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There were shows and movies that we loved to watch and rewatch as kids. Some of our favorite characters were kids themselves, but not all of them continued their life of fame into adulthood. A few quit the famous life entirely, while others were phased out for newer faces.
We have compiled a list of stars who lost their footing in the industry after they made it big as a child. They seemed to disappear from the media, and now many have undertaken new careers for financial support. Keep reading to learn about 10 huge child stars who are no longer working today!
10. Frankie Muniz
Frankie Muniz was a hot commodity in his early years as he starred in hits like Malcolm in the Middle, Big Fat Liar, and Agent Cody Banks. He is now 34-years-old and has slowly been drifting out of the field of television.
Since his glory days as a child, he has shifted his interests to racecar driving. He was driving for Jensen Motorsport until a crash in 2009 gave him extreme memory loss, but there is light at the end of the tunnel as he became engaged in 2018.
9. Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen
These two were the twins that were the center of attention during their younger years. They starred in things like Full House, The Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley, and Passport to Paris. These actresses are now 32-years-old and have continued to run their production company called Dualstar.
They have drifted out of the limelight in terms of acting, but they are still involved in this world by other means. The two try and keep to themselves by refusing to give in to the social media hype, and you can buy their fashion label called The Row at Walmart.
8. Lisa Jakub
You might remember this actress from her role as the eldest child in Mrs. Doubtfire. She hasn't been in a role since 2000 and has moved onto greener pastures. Her main profession is to work as a writer, as she runs her blog, but Lisa also holds a job as a yoga teacher.
She has released a book as well called Not Just Me, where she discusses mental illness and how she handles it. She has already claimed she is retired from the business, so this is one child actor who we doubt will ever return to the big screen.
7. Bradley Pierce
This actor was popular in the '90s for his role in Jumanji, but since he has grown up, the fame that came with it has diminished. He acts here and there in minor roles, but as of this year, there is nothing on his resume.
Pierce has been known to travel around to different conventions in his spare time, but for the most part, it seems like for now he is just planning on taking it easy. We don't blame him as his resume shows he probably has more than enough funds to take time off, although he is only 37 years old so he might come back to the industry eventually.
6. Kay Panabaker
Kay Panabaker is the sister of Michelle Panabaker and she made several appearances in things like Nancy Drew, Read It and Weep, and Phil of the Future. Her last acting performance was back in 2012, and since then she has received a degree from UCLA in the field of zoology.
She now works as a zookeeper in the Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World. We know she is living her best life off the stage, and it is hard not to be jealous as she works with animals at one of the greatest places on Earth.
5. David Henrie ('Wizards of Waverly Place')
David Henrie has not been in acting since 2016, but it all started to go downhill after Wizards of Waverly Place ended back in 2012.
We do know he recently became a father after his wife had 3 miscarriages, so he is spending as much time with his new daughter as he can. There have been discussions between him and his costar Selena Gomez about a reboot in the future, although for now, we expect his focus to remain on his family.
4. Mara Wilson
Mara Wilson has told the press herself that she knew acting in Matilda was her peak performance. She has already told the media she has no plans to persue acting as a career again and instead has found a passion for writing.
She has even written a book about her experience as a child actor called Where Am I Now?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame where she discusses how this world had an impact on her mental health.
3. Jordan Warkol ('Little Rascals')
This actor played Froggy in The Little Rascals, but since 2006 he hasn't been featured in anything related to this industry. 2011 brought about a change in direction as he worked for a production company called Toon Goggles.
It seems like he is no longer involved in that venture and has moved onto bigger ticket careers, like poker. This actor is still heavily involved in the professional poker scene and managed to make an appearance at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.
2. Amanda Bynes ('The Amanda Show')
Amanda Bynes was a huge child star as she stole the show in things like The Amanda Show, She's The Man, and Hairspray. Her acting career stalled after 2010 when she turned to drugs and had several run-ins with the law.
She has gotten her life back on track as she recently graduated from the L.A.’s Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising as she hopes to one day start her fashion line. This former actress has discussed her desire to re-enter this field in the future, but for now, she is currently working on living a mentally healthy and sober lifestyle.
1. Taran Noah Smith ('Home Improvement')
Taran's career ended back in 1999 after his time on Home Improvement when he left the business for good. He had started going to film school at the University of Southern California, but he dropped out before he finished with a degree.
He married young at only 17-years-old, and it sparked a lot of controversies as he married a 33-year-old. They eventually divorced after 6 years, and since then there has been little chatter as to what he has been up to in the meantime.