Top 20 Child Stars Who Got Normal Jobs as Adults

After being spotted in a Chevron commercial, Michael Oliver landed the titular role in 1990’s “Problem Child”. Oliver’s performance as the mean-spirited Junior Healy, who terrorizes his adoptive parents, made him a familiar yet frightening face. He returned the following year for the sequel and made sparse appearances in projects such as “Forrest Gump” and “Drexell's Class”. But Oliver pretty much vanished from the screen after 1996 following a legal dispute between his momager and Universal Pictures over his “Problem Child 2” salary. Since then, he has opted for a more quiet life, taking a 9-5 job in tech support that has admittedly been more fulfilling for him. Good to know he’s now solving problems instead of causing them.

In the mid-90s, Ross Bagley enjoyed great success as a child actor on the big and small screen. Bagley first rose to prominence with his screen debut as Buckwheat on “The Little Rascals”. This led to what is arguably his more popular role to date, as Nicky Banks in the NBC sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”. In the same year that the show ended, Bagley reunited with Will Smith in “Independence Day”. Although he made a few appearances on the small screen afterwards, Bagley seems to be done with Hollywood. These days, he still resides in Los Angeles, but he now works in the real estate business and DJ’s occasionally.

Kay Panabaker was only 14 when she got her breakthrough on the short-lived series “Summerland”. Throughout the rest of the 2000s, Panabaker was booked and busy, landing roles in shows like “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” and Disney Channel’s “Phil of the Future”. She also starred in the 2009 remake of the musical “Fame”. However, in 2012, Panabaker decided to quit acting. According to the former actress, she lost passion for the job, particularly after a producer on a show she was working on told her to lose some weight. She returned to school afterwards and bagged a degree in Zoology. Panabaker may still work for Disney today, but in a much different capacity, as a zookeeper at Animal Kingdom.

“The Shining” remains one of the scariest horror films Hollywood has ever produced, for a variety of reasons. Chief among them is the Grady twins, played by real-life twin sisters Lisa and Louise Burns. With their matching blue dresses and spooky voices, the girls were a terrifying sight to behold, for just about anyone. But the once-in-a-lifetime role soon proved to be a stumbling block for their acting careers. The sisters were reportedly rejected from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, as they were deemed professional actresses due to their appearance in “The Shining”. Lisa went on to study literature and became a lawyer, while Louise now works as a microbiologist and is a published scientist.

Even before he was a teenager, Angus T. Jones was already a household name. For over a decade, the Texas-born former actor starred as half-man Jake Harper on the CBS sitcom “Two and a Half Men”. In 2012, while in their tenth season, Jones declared that he had become born again and would like to depart the show as its explicit themes went against his religious beliefs. After making an appearance on one episode of the web series “Horace and Pete” in 2016, Jones seemed to say goodbye to Hollywood for good. Since then, he has branched out into the business world, teaming up with rapper Sean Combs’ son Justin to found their own event planning company called Tonite.

Ashlie Brillault is known for one role - the popular cheerleading captain Kate Sanders on the “Lizze McGuire” series and its subsequent theatrical movie. But it’s not like Brillault had starred in other projects that weren’t just as successful. In fact, other than a guest appearance in the TV show “One on One,” the only credits to her name are for the Kate Sanders role. After “Lizzie McGuire” ended its run in 2004, Brillault seemingly left acting behind. She attended the University of Denver, where she attained a law degree and has worked as a criminal defense attorney ever since. Many hoped to see Brillault back on their screens for the “Lizzie McGuire” reboot but those hopes were dashed when the show was canceled.

To date, Danielle Spencer is still recognized for her performance as the audacious Dee Thomas on ABC’s “What's Happening!!”. While on the show, Spencer was involved in a serious car accident that claimed the life of her stepfather and left her severely injured. She returned for the three-season sequel series “What's Happening Now!!” while studying veterinary medicine at the University of California-Davis. Spencer soon focused on her new profession, although she found a way to merge both fields by appearing as a veterinarian on the 1997 Oscar-winning film “As Good as It Gets”. Sadly, Spencer has continued to suffer health challenges as a result of her 1977 car crash, which admittedly has changed the way she approaches treating animals.

