It's no surprise that child stars grow up and evolve, just like regular people. We can't expect them to stay the cute and innocent kids that they once were (we know that). But sometimes, the change is so drastic that the only way to recognize a once beloved Nickelodeon actor or a singer who got his start as a viral video kid is to do a double — or triple — take, squint both eyes, and search for traces of their former selves.
That can definitely be a shocking moment, accompanied by the rubbing of eyes, a shake of the head, and a big ole jaw drop — especially if the change is not exactly for the better. Let a former child star who has been out of the limelight for even just a few months re-emerge with a dramatic physical change, and it's bound to make news and get fans in their feelings.
Unfortunately for these stars, life came at them like category 5 hurricane-strength winds that don't care if someone has more money than the average person. Life happens. Bad genes, bad run-ins with drugs and alcohol, bad tattoos, bad criminal behavior, and bad habits all show up on the outside — and it's rare to see a star who can recover from any of that physically unscathed. Not everyone is Macaulay Culkin, for example, who got his act together and looks pretty good these days, considering he was running around looking like a sickly scarecrow just a couple of years ago. (Mental health challenges can also strike, taking a physical toll on the body.)
Other stars have carved entire new selves out of their old ones, nipping and tucking and injecting and enlarging, with the help of plastic surgeons who should probably have their medical licenses taken away. The results are not good, and it's mystifying as to why those stars thought they needed to go under the knife in the first place.
Whatever the reason for their change, here are 25 former child stars whom we wouldn't have recognized without someone telling us their names.
Amanda Bynes: Then
It's been a long time since Amanda Bynes was on our TV screens, but she had a pretty impressive career as a child and as a teenager. On Nickelodeon, she starred in shows like All That and The Amanda Show, and when she got a little older, she was known for romantic comedies like She's the Man and What a Girl Wants, both of which are still fun to watch today, BTW.
Life has changed a lot for her since then, though.
Amanda Bynes: Now
Former Nickelodeon star of All That, The Amanda Show, and What a Girl Wants, Amanda Bynes has gone through lots of transformations over the years, several rounds of plastic surgery, and weight gain — due in part to her mental health struggles. But when Amanda popped up on Instagram in September 2020 after a break from social media, fans noticed what appeared to be a heart-shaped face tattoo, so they began to worry, once again, about her. There's no indication either way as to whether the tattoo is permanent, but here's hoping all is well with her.
Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen: Then
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen built an entire career out of being child stars before exiting the spotlight when they hit adulthood. They started out on Full House, where they played Michelle Tanner, before launching into their own line of popular straight-to-video movies — from collections of songs they performed to rom-coms in their teens, like Holiday in the Sun. They also starred in feature films like It Takes Two and New York Minute.
Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen: Now
The fab twins and former Full House stars don't do a ton of social media, but in 2019 they made a birthday video for Ashley Benson, who reposted it on her Instagram page. Fans had a collective heart attack, and not just because of the rare appearance. Some fans thought the sisters looked much older than their age as their faces appeared a bit sunken in and creased. One even quipped: "They definitely can't come back to play Michelle on Fuller House for a scene. They look older than Steph and DJ!"
Haley Joel Osment: Then
Although Haley Joel Osment keeps it pretty low-key these days, as a kid, he had a pretty impressive career in film. He's best known for his starring roles in movies like Pay It Forward, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, and The Sixth Sense, while also getting tons of work in other films, plus voiceover work in shows like Hey Arnold and walk on TV roles.
As a kid, his career was on fire.
Haley Joel Osment: Now
These days, Sixth Sense and A.I. former child star Haley Joel Osment, who recently appeared in the Amazon show The Boys, looks like a giant teddy bear. The eyes are the same underneath all that hair and face, and the rest of him filled out quote a bit. The important thing is, he looks happy and is one child actor who has worked steadily and kept himself clean and out of jail — after he pleaded no contest to a DUI charge that earned him three years probation, that is.
Tom Felton: Then
Tom Felton absolutely made his mark in Hollywood by playing Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter series, which also happened to have given fans a chance to watch him grow up, as the movies were filmed over a span of several years. That's not the only thing this child actor had under his belt, though — he'd also starred in movies, including Anna and the King, before his days at Hogwarts.
Tom Felton: Now
Tom Felton is sporting this look these days, and we don't really know what to make of it. Is it for his role in the World War II movie The Forgotten Battle? Or is this a permanent hipster normcore thing? The former bleach blond child wizard from h-e-double-hockey-sticks Draco Malfoy of Harry Potter fame had actually grown into a weirdly handsome adult. But now, he kinda looks like somebody's uncle in this clipped mustache, glasses, and professor blazer.
