Child Actors From Classic Holiday Movies Whose Lives Took Wild Turns After Leaving The Spotlight
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Curling up on the couch, a cup of cocoa in hand, and becoming deeply engrossed in a classic holiday movie is one of the most treasured traditions of the season. Years pass, but the characters in Christmas movies remind us of the simpler, more innocent times in our lives when the holidays felt like magic. The child actors in those films may be cemented in our collective seasonal culture, but once the cameras stopped filming, their lives continued...
Thomas Brodie Sangster - Love Actually
As the lovesick young boy Sam, he perfected the romantic running-through-the-airport movie trope. While acting opposite veteran Liam Neeson, he held his own at 12. His performance got him noticed, and the young star steadily booked projects after the memorable role. Today?
20 Years Later...
Nowadays, Thomas is in his early 30s, and he still snags lots of roles. His youthful appearance definitely plays to his favor. Thomas's credits include Jojen Reed in the wildly popular Game of Thrones, the box office-booming The Maze Runner series, and his Emmy-nominated role in The Queen's Gambit.
Jake Lloyd - Jingle All The Way
"It's Turbo Time!" was the catchphrase of the beloved action superhero TurboMan that Jake's character Jamie wanted for Christmas in the film. After appearing in the holiday classic, Jake joined the ranks of the Star Wars Universe, playing Anakin Skywalker.
He Was Bullied Mercilessly
Sadly, his career as a child acting got him constantly bullied at school. All the negativity led to Jake to ditch the industry for good in 2001. Following a high-speed chase with police in 2015, Jake was diagnosed with schizophrenia and received treatment.
Miffy Englefield - The Holiday
This modern yuletide classic warmed hearts largely in part to the relationship between Jude Law's character and his two adorable daughters. The scene stealer of the two, Sophie, played by a 7-year-old Miffy, might have been teeny, but she was memorable.
She's Unrecognizable
Now in her early twenties, Miffy is unrecognizable. According to her Instagram bio, Miffy dubbed herself a "pint-sized punk rocker that can probably eat spicier food than you." She's left acting but embraced her personal sense of style. The former actress also has a daughter of her own!
Johnny Galecki - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
The third installment of the Lampoon series, followed the Griswolds and their holiday hijinks. The role of Rusty was played by a 13-year-old Johnny Galecki. He emulates many of the rascal qualities of Chevy Chase's Clark.
Extremely Successful Career
Grown-up Galecki's career has led him down a different path than fans of the Lampoon series might have guessed. After playing David on Roseanne in the '90s, he got his most famous role as nerd-hero Dr. Leonard Hofstadter on The Big Bang Theory. At one time, he was the second-highest paid actor in Hollywood.
Mara Wilson - Miracle on 34th Street
With one of the most recognizable faces in child star history, Mara Wilson was the '90's "it girl." Her precocious nature made her the perfect fit for the role of a girl who doesn't believe in Santa Claus in Miracle on 34th Street and as the brilliant Matilda in Matilda.
Becoming A Writer
The acting bug left Mara shortly after her childhood years. She went on to study writing at New York University. She penned a memoir in 2016 that had a long run on the New York Times best seller list. Mara is also an accomplished podcaster and Twitter personality.
Taylor Momsen - How The Grinch Stole Christmas
Breaking onto the scene at 7 years old, Taylor captured the curious spirit of Cindy Lou Who in. Her angelic voice led her to other roles that showcased performing skills, including one of the Spy Kids movies.
She's A Punk Rocker
In her teens, Taylor snagged her most notable role as Jenny Humphrey on Gossip Girl. But the good girl visage clashed with Taylor's true identity — a hardcore punk rocker. Fronting the band The Pretty Reckless, Taylor toured the country and dismantled her reputation as the sweet, angelic Cindy Lou.
Macaulay Culkin - Home Alone
Raking in a shocking $500 million in box office sales, Home Alone was a massive hit, mainly because of Macaulay Culkin. His role as Kevin McCallister earned him a nomination for the best actor Golden Globe. After the movie premiered, Macaulay was the most sought-after actor in the entertainment industry.
