One-Hit-Wonder Child Stars
It's not easy being a child star. Not only do many child stars not remain stars past childhood, but some end up having only one role, or at least only one role that could be considered notable. The reason that this happens can vary, but in such cases, a child star is less likely to be referred to by his or her own name than as "that kid from [movie title]" or "that kid who played [character name] in [movie title]."
The reasons that a child star may end up being a one-hit-wonder are pretty much the same reasons why a grown-up actor may reach the same fate. These include:
1. Lack of Interest (They decide that acting isn't for them after all)
2. Lack of Talent (They can't act well enough after all)
3. Lack of Success (Their breakout roles were in notorious flops; not necessarily fatal to a career)
4. A Tough Act to Follow (Their breakout roles were so perfect and iconic that no other roles could compare; also not necessarily fatal to a career)
5. Bad Luck (Basically any reason not listed above)
Note: The terms in the title may be used loosely.
The reasons that a child star may end up being a one-hit-wonder are pretty much the same reasons why a grown-up actor may reach the same fate. These include:
1. Lack of Interest (They decide that acting isn't for them after all)
2. Lack of Talent (They can't act well enough after all)
3. Lack of Success (Their breakout roles were in notorious flops; not necessarily fatal to a career)
4. A Tough Act to Follow (Their breakout roles were so perfect and iconic that no other roles could compare; also not necessarily fatal to a career)
5. Bad Luck (Basically any reason not listed above)
Note: The terms in the title may be used loosely.
List activity
2.7K views
• 11 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
134 people
- Jeni Courtney is known for The Secret of Roan Inish (1994), Nothing Personal (1995) and Baby Doll (1998).Fiona Conneely in "The Secret of Roan Inish"
- Richard Sheridan was born on 1 February 1978 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK. He is an actor, known for The Secret of Roan Inish (1994). He has been married to Amanda Sheridan since 2008.Eamon Conneely in "The Secret of Roan Inish"
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Roy Snart was born in 1962. He is an actor, known for Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971), The Boys (2009) and The One Show (2006).Paul Rawlins in "Bedknobs and Broomsticks"- Actor
- Writer
Theodore Chester was born in 1991 and lives in London with his parents and two younger sisters. He has enjoyed acting ever since he was a little boy, appearing in school plays, but his break into professional acting came in 2002 when acting scouts, casting roles for Peter Pan (2003), came to his school. Aged eleven at the time and attending the Harrodian School, a private London school, Theodore and two of his classmates 'George MacKay' and Rupert Simonian were plucked out of their geography lesson and invited to auditioning workshops. All three were successful in their auditions and were cast as Lost Boys.
He and the other children who were playing roles as the Lost Boys received months of stunt training with swords and how to choreograph fight scenes before they began filming _Peter Pan). Theodore spent close to six months in Australia filming, during which time he was tutored on set and had the opportunity to surf and snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef.