Aaron Carter: Then
My, have things changed since Aaron Carter was a kid. His career quickly surged when he arrived on the scene in the late '90s. Given that he was Backstreet Boys singer Nick Carter's younger brother — that did help boost his fame a bit in the beginning — Aaron released plenty of pop hits, like "I Want Candy," and "That's How I Beat Shaq," even stopping in for a guest starring role on Lizzie McGuire.
Aaron Carter: Now
Aaron Carter became a star at age 9 and was popular all throughout his teens. But Backstreet Boy Nick Carter's little brother got into drugs and alcohol and lost a ton of weight, shocking fans when he appeared on The Doctors looking … ravaged. He entered rehab soon afterward, but he still looks like his hard partying ways took a massive toll.
Kylie Jenner: Then
It's wild to think about growing up on reality TV, but that's exactly what Kylie Jenner did. She was only 9 years old when Keeping Up With the Kardashians debuted on E! in 2007, and we all got to watch her evolve and change, not just on the show, but also on social media. We'd hardly recognize her as the adorable little kid she once was, especially after how much she's changed today.
Kylie Jenner: Now
Yes, we all recognize the current version of Kylie Jenner immediately — the pout, the extreme hourglass figure, the contoured face — but do we recognize her as the 9-year-old kid she was when Keeping Up With the Kardashians debuted? Nope. What about 15-year-old Kylie? Still a big no. One minute she was a rail-thin little thing with tiny lips, and the next, boom, a fully formed Kardashian.
Angus T. Jones: Then
As a kid, Angus T. Jones was definitely best known for his role on Two and a Half Men (yep, he was the half man) where he played Jake Harper, but that was hardly his only role. He also had walk-on roles in popular series — like Hannah Montana, CSI, and ER — but after starring in Two and a Half Men alongside Charlie Sheen for so long, we've only seen him appear in an episode of Horace and Pete before falling off the map.
Angus T. Jones: Now
He was once the highest-paid child actor on television, thanks to his role in the sitcom Two and a Half Men. And we can only assume he's off enjoying his millions, because Angus T. Jones is rarely seen these days. (He actually left the show because of new found religious fervor.) But every once in a while, he pops up at an event to show us his transformation from chubby kid to awkward teen, to hobbit.
Lindsay Lohan: Then
She's not into acting too much these days, though she has appeared on reality TV, but Lindsay Lohan had a thriving career as a child star. Her breakout role was in The Parent Trap, which is now a total classic, and she went on to star in both popular TV movies and feature films — including Freaky Friday, and Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen — before one of her most notable roles in Mean Girls.
Lindsay Lohan: Now
Hard to believe, but Lindsay Lohan is only in her mid-30s. The troubled star's turbulent history is written all over her face, and there are even rumors that she's had plastic surgery. After years of drug and alcohol abuse, DUIs, reckless driving arrests, stints in jail, and family woes — as she was often forced to referee her parents during their nasty divorce in 2007 (when much of her troubles began) — Lindsay Lohan looks much older than her years.
Orlando Brown: Then
Orlando Brown's adult years have been filled with controversy, but as a teenager, he was best known for being a Disney Channel star when he played Eddie on That's So Raven. Before that, he had recurring roles on sitcoms, including Family Matters, Two of a Kind, and The Jamie Foxx Show. He even starred alongside Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen in It Takes Two, and he used his voiceover talents for the Disney series The Proud Family.
Orlando Brown: Now
Prison Bae he's not. The cutie from That's So Raven grew up to be a felon with a seriously receding hairline, and lots of fugly tattoos. So, what happened to Orlando Brown? Major legal troubles, including arrests for possession of crack, battery on his girlfriend, and breaking into a friend's restaurant to change the locks (WTH?). This is a dude clearly in need of an intervention, and Dr. Phil tried to persuade him of just that on a 2018 episode of his show. But Brown showed up in snake eye contacts and seemed completely unhinged in the interview, claiming that Michael Jackson was his father, and that he wanted to marry Raven-Symoné.
Hope he gets it together.
Jake Lloyd: Then
Jake Lloyd's post-Hollywood story is a heartbreaking one, but before that happened, he made his mark by starring in the Star Wars prequel trilogy — one of the biggest movie franchises of all time. He played young Anakin Skywalker in the movies, the kid who would eventually grow up to be Darth Vader. Before that, though, he'd also starred in Jingle All The Way, as well as having a recurring role on ER.
Jake Lloyd: Now
Jake Lloyd's story is one of the saddest in recent memory. What seemed like a dream role for a kid actor, playing a young Anakin in the Star Wars prequels, turned into a nightmare for Jake when he was subjected to brutal reviews of his performance and a punishing press tour schedule. Then, his life got worse. He was diagnosed as schizophrenic at age 19, and once beat his mother when he was off his meds in 2015. Months later, he was arrested for reckless driving, jailed, and eventually committed to a mental institution.
