Child stars getting emancipated is nothing new in Hollywood. Some stars choose to split from their parents because they feel their careers are being mismanaged, while others are just hard workers who want to skirt child labor laws. And in some cases, it’s because the relationship between parents and child has become so toxic that it’s actually better for the child to strike out on their own, even if they’re still under 18.
From stars such as Drew Barrymore who were practically born famous to others like Macaulay Culkin who found his relationship with his parents changed after his Home Alone fame, plenty of celebrities have ended up emancipating themselves.
It’s hard to imagine living on your own even before you could drive, but these stars legally split from their parents to start a new life — for better or for worse.
Michelle Williams
A determined actress with the working bug, Michelle Williams filed for emancipation at 15 so she could log longer hours on set with the approval of her parents after completing her GED. Once she was emancipated, Michelle found her own apartment in Burbank, California.
Ariel Winter
After a three-year battle, Ariel Winter was finally granted emancipation from her mother after allegations of emotional and physical abuse surfaced. She had been living with her sister, who was acting as her guardian. Now, she’s an adult and that battle is in the past.
Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore had a troubled childhood that included two stints in rehab, so at 14 she realized she needed to make a change, and splitting up from her hard-partying mother seemed like the adult thing to do. Considering the fact that she’s still a massive star today, it looks like she did the right thing.
Macaulay Culkin
This battle was brutal. When Macaulay Culkin’s parents were splitting up, they weren’t fighting over custody of the children, but rather who would manage the family’s money maker, Macaulay. Fed up with all of the back and forth, the Home Alone star was granted emancipation from his parents at 16, and a family accountant was put in charge of his earnings until he turned 18.
Juliette Lewis
At 14, with the help of her parents, Juliette Lewis was legally emancipated so she could act more. Talking to HuffPost, she said, “I know that sounds all radical, but when you start acting when you’re younger, you talk to other actor kids and their moms, and they’re like, ‘Yeah, if you want to get a job, they like your resume to say emancipated minor versus minor, because you then can work over eight hours.'”
Courtney Love
Raised by hippie parents, Courtney Love was emancipated at 16 and decided to travel throughout Europe, living off of a small trust fund left by her grandmother. It couldn’t have been easy, but something tells us without that beginning to her story, she wouldn’t be the Courtney Love we know her as today.
Frances Bean Cobain
Like her mother, Courtney Love, Frances Bean Cobain was emancipated at 17 but was left in the guardianship of her paternal grandmother. The mother and daughter have had a rocky relationship over the years, and Frances has said she chose to take the step of emancipation herself when her mom was “on one” while using drugs.
Alicia Silverstone
Here’s another child star who chose to split from her parents legally so she could have the career she was striving for. While filming The Crush in 1993, Alicia Silverstone was emancipated from her parents, allowing her to avoid child labor laws in California.
Taylor Momsen
After graduating high school at 16, Taylor Momsen was legally able to declare herself an adult due to New York state laws. This probably came in handy where work is concerned, since at the time, she was still playing Jenny Humphrey on Gossip Girl.
Corey Feldman
Corey Feldman is best known for movies like The Goonies and Stand By Me, and a part of his journey to fame at such a young age included emancipation. In 1987 at the age of 15, he was legally divorced from his mom. In his book Coreyography, he claims his mother physically and mentally abused him.
Rose McGowan
Her family was part of the Children of God cult growing up, so at 15, Rose McGowan wanted to break away and emancipated herself. She moved to Los Angeles and started her acting career, which has included roles in Charmed, Scream, and Jawbreaker.
Aaron Carter
Aaron Carter filed for emancipation in 2003, after he claimed his mother and manager, Jane Carter, had taken money from him. He ended up reconciling with her and did not go through with the separation, but in his adult life, his relationship has remained pretty rocky with his family.
Jaime Pressly
When a modeling trip came up for actress Jaime Pressly at 15, and her parents were not able to accompany her, she sought emancipation so she could travel by herself and work. It ended up being the right choice, because she headed off to Japan to kickstart her career.
Eliza Dushku
Add another celebrity to the list of child stars who had to split from their parents to keep their career afloat, even at such a young age. In order to work longer hours, Eliza Dushku was forced to file for emancipation so she could keep up with her acting career at 13.
Jena Malone
Stepmom and The Hunger Games star Jenna Malone was granted emancipation after she claimed her mother was mismanaging her money at 15. Jenna moved in with roommates and was able to choose her own roles and work longer hours, even at such a young age.
