Many famous players got their big break when they were young. And while some continue their careers into adulthood, others choose to retreat from the limelight. Here are the child stars who have retired from TV and movie sets for good:
1.
To begin with, Mara Wilson became famous after starring Mrs. Doubtfire, Miracle on 34th Streetagain Matilda. At the age of 13, she decided to act after appearing as Lily in Thomas and the Magic Railroad in 2000. But after a decade off camera, he returned in 2011 with shorts and TV shows.
2.
Jonathan Taylor Thomas made a name for himself in leading roles The King is the King, Home Improvementagain I’ll be Home for Christmas. In the early ’00s, he decided to reduce his acting roles. “I’ve been traveling since I was 8 years old,” he said. “I wanted to go to school, walk, and rest a little.” His last major acting credit was Last Man Standing in 2015.
3.
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen became household names after they appeared Full house, It Takes Twoagain Two of a Kind. In the early ’00s, they switched gears to acting. The twins had no passion for the job and wanted to pursue other opportunities, including college education and the fashion industry. “What we knew was that we wanted to take that time and take a break from what we were doing before and explore the things that interest us, explore what life has in store for us (creatively),” said Ashley. “We wanted to test doing something about ourselves.”
4.
Jake Lloyd played Anakin Skywalker in the star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace in 1999, but retired from acting soon after. In 2008, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and a neurological disorder called anosognosia. “The experience I had with the fans heals me quickly,” he said. “For now, it’s still healing. It’s useful for people and it’s healthy. It’s not something I can run away from.”
5.
Danny Lloyd gave a heartbreaking performance in The Shiningbut his acting career quickly fizzled out as he pursued a “normal” life.
6.
Jeff Cohen had his big break as Chuck in The Goonsbut his acting took a permanent hiatus in the early 1990s. “My first love was acting, but puberty gave me other ideas. I was forced to retire,” he said. “I didn’t stop acting. Acting stopped me.”
7.
Peter Ostrum was a one-hit wonder in Hollywood after starring as Charlie Bucket in the Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory in 1971. “Being in the film industry as a child was difficult, and I couldn’t keep up,” he said. “But in the end, leaving was the right decision.” The former actor continued to work as a veterinarian.
8.
In 1984, Barrett Oliver performed one of his most famous roles as Bastian The Neverending Story. He retired from acting in 1989 and went on to a successful career in printmaking and photography.
9.
Carrie Henn had her first screen role as Newt in the 1986 film, Aliens. He had no intention of becoming an actor, and was only auditioned after an intern came to his primary school in England. “They don’t understand that [acting] it was not my favorite. It wasn’t my dream,” he said. “Did I enjoy it? Yes. Was it an amazing experience? Definitely. Would I do it again? Of course it is.” She came out of the limelight after that role and eventually became a teacher – her true dream job.
10.
Jonathan Lipnicki began his acting career with roles in Jerry Maguire, Stuart Littleagain Like Mike. But in the ’00s, he wasn’t booking as many jobs as he wanted. “Acting is something I liked, sometimes it just doesn’t like it,” he said. “And there was a span where I didn’t work for a while, and I was pursuing it.” Since then, he has been on and off, and his most recent role was Woody in Anywhere.
11.
Charlie Korsmo began his acting career in the 1990s, appearing in Hook, Dick Tracyagain Men Don’t Go Away. After his role as Jack in Hooktook a seven-year hiatus from acting until he returned to play William Lichter in the I Can’t Wait. Since then, he began his legal career and graduated from Yale Law School in 2006.
12.
Ross Bagley retired from acting after playing a major role Little Rascals, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Airagain Independence Day. He landed some odd roles in 1999 and continued to split his time working in real estate, DJing, and finance.
13.
Skandar Keynes retired from acting after playing the role of Edmund Pevensie The Chronicles of Narnia franchise. He had his last film credit in 2010 and continued to pursue a career in politics.
14.
Jason Zimbler retired from acting in 1994 after playing the role of Ferguson Darling in the Clarissa Explains It All. Three decades after leaving TV, he made a rare appearance in New York in 2025 and was last known to be working in software development.
15.
Alisan Porter took an eight-year hiatus from acting after starring Curly Sue. “It was no longer fun for me. It was no longer fun for me,” she said. “I just wanted to do things for ‘normal’ kids. I went to high school, I had a boyfriend who was on the soccer team, I went to parties.”
16.
Willow Smith appeared with her father Will Smith in 2007 I am a Legend and was to star in the 2014 remake of Annie. He eventually turned down the part and stepped back from acting. “I saw when I was young the dark path I could take,” he said. “I knew I had to be a kid.” Now, he is focusing on his music career and has released various studio albums since 2015.
17.
Liesel Matthews got her first role as Sara Crewe in 1995 The Little Princess. She only had two more roles before leaving the entertainment industry in 2000.
18.
Ariana Richards appeared as Lex in the Jurassic Park and soon became a sensation in Hollywood. “I was suddenly thrown to be known all over the world overnight, that’s when I felt like my life had changed a lot, I no longer had a private life,” she said. Although he has booked several roles since the late 1990s, he has concentrated on painting, and now works as an artist.
19.
Finally, Erik Per Sullivan has no plans to reprise his role as the team’s Dewey Malcolm in the Middle revival. He starred in the original series from 2000-2006, and largely left Hollywood after the show wrapped to enjoy a private life and focus on studies.
Who is your favorite former child star? Put your thoughts in the comments!
