Many childhood stars struggle to make it as adults in Hollywood, but these gorgeous ’80s kids made it.
Jenny Lewis
As a child, Jenny Lewis worked hard at being an actress. She starred in films such as The Wizard (1989) and Troop Beverly Hills (1989) and landed roles on several TV shows and commercials.
However, Lewis became famous for something else as an adult. After fronting the band Rilo Kiley, Lewis had a successful career in music as a solo artist.
Lewis also embraced a new style. Her fiery red hair, vintage wardrobe, and chill demeanor became trademarks that fans know her by.
While Jenny Lewis’s early career was rooted in child stardom, her music and fashion sense eventually became equally recognizable markers of her identity.
Soleil Moon Frye
When Soleil Moon Frye was cast as Punky Brewster she became one of the most famous child actors of all time. With Punky’s outrageous sense of style and spunky attitude, kids all over knew Frye as that girl with the funky hair and crazy clothes.
Fast forward a few decades and you’ll notice Frye doesn’t look much like her younger self. The big haired tomboy is now a grown woman with a chic, mature look. However, Frye has maintained the large expressive eyes and her signature smile.
Frye has stayed in the entertainment business as well. In 2021 she directed a documentary titled Kid 90. She used home videos, journals and recordings to reflect on her childhood spent in the spotlight.
When you look at Frye today you can still see her Punky roots. You can still spot echoes of Punky’s eclectic fashion sense in her current look.
Jennifer Connelly
Actress Jennifer Connelly started out as a child actor. Among her notable early roles were Once Upon a Time in America (1984) and Labyrinth (1986), where she shared the screen with David Bowie.
Even as a child actress, Connelly always had unique features that stood out on screen. Fast forward to adulthood and those features developed into a classic beautiful look we recognize today.
Some of her later movies include A Beautiful Mind, where she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, and Top Gun: Maverick. She has also stayed connected to the fashion industry and appeared in many luxury brand campaigns.
Jennifer Connelly’s aging transformation proves that she just got more refined and glamorous as she got older.
Jason Bateman
Jason Bateman was no stranger to appearing on TV as a child himself, having roles on Little House on the Prairie and Silver Spoons throughout the 1980s.
His grown-up career eventually led him to starring roles on Arrested Development and Ozark, as well as doing plenty of directorial and producing work.
The star has aged naturally over the years. We’ve watched his young face age into a more refined, dapper look as he’s gotten older, his older style typically being a bit more toned down.
The shift isn’t about him being a different person, but about that familiar child star face transforming into his present-day appearance.
Elisabeth Shue
Elisabeth Shue made appearances in many films during the 1980s, including The Karate Kid (1984) and Adventures in Babysitting (1987). Later, she took on the role of Jennifer Parker in both Back to the Future Part II and Back to the Future Part III.
Young Shue had baby-faced features that suited her younger roles. When Shue aged, she grew quieter and classier looking.
Shue has also branched out into more serious roles. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for Leaving Las Vegas (1995) and has since appeared in television shows such as The Boys.
Even years after her start in film, Shue maintains that low-key charm we fell in love with years ago.
Neil Patrick Harris
Neil Patrick Harris rocketed to fame at age 16 when he starred as Doogie Howser in Doogie Howser, M.D. Thanks to the show, Harris was easily one of television’s most recognizable teenagers at the time.
Fast-forward a few years, and teen heartthrob Harris grew a playboy reputation as Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother. Complete with tailored suits, slicked back hair and plenty of swagger, Harris cultivated a completely different adult image.
The sharp look became synonymous with his Barney Stinson role, but Harris has also maintained a sleek and stylish image off the show as well. Over the years, he’s become known for wearing sleek suits and having a very sophisticated red carpet vibe overall.
Alyssa Milano
Alyssa Milano made her debut as Samantha Micelli on Who’s the Boss?. The show premiered in 1984 and she was on it throughout the remainder of the 1980s and into the early 1990s.
Milano became even more famous in her adult years, starring as Phoebe Halliwell on Charmed. She also started to trade the Samantha haircut for a more adult finished style.
Milano has tried many looks throughout her career from different hair colors and fashion trends. However, she has mostly kept the dark hair and big eyes she was known for as a child.
Jerry O’Connell
Jerry O’Connell first appeared in Stand by Me as Vern Tessio in 1986 at the age of 11.
As O’Connell matured into adulthood, his looks drastically shifted.
The baby-faced star audiences remember from Stand By Me transformed into a muscular grown man with the glossy sheen of a heartthrob. And the press in the 1990s frequently commented on O’Connell’s significantly altered appearance compared to his youth.
O’Connell starred in roles like Quinn Mallory in Sliders and Frank Cushman in Jerry Maguire. Nowadays, O’Connell works as an actor and TV host.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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