Child Actors Who Became Famous In Different Career Fields

Some young actors from the movie industry can eventually become well-known figures in Hollywood, while others opt to retreat from the limelight and pursue ordinary careers under the radar. Yet, there are some individuals who continue or rejoin the celebrity realm in a completely new sector.

The individuals listed here achieved varying levels of renown beyond the original platform they started on. Some child stars from the past have become incredibly well-known in their later adult lives, to the point where their childhood pursuits are almost forgotten. On the other hand, others who were initially famous as children are often remembered more for their younger selves, even if their later careers proved to be equally captivating.

Many celebrities may have transitioned away from acting as adults, but those who did continue acting are no longer typically recognized solely as actors. Instead, they are often known for their work in writing, directing, music, or other professions that they chose as their main career paths over time. Below is a list of child actors who found success in entirely new fields.

Shirley Temple

Shirley Temple, born in 1928, made her debut in film musicals at the tender age of three. By the mid-1930s, she had become the most prominent child actor, with her films pulling in more audience members than any other actor during that period from 1935 to 1938. President Franklin D. Roosevelt regarded her movies as a source of optimism amidst the Great Depression, stating, “It’s truly wonderful that for only a quarter, an American can visit the cinema and be uplifted by the cheerful visage of a baby, momentarily forgetting their hardships.

Following her retirement from Hollywood at the young age of 22 in 1950, Shirley Temple shifted gears from film stardom to politics. After an unsuccessful bid for Congress in 1967, she was chosen as a delegate to the United Nations in 1969 due to Henry Kissinger’s admiration for her understanding of international politics. President Gerald Ford subsequently appointed her as the U.S. Ambassador to Ghana and the first female Chief of Protocol within the State Department. During Ronald Reagan’s presidency (with whom she co-starred in the 1947 film “That Hagen Girl”), she served as a foreign affairs specialist for the Department of State.

Temple held the position of U.S. Ambassador to Czechoslovakia during George H. W. Bush’s presidency, making her the second-to-last individual appointed to that post before the country split into two in 1992. She sadly passed away in 2014 at the age of 85 due to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Ron Howard

As a child actor known as Ronny Howard, he embarked on an acting career with the help of his parents, both actors themselves – Rance Howard and Jean Speagle Howard. At merely five years old, he landed his first major role as Opie Taylor in the long-running TV series “The Andy Griffith Show” (1960-1968). Additionally, he made appearances in movies like “The Music Man” and “American Graffiti,” while maintaining a consistent presence on television throughout his twenties, portraying Richie Cunningham in the popular sitcom “Happy Days.

Currently, Ron Howard is predominantly recognized for his accomplishments in film direction. He has a diverse portfolio that spans from “Splash” to “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” but he particularly shines in historical dramas. For instance, the 1995 film “Apollo 13” brought him a Director’s Guild of America Award, and “A Beautiful Mind,” released in 2001, earned him another DGA award, as well as an Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Director.

Known for his upright roles as a young actor and praised for his amiable behavior during filming, he is often seen as one of the kindest figures in Hollywood. Today, when you see him on screen, it’s typically through self-effacing humor while portraying himself on shows like “Arrested Development” (where he also provided narration and production) and “Only Murders in the Building.

Mara Wilson

During the 1990s, the young actress Mara Wilson appeared in movies like “Mrs. Doubtfire,” “Miracle on 34th Street,” and “Matilda.” Despite her talent as a child performer, she found acting to be more tedious than exciting, and so she left the industry at age 13 in 2000 after the flop of “Thomas and the Magic Railroad.” In a blog post from 2012, Wilson expressed her feelings about her career, stating that while film can be thrilling, it’s usually dull. She found the celebrity aspect to be absurd, and the audition process to be harsh and dehumanizing. Over the years, she has shared extensive insights about her experiences as a child actor through her blogs, editorials, memoirs, and social media posts.

Since then, Mara Wilson has taken a new path and become a writer. One of her works is a play called “Sheeple,” which was performed at the 2013 New York International Fringe Festival. Although she stepped away from live-action film acting, she still finds joy in voice acting. You can hear her voice in popular cartoons like “BoJack Horseman” and “Big Hero 6: The Series,” as well as podcasts such as “Welcome to Night Vale” and “Love is a Crime.” She also lends her voice to several audiobooks, with some finding it amusingly fitting that Matilda grew up to be an audiobook narrator. This is a role she enjoys, given that one of her earliest memories involves her mother narrating Matilda, enacting all the characters.

Wil Wheaton

Richard William “Wil” Wheaton, known primarily for his role as the young prodigy Wesley Crusher in “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” has come to terms with being identified by this iconic character. Instead of trying to distance himself, he’s embraced it, transforming his initial link to the “Star Trek” universe into a broader geek cult status. Although acting remains part of his career, he often portrays himself on screen, whether as a self-parody in shows like “The Big Bang Theory” or as a host and presenter in programs such as SyFy’s “The Wil Wheaton Project” and Paramount+’s “Star Trek” post-show “The Ready Room.