In 1987, then 12-year-old Staci Keanan won a Young Artist Award for her work on the first season of “My Two Dads”. She appeared on the show for two more seasons before landing a role on the ABC, and later CBS, sitcom “Step by Step”. In the 2000s, Keanan transitioned to the big screen, starring in multiple projects while earning a law degree from the Southwestern Law School. You may know her as Staci Keanan, but these days, she goes by her birth name Anastasia Sagorsky and works as a Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County. She has also taken up lecturing, having returned to her alma mater as an adjunct associate professor of law.

It’s no small feat to make your screen debut in a major Hollywood blockbuster. That was the reality for Carrie Henn who, at age 9, was cast as Rebecca "Newt" Jorden on James Cameron’s “Aliens”. While many may see such an opportunity as a great launching pad for a successful acting career in Hollywood, Henn felt quite the opposite. She wasn’t too enthusiastic about her sudden fame and instead chose to live a normal life, close to her family. After graduating from California State University with degrees in liberal studies and child development, Henn fulfilled her lifelong dream of becoming a teacher. Nevertheless, she remains grateful for her “Aliens” experience, appearing at Comic-Con for the film's 30th anniversary in 2016.

Decades after its original release, “The NeverEnding Story” has held up as one of the most fascinating children’s adventure films ever. It starred Barret Oliver as Bastian Balthazar Bux, a young boy who is drawn into the fantasy world of a book he finds. The performance shot Oliver to fame and landed him major roles in ‘80s films like “D.A.R.Y.L.” and “Cocoon”. By the ‘90s, Oliver stepped away from the spotlight, and has now taken up a career as a photographer and photography historian. His co-stars from “The NeverEnding Story” seem to have followed in his footsteps, with Noah Hathaway becoming a tattoo artist and Tami Stronach pivoting to professional dancing.

Ross Malinger was a prolific actor from age six. His big break came when he played Tom Hanks's son in the rom-com classic "Sleepless in Seattle". There were many more projects from there, including the lead role of T. J. in the Disney animated series "Recess". But Malinger ultimately left the pressures of Hollywood in his early 20s, following his father's footsteps into sales. He has become a seasoned automotive dealership salesman and manager in the Greater Los Angeles area. It's a much less public job than the one he had as a kid. But Malinger has found his perfect leading role on the show floor.

The classic sitcom "The Wonder Years" didn't just follow Fred Savage's coming-of-age. Josh Saviano captivated audiences for six seasons with the trials and triumphs of Kevin Arnold's nerdy best friend, Paul Pfeiffer. Unlike his castmates, Saviano didn't follow the entertainment industry into adulthood, at least not directly. As a partner at the law firm Morrison Cohen, he specialized in artists' intellectual property disputes and other financial transactions. He eventually used his expertise in creative entrepreneurship to found the startup companies Act 3 Advisors and Spotlight Advisory Group. Saviano may no longer be in the spotlight himself, but he is dedicated to handing it to a new generation of artists.

Charlie Korsmo stole the show in several cult classics of the '90s. He is particularly known for his award-nominated roles as the title character’s protege in "Dick Tracy" and Peter Pan's son in "Hook". But just when it seemed he was going to blow up in the new millennium, Korsmo decided to change direction in college. He graduated with a physics degree from MIT and worked in the public sector, before completing his law studies at Yale. Korsmo has become an esteemed legal scholar, even being nominated to the Barry Goldwater Scholarship's board of trustees by Barack Obama. Settling in Cleveland as a corporate law professor, Korsmo has followed his interests into a successful career.

