Often, the traditional career path for a child star is to seek to "make it" as an adult actor. But plenty of child stars left show business entirely, instead choosing to pursue careers outside of Hollywood.
Though they might still be known for their iconic characters, the child stars on this list forged a new path for themselves later in life. From entertainment lawyers and memoirists all the way to nurses and zookeepers, they found new outlets for their passion and creativity. Below, 32 child stars who went on to have "normal" jobs.
Devon Werkheiser
After Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, Devon Werkheiser explained to Insider that he was forced to get a 9-to-5 job when his savings ran out in his 20s. "The only thing I knew to do was to go get some hourly job and start working my way out of my situation...it was a real wakeup call for me." He also started a podcast and has had a musical career.
Ashlie Brillault
Playing cheerleader Kate in the Lizzie McGuire show and movie, Ashlie Brillault did not return to acting. She actually went to the University of Denver, earned her JD, and is now a criminal defense attorney in Southern California (which is incredibly cool).
Ross Malinger
If you recall the cute little kid in Sleepless in Seattle, you remember Ross Malinger. He worked as a kid but then pivoted when he was a young adult, apparently following his dad into a career at a car dealership, including as a finance manager for the Honda Van Nuys in LA.
Taran Noah Smith
Youngest son Mark from Home Improvement, a.k.a. Taran Noah Smith, decided he didn't want to act anymore when the show wrapped (which makes sense, since the show started filming when he was 7). Smith is a vegan and founded a vegan cheese company, and he has worked at the Community Submersibles Project.
Julianna Rose Mauriello
The star of LazyTown and its spinoff continued to gear her profession towards kids after she retired from acting (if you're unfamiliar, she was replaced in season 3 after she outgrew the role). She's now a pediatric occupational therapist and, per her LinkedIn, works in Los Angeles.
Michael Oliver
The terrorizing tot from Problem Child and its sequel, Michael Oliver retired from acting when he was 15 and started working in the tech industry. “After having been thrust into the spotlight as a child, I appreciate some peace and quiet. I am grateful and always will be for the experiences,” he told People.
Jennifer Stone
Harper Finkle on Wizards of Waverly Place, Jennifer Stone continued to act for a bit but ultimately changed careers entirely. She went to school for nursing, graduated in 2019, and immediately started working during the COVID-19 pandemic. But she keeps a hand in her former role as co-host of the Wizards of Waverly Pod.
Barret Oliver
Bastian Balthazar Bux (real name: Barret Oliver) from The NeverEnding Story and Cocoon had his last film role in the late 1980s with Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills. He pivoted to become a printer and photographer, and even published A History of the Woodburytype in 2007.
David Dorfman
The sweet, quiet kid who's haunted by Samara in the two American Ring movies also had other on-screen roles (like CBS' Family Law). Art would imitate life: David Dorfman would attend Harvard Law School at 18 and was one of their youngest-ever graduates—then he went on to work for the U.S. House of Representatives!
Staci Keanan
The young actor from My Two Dads and Step by Step, Staci Keanan (who now goes by her given name, Anastasia Sagorsky) went on to become a Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County as well as adjunct faculty at her alma mater, Southwestern Law School.
Charlie Korsmo
With some prestigious roles in Dick Tracy and Hook (he plays Peter Pan's son in the latter), Charlie Korsmo then went on to some pretty impressive academic feats: a degree in physics from MIT and a law degree from Yale, then appointed to the board of trustees of the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation.
Kay Panabaker
Kay Panabaker had her breakthrough in Summerland and go on to act in a number of projects, then lost interest and passion in the business. She would go on to become an associate animal keeper at Animal Kingdom in Walt Disney World in 2015, and says the job is her true passion.
Clayton Snyder
Ethan Craft from Lizzie McGuire continued to act (and was going to make an appearance in the now-shuttered reboot series), and got married to a fellow actor (Allegra Edwards, pictured). He's also a realtor and, per his Instagram, a recreational waterpoloist.
Josh Saviano
Paul from The Wonder Years, Josh Saviano would ultimately quit acting and go to law school after the show ended. He became a partner at a New York law firm and then founded law firm JDS Legal and celebrity brand consultancy Act 3 Advisors—helping artists with legal challenges.
Bridgit Mendler
From a role in Good Luck Charlie to MIT! Bridgit Mendler put her acting and singing career on pause; she studied at the MIT Media Lab and worked on completing a law degree. She also became the CEO of Northwood Space, which is a satellite data startup.
Angus T. Jones
Probably most known for his long-standing role in Two and a Half Men, which helped him become the highest paid child star in television in 2010, Angus T. Jones stepped away from acting after the show. He enrolled at the University of Colorado at Boulder and, for a time, joined the management of an event planning company Tonite, but also made a brief cameo on Bookie.
