25 child stars who quit acting

- Major role: Young Anakin Skywalker in "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace"
- Second act: Unknown

Holiday movie lovers—and Arnold Schwarzenegger fans—may remember first seeing child actor Jake Lloyd in the 1996 Christmas classic "Jingle All the Way." But when he was just 10 years old, the child star was thrust into the spotlight as young Anakin Skywalker in the 1999 film "The Phantom Menace," the first film in the "Star Wars" prequel trilogy, which didn't exactly get rave reviews. Though Lloyd appeared in a handful of projects throughout the years, he largely left acting behind—and rumor long had it that was because of the backlash against "The Phantom Menace."

In a 2024 interview with Scripps, Lloyd's mother, Lisa Lloyd, set the record straight and provided an update on his life since "Star Wars." "People say he quit because of 'Star Wars.' Well, that's not true," she said. Lisa cited her divorce and Jake's mental health as the causes, noting he was no longer enjoying the auditioning process. Jake was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2008, and recently spent 18 months in an inpatient program at a mental health rehabilitation facility.

In a 2025 interview with Variety, Lloyd said he had moved to an outpatient program and was feeling "pretty good." "I can now accept taking on continued treatment, and therapy, and my meds," he said. "Everyone's been very supportive."

- Major role: Randy Taylor in "Home Improvement"
- Second act: Unknown

Jonathan Taylor Thomas is most famous for his role as youngster Randy Taylor in "Home Improvement," but his work is perhaps most widely experienced through his stellar voice-acting role as Simba in "The Lion King." He stopped acting to focus on his education, though he did appear on a few episodes of "Last Man Standing" from 2013 to 2015, once again joining forces with his "Home Improvement" dad, Tim Allen. In January 2025, Allen told Us Weekly that Thomas had recently paid a visit to the set of his new series, "Shifting Gears," leading some to speculate whether another cameo could be in the works.

In July 2026, Thomas' TV mom Patricia Richardson posted a rare photo of the former child star, providing the first visual update in years. He made headlines for less wholesome reasons when he was arrested for public intoxication in September 2026.

- Major role: Michelle Tanner in "Full House"
- Second act: Fashion designers

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen might be best known for their joint role as Michelle Tanner in "Full House," but as they grew up, they appeared in a slew of Mary-Kate and Ashley films and had an entertainment empire through Dualstar, their own production company. Eventually, they left acting behind and focused on their career as fashion designers, creating the luxury clothing line The Row in 2006.

- Major role: Nicky Banks in "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air"
- Second act: Real estate professional

Ross Bagley made his breakout role in "The Little Rascals" as the adorable Buckwheat. (You might remember his celebratory tune: "We got a dollar, we got a dollar, we got a dollar/ Hey, hey, hey, hey!") But his most recognizable role remains Nicky on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." He left acting to attend California State University, Northridge, where he studied cinema and television arts. "I wanted to live a more normal type of life," he said in an interview with Hip Hop Uncensored. "At the height of 'Fresh Prince,' I would be getting chased out of malls." He now works as a real estate agent and recruiter.

- Major role: Herself/sketch characters in "The Amanda Show"
- Second act: Unkown

Amanda Bynes was a comedy prodigy. She carried the self-titled "Amanda Show" at the age of 13, playing a slew of absurd, quotable sketch comedy characters, and starred in films like "She's The Man," "Easy A" and "What A Girl Wants." She announced her retirement from show business in 2010, writing on Twitter: "Being an actress isn't as fun as it may seem…If I don't love something anymore, I stop doing it. I don't love acting anymore, so I've stopped doing it. I know 24 is a young age to retire, but you heard it here first."

As for what the future holds, Bynes is still pursuing fashion design, a source told In Touch Weekly in February 2025. The former child star earned a degree from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, but struggles with mental health in the years since have kept her from her goal. Now, per the source, "Amanda seems to be in a really great place."

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- Major role: Chunk in "The Goonies"
- Second act: Lawyer

There's nobody more memorable from "The Goonies" than Chunk, the lovable scamp known for "the truffle shuffle." But Jeff Cohen, who played Chunk, told MailOnline that he had trouble booking roles after Chunk because, as he got older, he "lost his chubby kid essence."