Edward Furlong: Then
Edward Furlong's career goes all the way back to 1991, when he scored his first role playing John Connor in Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Although he's continued to act through the years, he's best known for the roles he took on in his younger years, which include starring in movies like Pet Sematary II in 1992, and American History X in 1998, among many, many other films through 2019 and today.
Edward Furlong: Now
After blowing away audiences as a young John Connor in Terminator 2, it seemed like Edward Furlong could write his own ticket to Hollywood's A-list. But he derailed his own career when he began abusing substances, and was repeatedly arrested and jailed for beating his estranged wife (and his girlfriend). After stepping out of the limelight for years, Edward re-emerged in 2019's Terminator: Dark Fate, his troubled history written all over his weathered face.
Danny Tamberelli: Then
In our minds, we will never be able to think of watching Nickelodeon as a kid without also thinking of Danny Tamberelli. We will never forget The Adventures of Pete and Pete, but after that, he went on to find major success, starring in All That, too. Danny also had a solid film career, too, with roles in movies like The Mighty Ducks and providing the voice of Arnold in The Magic School Bus.
Danny Tambarelli: Now
Little Pete from Nickelodeon's The Adventures of Pete and Pete — who was also on All That and Figure it Out — is all grown up. Danny Tambarelli was always on a large scale, and that remained the case into adulthood, though we still had to do a double take to recognize him. Fun fact: Danny and his Pete and Pete co-star, Michael C. Maronna, have a fun podcast called The Adventures of Mike and Danny.
Courtney Stodden: Then
While she got her start on stage early in life by competing in beauty pageants and releasing music, Courtney Stodden's real claim to fame was when she made headlines as a 16-year-old for marrying Doug Hutchinson, who was 51 years old at the time. This made her a rather controversial celebrity, and she was still so young when she entered the spotlight and starred in reality shows like Couple's Therapy.
Courtney Stodden: Now
It's hard to believe how much life Courtney Stodden has lived. She modeled, put out an album while still a kid, and catapulted to fame at 16 for marrying 51-year-old actor Doug Hutchinson. Maybe that's why the reality star and PETA spokesperson looks so much older than 26.
Yup, 26.
Nate Richert: Then
We can't look back on our younger years watching T.G.I.F. on Friday nights without thinking about Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and of course, that included Nate Richert, who played Sabrina's high school boyfriend, Harvey Kinkle. After Sabrina, Nate mostly fell out of the Hollywood limelight, only taking on a few roles in projects like The Sure Hand of God after his time on the show had ended.
Nate Richert: Now
Sabrina the Teenage Witch heartthrob Nate Richert once had hair — lots and lots of luxurious locks that made the show's fans swoon. Nowadays? Let's just say he's all face, though scrolling through his Instagram account, it's clear that the fun-loving, self-spoofing actor has a sense of humor about it.
Greyson Chance: Then
Being discovered for his musical talents on YouTube by Ellen DeGeneres and ending up on The Ellen Show is definitely one path to fame, and it helped Greyson Chance on his way to stardom. From there, he went on to have a career on TV, making guest starring appearances on shows like So Random! and Raising Hope.
He also competed on So You Think You Can Dance in 2011.
Greyson Chance: Now
When a video of a 10-year-old Greyson Chance singing and playing Lady Gaga's Paparazzi went viral on YouTube, he appeared on Ellen and became an overnight music star. Greyson largely stepped back from the limelight, until releasing his second full-length album in 2019 — and looking completely different. The once chubby-cheeked boy is now so skinny that he's actually gaunt (though apparently healthy).
He can still sing his butt off, though!
Steven Anthony Lawrence: Then
When we think back on Even Stevens, of course we remember the lovable (but annoying) neighbor to the Stevens', Beans, played by Steven Anthony Lawrence. Before his Disney Channel days, Steven had roles in The Amanda Show, Frasier, and Even Stevens, and he even ended up starring in movies including Cheaper By The Dozen, and Kicking and Screaming.
Not bad!
Steven Anthony Lawrence: Now
Not too long ago, Steven Anthony Lawrence — aka the adorably annoying Beans from Even Stevens — lost all his hair on top, leaving him with just a ring of hair around his ears. He also still had that nonexistent chin from his childhood — so he did the smart thing by shaving his head, and adding a chin-shaping beard, rendering him almost unrecognizable.
Dare we call him a snack? Let's not get carried away here.
Abigail Breslin: Then
The younger sister of fellow child star Spencer Breslin, Abigail Breslin is best known for adorably stealing scenes in early 2000s movies like Raising Helen, Definitely, Maybe, and Little Miss Sunshine. She has a pretty impressive resumé and was one of the cutest kids in Hollywood during that time period, hands down.
