child actors The Greatest Former Child Stars

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List Rules Actors who became stars before they were 18 and remain successful and famous as adults

List of Hollywood kids: actors who grew up on the big screen and child stars you recognize working today. While there are many child stars, it takes someone special to make it from kid to adult in the entertainment industry. There are lots of pitfalls a former child star can succumb to, like drug use, gambling, and other addictions. It's also hard to overcome the fact that, in many cases, you simply cannot just 'get by' on your cute kid looks.

Who are the most successful former child stars? Some young actors actually do make the crossover into adulthood. These former child stars are some of the few that have made it over the hurdle of adolescence and into adulthood in tact - people like Jason Bateman, Natalie Portman, Neil Patrick Harris and even Ron Howard. They not only made it out of the former child star pit unscathed, but have florished as adult working actors, writers and directors.

list ordered by

1
3,857 883

carlybobarly added Drew Barrymore 1975-02-22
E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982)

2
2,951 871

carlybobarly added Jodie Foster 1962-11-19
Tom Sawyer (1973)
Freaky Friday (1976)
Taxi Driver (1976)

3
3,058 944

carlybobarly added Leonardo DiCaprio 1974-11-11
"Growing Pains" (1991-92)

4
2,617 904

carlybobarly added Ron Howard 1954-03-01
"The Andy Griffith Show" (1960-68)
The Music Man (1962)

5
2,544 816

carlybobarly added Reese Witherspoon 1976-03-22
The Man in the Moon (1991)
A Far Off Place (1993)
Jack the Bear (1993)
Return to Lonesome Dove (1993)

6
2,528 794

carlybobarly added Christina Ricci 1980-02-12
Mermaids (1990)
The Addams Family (1991)
Addams Family Values (1993)
Casper (1995)
Now and Then (1995)

7
3,526 988

carlybobarly added Jessica Biel 1982-03-03
"7th Heaven" (1996-2006)
I'll Be Home for Christmas (1998)

8
2,465 858

carlybobarly added Neil Patrick Harris 1973-06-15
"Doogie Howser, M.D." (1989-1993)

9
1,929 748

carlybobarly added Kurt Russell 1951-03-17
The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit (1968)
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969)

10
1,857 840

carlybobarly added Kirsten Dunst 1982-04-30
Little Women (1994)
Interview with the Vampire (1994)
Jumanji (1995)
The Virgin Suicides (1999)

11
2,542 845

carlybobarly added Joseph Gordon-Levitt 1981-02-17
A River Runs Through It (1992)
Angels in the Outfield (1994)
"3rd Rock from the Sun" (1996-2001)

12
3,509 2,668

carlybobarly added Natalie Portman 1981-06-09
The Professional (1994)
Heat (1995)
Beautiful Girls (1996)

Child Actors Who Tragically Died Young

13
1,774 838

carlybobarly added Christina Applegate 1971-11-25
"Married... with Children" (1987-97)

14
3,123 1,175

carlybobarly added Dakota Fanning 1994-02-23
I Am Sam (2001)
Uptown Girls (2003)
Man on Fire (2004)
War of the Worlds (2005)
Charlotte's Web (2006)
The Runaways (2010)

15
1,664 706

carlybobarly added Elijah Wood 1981-01-28
Radio Flyer (1992)
Forever Young (1992)
The Adventures of Huck Finn (1993)
The Good Son (1993)
North (1994)
The War (1994)
Flipper (1996)

16
1,713 916

carlybobarly added Winona Ryder 1971-10-29
Lucas (1986)
Beetlejuice (1988)
Heathers (1989)

17
1,306 838

carlybobarly added Jennifer Connelly 1970-12-12
Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
Labyrinth (1986)

The Worst Oscar-Winning Actors Ever

18
2,129 1,560

carlybobarly added Alyssa Milano 1972-12-19
"Who's the Boss?" (1984-1992)

19
1,623 949

carlybobarly added Natalie Wood 1938-07-20
Tomorrow Is Forever (1946)
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

20
962 321

RandallIkeKing added Emma Watson 1990-04-15
Harry Potter series (2001-11)

21
1,009 584

MikeHumphrey added Christian Bale 1974-01-30
Empire of the Sun (1987)
Newsies (1992)

