Child Stars Who’ve Completely Vanished from the Public Eye

Many child actors experience a period of intense fame, but often choose different careers as they get older. Some continue acting into adulthood, while others decide to leave the entertainment industry for a more private life and new opportunities. These former stars now work in various fields, like law, teaching, and medicine, showing that people can have many different passions after being in the public eye from a young age.

Jonathan Taylor Thomas

Jonathan Taylor Thomas was a popular face in the 1990s, best known for playing Randy Taylor on the TV show ‘Home Improvement’. He also voiced young Simba in ‘The Lion King’ and appeared in a number of films. However, at the height of his fame, he decided to prioritize his education, attending Harvard and Columbia University. Since then, he’s made only a few small TV appearances and now lives a private life outside of the entertainment world.

Mara Wilson

Mara Wilson won the hearts of many as a child in films like ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ and ‘Matilda’. She chose to leave acting in the late 1990s to concentrate on her studies and pursue her love of writing. Since then, she’s written a memoir about her time as a young actor in a difficult industry. Though she sometimes does voice-over work for cartoons, she now focuses on writing and storytelling. She continues to speak out about the special difficulties young performers face in the entertainment world.

Danny Lloyd

Danny Lloyd is famous for playing Danny Torrance in the iconic horror film ‘The Shining’. He was just five years old when he worked with director Stanley Kubrick on the movie. After one more film appearance, he chose to leave acting altogether. He later became a biology professor at a community college in Kentucky. He generally avoids interviews and prefers to keep his work as a teacher separate from his past as a child actor.

Carrie Henn

Carrie Henn is best known for her role as Newt in the 1986 movie ‘Aliens’. Although critics praised her acting, she decided not to continue with a career in film. Instead, she prioritized her education and earned a degree in child development. Today, she works as a teacher and prefers a private life. She sometimes makes appearances at fan events to acknowledge the enduring popularity of ‘Aliens’.

Ariana Richards

Ariana Richards became famous for playing Lex Murphy in the hit movie ‘Jurassic Park’. After appearing in a few other films in the 1990s, she chose to pursue her passion for art. She became a professional painter, creating portraits and landscapes, and has since achieved success and won awards for her work. She now runs her own gallery and lives a private life, focusing on her art career rather than Hollywood.

Charlie Korsmo

Charlie Korsmo was a busy child actor, appearing in films like ‘Hook’ and ‘Dick Tracy’. He briefly returned to acting in ‘Can’t Hardly Wait’ but then decided to leave the movie industry and focus on education. He went on to earn degrees from MIT and Yale Law School, and now works as a law professor at Case Western Reserve University. He’s dedicated his career to legal scholarship and teaching, leaving behind his days as a child star.

Liesel Matthews

Liesel Matthews is known for her roles in the popular movies ‘A Little Princess’ and ‘Air Force One’. Coming from the prominent Pritzker family, she later faced legal challenges concerning her inheritance. After stepping away from acting, she focused on giving back through philanthropy and impact investing. She co-founded the IDP Foundation, working to expand access to education in developing countries, and has no plans to return to acting.

Barret Oliver

Barret Oliver gained fame as Bastian Balthazar Bux in ‘The NeverEnding Story’ and also had roles in ‘Cocoon’ and Tim Burton’s short film ‘Frankenweenie’ during the 1980s. Later in the decade, he left acting to become a photographer. He now focuses on historic photographic techniques, particularly those from the 19th century, and has even authored books on the subject. He’s a well-regarded expert in photographic history, but generally keeps his personal life private.

Jeff Cohen

Many remember Jeff Cohen as Chunk from the movie ‘The Goonies.’ As he grew older, he found it difficult to maintain a consistent acting career and decided to focus on education. He went to the University of California, Berkeley, and later earned a law degree from UCLA. Today, he’s a successful entertainment lawyer and a co-founder of a Beverly Hills law firm, working to protect the rights of actors and creators instead of performing himself.

Ross Malinger

You might remember Ross Malinger as Tom Hanks’ son in the movie ‘Sleepless in Seattle.’ He continued acting in the 1990s, with roles in films like ‘Kindergarten Cop,’ but later decided to leave the entertainment industry in the early 2000s. He now works in business management, specifically in the automotive sector, and prefers to stay out of the spotlight, avoiding social media and public appearances.

Omri Katz

Omri Katz is best remembered for his roles in the TV series ‘Eerie Indiana’ and the movie ‘Hocus Pocus.’ He also played a part in the soap opera ‘Dallas’ when he was younger. He stopped acting professionally in 2002, making a few final TV appearances before leaving Hollywood to start a business in the cannabis industry. Now, he lives a private life in Los Angeles and rarely appears in public.

Brittany Ashton Holmes

I’ll always remember Brittany Ashton Holmes as Darla from ‘The Little Rascals’ – that movie was huge! It’s kind of amazing, but she decided she didn’t want to continue acting after that. She went to college and studied political science, and has said she’s happy with her life and doesn’t want to go back to Hollywood. She’s become pretty private, which makes her one of those ’90s child stars you don’t hear much about anymore.