In a manner reminiscent to Mara Wilson, Wheaton has built up a substantial online profile, penned various memoirs, and achieved great success in voice acting (particularly in shows like “Welcome to Night Vale”), podcasting, and narrating audiobooks, often focusing on science fiction authors such as John Scalzi and Ernest Cline. Moreover, he’s been vocal in progressive circles within the video game and tabletop RPG industries, and is a frequent attendee at pop culture conventions.

Steven Crowder

A significant number of prominent figures within the conservative media landscape started out attempting to establish themselves in more conventional media but ultimately didn’t succeed. For instance, Steven Crowder, who now invites college students to challenge his views on his “Louder with Crowder” podcast, was previously a child actor, recognized for voicing Alan “The Brain” Powers from the PBS Kids cartoon “Arthur.” The Powers family on the show were depicted as being of Senegalese descent, so you can draw your own conclusions about Crowder’s casting.

Following his stint on “Arthur,” Crowder found himself with minor roles in films such as “3 Needles,” “The Covenant,” and “The Secret.” He also made a brief appearance on the ABC Family comedy-drama series “Greek.” At one point, he tried to make a mark in stand-up comedy but found little success. Instead, he started sharing his conservative political views, which had previously been advised against for his stand-up act, through YouTube videos. This approach caught the eye of PJ Media and later Fox News, leading him into full-time conservative punditry in 2009. In 2015, he launched his own podcast.

Alex Hood

After Steven Crowder grew beyond his character as The Brain on the show “Arthur,” a new white actor, Alex Hood, took over that role. However, unlike Crowder, Hood’s political views evolved in a different direction. In 2024, Hood announced she was transgender and now goes by the pseudonym Haus of Decline. Known for her cartoons featuring absurd sexual themes, progressive political satire, and pop culture spoofs such as “Steven Universe vs. Hitler,” her work often becomes viral on social media platforms.

Hood’s journey into acting started as a child, with roles such as dubbing Kenny for the English version of “Beyblade” and portraying Ron Yuma in the Canadian teen series “Naturally, Sadie.” In 2020, she teamed up with her friend Stephen to create the Haus of Decline Twitter account and podcast. During this time, Hood was dealing with depression and joblessness, but in 2021, she began sharing her comics regularly. Musically inclined, Hood has shared some tracks on Soundcloud and released her debut rock album, titled “Psychogeography,” under the name Anti-Spectacular on Bandcamp in 2024.

Drake

At age 14, Drake, who is now an incredibly successful music artist, first appeared on the Canadian series “Degrassi: The Next Generation.” In this show, he portrayed James “Jimmy” Brooks, a talented basketball player whose life took a tragic turn when he was paralyzed in a school shooting. This may be surprising to many Americans who are not familiar with “Degrassi,” as they might not know that the artist who has sold the most digital singles (244 million units at the time) actually began his career as a child actor.

Initially concerned that portraying a character in a wheelchair might make him seem vulnerable in his burgeoning rap career, Drake was convinced by writer James Hurst that the character’s development was crucial for representation. In conversations with AV Club, Hurst recounted, “He said, ‘Everyone I know in the rap game says I’m weak because I use a wheelchair.’ And I responded, ‘Tell your friends you were shot. How much more hardship can you bear? You’ve been shot and now you’re in a wheelchair.’ He nodded in agreement, and apologized profusely.” Drake made his final appearance on the show in 2008, followed by the release of his first full album, “Thank Me Later,” in 2010. Since then, he has continued to advance in his career without looking back.

Britney Spears

While not every young Disney star has sustained a major career, “The All-New Mickey Mouse Club” was exceptional at discovering future celebrities, particularly during its last two seasons. For instance, Britney Spears is one of three cast members from Seasons 6 and 7 featured on this list, and that’s just scratching the surface of the show’s impressive talent pool (additional Mouseketeers who later became stars include actors Ryan Gosling and Keri Russell).

Following the conclusion of her stint on the Disney Channel, Spears was only fifteen when she signed with Jive Records. Her debut albums, “…Baby One More Time” and “Oops!… I Did It Again,” both achieved phenomenal success, making her the most successful teenage artist ever, with sales of over 37 million records before she turned twenty. This unprecedented fame was accompanied by intense media attention and personal hardships.

In 2008, it was reported that Britney Spears was put under her father’s legal care (conservatorship) due to some mental health concerns. However, this arrangement was ended in 2021, a significant achievement partly attributed to the widespread #FreeBritney movement by fans. The following year, her highly-anticipated memoir “The Woman in Me” was published with Simon & Schuster, securing an unprecedented $15 million deal and selling more than two million copies within U.S. borders alone.

