20 Stars who started out as child actors 

While several superstars today found themselves entering the industry as a matter of luck, many have been a part of this industry for decades, working as child actors. They have made a name for themselves by working relentlessly since they were young and have skyrocketed their careers today by dedicating time, hard work, and, in some cases, their childhood, too. Here is a list of 20 stars who started out as child actors.

20) Julie Andrews

The name Julie Andrews is quite well-known in Hollywood today. She has made a reputation for herself with her roles in movies like Mary Poppins in 1964, The Sound of Music 1965, Princess Diaries, and many more. But quite a few people know that Julie Andrews has been a part of the industry since she was 10. She started her journey in acting through musicals and theatre shows and is especially famous for his role in the play King George VI when she was just 12 years old.

19) Elijah Wood

Elijah Woods has managed to stay relevant in the show business for many decades. He started acting at a mere age of nine. He has been a part of the successful movie Back to the Future Part II, released in 1989. As a child actor, he has been a part of other successful films like Paradise, Radio Flyer, The Adventures of Huck Finn, and others. Now that he has grown much older, his endeavor in acting has also grown. As an adult, he has been a part of the famous trilogy - The Lord of the Rings, the movie - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Sin City, and various others

18) The Sprouse Brothers

The twin brothers, Dylan Sprouse and Cole Sprouse, have had a very steady career in Hollywood since they were just eight months old. They started acting by playing newborn kids in the series Grace Under Fire. They were famous for being a part of the hit series Friends, where they played the role of Ben Geller, son of Ross Geller. They achieved peak stardom at 12 by being a part of the successful Disney show The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. Now that they are 32, they have had a successful career in Hollywood with shows like Riverdale and movies like 5 Feet Apart, After We Collided, and others.

17) Joey King

Joey King is another successful prodigy of Hollywood. She also started at four and afterward joined the Sprouse Brothers in their show - The Suite Life of Jack and Cody. She has been a Disney star for a long period and has made appearances in many notable shows. Her early venture in acting was not limited to Disney. She has been a part of famous movies like Crazy, Supid, Love, and The Dark Knight Rises at just the age of 12. At 14, she was a part of the horror movie The Conjuring, and by the time she reached 18, she had started receiving roles as the protagonist of successful movies like Netflix’s Kissing Booth. She is 23 now and has many successful movies like The Lie and Bullet Train.

16) Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan is one of the biggest names in Hollywood. She has been a part of iconic movies like Freaky Friday, Mean Girls, Confessions of a Teenage Drama, Queen, and others. But Lindsay is not somebody new to acting. She has been acting since she was three. One of her notable roles as a child actor was in the movie The Parent Trap, where she portrays the role of the twins, Hayley Parker and Annie James. She was just 12 when she nailed this role and made a name for herself in Hollywood.

15) Drew Barrymore

The actress Drew Barrymore comes from a notable Hollywood family. Being surrounded by creative actors throughout her life, it is obvious that she has been a part of acting since a very young age. Following the family legacy, she was seven when she starred in the movie E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. Despite coming from a famous family, she struggled with abuse and emancipated herself from her parents at the age of 14. Since then, she has worked in successful movies like Poison Ivy, Scream, The Wedding Singer, and 50 First Dates.

14) Elle Fanning

Elle Fanning is another successful actress who managed to stay relevant in the industry for a long period. She started acting at age two with roles in films like I am Sam and Taken. Since the age of seven, she became one of Hollywood's most acclaimed child stars, with movies like Phoebe in Wonderland, Somewhere, Super Eight, Maleficent, and others to her name. Now she is 26 and continues a successful run in Hollywood with roles in movies and series like The Great, Teen Spirit, The Nightingale, and others.

13) Joseph Gordon-Levitt

The actor, Joseph Gordon – Levitt is 43 now but has been acting since a very young age. At six, he started working with the television series Dark Shadows. Since then, he has worked in many other shows as a kid, like – Third Rock from the Sun, Angels in the Outfield, and others. His peak stardom started at 29 when he established himself as a big star of Hollywood with movies like – Inception, 500 Days of Summer, The Dark Knight Rises, Looper, and others.

12) Neil Patrick Harris

Actor Neil Patrick Harris started working in theatre and television from a young age. He's been a part of shows like Doogie Howser, M.D., Clara's Heart, and others as a child actor. He transitioned into a star of Hollywood with his role as Barney Stinson in the famous comedy TV series How I Met Your Mother, in which he appeared from the age of 31 to the age of 41. He has continued his successful career in acting with roles in movies like - A Series of Unfortunate Events, Gone Girl, and others.

11) Keira Knightly

Actress Keira Knightley's father is a playwright, while his mother is an actress. Naturally, growing up in this creative environment has inclined her towards acting since a very young age. She started acting in plays and drama when she was very young. At six, she started appearing in commercials and has been part of television shows like Screen One, A Village Affair, Innocent Lies, and Oliver Twist. She transitioned into more successful roles at 17 with movies like Bend It Like Beckham, Pirates of the Caribbean, Pride and Prejudice, Atonement, and others. The actress is in her 30s and is still a major star in Hollywood.

10) Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus is a perfect example of a child actor who is now a big star. She started her career by acting as Miley Stewart in the hit Disney show Hannah Montana. She was 13 when she landed that rule and managed to become a cultural phenomenon throughout the world. Her career as an actor has included a lot of movies besides just the television series - Hannah Montana. She has appeared in movies like The Last Song, Big Fish, Hannah Montana: The Movie, and others. But more than acting it is her singing that has managed to label her as one of the biggest and brightest stars of Hollywood. She is a Grammy-winning Singer and is considered one of the biggest pop stars.

9) Saoirse Ronan

The actress Saoirse Ronan started her successful acting career in 2007 at 12 years old with her role in the super hit movie Atonement. Since then, she has acted as a child actor in movies like The Lovely Bones, Hanna, and others. Her transition as a successful star happened in 2017, 10 years after her first role, with the movie - Ladybird, directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Timothée Chalamet. This movie was quite a success. She reunited with Greta and Timotheé for another successful work with the movie Little Women. She is, in a true sense, one of the rising stars of Hollywood.

8) Emma Watson

Emma Watson established herself as a successful star at 11 when she started as Hermione Granger in the successful Harry Potter franchise. This role introduced her to global stardom and made her a household name. From the age of 11 to the age of 21 for 10 years, Emma Watson has ruled the hearts of the audience with the Harry Potter franchisee. She took a break from mainstream acting and returned at 26 with another Blockbuster – Beauty and the Beast. She is one of the most successful Hollywood stars and is considered one of the most influential people in the world, as labeled by Time magazine.

7) Christian Bale

The actor Christian Bale is a star through and through. He has been a part of successful movies like American Psycho, The Machinist, The Dark Knight trilogy, The Fighter, American Hustle, and others. This successful actor is talented and hard-working and is especially known for his commitment to preparing for roles through intense physical changes and method acting. It is a little-known fact that this great star has been in the industry since he was a little kid. In fact, at 13, he landed the successful film - Empire of the Sun.

6) Jake Gyllenhaal

Actor Jake Gyllenhaal comes from the creative Gyllenhaal family. His father is a director, his mother is a screenwriter, and his sister is another actress. He has been appearing in his father's films since a young age. These films include A Dangerous Woman, Bop Gun, Homicide: Life on the Street, Home Grown, and others. His transition into mainstream acting happened at 20, with the film Donnie Darko. Since then, he has acted in various successful films, like Brokeback Mountain, Jarhead, Zodiac, Prince of Persia, Nightcrawler, and others.

5) Kristen Stewart

Kristen Stewart made a name for herself by portraying Bella Swan in the vampire movie – Twilight Saga. She started acting at the age of 12 with the movie Panic Room. Her performance in that film was remarkable and considerably praised. She has now established herself as a star of Hollywood and has movies like Snow, White and the Huntsman, Charlie's Angels, Spencer, and others to her name.

4) Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman is now an Academy Award-winning actress. Her journey in the art of acting began at the age of 12 with her role in the movie Leon: the professional. Since then, she has starred in movies like Star Wars – The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, V for Vendetta, and others. Her most successful venture in acting came with the 2010 movie black swan. Her intense and transformative acting in this movie has put her on a pedestal alongside Hollywood's other great actors. She is 43 now and is going strong in the movie business.

3) Zendaya

The actress Zendaya has grown with her audience. She started acting in the Disney series Shake It Up and Dancing with the Stars. She was quite young then. Then, at 20, she featured as Mary Jane in the super hit Marvel series – Spiderman. She continued her career into mainstream filming with the 2017 movie The Greatest Showman. At 22, she became the protagonist of the hit show – Euphoria. Her latest venture in acting came with the film Dune, a sci-fi film, alongside the actor Timothée Chalamet.

2) Ryan Gosling

Not many people know that Ryan Gosling started his career as a child star. When he was 12, he became a part of the show - All New Mickey Mouse Club. At this time, he was working alongside celebrities like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, and others. His career as a Disney star transitioned into Hollywood stardom through the movie The Notebook in 2004 at 23. Since then, he has acted in movies like Drive, La la Land, The Fall Guy, Blade, Runner, The Grey Man, crazy stupid love, and more recently, the iconic 2023 film Barbie.

1) Scarlett Johansson

The MCU superstar – Scarlett Johansson, who portrays the role of a black widow in the Avengers series, is another big star in Hollywood. She started acting at the age of nine with the film North. Then, at 11, she appeared in the film Manny & Lo. Her other early roles include those in the movies - The Horse Whisperer and Ghost World. She made her entry into the Marvel cinematic universe at the age of 25 with the film Iron Man 2. Since then, her versatile acting style has made her an action heroine of Hollywood and has earned her multiple awards, too.