child actors The Greatest Former Child Stars
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. 1 3,857 883 
2 2,951 871 
3 3,058 944 
4 2,617 904 
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)
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)
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)
"7th Heaven" (1996-2006)
I'll Be Home for Christmas (1998)
8 2,465 858 
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)
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)
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)
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)
The Professional (1994)
Heat (1995)
Beautiful Girls (1996)
13 1,774 838 
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)
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)
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 
17 1,306 838 
18 2,129 1,560 
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)
Tomorrow Is Forever (1946)
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
20 962 321 
21 1,009 584 
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)
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)
"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)
The Princess Bride (1987)
"The Wonder Years" (1988-1993)
Little Monsters (1989)
25 1,153 663 
26 1,202 727 
carlybobarly added Sarah Michelle Gellar 1977-04-14 "All My Children" (1993-1995)
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997-2003)
"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)
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)
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)
"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)
"Kids Incorporated" (1989-91)
Sister Act 2 (1993)
"Party of Five" (1995-99)
House Arrest (1996)
31 1,061 843 
32 1,393 903 
carlybobarly added Jason Bateman 1969-01-14 "Little House on the Prairie" (1981-82)
"Silver Spoons" (1982-84)
"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)
North (1994)
Just Cause (1995)
Manny & Lo (1996)
Ghost World (2001)
34 1,056 730 
35 1,096 831 
carlybobarly added Claire Danes 1979-04-12 "My So-Called Life" (1994-95)
Little Women (1994)
Romeo + Juliet (1996)
"My So-Called Life" (1994-95)
Little Women (1994)
Romeo + Juliet (1996)
36 1,586 1,175 
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 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)
Can't Buy Me Love (1988)
My Stepmother Is an Alien (1988)
It (1990)
39 1,108 625 
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)
The Piano (1993)
Fly Away Home (1996)
Amistad (1997)
She's All That (1999)
41 1,366 992 
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)
"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)
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)
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)
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
Cape Fear (1991)
46 774 685 
47 540 408 
48 635 583 
carlybobarly added Michelle Williams 1980-09-09 Lassie (1994)
Species (1995)
Killing Mr. Griffin (1997)
"Dawson's Creek (1998-2003)
Lassie (1994)
Species (1995)
Killing Mr. Griffin (1997)
"Dawson's Creek (1998-2003)