It’s genuinely shocking how many actors began as child stars, or how many child stars
fizzled out and now work joe jobs.
It’s easy to believe that once you’re in, you’re in, but that’s not always the
case.
So today on Top 10 Beyond The Screen, I’m going to be counting down our list of the
Top 10 Child Actors You Won’t Believe What They Look Like Today - Part 3.
Let’s jump in.
10 Jodie Foster - The Doris Day Show Jodie Foster is a legendary hollywood actress,
who has received two Academy Awards throughout her career.
She is best known for starring in films such as The Silence of the Lambs, Nell, Panic Room,
Inside Man, and The Beaver.
However, prior to all of these movies, Jodie started out as a child actor, way back in
the 1970’s, when she appeared in Tom Sawyer.
Napoleon and Samantha, Taxi Driver, and Freaky Friday.
Outside of film, Jodie has had quite the personal life, some parts quite terrifying.
During her freshman year at Yale in 1980-81, Foster was stalked by John W. Hinckley Jr.
who had developed an obsession with the actress after seeing her in Taxi Driver.
He moved to New Haven and tried to contact her, both through phone and letters.
On March 30th, 1981, Hinckley attempted to assassinate US President Ronald Reagan, wounding
him and three other people.
This of course put Foster in the public eye, forcing her to be accompanied by bodyguards
while walking around campus.
The incident was incredibly difficult for Foster who rarely comments on it, but she
did write an essay titled “Why Me?” which was published in 1982 by Esquire magazine
on the condition that there be no cover lines, no publicity and no photos.
As it stands, Foster has transitioned into Directing.
Directing episodes of Orange Is the New Black, House of Cards, and Black Mirror.
9 Jake Lloyd - Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Jake Lloyd, also known as Jake Broadbent,
is a former child actor famous for appearing in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace as young
Anakin Skywalker back in 1999.
Lloyd received the Young Artist Award for Best Supporting Actor following the release,
however, his performance was heavily criticized and was also nominated for a Golden Raspberry
Award for Worst Supporting Actor.
Lloyd ultimately retired from acting back in 2001 due to bullying at school.
As a result of this, he decided to no longer keep his Star Wars memorabilia.
Back in 2012, the former child star announced that he was directing a documentary highlighting
the Tibetan refugees in India, who are attempting to escape persecution by the Chinese government.
However, on June 17th, 2015, Lloyd was arrested in South Carolina under the name Jake Broadbent
for reckless driving, driving without a license, and resisting arrest.
He was forced to serve 10 months in jail, after which time he was transferred from jail
to a psychiatric facility after being diagnosed with schizophrenia.
8 Austin St. John - Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Born Jason Geiger but professionally known
as Austin St. John, is an actor best known for playing Jason Lee Scott, aka the Red Ranger
in the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers which debuted back in 1993.
Now, although the series was hugely successful and garnered the actor international recognition,
the long hours, and low pay presented challenges for him, resulting in himself and a few others
actors leaving the show during its second season.
However, he did go on to reprise his role several times over, in an episode of Power
Rangers Wild Force, and in the Power Rangers special The Lost Episode.
It has also been announced that St. John will reprise the role in a special team-up episode
for season 2 of Power Rangers Beast Morphers in 2020.
However, outside of acting, St. John began as a martial artist, holding a second-degree
black belt in Taekwondo, and a first-degree black belt in Judo.
Additionally, he published a book on the subject, titled, Karate Warrior: A Beginner’s Guide
to Martial Arts, which was released back in 1996.
Looks wise, St. John looks a whole lot different than he did when he was a Power Ranger, filling
out, and losing hair, but still, the resemblance is there.
7 Jason David Frank - Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
Jason David Frank is an actor and professional mixed martial artist primarily known as playing
Tommy Oliver in the Power Rangers franchise alongside our previous number.
Frank was an iconic green ranger, appearing for three season in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers,
before transitioning into Power Rangers Zeo.
He also expressed a lot of interest in developing a Green Ranger solo series or feature film
after an encounter with Stan Lee at a comic book convention.
Outside of acting though, Frank is an MMA fighter, announcing on August 21st, 2009 that
he would be signing with SuckerPunch Entertainment, a sports marketing and management company
specializing in MMA.
Now, whether he has plans to ever return to the world of Power Rangers is unconfirmed,
but here’s hoping.
But considering the actor is now covered completely in tattoos and looks a whole lot different
than his former Green Ranger, I’m going to go with no.
6 Melissa Joan Hart Melissa Joan Hart hit the big leagues when
she landed the titular role on the sitcom Clarissa Explains It All from 1991 to 1994,
before going on to star as Sabrina in Sabrina the Teenage Witch, another hugely successful
show which ran from 1996 to 2003.
However, after Sabrina ended, her career opportunities began to dwindle.
The actress directed her first movie, a 15-minute live action short film called Mute, starring
her sister Emily.
Before going on to guest star on an episode of Law and Order: SVU back in 2007.