Bradley Pierce

I always loved Bradley Pierce as Chip in ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and he was so great in ‘Jumanji’! It’s amazing to see what he’s up to now – after a bit of a break from acting, he’s really found his passion in the world of cocktails. He actually co-founded a company all about cocktail culture, and now he’s a consultant and teaches others about spirits. It’s also really cool that he’s using his experience to help young performers – he’s a genuinely good person!

Michael J. Oliver

Michael Oliver, best known for playing Junior in the ‘Problem Child’ movies, stepped away from acting as a teenager due to conflicts with his management and the studio. He now works in the tech industry, focusing on areas like tech support and server administration, and has said he much prefers the stability of this career to the ups and downs of being a child actor.

Tami Stronach

Tami Stronach is best known for playing the Childlike Empress in the movie ‘The NeverEnding Story,’ and that was her only significant role in a major film. Her parents, worried about the challenges of growing up in the spotlight, encouraged her to pursue a career in dance. She moved to New York City and became a professional dancer and choreographer, eventually starting her own dance company. For many years, she focused on performing and teaching dance, but she’s recently begun appearing in independent films again after a long break from acting.

Lisa Jakub

Lisa Jakub, known for her roles in films like ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ and ‘Independence Day’, left acting at age twenty-two. She moved to Virginia and pursued new passions, becoming a writer and a certified yoga teacher focused on mental wellness. Jakub has since written books detailing her decision to leave Hollywood and her journey to find a more fulfilling life. Today, she leads workshops and gives talks on achieving balance after a public career.

Jake Lloyd

Jake Lloyd became well-known worldwide for his role as young Anakin Skywalker in ‘Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace’. After the film’s release, he experienced intense bullying and felt a lot of pressure. He stopped acting in 2001 and continued to cope with the difficulties of early fame for years. He’s faced health issues and has remained out of the public eye and the entertainment industry. His family sometimes shares updates about his health while asking for privacy.

Peter Ostrum

Peter Ostrum is best known for playing Charlie Bucket in ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.’ Though offered a three-movie deal after the film’s success, he chose a different path. He developed a passion for animals and became a veterinarian, working with large animals in New York State for many years. He cherishes his time making the movie but has no regrets about leaving the acting world.

Andrea Elson

Andrea Elson is most famous for playing Lynn Tanner on the TV show ‘ALF’. As a young actress, she also appeared in programs like ‘Whiz Kids’ and ‘The Young and the Restless’. Later, she chose to leave acting to focus on raising her family. She now works as a yoga instructor and is passionate about health and wellness, preferring a quiet, private life and has no plans to return to acting.

Travis Tedford

Travis Tedford, best known as Spanky in the 1994 film ‘The Little Rascals’, stepped away from acting as a young adult. After a few commercials and minor roles, he moved to Texas and built a career in finance. Today, he works in marketing and communications for a credit union, having fully transitioned away from his childhood fame.

Noah Hathaway

Noah Hathaway is best known for playing the brave Atreyu in the classic film ‘The NeverEnding Story.’ After a few more roles, including one in ‘Battlestar Galactica,’ he stepped away from acting for many years. He explored passions like martial arts and motorcycle racing, and eventually became a successful tattoo artist, opening his own studio. Though he’s made a few appearances in smaller films lately, he largely lived a private life for decades.

Brandon Quintin Adams

Brandon Quintin Adams is best known for his childhood roles in the films ‘The Sandlot’ and ‘The Mighty Ducks’. While a popular young actor in the early 1990s, he appeared less and less on screen as he got older. A difficult time in his life came with the tragic loss of his friend and co-actor, Merlin Santana, in 2002. After that, Adams chose to leave acting behind to concentrate on his personal life and building a career outside of Hollywood. He still makes occasional appearances at events for fans, but he’s no longer a regular presence in the film industry.

Brian Bonsall

You might remember Brian Bonsall as little Andy Keaton from ‘Family Ties’ – he was so cute! He also had a fun role in the movie ‘Blank Check’ and even popped up on ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation.’ But after 1995, he decided acting wasn’t for him anymore and moved to Colorado to pursue music. He dove into the punk rock scene, playing in a few bands, and, honestly, had a bit of a rocky time figuring things out as a young adult, including some legal troubles. These days, he’s still really involved with music, but he hasn’t gone back to being a professional actor.

Josh Saviano

Josh Saviano, best known for playing Paul Pfeiffer in ‘The Wonder Years,’ is often mistakenly linked to musician Marilyn Manson – a rumor that isn’t true. After graduating from Yale University, he became a lawyer, specializing in corporate law. He’s also an entrepreneur, working with various brands and social media influencers. While he stays in touch with his former co-stars, his main focus is now his career in law and business.

Tell us which of these former stars you remember most in the comments.

2025-12-21 17:17