Child stars who made impressive comebacks

Quan, who had been out of the public eye for many years, made a remarkable comeback in 2022's highly successful film 'Everything Everywhere All at Once.' This extraordinary achievement earned him his very first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The most heartwarming moment came when Quan's former co-star from the film 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom' (1984), Harrison Ford, joined the cast on stage as they accepted the award for Best Picture. Filled with excitement, Quan leaped with joy as he made his way towards Ford, and the two shared an enthusiastic embrace.

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Taylor Lautner -

Taylor Lautner gained worldwide fame for portraying Jacob Black in the Twilight Saga. Additionally, during his teenage years, he appeared in various movies, including 'The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl' in 2005.

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Taylor Lautner -

Although Lautner remained visible to the public, he quietly backed away from the film industry after the success of the Twilight series. Nonetheless, in 2022, Taylor Lautner returned to a starring role in the Netflix series 'Home Team.'

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Jason Bateman -

Jason Bateman is a well-known actor, but did you know he had early fame as a child on popular TV show 'Silver Spoons', which ran from 1982 to 1987?

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Jason Bateman -

After years of struggle to reach his full potential, Bateman made a triumphant return with acclaimed performances in television series such as 'Arrested Development' and 'Ozark,' as well as numerous leading roles in Hollywood movies.

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Mayim Bialik -

Mayim Bialik played the main character in the TV show 'Blossom,' which ran for four years from 1991 to 1995.

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Mayim Bial -

After taking a break from acting to pursue her studies, Bialik obtained a PhD in neuroscience. Later on, she made an impressive comeback to television with the popular show 'The Big Bang Theory.'

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Anna Chlumsky -

Anna Chlumsky rose to fame at just nine years old with her role in the 1991 film 'My Girl,' starring alongside child star Macaulay Culkin.

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Anna Chlumsky -

Chlumsky made a comeback decades later, this time on television. She appeared in Julia Louis-Dreyfus's acclaimed show 'Veep' before portraying journalist Vivian Kent in the Netflix series 'Inventing Anna' in 2022.

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Danica McKellar -

Danica McKellar became a star on the popular TV series 'The Wonder Years' in the late 1980s, where she played the character Winnie. However, she chose to step away from the public eye afterwards to prioritize her education.

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Danica McKellar -

McKellar earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from UCLA. She is widely known for her appearances in Hallmark Channel mystery films and for authoring influential math books for teenagers.

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Vincent Kartheiser -

Vincent Kartheiser frequently appeared in children's films throughout the 1990s, including 'Alaska' (1996) and 'Masterminds' (1997).

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Vincent Kartheiser -

Kartheiser returned to screens more than a decade later, as character Pete Campbell in the massively successful series 'Mad Men.'

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Hilary Duff -

In the early 2000s, Hilary Duff was a favorite children's star thanks to her role the Disney Channel's hit series 'Lizzie McGuire'.

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Hilary Duff -

Duff struggled to launch a music career for years. From 2015 to 2021, she found success in the TV series 'Younger.' Since 2022, she has also appeared on Hulu's 'How I Met Your Father.'

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Gaby Hoffmann -

In the 1980s and '90s, Gaby Hoffmann had small parts in many Hollywood movies and a thriving career as a young performer. In 1993, Hoffmann appeared in the classic romantic comedy 'Sleepless in Seattle.'

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Gaby Hoffmann -

Hoffmann experienced a decline in her career for a period of time, but in the 21st century she made a remarkable return, showcasing her exceptional acting skills in shows like 'Transparent.'

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Ben Savage -

Ben Savage, known for his role in ABC's popular sitcom 'Boy Meets World' from 1993 to 2000, faced difficulty maintaining his stardom after the show ended.

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Ben Savage -

Savage regained stardom after years of playing smaller parts in low-budget productions when the sitcom 'Girl Meets World,' a spin-off of 'Boy Meets World,' premiered in 2014.

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Emily Osment -

Emily Osment, together with her brother Haley Joel Osment, emerged as a child star in the early 2000s. Osment gained considerable popularity portraying Gerti Giggles in the successful Spy Kids series and Lilly Truscott in Disney Channel's 'Hannah Montana.'

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Emily Osment -

Osment, who dipped her toe in the music industry in the 2010s, has recently made a successful comeback to television with notable performances in acclaimed series like Netflix's 'The Kominsky Method' and CBS's 'Young Sheldon.'

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Thomas Brodie-Sangster -

Thomas Brodie-Sangster acted in various films during his childhood, including 'Love Actually' in 2003 and 'Nanny McPhee' in 2005.

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Thomas Brodie-Sangster -

Brodie-Sangster made a comeback after fading into obscurity, impressively showcasing his talent in well-known TV shows like 'Game of Thrones' and 'The Queen's Gambit.'

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Cole Sprouse -

Cole Sprouse gained fame as a child actor alongside his twin brother Dylan in the popular Disney Channel show 'The Suite Life of Zack & Cody' and its spin-off 'The Suite Life on Deck.' Prior to that, they appeared in the Adam Sandler film 'Big Daddy' (1999).

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Cole Sprouse -

Cole Sprouse took a break from the entertainment industry but returned triumphantly as Jughead Jones in the successful CW show 'Riverdale.'