The Young Superstar
The young star was a millionaire by age 12, hosted Saturday Night Live, and made 15 films in 7 years. That's enough to exhaust anyone, let alone a kid under 15 years old. Macaulay left the acting world for a bit, but has returned in recent years. In 2018 he launched a comedy website called BunnyEars.
Olivia Olson - Love Actually
Her love interest may have shown his sensitive side, but the powerful voice of little Olivia, playing Joanna, belting out a soulful cover of "All I Want For Christmas," stole the show. Even more impressive, she was just 9 years old when she sleighed the Mariah Carey cover!
Powerful Voice Actress
Her vocal talents lead to much more than just singing roles. Delving into voice acting, Olivia has an expansive number of beloved characters in her repertoire. She's the girl behind Marceline the Vampire Queen on Adventure Time and most recently, was cast as the fourth Powerpuff girl, Bliss, in the new Cartoon Network reboot.
Eric Lloyd - The Santa Clause
Rocking the '90's kid bowl-cut like a pro, 8-year-old Eric impressed in his role as Santa Claus' son. The film was an immediate success, and Eric reprised his role in the other films in the trilogy. Today, all three of the movies remain a holiday staple, so Eric must be raking in royalties...
Behind The Camera
Actually, in a Reddit Q&A, Eric said he would often get checks for less than a dollar, but it's fun to still recognized for the part. Now 32 years old, Eric has dived back into the entertainment industry. He jams with his band Radio Mason, and has started building a film and music production studio.
Karolyn Grimes - It's A Wonderful Life
John Wayne, Cary Grant, and Bing Crosby are just a few of the classic cinema stars that Karolyn shared scenes with in her career as a child actor. But her biggest credit was as Zuzu, the daughter of Jimmy Stewart's character in It's A Wonderful Life.
Playing A Beloved Character
Her part in the film was relatively minor, but she had the honor of delivering the most famous line: "Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings." Since the '80s, she's made a career of touring the country for screenings, making appearances, and selling vintage memorabilia.
Devin Ratray — Home Alone
Devin Ratray, aka Buzz in the children's Christmas comedy Home Alone, was cast as the bully older brother of Kevin McAllister in the holiday classic, as well as in its sequel. Ratray burst onto the acting scene with other similar roles to follow.
Steady Acting Career
Since his days as a child actor, Devin Ratray has gone on to star in several films, including Dennis the Menace, Strong Island Boys, The Prince and Me, Slippery Slope, Nebraska, The Winning Season, Agent Carter, and R.I.P.D.
Georgie Henley — The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Henley was first bitten by the acting bug at a young age, and she starred in this massive blockbuster fantasy film series as the youngest Pevensie sister, Lucy. What has she been up to since then?
Big Acting Ambitions
Now, Henley has gone on to star in several off-Broadway productions of such plays as Babes in the Wood, We Will Rock You, and Jane Eyre. She was cast in the 2014 Canadian crime TV series Perfect Sisters and in the show The Spanish Princess.
Harry Melling — Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
When the Harry Potter franchise was first released, fans of the films couldn't help but laugh at bully Dudley's adorably clumsy demeanor. Actor Harry Melling really nailed the character's spoiled nature. But did he manage to leave the decade-long role behind?
In The Muggle World
Nowadays, however, Melling has transformed into a pretty handsome adult! He has since gone on to star in several stage plays, including King Lear, I am a Camera, When Did You Last See My Mother?, and Hand to God. He was also in The Queen's Gambit alongside fellow child star Thomas Brodie-Sangster.
Freddie Highmore — Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
As the lead actor in the Tim Burton remake of this classic film, Highmore captured the genuine innocence of the poor protagonist — and audiences fell in love with him. It was clear that the young actor had oodles of talent.
Becoming A Good Doctor
Freddie Highmore grew up, and the acting bug continued to bite. With his talent, it's a good thing it did! He has since starred as the lead in the AMC series Bates Motel and is currently starring in the ABC drama series The Good Doctor.
AnnaSophia Robb — Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Fans of the Tim Burton remake of this film noted this young actress for her sassy delivery and inquisitive gaze. Any kids in the 2000s probably recognized her from her other iconic roles as a child actress!