In 2009, she competed in season nine of Dancing with the Stars before going on to star in
a horror thriller film entitled Nine Dead.
Now, Hart does still appear on screen, but in nothing of merit sadly, with Sabrina being
the last successful role the actress had.
Well, aside from the tv series Melissa and Joey, but that show was trash and you know
it.
The actress looks exactly the same as she did in Sabrina the Teenage Witch, except older.
That’s it.
5 Ross Hull - Are You Afraid of the Dark?
Ross Hull first appeared on our screens back in 1987, when he began his acting career with
the film Nowhere to Hide before landing the lead role of Gary, the creator of the Midnight
Society in Are You Afraid of the Dark, a series which ran from 1990 to 1996, with a second
run from 1999 to 2000.
He went on to appear in a handful of works, such as Ready or Not, and the iconic Canadian
series Student Bodies, however, Hull took a different career path later down the line.
In January 2005, Hull became a weather personality on Canada’s The Weather Network after graduating
from Mississippi State University with a degree in Meteorology, and a degree in Radio and
Television Arts from Ryerson University in Toronto.
In early 2013, Hull appeared as the weather anchor for CBC Ottawa and CBC News Network,
before subsequently becoming the weather anchor for CBC Toronto.
As it stands, Hull is a meteorologist working in Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, and New Brunswick.
Looks wise, you definitely wouldn’t recognize the former child star delivering you your
morning weather update, that’s for sure.
4 Jake T. Austin - Wizards of Waverly Place Jake T Austin is a former child actor famous
for starring alongside Selena Gomez in Wizards of Waverly Place, and as the voice of Diego
in Go, Diego, Go!. Austin then went on to portray Jesus Foster on the ABC Family The
Fosters up until 2015.
However, as it stands, Austin hasn’t appeared in much of anything, with his last appearances
coming in 2017 in Justice League Action, and prior to that he was on Dancing with the Stars.
However, in October 2018, it was announced that Austin would be joining the cast of Adverse,
a neo-noir thriller starring Mickey Rourke which is slated to hit theatres this year.
Considering it seemed as though the actor was on the outs in Hollywood, this is great
news for the young star who seems to be distancing himself from his former disney roots.
3 Abigail Breslin - Little Miss Sunshine Abigail Breslin first appeared on our screens
when she was just three years old in Signs back in 2002, before going on to star in films
such as Raising Helen, Little Miss Sunshine, No Reservations, Nim’s Island, Definitely,
Maybe, and My Sister’s Keeper.
At just 10 years old, Breslin was one of the youngest actors ever to be nominated for an
Academy Award, a recognition she received for Little Miss Sunshine.
In 2017, Breslin went on to star in the remake of Dirty Dancing, a beloved classic that is
incredibly hard to top.
And, of course, the remake was panned as unnecessary.
Since then, she hasn’t appeared in anything much, but will be reprising her role as Little
Rock in Zombieland: Double Tap this year.
If you look at her in Little Miss Sunshine, and look at her now, you wouldn’t believe
they were the same people.
2 Dakota Fanning Born Hannah Dakota Fanning, this actress is
most popular for appearing in films such as Uptown Girls, The Cat in the Hat, Man on Fire,
War of the Worlds and Charlotte’s Web.
As the child star got older though, she began to transition into more mature roles, starring
in The Secret Life of Bees, Coraline, The Runaways and of course The Twilight Saga.
However, outside of acting, Fanning attended the Gallatin School of Individualized Study
at New York University, where she majored in women’s studies, with a focus on the
portrayal of women in film and culture.
However, she is now back in the world of film, recently appearing in Ocean’s 8, Once Upon
a Time in Hollywood, and Now is Good.
The actress looks almost identical to her younger self, just more mature and with more
teeth.
1 Joshua Jackson - The Mighty Ducks Joshua Jackson rose to fame when he starred
as Charlie Conway alongside Emilio Estevez in The Mighty Ducks all the way back in 1992,
where he played a young and aspiring hockey player.
Following the franchises success Jackson went on to star as Pacey Witter on Daweson’ Creek
from 1998-2003, and while the show was on hiatus, he appeared in several movies including
Cruel Intentions, The Skulls, The Laramie Project and Ocean’s Eleven.
The actor is a rare breed, and unlike a lot of child stars, continued to find success
with each new role.
Between 2014 and 2018, Jackson was appearing in Showtime’s The Affair as Cole Lockhart,
and has made a handful of cameo appearances in shows like Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and
When They See Us.
The star is still going strong in TV, but doesn’t seem to be doing much on the film
front -- looks wise, you likely wouldn’t realize Jackson was the Charlie Conway in
The Mighty Ducks unless you did you research.
To be honest, that’s still his greatest role.
Well, there we have it!
Do you guys agree with our list?
Were there any child actors that we missed?
Leave us all your thoughts and feelings in the comments down below and perhaps we can
do a part 4!
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And until next time, see ya later!