10 Child Stars Who Became Wildly Successful In Other Industries
Emma Martin Quick Links
Some of your favorite movies are probably movies that star child actors. There is something about watching movies starring children, such as Home Alone, Matilda, and Little Rascals, that have more innocence than a more mature cast. Some child actors grew up to expand their acting careers, such as Neil Patrick Harris, Drew Barrymore, and Winona Ryder. However, other child stars dealt with issues, such as drug addiction and financial issues that caused them to fall through the cracks.
Related: 10 Child Actors Who Fell To The Little Rascals Curse
Luckily, there is another group of child stars that are thriving but in completely different fields from the one that got them famous. Read on to find out what some of your favorite child actors are doing today:
Jonathan Lipnicki
You may know Jonathan Lipnicki as the adorable kid from “Stuart Little”. He also starred in other popular films such as Jerry Maguire and Like Mike. So it may surprise you that this bookish looking child actor grew up to be surprisingly buff.
He works out regularly to compete in the mixed martial arts sport, Jiu-Jitsu. He also speaks out to bring awareness to societal issues, such as diabetes, animal rights, and breast cancer. Oh and by the way, in case you are wondering, he still keeps in contact with Tom Cruise!
Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen
If you were a tween in the '90s or early 2000s, you definitely know about the Olsen Twins. This duo went from sharing a role as Michelle from Full House to starring in Mary Kate and Ashley movies and TV shows. But they disappeared from Hollywood just as quickly as they took Hollywood by storm.
Related: The Olsen Twins, & 9 Other Child Stars Who Grew Up And Made Bank
What are Mary Kate and Ashley doing today? They are both successful fashion designers who launched an award-winning fashion line, The Row, in 2007. They have a combined estimated net worth of $100 million dollars.
Jonathan Bennett
You probably don't know him by name, but you do know that he looks sexy with his hair pushed back. The teen heartthrob from Mean Girls is actually a fitness instructor. He taught classes at a Soul Cycle-Esque company called Flywheel.
He also took on the role as a television host for a variety of shows, including Cake Wars and Halloween Wars on the Food Network. He also starred as a reality TV show star in the shows Celebrity Big Brother and Dancing With The Stars. He is also a co-author of The Burn Cookbook, which alludes to his Mean Girls role.
Dylan Sprouse
Dylan Sprouse was a successful child actor along with his twin brother, Cole. He is best known for The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and Big Daddy. Dylan and Cole Sprouse's decision to take a break from acting to attend college at NYU was seen as a breath of fresh air.
Related: 20 Former 2000s Sitcom Child Stars Who Look Fantastic Today
This is especially true since we are used to seeing child actors get into legal troubles and substance abuse as an indirect result of staying in Hollywood for a long time. While Cole secured the role of Riverdale's Jughead Jones, Dylan wore many hats after graduating from college as a restaurant host and now as a business owner for a brewery.
Mara Wilson
Mara Wilson starred in many movies from our childhood, from Mrs. Doubtfire to Miracle of 34th Street. But her most notable role was as Matilda Wormwood from the self-titled movie based on the book by Roald Dahl. Surprisingly, Mara Wilson chose to leave Hollywood.
However, it is unsurprisingly that she chose to pursue a career in writing since she is so intelligent. Mara Wilson successfully published a book titled "Where Am I Know? True Stories Of Girlhood And Accidental Fame." She also wrote for several websites, including Cracked and Publicolor.
Peter Ostrum
The late Gene Wilder stole the show in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. But another notable character (other than the Oompa Loompas, of course) was Peter Ostrum, who portrayed the adorable and humble Charlie Buckett. Unfortunately, Ostrum did not get a notable acting role after the success of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
Related: 10 Child Actors Who Were Never Heard From Again
It is no surprise that this compassionate man chose to pursue a career as a veterinarian at Countryside Veterinary Clinic. He also serves as a business partner for Dairy Health & Management Services and even starred in a Pfizer-funded video called Veterinarians On Call.
Shirley Temple
Shirley Temple was a household name during the 1930s when she was named the most popular child actress. Even many generations later, she is recognized by her name and face alone. But did you know that Shirley Temple was also a political figure?
Temple ran for Congress for the California Republic Party in 1967 and was heavily involved in the Commonwealth Club of California. Afterwards, she got involved in international affairs, serving as a United States Ambassador for Czechoslovakia. She also served on the board of directors for many companies, including Disney, Bank of America, and the United Nations.
Drake
Today, Drake is best known as an award-winning singer and rapper but before he made it as a musician, he was known by his real name: Aubrey Graham. He starred on the Canadian television show Degrassi as a teenager.
Related: The 15 Hottest Women Drake Has Been With
He played Jimmy, a teenager who ended up in a wheelchair due to a school shooting who is the opposite of Drake's rap persona. Despite his major success, Drake still keeps in contact with the cast from Degrassi. They even starred in a Drake music video together for his song, “I'm Upset.”
Mayim Bialik
Mayim Bialik is best known as the studious Blossom from the self-titled series. But her intelligence was far from just great acting. Mayim got her Ph.D. in neuroscience in 2007. She founded the women's lifestyle and parenting website, Grok Nation in 2015.
She also wrote multiple books about various topics, including attachment parenting, vegan recipes, and biological development of boys and girls during puberty. She chose to return to acting after becoming a mother due to its more flexible schedule.
Peter Billingsly
Peter Billingsly, the boy from beloved A Christmas Carol, grew up to be very handsome. Even though his acting career isn't as big as it once was, he found a new passion in the realm of production.
He produced twenty-two different shows and movies from 1994 to 2018, including Dinner for Five, Iron Man, and Netflix original, F is for Family. He also directed five different television shows and videos. But that doesn't mean that he quit acting altogether. You might have recognized him from the superhero flick, Spider-Man: Far From Home.
