Child Stars Who Are All Grown Up
Growing up is already a tough business — now imagine doing it with the paparazzi watching your every move. Suddenly everyday things like braces, glasses, and acne become even more terrifying prospects. Yet these celebs managed to kick puberty’s butt, shaking off their early awkward phases to turn into fully adjusted adults. They’ve definitely left their gawky childhood years behind — and all within the public eye.
1. Ariana Richards
As Jurassic Park’s tech-savvy Lex, Ariana Richards left an indelible impression on audiences. But despite her obvious acting skills, Richards decided to quit the profession in order to train as an artist. And the career move certainly paid off: she’s now an accomplished painter with multiple awards to her name.
2. Jonathan Lipnicki
Jonathan Lipnicki is a special case. In the ’90s hits Jerry Maguire and Stuart Little, he was the cute, nerdy kid with glasses. Then he apparently went through a chubby, awkward phase. Cut to the present day, however, and he’s a ripped Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blackbelt. Quite the transformation!
3. Tatyana Ali
Tatyana Ali will be forever remembered as Will Smith’s little cousin Ashley Banks in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. And while Ali has never had as big a role since, she’s still looking fresh today. You may have even seen her in The Young and the Restless.
4. Patrick Dempsey
He’s perhaps best known as the suave Dr. “McDreamy” from Grey’s Anatomy, but Patrick Dempsey has had a career dating back years. In fact, Dempsey was once typecast as bespectacled, bouffant-haired geeks in ’80s and ’90s rom-coms such as Can’t Buy Me Love and Loverboy.