Now, he's an entertainment lawyer. In fact, he negotiated "Goonies" co-star Ke Huy Quan's contract for "Everything Everywhere All at Once." When Quan won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2023, he thanked Cohen, his "'Goonies' brother for life."

- Major role: Jenny Humphrey in "Gossip Girl"
- Second act: Musician

Fans of the 2000 holiday classic "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" will remember little Taylor Momsen as Cindy Lou Who, but her most notable role was as Jenny Humphrey on The CW's hit series "Gossip Girl," a role she played from 2007 to 2010, returning in 2012 for a guest appearance. Her passion turned out to not be acting, but music. She's been the frontwoman of the band the Pretty Reckless since 2009. In a 2021 interview with People, Momsen said music saved her from a dark place. "I'd given up on life, but then I turned to music," she told the magazine. "Music has always been the constant."

- Major role: Charlie Bucket in "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory"
- Second act: Veterinarian

Peter Ostrum got to live every kid's fantasy in his role as Charlie Bucket: running amok in a chocolate factory you then inherit. But after he did the film, he opted not to sign a three-movie contract. Around this time, he purchased a horse with his earnings. This inspired a lifelong love of large animals, eventually leading him to become a large animal veterinarian. Since 2023, Ostrum has been retired from that career as well.

- Major role: Sam Puckett in "iCarly"
- Second act: Writer and director

Jennette McCurdy was always scene-stealing in her role as spunky sidekick Sam Puckett in "iCarly"—but the greatest success she's achieved came after years of being a child actor, an experience she describes as traumatic. Now, she's a director and writer of short films that deal with childhood and family dysfunction in a darkly humorous way. She has also written a bestselling memoir, "I'm Glad My Mom Died," which is a raw, brutal look at her tumultuous path to childhood stardom and abusive relationship with her now-deceased mother. Apple TV+ is adapting the book into a TV show, starring Jennifer Aniston as McCurdy's mother and written, produced, and showrun by McCurdy herself. In January 2026, McCurdy released her first novel, "Half His Age."

- Major role: Max Lopez in "George Lopez"
- Second act: Unknown

Luis Armand Garcia is best known for his role as Max Lopez in the sitcom "George Lopez." Eventually, he ventured into philanthropy, working with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the American Heart Association, according to his biography on IMDb.

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- Major role: Lex Murphy in "Jurassic Park"
- Second act: Painter

Ariana Richards had a short but fierce acting career, starring as a tech-obsessed teen in "Jurassic Park." In her adult life, she's focused on her painting career, though she attended the premiere of "Jurassic World: Dominion" in 2022, 30 years after appearing in the dinosaur blockbuster.

- Major role: Jake Harper in "Two and a Half Men"
- Second act: Unknown

Famously representing the "half" on "Two and a Half Men," Angus T. Jones could hold his own among Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer—and, in 2010, became the highest-paid child actor of his time. After playing Jake Harper for a decade, he had a religious awakening that inspired him to leave the show, though Jones reunited with Sheen for a brief cameo as himself on the HBO Max series "Bookie."

- Major role: Jamie Bartlett in "Read It and Weep"
- Second act: Zookeeper

Kay Panabaker was everywhere for a minute in the mid-aughts, most famously playing Jamie Bartlett in "Read It and Weep." When a fan on Twitter asked why she left acting, she responded: "I just lost the love for acting. Life is short, we spend so much time at work, gotta do what you love :) and I love my job!!" The job she speaks of? A zookeeper!

- Major role: Vincent Crabbe in the "Harry Potter" films
- Second act: Unknown

The kids of the "Harry Potter" films, for better or for worse, will never be able to escape their childhood roles entirely; the movies mean too much to people. Unfortunately, Jamie Waylett, who played Crabbe in "Harry Potter," was replaced by another actor after being arrested on drug-related charges. He's had more run-ins with the law since then. But for those who remember the actor fondly as Crabbe, Waylett is on Cameo sending personalized messages to "Harry Potter" fans.

- Major role: Claudia Kishi in "The Baby-Sitters Club"
- Second act: Unknown

Unlike many former child stars, Tricia Joe, who played the fashionable Claudia on "The Baby-Sitters Club," has stayed pretty private since her short-lived child acting days, studying dance at Fullerton College and criminal justice at California State University, Long Beach—and never returning to show business.