Iconic Roles
Since starring in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Robb has gone on to have a very successful career in film and TV. Some of her credits include the movies Because of Winn-Dixie, Soul Surfer, and Bridge to Terabithia. As an adult, she's been in acclaimed series like The Act, Little Fires Everywhere, and Dr. Death.
Jonathan Lipnicki — Jerry Maguire and Stuart Little
Almost everyone from the 1990s remembers this adorable child actor from his role in the Tom Cruise film Jerry Maguire. Others will remember her equally-impressive role in Stuart Little. His face was practically on every screen around that era!
Switching To Voice Work
Since starring in the iconic '90s film, Lipnicki has gone on to have quite an illustrious acting career. He's done guest voice work on the animated series Family Guy, and he's featured in the films Andover, A Second Chance, and Circus Kane.
Ivana Baquero — Pan's Labyrinth
Baquero first captured mass audience attention with a starring role in the 2006 Spanish-Mexican dark fantasy film Pan's Labyrinth. For her role, she was critically acclaimed and won an award for Best New Actress.
From The Labyrinth To MTV
Baquero's love for acting continued into her adult life. Since Pan's Labyrinth, she has gone on to star in a horror film by John Connelly called The New Daughter. She was also cast in the MTV production of the Shannara book series.
Nate Richert — Sabrina the Teenage Witch
Richert first garnered national attention while starring as the dopey but likable Harvey Kinkle alongside fellow teen actress Melissa Joan Hart on Sabrina the Teenage Witch. After playing the role for seven years, Richert's schedule was open for the first time in a while...
Leaving Hollywood Behind
After Sabrina ended, Richert tried his hand at acting in other things, but ultimately retired in 2006. Nowadays, he performs as a musician and participates in various forms of social media. He even eloped with his now-wife, Malorie, in 2019!
Daveigh Chase — The Ring
Not exactly recognized for her name, this young actress scared the living daylights out of audiences worldwide when she starred as the girl with the hair in her face (AKA "Samara") in the 2002 horror film The Ring.
Her Scaring Days Are Behind Her
Since scaring people as Samara, Chase has gone on to star in several films. Some of them include Donnie Darko, Lilo & Stitch, The Ring 2, and Spirited Away. She was also in the HBO show Big Love.
Jacob Pitts — EuroTrip
Pitts first charmed audiences in the United States with his portrayal of Cooper in the teen comedy adventure EuroTrip. He was noted for his comedic acting chops and landed an appearance on Comedy Central's Strangers with Candy.
Motivated By Money
In 2006, he discussed his inspiration to act: "Money. Very, very occasionally a piece of writing comes along that I personally connect with, but like I said, that's about .01 percent of the time." He's since acted in lots of TV shows, from The Good Wife to The Sinner to Law & Order: SVU.
Malcolm David Kelley — Lost
Malcolm David Kelley, aka Walt on the TV series Lost, began acting at a very young age. Before long, he landed guest appearances in such productions as Malcolm in the Middle and Judging Amy.
Hip-Hop Star
Since starring in these TV programs, Kelley has gone on to enjoy a successful hip-hop career, though he does continue to act here and there. As a musician, he's part of a duet known as MKTO, who have since been signed to Columbia records.
Susan Olsen — The Brady Bunch
Popularized as the youngest of the daughters, Cindy, on the 1970s family comedy series, Susan Olsen was practically impossible to separate from the innocent pigtails and sweet smile we all saw on screen. She obviously grew up eventually!
She's Now An Artist
Since starring in The Brady Bunch, Susan has gone on to act sporadically. She's appeared in such productions as Divorce Court, Pacific Blue, Halloween Puppy, and Holiday Road Trip. She's also had a side career as an artist, as well.
Amanda Bynes — All That
Fans of this child actress were rather impressed by her serious comedic chops from a young age, especially on the Nickelodeon shows All That and The Amanda Show. She had a promising career as a teen star in She's The Man and What I Like About You until it suddenly came to a halt...
The Terrible Twenties
In her twenties, Amanda suffered serious issues related to drugs and alcohol and was prominently featured in tabloid magazines. She's been arrested on several occasions in conjunction with these substances and has strayed away from acting ever since.
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