22
1,787 915

carlybobarly added Elizabeth Taylor 1932-02-27
Lassie Come Home (1943)
The White Cliffs of Dover (1943)
National Velvet (1944)
Little Women (1949)

Here's What Happened To All Of The Child Actors From 'The Mighty Ducks'

23
1,006 580

moosiclvr added Hilary Duff 1987-09-28
"Lizzie McGuire" (2001-04)
Agent Cody Banks (2003)
A Cinderella Story (2004)
Material Girls (2006)

24
1,251 745

carlybobarly added Fred Savage 1976-07-09
The Princess Bride (1987)
"The Wonder Years" (1988-1993)
Little Monsters (1989)

25
1,153 663

carlybobarly added Sean Astin 1971-02-25
The Goonies (1985)
Like Father Like Son (1987)

26
1,202 727

carlybobarly added Sarah Michelle Gellar 1977-04-14
"All My Children" (1993-1995)
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997-2003)

27
1,117 679

carlybobarly added Milla Jovovich 1975-12-17
Return to the Blue Lagoon (1991)
Chaplin (1992)
Dazed and Confused (1993)

Famous People Who Have Been Reported Missing

28
1,584 916

carlybobarly added Brooke Shields 1965-05-31
Pretty Baby (1978)
The Blue Lagoon (1980)
Endless Love (1981)

29
1,141 761

carlybobarly added Jeff Bridges 1949-12-04
"Sea Hunt" (1958-60)
"The Lloyd Bridges Show" (1962-63)
The Loner (1965)

30
1,409 847

carlybobarly added Jennifer Love Hewitt 1979-02-21
"Kids Incorporated" (1989-91)
Sister Act 2 (1993)
"Party of Five" (1995-99)
House Arrest (1996)

31
1,061 843

carlybobarly added Tiffani Thiessen 1974-01-23
Saved By The Bell (1989-1993)

32
1,393 903

carlybobarly added Jason Bateman 1969-01-14
"Little House on the Prairie" (1981-82)
"Silver Spoons" (1982-84)

Kids of Horror Movies: Where Are They Now?

33
1,552 971

carlybobarly added Scarlett Johansson 1984-11-22
North (1994)
Just Cause (1995)
Manny & Lo (1996)
Ghost World (2001)

34
1,056 730

carlybobarly added Joaquin Phoenix 1974-10-28
Russkies (1987)
Parenthood (1989)

35
1,096 831

carlybobarly added Claire Danes 1979-04-12
"My So-Called Life" (1994-95)
Little Women (1994)
Romeo + Juliet (1996)

36
1,586 1,175

carlybobarly added Mila Kunis 1983-08-14
"That '70s Show" (1998-2006)

37
917 733

carlybobarly added Michelle Trachtenberg 1985-10-11
"The Adventures of Pete & Pete" (1994-96)
Harriet the Spy (1996)
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (2000-2003)

The Worst Parts of Being a Bridesmaid

38
911 619

carlybobarly added Seth Green 1974-02-08
Can't Buy Me Love (1988)
My Stepmother Is an Alien (1988)
It (1990)

39
1,108 625

carlybobarly added Helen Hunt
"Amy Prentiss" (1974-75)
"The Swiss Family Robinson" (1975-76)

40
1,031 736

carlybobarly added Anna Paquin 1982-07-24
The Piano (1993)
Fly Away Home (1996)
Amistad (1997)
She's All That (1999)

41
1,366 992

carlybobarly added Jessica Alba 1981-04-28
Camp Nowhere (1991)
"Flipper" (1995-96)

42
1,184 767

carlybobarly added Hayden Panettiere 1989-08-21
"One Life to Live" (1994-97)
Guiding Light (1997-2000)
Remember the Titans (2000)
"Ally McBeal" (2001-02)
"Heroes" (2006-2010)

Child Stars Who Grew Up to Look Like Muppets

43
1,068 933

carlybobarly added Macaulay Culkin 1980-08-26
Uncle Buck (1989)
Home Alone (1990)
My Girl (1991)
The Good Son (1993)

44
724 491

carlybobarly added Diane Lane 1965-01-22
A Little Romance (1979)
The Outsiders (1983)
Rumble Fish (1983)

45
737 624

carlybobarly added Juliette Lewis 1973-06-21
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
Cape Fear (1991)

