The Greatest Child Stars Who Are Still Acting

Updated May 2, 2020 347.9k votes 19.0k voters 547.6k views191 items

List RulesActors 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.

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1
6,071
1,447
Drew Barrymore
1975-02-22
Age: 45
Birthplace: Los Angeles, Culver City, California, United States of America
E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982)
2
5,490
1,331
Leonardo DiCaprio
1974-11-11
Age: 45
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California
"Growing Pains" (1991-92)
3
4,558
1,285
Reese Witherspoon
1976-03-22
Age: 39
Birthplace: USA, New Orleans, Louisiana
The Man in the Moon (1991)
A Far Off Place (1993)
Jack the Bear (1993)
Return to Lonesome Dove (1993)
4
4,240
1,335
Christina Ricci
1980-02-12
Age: 40
Birthplace: Santa Monica, California, United States of America
Mermaids (1990)
The Addams Family (1991)
Addams Family Values (1993)
Casper (1995)
Now and Then (1995)
5
4,421
1,390
Dakota Fanning
1994-02-23
Age: 21
Birthplace: Conyers, Georgia, United States of America
I Am Sam (2001)
Uptown Girls (2003)
Man on Fire (2004)
War of the Worlds (2005)
Charlotte's Web (2006)
The Runaways (2010)
6
3,430
737
Emma Watson
1990-04-15
Age: 30
Birthplace: Paris, France
Harry Potter series (2001-11)
7
4,030
1,372
Neil Patrick Harris
1973-06-15
Age: 47
Birthplace: Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
"Doogie Howser, M.D." (1989-1993)
8
4,305
1,681
Jodie Foster
1962-11-19
Age: 57
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States of America
Tom Sawyer (1973)
Freaky Friday (1976)
Taxi Driver (1976)
9
3,596
1,374
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
1981-02-17
Age: 34
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States of America
A River Runs Through It (1992)
Angels in the Outfield (1994)
"3rd Rock from the Sun" (1996-2001)
10
2,902
1,281
Kurt Russell
1951-03-17
Age: 69
Birthplace: Springfield, Massachusetts, United States of America
The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit (1968)
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969)
11
3,229
1,463
Kirsten Dunst
1982-04-30
Age: 38
Birthplace: Point Pleasant, New Jersey, United States of America
Little Women (1994)
Interview with the Vampire (1994)
Jumanji (1995)
The Virgin Suicides (1999)
12
3,623
1,751
Ron Howard
1954-03-01
Age: 66
Birthplace: Duncan, Oklahoma, United States of America
"The Andy Griffith Show" (1960-68)
The Music Man (1962)
13
2,736
1,194
Elijah Wood
1981-01-28
Age: 34
Birthplace: Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States of America
Radio Flyer (1992)
Forever Young (1992)
The Adventures of Huck Finn (1993)
The Good Son (1993)
North (1994)
The War (1994)
Flipper (1996)

14
2,891
1,337
Winona Ryder
1971-10-29
Age: 48
Birthplace: Minnesota, United States of America
Lucas (1986)
Beetlejuice (1988)
Heathers (1989)
15
4,614
2,428
Natalie Portman
1981-06-09
Age: 39
Birthplace: Jerusalem, Israel
The Professional (1994)
Heat (1995)
Beautiful Girls (1996)
16
2,423
1,169
Elizabeth Taylor
1932-02-27
Age: Dec. at 79 (1932-2011)
Birthplace: Hampstead Garden Suburb, United Kingdom
Lassie Come Home (1943)
The White Cliffs of Dover (1943)
National Velvet (1944)
Little Women (1949)
17
1,559
508
Daniel Radcliffe
1989-07-23
Age: 31
Birthplace: Fulham, London, England
Harry Potter series (2001-11)
18
2,515
1,188
Mila Kunis
1983-08-14
Age: 37
Birthplace: Chernivtsi, Ukraine
"That '70s Show" (1998-2006)
19
2,504
1,210
Scarlett Johansson
1984-11-22
Age: 35
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States of America
North (1994)
Just Cause (1995)
Manny & Lo (1996)
Ghost World (2001)
20
2,050
1,088
Sean Astin
1971-02-25
Age: 49
Birthplace: Santa Monica, California, United States of America
The Goonies (1985)
Like Father Like Son (1987)
21
2,045
1,181
Brooke Shields
1965-05-31
Age: 55
Birthplace: New York City, Manhattan, USA, New York
Pretty Baby (1978)
The Blue Lagoon (1980)
Endless Love (1981)
22
2,517
1,526
Christina Applegate
1971-11-25
Age: 48
Birthplace: Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
"Married... with Children" (1987-97)
23
1,991
1,150
Jason Bateman
1969-01-14
Age: 51
Birthplace: Rye, New York, United States of America
"Little House on the Prairie" (1981-82)
"Silver Spoons" (1982-84)

24
1,791
977
Hayden Panettiere
1989-08-21
Age: 26
Birthplace: Palisades, New York, United States of America
"One Life to Live" (1994-97)
Guiding Light (1997-2000)
Remember the Titans (2000)
"Ally McBeal" (2001-02)
"Heroes" (2006-2010)
25
1,951
1,172
Jennifer Love Hewitt
1979-02-21
Age: 41
Birthplace: Waco, Texas, United States of America
"Kids Incorporated" (1989-91)
Sister Act 2 (1993)
"Party of Five" (1995-99)
House Arrest (1996)