Brad 49548 Report post Posted January 25, 2014 It seems over the last year or so that every other media story out there is a tale of some young person or childhood stars who, older now, has gotten themselves in trouble or caused some sort of scandal or controversy. It's nothing new, I know, but between Lindsey Lohan's drug relapses, the national debate on Miley Cyrus twerking, and now Justin Bieber's arrest, it seems a common story these days and is enough to make one think no young person can be prepared for widespread success. So, cheer me up people! Restore my faith! Surely there are a lot of childhood stars out there who made it successfully to a stable adulthood. Tell me your favourite! Share an example! To start, I'll throw out Neil Patrick Harris. One of the shows I grew up on was Doogie Howser M.D: And Neil Patrick Harris is still entertaining today, and seemingly even more awesome and stable in real life than his current t.v. persona: 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cute0aza0Button 21399 Report post Posted January 25, 2014 And married to a handsome Canadian so double points. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roamingguy 300291 Report post Posted January 25, 2014 Well how about Ron Howard First as young Opie Taylor on Andy of Mayberry Then as Richie Cunningham on Happy Days And now he's a highly respected movie director Just a few movies he is noted for, Apollo13, Splash, Willow, Backdraft, Ransom, The Da Vinci Code just to name a few RG 5 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CristyCurves 169032 Report post Posted January 25, 2014 Just watched this show the other night with Ron Howard as the child of a sheriff, I think it was from the 50's. He was very young and has been acting all his life and has turned out fine and to be a great director as well. Shirley temple as well Fame was different in those days perhaps But then again maybe not as Judy Garland is an example of the negative side of childhood stardom. lol, you beat me to it RG:) thanks for naming the show 4 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Old Dog 179138 Report post Posted January 25, 2014 The BEST example? Ron Howard. Ron Howard was "Opie" on the Andy Griffith Show as a child in the late 50's to mid 60's and re-emerged as Richie Cunningham in the early 70's on the show "Happy Days" Now? Ron Howard is an Oscar winning director. He directed Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, Coccoon, The DaVinci Code, etc, etc, etc.... he also was the creator of Arrested Development. The guy has been continuously and more remarkably, quietly, employed in TV and movies since 1959 - when he was just 5 years old. Now, a month shy of his 60th birthday, he has become the epitome of what may happen if a kid has great direction! ______________________________________________________________________ dammit both of you beat me!!! 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gc1968 2033 Report post Posted January 25, 2014 Wil Wheaton of Stand by Me / Star Trek TNG fame. Now a successful author as well as still appearing on tv as a guest star once in a while. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fortunateone 156618 Report post Posted January 25, 2014 Hilary Duff, for someone who is more of a contempory of Beiber and Cyrus. She was a cute child star, she didn't do anything really stupid, she grew up and still didn't do anything stupid, got married, had a kid, still being offered roles so she doesn't have to go off the rails and do anything stupid. :) I think Shirley Temple did not make the transition into a teen or adult movie star, which I think suited her just fine. She had a chance to become US Ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia and a few other appointments, including representative to the UN. She also apparently sat on the boards of corporations and organizations, including Walt Disney Company, Del Monte Foods and National Wildlife federation. which i find interesting lol. My mother was a huge fan of Shirley Temple, who was born about a year earlier than she was, so i know a lot of ST films and biography lol. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfkat 838 Report post Posted January 25, 2014 Hilary Duff, for someone who is more of a contempory of Beiber and Cyrus. She was a cute child star, she didn't do anything really stupid, she grew up and still didn't do anything stupid, got married, had a kid, still being offered roles so she doesn't have to go off the rails and do anything stupid. . not to put a damper on her but I heard on the radio that she is getting divorced already. This may be the derailment coming. I hope not. She Is a pretty good role model. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Johnny Canuck 5347 Report post Posted January 25, 2014 Even though you don't see too much of her now, Kirsten Dunst was a child star having her debut as Claudia in Interview With The Vampire and then on to Spider-Man fame as Mary Jane. Also, how can we forget dear old Macaulay Culkin and Elijah Wood? Some of these past child stars are seen in fewer and fewer movies, but everyone does take a different passage in life. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CristyCurves 169032 Report post Posted January 25, 2014 The gorgeous and philanthropic Leonardo Dicaprio. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brad 49548 Report post Posted January 25, 2014 Mayim Bialik...or as most of you would remember her, Blossom: Of course she's now on The Big Bang Theory, and in between she managed to pick up a PHD in neuroscience! 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest K***e D****ls Report post Posted January 25, 2014 Natalie Portman Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Johnny Canuck 5347 Report post Posted January 25, 2014 Johnny Depp was relatively young when he got started with Nightmare on Elm Street, even though he may not be considered a child star. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LeeRichards 177238 Report post Posted January 25, 2014 Jodie Foster ..... wonderful actress from childhood till now as well as director, producer and mother 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SexxxyRebecca 57974 Report post Posted January 25, 2014 All from the Mickey Mouse club Birtney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Ryan Gosling, Like it or not, Miley Cyrus from Hannah Montana Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato from Barney 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frank97500 18478 Report post Posted January 25, 2014 Drew Barrymore 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cyclo 30131 Report post Posted January 25, 2014 "Little Stevie Wonder - The Eighth Wonder of the World" had his first hit record at 13 with "Fingertips (Pt. 2). It's impossible to say enough about Stevie Wonder... Ellen Page - Started working on the Pit Pony when she was 10 and the moved on to performances in Rock Candy, Juno, X-Men and Inception. So far so good on the personal front. Julie Andrews - Starred in UK theatre productions when she was 13 and then Mary Poppins, Sound of Music and Victor/Victoria. She's made it to 78 so I think it's safe to say she made the transition to successful adult ;-) Anna Paquin - Second youngest person to win an Academy Award at 11 for Best Supporting Actress in The Piano. She's also done Fly Away Home, Almost Famous, X-Men and True Blood. (Tatum O'Neil was the youngest Academy Award winner at 10 for Paper Moon, but unfortunately hers is a different story entirely.) Tony Williams - OK this pick is a little obscure, but I think it's amazing that he lived to be a clean and successful adult. Tony was the most influential drummer since the 1960's and began playing with major jazz artists when he was 13 and joined Miles Davis when he was 16. Considering he was around significant hard drugs and alcohol on a daily basis during his adolescence it's amazing that he never developed any addictions. Unfortunately he died at 52 following minor surgery. Scarlett Johanson - Started in film when she was 10 and major roles when she was 12. Other than the usual celebrity gossip about her love life, she seems to have made the transition OK. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fortunateone 156618 Report post Posted January 25, 2014 ^^^ Reminds me of Sammy Davis Jr. He was very young at 7 years old, and obviously already know as a little performer, when this movie with Ethel Waters was made Do NOT watch this if you are offended by the portrayal of black people in Hollywood during those years, because it is totally filled with Scarlett Ohara's nanny type characters. However, this is also Ethel Waters, huge at the time, and the 1933 (I think?) movie is about how she dreams of her son becoming president, which of course at the time makes the movie a comedy and tragedy, and prophetic all at the same time. He's probably in his teens here, with his father and uncle in their act. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frank7 3939 Report post Posted January 26, 2014 Ellen Page and Anna Paquin, good ones! Totally forget about them. Dakota Fanning. She's been a start since so long and she doesn't seem to have had any major problem (no rehab, nothing illegal, no random sextapes) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Old Dog 179138 Report post Posted January 26, 2014 Liz Taylor and Roddy McDowell. Both of them were Oscar nominated actors early in their youth and both had very successful careers that stretched until their deaths. Now Liz was a bit controversial but she was the epitome of a Hollywood Star. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fortunateone 156618 Report post Posted January 27, 2014 Liz Taylor and Roddy McDowell. Both of them were Oscar actors early in their youth and both had very successful careers that stretched until their deaths. Now Liz was a bit controversial but she was the epitome of a Hollywood Star. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest P**aq Report post Posted January 27, 2014 Claire Danes started out in My So Called Life, then moved on to movies and now is awesome in Homeland. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brad 49548 Report post Posted January 31, 2014 Found this amusing and fits here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0Tqde7OeZ8 A bunch of child stars you may recognize all grown-up, united by one thing in common apparently: their disdain of Kirk Cameron! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Old Dog 179138 Report post Posted February 5, 2014 and of course Spanky from our Gang .... grew up to be none other than.... 4 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