46
774 685

carlybobarly added Josh Brolin 1968-02-12
The Goonies (1985)

47
540 408

Christian Slater 1969-08-18
The Legend of Billie Jean (1985)
"Ryan's Hope" (1985)

48
635 583

carlybobarly added Michelle Williams 1980-09-09
Lassie (1994)
Species (1995)
Killing Mr. Griffin (1997)
"Dawson's Creek (1998-2003)

49
982 599

Melissa Gilbert 1964-05-08
"Little House on the Prairie" (1974-83)

50
810 515

Valerie Bertinelli 1960-04-23
"One Day at a Time" (1975-84)

1 3,857 883 carlybobarly added Drew Barrymore 1975-02-22 E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982)

2 2,951 871 carlybobarly added Jodie Foster 1962-11-19 Tom Sawyer (1973)Freaky Friday (1976)Taxi Driver (1976)

3 3,058 944 carlybobarly added Leonardo DiCaprio 1974-11-11 "Growing Pains" (1991-92)

4 2,617 904 carlybobarly added Ron Howard 1954-03-01 "The Andy Griffith Show" (1960-68)The Music Man (1962)

5 2,544 816 carlybobarly added Reese Witherspoon 1976-03-22 The Man in the Moon (1991)A Far Off Place (1993)Jack the Bear (1993)Return to Lonesome Dove (1993)

6 2,528 794 carlybobarly added Christina Ricci 1980-02-12 Mermaids (1990)The Addams Family (1991)Addams Family Values (1993)Casper (1995)Now and Then (1995)

7 3,526 988 carlybobarly added Jessica Biel 1982-03-03 "7th Heaven" (1996-2006)I'll Be Home for Christmas (1998)

8 2,465 858 carlybobarly added Neil Patrick Harris 1973-06-15 "Doogie Howser, M.D." (1989-1993)

9 1,929 748 carlybobarly added Kurt Russell 1951-03-17 The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit (1968)The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969)

10 1,857 840 carlybobarly added Kirsten Dunst 1982-04-30 Little Women (1994)Interview with the Vampire (1994)Jumanji (1995)The Virgin Suicides (1999)

11 2,542 845 carlybobarly added Joseph Gordon-Levitt 1981-02-17 A River Runs Through It (1992)Angels in the Outfield (1994)"3rd Rock from the Sun" (1996-2001)

12 3,509 2,668 carlybobarly added Natalie Portman 1981-06-09 The Professional (1994)Heat (1995)Beautiful Girls (1996)

13 1,774 838 carlybobarly added Christina Applegate 1971-11-25 "Married... with Children" (1987-97)

14 3,123 1,175 carlybobarly added Dakota Fanning 1994-02-23 I Am Sam (2001)Uptown Girls (2003)Man on Fire (2004)War of the Worlds (2005)Charlotte's Web (2006)The Runaways (2010)

15 1,664 706 carlybobarly added Elijah Wood 1981-01-28 Radio Flyer (1992)Forever Young (1992)The Adventures of Huck Finn (1993)The Good Son (1993)North (1994)The War (1994)Flipper (1996)

16 1,713 916 carlybobarly added Winona Ryder 1971-10-29 Lucas (1986)Beetlejuice (1988)Heathers (1989)

17 1,306 838 carlybobarly added Jennifer Connelly 1970-12-12 Once Upon a Time in America (1984)Labyrinth (1986)

18 2,129 1,560 carlybobarly added Alyssa Milano 1972-12-19 "Who's the Boss?" (1984-1992)

19 1,623 949 carlybobarly added Natalie Wood 1938-07-20 Tomorrow Is Forever (1946)Miracle on 34th Street (1947)Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

20 962 321 RandallIkeKing added Emma Watson 1990-04-15 Harry Potter series (2001-11)

21 1,009 584 MikeHumphrey added Christian Bale 1974-01-30 Empire of the Sun (1987)Newsies (1992)

22 1,787 915 carlybobarly added Elizabeth Taylor 1932-02-27 Lassie Come Home (1943)The White Cliffs of Dover (1943)National Velvet (1944)Little Women (1949)

