Not every child actor’s career lasts forever. Whether they wanted to concentrate on raising a family or decided acting isn’t the right career for them, so many famous kids have become regular adults now. You might pass by some of them on the street and not even realize that they were famous years ago. But a more “normal” life might be exactly what they want.
The pressure of constantly being in the spotlight might be too much for some people, especially child actors who have already been through a lot being famous so young and didn’t really have a childhood. Let’s take a look at all of the famous kids who are regular people now and what they are doing with their lives.
10 Kevin Jonas
Kevin left the spotlight for a while to concentrate on raising his family. “The eldest Jonas now works as a contractor in New Jersey, where he co-owns JonasWerner Homes, a custom home-building company. He's also dad to two little girls with wife, Danielle, whom he met at the height of his JoBros fame," according to Good Housekeeping. Although Kevin started making music with his brothers again in 2019, he still spends most of his time with his family.
9 Dylan Sprouse
Dylan was a huge child star in the 2000s along with his brother. Although he gave up the “suite life” for an ordinary, but happy life in New York. According to Best Life, “While his twin brother, Cole, has maintained his career in the spotlight with a recent role on Riverdale, Dylan Sprouse has ditched entertainment media in favor of mead. No, seriously. The former Suite Life of Zack & Cody star has gone full hipster, opening a mead brewery in Brooklyn.”
8 Amanda Bynes
If you grew up in the ‘90s, then you probably know who Amanda Bynes is. She starred in the Nickelodeon show, All That, before having her own show on the network. The Amanda Show had goofy and hilarious sketches that made every kid laugh when they watched it. Although she was a famous child actor, it seems like she moved on since she hasn’t appeared in anything in about 11 years. Now she’s concentrating on her education and is enrolled in California's Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising.
7 Jeff Cohen
Jeff starred in a few films and TV shows as a kid, but he’s most known for his role in The Goonies. According to Best Life, “Chunk from The Goonies doesn't have to do the Truffle Shuffle anymore. Jeff Cohen, the child actor who starred as the pudgy character in the classic 80's film, is now a founding partner at Cohen Gardner LLP, a law firm in Beverly Hills.” He realized it’s better for him to help other actors as an entertainment lawyer instead of being an actor himself.
6 Peter Ostrum
You wouldn’t think that Peter was once a famous actor—he has created a whole new life for himself since then. According to Best Life, “Getting that golden ticket was just the beginning for Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory star Peter Ostrum. The man who embodied Charlie Bucket in the iconic film now works as a large animal veterinarian in upstate New York.” The golden ticket might not have actually given him a chocolate factory, but it led to an amazing life of helping animals.
5 Mara Wilson
Mara had a lot of success as a child actor in the ‘90s, but she took that fame and used it to help her build a new career as a writer. “Though Mara retired from acting in 2000 to focus on her writing (in fact, she has a published book titled Where Am I Now?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame), the actress recently returned to the screen in 2012, starring in the comedy-drama film, Billie Bob Joe, and in a Mrs. Doubtfire-inspired episode of Broad City,” according to Good Housekeeping. Maybe we’ll get to see more of her acting talent in the future.
4 Danny Lloyd
Danny has only really been in one movie, but that movie is a famous horror movie that people still watch now—The Shining. He didn’t like the audition process as a kid, so he moved on with his life after that and became a teacher. According to Best Life, “After his early success in The Shining, child actor, Danny Lloyd, abandoned the Overlook Hotel for greener, less haunted pastures. These days, Lloyd is working as a biology professor in Elizabeth, Kentucky.”
3 Jerry Mathers
Jerry is one of the older child stars who was on Leave It To Beaver from 1957 to 1963. According to Good Housekeeping, “After Leave It To Beaver, Jerry joined the United States Air Force Reserve, eventually rising to the rank of Sergeant. He's done a few acting parts here and there, and is now the national spokesman for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America organization.” Although he’s a pharmaceutical spokesman now, his fans will always know him as Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver.
2 Maureen McCormick
Maureen appeared in shows like Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie when she got older, but most people know her from when she played Marcia Brady as a young teen. Since then, she made her career as a writer and telling people what it’s really like to be a child star. According to Good Housekeeping, “In 2008, Maureen published her controversial (and widely-read) autobiography, Here's the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice, detailing her difficult experiences portraying one of the most famous characters of the 1970s.”
1 Tatyana Ali
Tatyana was only 6-years-old when she started her acting career on Sesame Street and that led to her starring in one of the most famous TV shows of the ‘90s—The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. According to Good Housekeeping, “After her Fresh Prince days, this brilliant lady went on to get her bachelor's degree in African-American Studies at Harvard University. She's also made television appearances on shows including Second Generation Wayans, The Eric Andre Show, and Love That Girl!.”