An inevitable tragedy plagues the hot young child star in our society; while their star power burns bright the world waits in anticipation to see whether or not their celebrity will expire or be rejuvenated come puberty. I can think of no other celebrity whose fame is on such a strict expiration date, and so the ones that appear on the other side (the more attractive, emotionally stable and glamorous side) deserve some sort of recognition.
I’ve gathered a list of some of the hottest, most talented, shockingly normal (sans DUI’s and rehab stints) child stars grown up that I can think of, I hope you agree.
10. Joseph Gordon Levitt
Seeing JGL on Third Rock from the Sun as the baby-faced Tommy Solomon, the deceptively older alien leader of the small Solomon tribe on the hit 1990’s Sit Com captured the hearts of many teens in his day. Though many loyal fans seemed to be sure of his everlasting cuteness, he could have gone by the Jonathan Taylor Thomas wayside, remaining to be incredibly good-looking but remarkably absent from the public. Thanks to Inception and 500 Days of Summer, to name a few, we can all breathe a deep sigh of relief that his cuteness is not going anywhere, any time soon.
9. Danielle Fishel
Though Danielle may consistently remain as Topanga from Boy Meets World in the hearts of many children of the 1990’s, she’s broken through that child star peg by proving that she can not only maintain her adult hotness, but she’s funny too! (Such a combination should be unlawful as it is unfair for the rest of the female population, but I’ll let this one slide). Catch her on The Dish on the Style network.
8. Elijah Wood
Elijah Wood battled the child star growing-up blues by refusing to grow – physically. He’s maintained a boyishly handsome height since the age of 12, and bless him for it. Short girls with nerd crushes need some loving too.
7. Reese Witherspoon
Reese was only 14 years old when she starred in the 1991 film The Man in the Moon, such a feat of securing a starring role at such a young age obviously set the tone for what would be an incredible career. Reese, who seems impervious to acne, a bad hair day, or any other beauty blunders has proven that you can not only maintain a career in Hollywood past the point of puberty, but maybe there’s an Oscar waiting for you on the other side.
6. Neil Patrick Harris
As impossibly young resident doctor Doogie Howser, Harris made youthful precociousness look good. Becoming a star well before his voice deepened, his celebrity could have gone either way – from Yes! (he’s super cute) to Yikes! (I would never). Even though he doesn’t bat for my team, I still award him with my affection, thanks for growing up good Neil Patrick Harris, I salute you.
5. Jenny Lewis
Indie rocker and front runner of Rilo Kiley, Jenny Lewis may have more surprises from beneath her auburn coif than you may expect. For instance, Lewis was a staple to 1990’s television and film, appearing on episodes of Roseanne, Growing Pains and earning a prominent role in the Shelly Long comedy Troop Beverly Hills. She shines with fiery hot rock’n’roll power these days and appears in several bands that have earned as much critical cred as they have street cred, she proves that the child star slump has some alternative endings, and I love her for that.
4. Shia Labeouf
As Louis Stevens on the Disney Channel show Even Stevens few could predict that the geeky prankster and youngest sibling of the Stevens TV family would grow up to be one of the hottest stars in the World. Best buds with people like Steven Spielberg, dating impossibly attractive women like Carey Mulligan and kissing the immortally hot Megan Fox on-screen, I’d say that Shia owes puberty a major solid.
3. Anna Paquin
As Sookie on the hit HBO show True Blood, Anna proves that she maintains all of the proper elements of a fiery adult celebrity: calmness in the face of danger, leading character chops and inarguable sex appeal. She’s the kind of child star-adult star success story that I can sink my teeth into (yes, a Vampire pun. I know, I know).
2. Ryan Gosling
Ryan Gosling, the perfect human adult that he is was once a child star. What? You don’t believe me? Go and google The Mickey Mouse Club circa the 1990’s. I’ll wait. ….See? Amazing. Such adult perfection came from childlike dimples ‘n all perfection, he is living proof that there are things that are just right in this world.
1. Fergie
Speaking of The Mickey Mouse Club Fergie actually appeared as a young child star on their enthusiastic rival Kids Incorporated as Stacy Ferguson. This may be surprising to the many that only see her as the booty-shakin’ lips-pouting female member of The Black Eyed Peas, but her role in recent films such as Grindhouse Presents: Planet Terror proves that the girl still knows how to shake it and fake it (like acting? You get it. I know, I know. I’ll stop right now.)
Who are your favorite child stars who have turned out to be sexy adults? Tell us in the comments below!
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