspiring jazz club owner in La La Land, and so on. He has two Oscar nominations and is married with kids.
Disney; Jamie McCarthy/WireImage
22. Leonardo DiCaprio
He acted in activism, won the Oscar for The Revenant, and has had model girlfriends, among other achievements. DiCaprio has six Oscar nominations and still somewhat looked like a kid in Titanic.
He has starred in films such as Inception, The Wolf of Wall Street, Once Upon a Time, among others.
Darlene Hammond/Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images
23. Emma Watson
She acted as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films and has since moved on to act in The Perks of Being a Wallflower and The Bling Ring. As a UN Goodwill Ambassador, she has dedicated her platform to empower women and advocate for gender equality.
Justin Goff/Getty Images/Dominique Charriau/Wire Image
24. Neil Patrick Harris
He earned a Golden Globe nomination at 15 for his role in the 1988 TV movie Clara's Heart. His role as Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother earned him four Emmy nominations.
He also won a Tony in 2014 for Best Actor in a Musical as the star of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. He's married with kids now.
Miachael Ochs/Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images
24. Raven-Symoné
At age 4, she appeared on The Cosby Show and then on The Little Rascals, Doctor Dolittle, The Cheetah Girls, The Suite Life of Zack, and so on. She has also spent three seasons as a co-host on The View and is married.
Ron Galella/Laura Cavanaugh/Getty Images
26. Ron Howard
The Happy Days star has also featured as Opie Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show when he was 6. He's been married since 1975 and has kids.
Silver Screen Collection; Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
27. Elijah Wood
By the time he was 12, he had appeared in Avalon, Radio Flyer, and three more movies. He also acted in Lord of the Rings and welcomed a child with his girlfriend in 2020.
Castle Rock Entertainment; Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images
These child stars who turned out just fine can also serve as a source of inspiration for other kids out there who want to venture into the movie industry. The duty of their parents is to guide them and help them become the best they can be.
Which of these pictures made you realize that you’re getting old? Drop your comments below.