23 1,006 580 moosiclvr added Hilary Duff 1987-09-28 "Lizzie McGuire" (2001-04)Agent Cody Banks (2003)A Cinderella Story (2004)Material Girls (2006)

24 1,251 745 carlybobarly added Fred Savage 1976-07-09 The Princess Bride (1987)"The Wonder Years" (1988-1993)Little Monsters (1989)

25 1,153 663 carlybobarly added Sean Astin 1971-02-25 The Goonies (1985)Like Father Like Son (1987)

26 1,202 727 carlybobarly added Sarah Michelle Gellar 1977-04-14 "All My Children" (1993-1995)"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997-2003)

27 1,117 679 carlybobarly added Milla Jovovich 1975-12-17 Return to the Blue Lagoon (1991)Chaplin (1992)Dazed and Confused (1993)

28 1,584 916 carlybobarly added Brooke Shields 1965-05-31 Pretty Baby (1978)The Blue Lagoon (1980)Endless Love (1981)

29 1,141 761 carlybobarly added Jeff Bridges 1949-12-04 "Sea Hunt" (1958-60)"The Lloyd Bridges Show" (1962-63)The Loner (1965)

30 1,409 847 carlybobarly added Jennifer Love Hewitt 1979-02-21 "Kids Incorporated" (1989-91)Sister Act 2 (1993)"Party of Five" (1995-99)House Arrest (1996)

31 1,061 843 carlybobarly added Tiffani Thiessen 1974-01-23 Saved By The Bell (1989-1993)

32 1,393 903 carlybobarly added Jason Bateman 1969-01-14 "Little House on the Prairie" (1981-82)"Silver Spoons" (1982-84)

33 1,552 971 carlybobarly added Scarlett Johansson 1984-11-22 North (1994)Just Cause (1995)Manny & Lo (1996)Ghost World (2001)

34 1,056 730 carlybobarly added Joaquin Phoenix 1974-10-28 Russkies (1987)Parenthood (1989)

35 1,096 831 carlybobarly added Claire Danes 1979-04-12 "My So-Called Life" (1994-95)Little Women (1994)Romeo + Juliet (1996)

36 1,586 1,175 carlybobarly added Mila Kunis 1983-08-14 "That '70s Show" (1998-2006)

37 917 733 carlybobarly added Michelle Trachtenberg 1985-10-11 "The Adventures of Pete & Pete" (1994-96)Harriet the Spy (1996)"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (2000-2003)

38 911 619 carlybobarly added Seth Green 1974-02-08 Can't Buy Me Love (1988)My Stepmother Is an Alien (1988)It (1990)

39 1,108 625 carlybobarly added Helen Hunt "Amy Prentiss" (1974-75)"The Swiss Family Robinson" (1975-76)

40 1,031 736 carlybobarly added Anna Paquin 1982-07-24 The Piano (1993)Fly Away Home (1996)Amistad (1997)She's All That (1999)

41 1,366 992 carlybobarly added Jessica Alba 1981-04-28 Camp Nowhere (1991)"Flipper" (1995-96)

42 1,184 767 carlybobarly added Hayden Panettiere 1989-08-21 "One Life to Live" (1994-97)Guiding Light (1997-2000)Remember the Titans (2000)"Ally McBeal" (2001-02)"Heroes" (2006-2010)

43 1,068 933 carlybobarly added Macaulay Culkin 1980-08-26 Uncle Buck (1989)Home Alone (1990)My Girl (1991)The Good Son (1993)

44 724 491 carlybobarly added Diane Lane 1965-01-22 A Little Romance (1979)The Outsiders (1983)Rumble Fish (1983)

45 737 624 carlybobarly added Juliette Lewis 1973-06-21 National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)Cape Fear (1991)

46 774 685 carlybobarly added Josh Brolin 1968-02-12 The Goonies (1985)

47 540 408 Christian Slater 1969-08-18 The Legend of Billie Jean (1985)"Ryan's Hope" (1985)

48 635 583 carlybobarly added Michelle Williams 1980-09-09 Lassie (1994)Species (1995)Killing Mr. Griffin (1997)"Dawson's Creek (1998-2003)

49 982 599 Melissa Gilbert 1964-05-08 "Little House on the Prairie" (1974-83)

50 810 515 Valerie Bertinelli 1960-04-23 "One Day at a Time" (1975-84)

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