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Johnny Galecki -

Johnny Galecki (left), known for his roles in movie 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation' (1989) and TV series 'Roseanne,' struggled to find attention-grabbing roles after getting taste of fame.

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Johnny Galecki -

That all changed in 2007 when he was cast as Leonard in 'The Big Bang Theory,' a role that catapulted him to fame as the show became a massive hit on TV.

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Drew Barrymore -

Drew Barrymore had a highly successful career as a child, appearing in major movies including Steven Spielberg's 1982 family favorite 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.' She continued to grace screens as a teenager and young adult.

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Drew Barrymore -

Remaining active throughout the 2000s, Drew Barrymore experienced a brief hiatus in the early 2010s. However, she made a remarkable comeback with her role in the popular horror-comedy series 'The Santa Clarita Diet' on Netflix. Additionally, her celebrity talk show, which premiered in 2020, has achieved immense success.

Sources: (Ranker) (TheRichest)

See more: Celebrities you didn't know are related to US presidents

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Ke Huy Quan -

Ke Huy Quan, a Vietnam-born actor, showcased his talent at a young age in films 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom' (1984) and 'The Goonies' (1985).

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Ke Huy Quan -

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Taylor Lautner -

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Taylor Lautner -

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Jason Bateman -

Jason Bateman is a well-known actor, but did you know he had early fame as a child on popular TV show 'Silver Spoons', which ran from 1982 to 1987?

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Jason Bateman -

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Mayim Bialik -

Mayim Bialik played the main character in the TV show 'Blossom,' which ran for four years from 1991 to 1995.

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Mayim Bial -

After taking a break from acting to pursue her studies, Bialik obtained a PhD in neuroscience. Later on, she made an impressive comeback to television with the popular show 'The Big Bang Theory.'

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Anna Chlumsky -

Anna Chlumsky rose to fame at just nine years old with her role in the 1991 film 'My Girl,' starring alongside child star Macaulay Culkin.

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Anna Chlumsky -

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Danica McKellar -

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Danica McKellar -

McKellar earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from UCLA. She is widely known for her appearances in Hallmark Channel mystery films and for authoring influential math books for teenagers.

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Vincent Kartheiser -

Vincent Kartheiser frequently appeared in children's films throughout the 1990s, including 'Alaska' (1996) and 'Masterminds' (1997).

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Vincent Kartheiser -

Kartheiser returned to screens more than a decade later, as character Pete Campbell in the massively successful series 'Mad Men.'

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Hilary Duff -

In the early 2000s, Hilary Duff was a favorite children's star thanks to her role the Disney Channel's hit series 'Lizzie McGuire'.

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Hilary Duff -

Duff struggled to launch a music career for years. From 2015 to 2021, she found success in the TV series 'Younger.' Since 2022, she has also appeared on Hulu's 'How I Met Your Father.'

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Gaby Hoffmann -

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Gaby Hoffmann -

Hoffmann experienced a decline in her career for a period of time, but in the 21st century she made a remarkable return, showcasing her exceptional acting skills in shows like 'Transparent.'

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Ben Savage -

Ben Savage, known for his role in ABC's popular sitcom 'Boy Meets World' from 1993 to 2000, faced difficulty maintaining his stardom after the show ended.

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Ben Savage -

Savage regained stardom after years of playing smaller parts in low-budget productions when the sitcom 'Girl Meets World,' a spin-off of 'Boy Meets World,' premiered in 2014.

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Emily Osment -

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Emily Osment -

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Thomas Brodie-Sangster -

Thomas Brodie-Sangster acted in various films during his childhood, including 'Love Actually' in 2003 and 'Nanny McPhee' in 2005.

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Thomas Brodie-Sangster -

Brodie-Sangster made a comeback after fading into obscurity, impressively showcasing his talent in well-known TV shows like 'Game of Thrones' and 'The Queen's Gambit.'

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Cole Sprouse -

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Cole Sprouse -

Cole Sprouse took a break from the entertainment industry but returned triumphantly as Jughead Jones in the successful CW show 'Riverdale.'

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Johnny Galecki -

Johnny Galecki (left), known for his roles in movie 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation' (1989) and TV series 'Roseanne,' struggled to find attention-grabbing roles after getting taste of fame.

Getty Images

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Johnny Galecki -

That all changed in 2007 when he was cast as Leonard in 'The Big Bang Theory,' a role that catapulted him to fame as the show became a massive hit on TV.

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Drew Barrymore -

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Drew Barrymore -

Sources: (Ranker) (TheRichest)

See more: Celebrities you didn't know are related to US presidents

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Child stars who made impressive comebacks

They successfully made the challenging transition to adult stardom

30/01/25 | StarsInsider

CELEBRITY Acting

The future of a child actor is not set in stone. Showbusiness is known for its demanding nature, and many young stars who enter the industry at a tender age try to leave it as soon as they can. While there are those who achieve consistent, lasting fame, others fade out of the spotlight only to make a comeback later in life. These comebacks are heartwarming to witness, and demonstrate the determination of many performers to continue pursuing their craft.

Explore the comeback stories from the most talented child actors in the entertainment industry, by clicking on the gallery.