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- Major role: Beans in "Even Stevens"
- Second act: Teacher and YouTuber

There was no funnier or more memorable character on "Even Stevens" than the prankster Beans, played by Steven Anthony Lawrence. Though Lawrence went on to act in some minor roles in films like "Cheaper by the Dozen," significant hair loss in his teens made it difficult to get cast. Eventually, he left acting and was once spotted working for a mall Santa Claus as an elf; today, he teaches virtual acting lessons.

- Major role: Teenie in "Big Love"
- Second act: Student

Jolean Wejbe had a short-lived but successful child acting career, most notably for her role as Teenie on HBO's "Big Love," from 2006 to 2009. Afterward, she quit acting and studied computer science at California State University, Northridge.

- Major role: Jordan Thomkins in "The Bernie Mac Show"
- Second act: Unknown

"The Bernie Mac Show" was a cult classic, and Jeremy Suarez was unforgettable as Mac's nephew Jordan Thomkins. Though Suarez went on to do some voice acting following the show's end in "Brother Bear" and "King of the Hill," Thomkins said it was difficult for him to get work because he was in an awkward age bracket where he looked older but studios didn't want to hire underage actors. He told HYPE+ in 2023 that he "transitioned to a regular job and kind of lifestyle with a purpose of using that as like a fact-finding mission. You go out, and you see all of this stuff. You take it, and you make all of those things part of you."

- Major role: Newt in "Aliens"
- Second act: Teacher

Carrie Henn rose to fame playing opposite Sigourney Weaver in "Aliens" at age 10. She quit acting immediately following the film so she could have a normal childhood and pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a teacher. She eventually became a fourth-grade teacher but still attends various conventions to talk about "Aliens."

- Major role: Jonah Baldwin in "Sleepless in Seattle"
- Second act: Car salesman

By the time Ross Malinger played Tom Hanks' son Jonah Baldwin in "Sleepless in Seattle," he was only 8 years old but had been in four films, including a TV movie. After "Sleepless in Seattle," he transitioned into television, most notably voicing T.J. in "Recess," but hasn't acted since 2006. He is now a sales manager for a car dealership in Los Angeles.

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- Major role: Lydia Hillard in "Mrs. Doubtfire"
- Second act: Writer, yoga teacher, and public speaker

Lydia Hillard was just 14 when she played the eldest daughter in "Mrs. Doubtfire," after which she acted until she was 22, appearing in films such as "Independence Day" before retiring from acting. She has gone on to work for nonprofits, attend college, publish books, and become a yoga teacher and public speaker.

- Major role: Danny Torrance in "The Shining"
- Second act: Professor

Danny Lloyd accidentally became an actor. Hailing from a small town in the Midwest, he went to a casting call and was unexpectedly cast as the son of Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall in the film adaptation of Stephen King's novel—eventually becoming an icon of horror cinema. Lloyd went on to make one other film before growing bored with acting. He went on to become a father and a biology professor, where he says most of his students don't recognize him. He did make a brief cameo appearance in 2019's "Doctor Sleep," a sequel to "The Shining."

- Major role: Dora (voice) in "Dora the Explorer"
- Second act: Unknown

As the voice of Dora in "Dora the Explorer," Caitlin Sanchez has one of the most recognizable voices for a certain generation. Unfortunately, she is not on good terms with Nickelodeon; she entered into a legal battle with the network, alleging she was "duped" into a deal that left her with basically nothing.

- Major role: Bastian in "The NeverEnding Story"
- Second act: Printer and photographer

Barret Oliver went on to do a couple more roles after playing Bastian, the kid in "The NeverEnding Story," but eventually lost interest in acting. His last role was in "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills" in 1989. Instead, he picked up painting and photography. He has exhibited in several galleries, museums, and publications.

- Major role: Sara Crewe in "A Little Princess"
- Second act: Philanthropist

Harrison Ford described Liesel Matthews, whose real name is Liesel Pritzker Simmons, as "a young Jodie Foster" for her portrayal of Sara Crewe in "A Little Princess" and her role in "Air Force One." Following the film, the child actor entered the spotlight for another reason. Matthews was heiress to a hotel fortune, and when her and her brother's inheritance started getting tinkered with, she sued her family, which eventually led to a settlement that awarded her $500 million. She left New York to travel to India, eventually becoming a yoga teacher and philanthropist.

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