Christina Aguilera

At the start of the new millennium, Britney Spears’ fame sparked a trend among record executives to discover their own teen pop sensations. Given Spears’ past as a co-star on “The All-New Mickey Mouse Club,” it was only logical for them to consider one of her peers. Christina Aguilera secured a deal with RCA Records following the success of “Reflection,” her song for Disney’s animated film “Mulan.” Her single “Genie in a Bottle” reached number one on the Billboard charts in 1999, positioning her as a rival to Spears in the realm of teen pop royalty. However, it’s important to note that the alleged feud between Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera was largely fueled by media speculation, competition stemming from their shared Disney Channel past, and industry pressure.

Over the years, Christina Aguilera has taken on different personas such as the bold Xtina and the vintage-inspired Baby Jane. She had numerous hits during the 2000s like “Beautiful” and “Ain’t No Other Man,” but the 2010s didn’t bring as much success. Instead, she gained fame for her role as a coach on the singing reality TV show “The Voice.” However, she left the show in 2016 because she felt it had strayed from the original music-focused concept. As she explained to Billboard magazine, “It turned into something I didn’t sign up for during Season 1. You realize it’s not about music; it’s about creating dramatic TV moments and crafting a narrative.

Justin Timberlake

Following his stint on “The All-New Mickey Mouse Club”, Justin Timberlake, another talented Mouseketeer, soared to global pop fame. Notable as a member of *NSYNC, he eventually ventured into a successful solo career that surpassed the popularity of his boy band days. In an interview on The Ellen Show, Timberlake shared an interesting tidbit – during their time on the show, he lived with fellow Mouseketeer Ryan Gosling when they were both just 11 years old. His mother had to maintain her job in Canada for six months during the second year of the show, and so she served as his guardian.

Throughout his adult years, Timberlake has also ventured into acting, notably portraying Napster founder Sean Parker in “The Social Network” and lending his voice to the character Branch in the “Trolls” series. However, when people consider Timberlake, they predominantly associate him with his music career – from reviving sexy back and causing a stir with his 2004 Super Bowl halftime performance alongside Janet Jackson, to selling over 10 million copies of his 2002 album “Justified” globally. Yet, he remains active in the music scene, with his sixth studio album, titled “Everything I Thought It Was,” scheduled for release in 2024.

Alanis Morissette

Unlike most others on this list, Alanis Morissette didn’t achieve fame as a child actress; instead, she began her career on television. At the age of 11, she featured in several episodes of “You Can’t Do That on Television!”, a Canadian kids sketch comedy show that later became Nickelodeon’s first major success and is known for its iconic green slime. Interestingly, Morissette’s debut episode was themed around music, and her talent for singing was evident to everyone on set, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter, with the cast being impressed by her demo tape playing skills.

Initially, Morissette’s first two albums didn’t receive much attention beyond Canada. However, she switched genres to alt-rock for her third album, “Jagged Little Pill,” which was released in 1995 and transformed her career. This groundbreaking album gained critical acclaim and became a commercial success, making Morissette the youngest artist to achieve platinum status until Britney Spears debuted. Later, it inspired a Broadway musical. Although music has been her primary focus throughout the years, she’s still taken on a few notable acting roles, such as playing God in Kevin Smith’s universe and portraying an imaginary friend version of herself in “The Great North.

Jenny Lewis and Blake Sennett of Rilo Kiley

Fun fact: Before they became known for their music with Rilo Kiley, both Jenny Lewis and Blake Sennett had careers as child actors! Lewis appeared in various movies, TV shows, and commercials throughout the ’80s and ’90s, with memorable roles like Haley in “The Wizard” and Hannah Nefler in “Troop Beverly Hills.” Sennett got his start a bit later, making his television debut as Blake Soper in 1987 on “Highway to Heaven,” and landing bigger roles in the early ’90s, such as Noah Lambert in “His & Hers” and Ronnie Pinsky in “Salute Your Shorts.” He also starred as Joseph “Joey the Rat” Epstein in 16 episodes of “Boy Meets World” from 1994 to 1996.

With a shared history in acting and music, Lewis and Sennett teamed up to create the indie rock band Rilo Kiley alongside friends Pierre De Reeder and Dave Rock in 1998. They also began a romantic relationship at that time. However, their partnership as both lovers and bandmates ended in 2003, with Sennett commenting to Spin, “It’s not wise for your business partner, musical collaborator, closest friend, and lover to be the same person.” Sennett departed from Rilo Kiley in 2007, and the band officially disbanded in 2011. Meanwhile, Lewis, who also provided backing vocals for The Postal Service, has released five solo albums. Subsequently, Sennett went on to form other bands such as The Elected and Night Terrors of 1927.

2025-03-28 21:32