Abigail Breslin: Now
These days, Abigail Breslin is still beautiful, but definitely looking a lot different at 25 years old! With some of her most recent credits including the Ryan Murphy series Scream Queens and Zombieland: Double Tap, Abigail is also pursuing a music career under the name Sophomore. She also been dating the same fella, Ira Kunyansky, for over four years.
Daryl Sabara: Then
Daryl Sabara's main claim to fame is starring in Spy Kids as Juni Cortez, which is one of the most legendary early 2000s kids' movies of all time (obviously). He also had roles in shows like Friends and Criminal Minds, and he even supplied his voice for a role in The Polar Express.
Daryl Sabara: Now
A full 20 years after Spy Kids debuted, today, Daryl Sabara is 28 years old — and a dad! He and wife, singer Meghan Trainor, welcomed a son in February 2021, and those who follow him on Instagram know he loves being a dad. As far as his acting career goes? Daryl most recently supplied a voice for Ben 10, and appeared as John in Project Blue Book.
Blake McIver Ewing: Then
If you were a kid in the '90s and watched a lot of kid-centric movies and TV shows, you definitely recognize this little guy! His name is Blake McIver Ewing, and not only did he play Michelle Tanner's precocious classmate, Derek, on Full House, but he also starred in movies like The Little Rascals, showing off his singing chops.
Blake McIver Ewing: Now
Talk about a transformation! Today, Blake McIver Ewing is 36 years old and though he did reprise his role for an episode in the Netflix Full House revival Fuller House, it seems like he's taking a break from acting. In fact, in his Instagram bio, he describes himself as a "recovering child actor" who is a vocal coach and podcaster.
Matthew Lewis: Then
Add another child star from the Harry Potter series to the list! Here, we have Matthew Lewis, who played Neville Longbottom as a kid. Around the same time, he also had roles in TV shows including City Central and Heartbeat, though Harry Potter was unquestionably his big break.
Matthew Lewis: Now
A lot has changed since Matthew was a kid — and he even went viral not too long ago for the major transformation he's made since we knew him as Neville! Matthew still acts at 31 years old, most recently appearing as Hugh in All Creatures Great and Small. He's also a big rugby fan and is dating blogger Angela Jones.
Jonathan Lipnicki: Then
As far as child stars go, this one was one of the greats! Jonathan might have broken into Hollywood stardom with his role in Jerry Maguire alongside Tom Cruise, but he also scored huge roles in The Jeff Foxworthy Show, Stuart Little, Dawson's Creek, and Little Vampires as a kid.
Jonathan Lipnicki: Now
It's hard to believe that this handsome man was once the kid in Stuart Little! These days, Jonathan is 30 years old, and his acting career is alive and well. In 2020, he starred in Broil, along with a lot of other roles. He's currently dating director Penelope Lawson and is the host of his own podcast.
Taylor Momsen: Then
We can hardly imagine Christmas time without watching tiny Taylor Momsen play Cindy Lou Who in How the Grinch Stole Christmas! As a kid, she also played Gretel in Hansel & Gretel, but no role of hers was ever quite as iconic as taking on one of Dr. Seuss' most unforgettable characters.
Taylor Momsen: Today
Taylor Momsen's been through a few transformations since her child star days. As a teenager, she played Jenny Humphrey on Gossip Girl, and after leaving the show, she started her own band, The Pretty Reckless. Though Taylor does go for a more natural look from time to time, we've seen a lot of her in dark makeup like this.
Jaleel White: Then
Is it just us, or can anyone else hear this picture? In the '90s, it didn't get much more iconic than Steve Urkle on Family Matters. He was known for his nerdy personality and style, and he was usually embarrassing the entire family. Jaleel White has been a pretty spectacular actor since day one!
Jaleel White: Now
This isn't Urkle anymore! At 44 years old, a lot has happened to Jaleel White — he's a dad these days to a daughter, Samaya, most importantly! He still acts and produces, with roles in movies like Dreamgirls and even competing in Dancing With the Stars. He also has his own brand of cannabis products he frequently talks about on his Instagram.
Mara Wilson: Then
As a kid, it seemed like Mara was everywhere. Her biggest, most unforgettable role has got to be playing the title character in Matilda, but she also killed it in movies including Mrs. Doubtfire, A Simple Wish, and Miracle on 34th Street. What would '90s kid movies be like without her?
Mara Wilson: Now
Today, 33-year-old Mara isn't acting as often as she did as a kid — though she has recently lent her voice to Bojack Horseman and Big Hero 6: The Series. Instead, Mara has been spending most of her time writing between her own Substack newsletter and writing for fictional podcast Passenger List.