Andrea Barber
While it's true that Andrea Barber has remained a part of the Full House universe (reprising her role as Kimmy Gibbler in the reboot), she also pursued a career in education, graduating from Whittier College, completing a UN internship, and earning a master’s degree in the UK.
Reed Alexander
You may know Reed Alexander best from his role as Nevel in iCarly. But you may also have read his words; he became a correspondent for Insider, covering (what else?) the entertainment and media industry, and wrote KewlBites: 100 Nutritious, Delicious, and Family-Friendly Dishes.
Lisa and Louise Burns
Ever wonder what the Grady twins from The Shining look like all grown up? Well, wonder no more! Lisa and Louise Burns did not act after the film; Lisa studied literature and became a lawyer, and Louise is a microbiologist. The two sometimes do public appearances!
Ross Bagley
Probably most well-known as Nicky Banks in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Buckwheat in The Little Rascals (1994) (as well as a small part in Independence Day alongside former costar Will Smith), Ross Bagley stopped acting in 2015. Per his Instagram, he's a realtor and DJ.
Carrie Henn
Carrie Henn was only 9 years old when she became "Newt" in the blockbuster movie Aliens (and, much like a lot of this list, is a reminder of how old that movie actually is). She chose not to pursue acting and, instead, became a teacher. But she has not shied away from her love of the role or the movie!
Danny Lloyd
Sweet little Danny from The Shining might be one of the most recognized child actors of all time, but Danny Lloyd chose not to continue acting. Instead, he became a biology professor, but agreed to cameo as a spectator at a baseball game in 2019's Shining sequel, Doctor Sleep.
Danielle Spencer
Danielle Spencer, Dee Thomas on What's Happening!!, suffered a tragedy as a young person—a 1977 car crash that left her in a coma for months and killed her stepfather. The show was cancelled in 1979; Thomas became a veterinarian and has occasionally reprised her role as Dee.
Peter Ostrum
Charlie from Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, Peter Ostrum chose not to sign a three-film contract after the success of the film. Though he apparently misses acting, he went on to a fruitful veterinary career and still speaks openly about the role that made him famous.
Rajiv Surendra
Kevin from the original Mean Girls, Rajiv Surendra has occasionally reprised his most famous role. He left acting behind after auditioning for (and not getting) the lead role in Life of Pi, and wrote a memoir about the experience. He also founded a graphic design service and became a YouTube creator.
Mara Wilson
Mara Wilson was the cutest part of a bunch of '90s movies, including Mrs. Doubtfire, Miracle on 34th Street, and Matilda. She has said that—like many—the transition from child star to adult actor was difficult, as was the tragic death of her mom in 1996. She has written in compelling ways about her life as a child actor, including with a memoir, and still occasionally acts.
Jeff Cohen
Probably best remembered as Chunk from The Goonies, Jeff Cohen has a cool story. He became an entertainment lawyer, co-founded law firm Cohen & Gardner, and even negotiated Ke Huy Quan's deal in Everything Everywhere All At Once. Quan even referenced Cohen in his Oscars speech, calling him "my Goonies brother for life."
Quvenzhané Wallis
It's not that Quvenzhané Wallis stopped acting after Beasts of the Southern Wild—she has voiced Harper in Trolls and played a character in Black-ish—but it's her work as an author that has really propelled her career forward. She's authored several children's books, including Shai & Emmie Star in Break an Egg!, A Night Out with Mama, and Shai & Emmie Star in To the Rescue!
Dylan Sprouse
Dylan Sprouse (The Suite Life of Zack & Cody alongside twin Cole) still acts from time to time (see also: Banana Split and After We Collided, most notably). But he's taken a step back from the profession and became an owner of All-Wise Meadery in Brooklyn in 2018.
Jennette McCurdy
Jennette McCurdy made massive waves with her book I'm Glad My Mom Died. She recounts, in riveting detail, how stressful it was to be a child actor (in her case, Sam Puckett in Nickelodeon's iCarly) with an abusive momager. Since then, she began a podcast titled Hard Feelings.
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen
The Olsen twins were everywhere in the '90s, including Full House but also in various movies and shows. They retired to pursue a full-time career in the fashion industry, and they founded luxury brand The Row in 2006—which became much-beloved and as successful as their earlier ventures.
Shirley Temple
Shirley Temple's story is a fascinating one. She was a bona fide child star in the 1930s, then struggled to be taken seriously as an adult actor. She became U.S. ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia, then served as U.S. Chief of Protocol, and even published a memoir.