Throughout the '90s, audiences watched Taran Noah Smith grow up as Mark Taylor, the youngest son on the hit sitcom "Home Improvement". By the time the show ended, he knew that acting wasn’t for him, and was excited to decide for himself what to do with his life. Smith built a career on his own terms as an entrepreneur, forming the vegan cheese brand Playfood, among other enterprises. In mid-2022, he became an integration technician for SpaceX. Smith may have left “Home Improvement” behind him, but he’s still built a lot with his own hands.

David Dorfman had an intense childhood, both on the screen and academically. The child actor broke out as Naomi Watts's son in the American remake of "The Ring" and its sequel. He also appeared in a number of other movies and TV shows. But his tenure on CBS’s "Family Law" foreshadowed his ultimate ambition. A UCLA student at just 13 years old, Dorfman was a valedictorian graduate and Harvard Law student by 18. He was still acting regularly when he began an illustrious law career. But with multiple offices in the U.S. House of Representatives, Dorfman now definitely has his hands full. Talk about scary success.

A one-time actor achieving stardom is a rare treat. Peter Ostrum had that luck when he was recruited from a children's theater in Cleveland for the starring role of Charlie Bucket in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory". Ostrum's infectious wonder enchanted audiences, alongside Gene Wilder's iconic antics. The 13-year-old was an overnight star, but had other priorities. His family had bought a horse, sparking Ostrum’s interest in veterinary work. Since getting his doctorate from Cornell, he has become a highly successful vet and dairy consultant in New York. Between this fulfilling work and the occasional return to the spotlight to discuss his brief but memorable acting career, it looks like Ostrum got everything he ever wanted.

Jeff Cohen spent his formative years during the '80s in the public eye. His breakout acting role as the clumsy but ultimately heroic Chunk in "The Goonies" made him an icon of the decade. But rather than use this credit to build his acting resumé, he cultivated a network on the business and legal side of the industry. By 1991, Cohen retired from acting to study law at Berkeley and UCLA. As the head of his own Beverly Hills law firm, he has become a renowned Hollywood dealmaker. Though Chunk will live on as a slapstick icon, Cohen's much sharper business shuffle is just as legendary.

The popular children's show "LazyTown" was not so lazy when Stephanie showed up. Her cheerful energy and dancing talents inspired young audiences to stay active, and made actress Julianna Rose Mauriello a household name. She ended her run with the show in 2008, leaving Stephanie to be played by Chloe Lang in the series’ 2013 revival. Meanwhile, Mauriello retired from acting and went on to get her master's degree from Columbia University. Though many may be surprised that she is not working in performing arts, she is still dedicated to children's physical and mental health. Mauriello is now a pediatric occupational therapist in Los Angeles, where she uses her many talents to support the activity of kids who need it most.

Mara Wilson gained instant recognition as the adorable daughter in "Mrs. Doubtfire" and the 1994 remake of "Miracle on 34th Street". '90s kids may remember her most as the magical, mischievous Matilda in the cult classic film of the same name. Wilson was poised to be one of Hollywood's breakout stars for the new millennium. However, the tragic death of her mother in 1996 left her feeling overwhelmed and longing for a more normal life. She’s also said that she wanted more creative freedom - and she seems to have found it, becoming a writer across multiple media. This career has carried her back into the public eye as an advocate for progressive causes and mental health. She even takes on the occasional acting role for fun.

Six-year-old Danny Lloyd made his acting debut in what he thought was a standard family drama. He was in fact playing Danny Torrance in Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining", one of the greatest and scariest horror movies ever. Lloyd's performance was praised alongside his veteran castmates'. But after his sophomore role in a TV movie about Watergate, he opted for a less public coming-of-age. Lloyd has been a biology professor in Kentucky since 2004, reluctant to share his claim-to-fame with his students. He's still glad to meet fans of "The Shining" though. He even returned to the screen for a cameo in the 2019 sequel, "Doctor Sleep". Dr. Lloyd otherwise feels he shined enough in the one role, and is equally proud of his career in academia.