Although he has not appeared in anything since, Theodore wouldn't mind acting again as he had so much fun on the 'Peter Pan' production.Slightly in "Peter Pan (2003)"- Harry Newell is known for Peter Pan (2003).John Darling in "Peter Pan (2003)"
- Freddie Popplewell was born in November 1994. He is an actor, known for Peter Pan (2003).Michael Darling in "Peter Pan (2003)"
- Lulu Popplewell was born on 15 January 1991 in London, England, UK. She is an actress, known for Love Actually (2003), His Dark Materials (2003) and Love in a Cold Climate (2001).Daisy in "Love Actually"
- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Hatty Jones is an actor and a writer from London. Her first film was Madeline, which she made when she was 10. Producers picked her out of thousands of girls at an audition because of her height and irresistible charm and eagerness. Even though the original cartoon Madeline was a redhead, producers thought blond, brown-eyed Hatty's attributes would perfectly match those for the leading role of Madeline. Hatty and all her young co-stars made their first TV interview on Blue Peter, to promote the film's release, and one of her first magazine interviews was with the 'Funday times'.Madeline in "Madeline"- Kristian de la Osa was born on 20 July 1986 in Miami, Florida, USA. He is an actor, known for Madeline (1998), Flight of Fancy (2000) and Aguamarina (1997).Pepito in "Madeline"
- Cameron John "CJ" Adams, was born in Elmhurst, Illinois on April 6, 2000 and raised in Rhode Island and where he started is acting career at age 6 in Disney's "Dan in Real Life". His mother and Father are Donna and Matt Adams. His father is a host of Morning Drive on Golf Channel, book author, golf expert and host of The Fairways of Life show (formerly on SiriusXM satellite radio) now a free Podcast. CJ is best known for his role as Timothy Green in the 2012 film The Odd Life of Timothy Green, which earned him the Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actor Age Ten and Under. He also played the title character as Zac Wade in the 2013 film Against The Wild.Timothy Green in "The Odd Life of Timothy Green"
- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Thomas Horn won on "Jeopardy!" during Kids Week with an earning of 31,000 after wagering 12,000 during Final Jeopardy. His acting career kicked off when he was cast in the feature film Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, which was based on the 2005 novel by Jonathan S. Foer. This drama received a limited release on December 25, 2011 and was widely released on January 20, 2012.Oskar Schell in "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close"- O'Neil was born in Boulder, Colorado and attended Dennison Elementary. His family hired him an acting coach after he did well in school oral interpretation classes. O'Neil subsequently won five silver and one bronze medals at amateur acting competitions during the summer of 2005 and was taken on by Cutler Management, who sent him to study acting. Shortly after that, he was cast in The Last Mimzy (2007), which was his second acting audition.
O'Neil lives with his family in the foothills outside of Denver, Colorado, near the Rocky Flats Plant. His favorite video game is The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth II (2006). As of March 2007, he is in sixth grade and attends school on set while filming. He has an older brother, Tyler, and comes from a "very Christian" family.Noah Wilder in "The Last Mimzy" - Actress
- Soundtrack
Rhiannon Leigh Wryn was born in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is an actress, known for The Last Mimzy (2007), Hulk (2003) and Camping (2018).Emma Wilder in "The Last Mimzy"- Actor
- Soundtrack
Peter Ostrum was born on 1 November 1957 in Dallas, Texas, USA. He is an actor, known for Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), Sicko (2007) and Remembering Gene Wilder (2023). He has been married to Loretta Lepkowski since 1987. They have two children.Charlie Bucket in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory"- Michael Bollner was born on 14 September 1958 in Munich, Germany. He is an actor, known for Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), M.U.G.E.N (1999) and Bizarre Transmissions from the Bermuda Triangle (2015).Augustus Gloop in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory"
- Julia Winter, a Swedish former child actress, is known for playing Veruca Salt in the 2005 film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory opposite Johnny Depp, her first and only feature film gig to date. Despite the film's commercial success and enduring popularity, she has since led a life out of the public eye.Veruca Salt in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"
- Charles Potter is a former British child actor whose only notable role to date came as Bruno Jenkins in The Witches, a 1990 film based on the book of the same name by Roald Dahl. He has not acted since and, formerly a barrister practicing commercial, public and administrative law at Blackstone Chambers in London, he is now a senior corporate communications adviser and Partner at Brunswick Group, co-leading the firm's global litigation practice.Bruno Jenkins in "The Witches"
- Brian Levinson was born on 27 October 1982 in Los Angeles County, California, USA. He is an actor, known for Matilda (1996), Predator 2 (1990) and Hardball (1994).Michael in "Matilda"
- Jack Scanlon was born on 6 August 1998 in Kent, England, UK. He is an actor, known for The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008), Married Single Other (2010) and Runaway (2009).Shmuel in "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas"
- Sarah Wayne was born on 6 April 1984. She is an actress, known for Magic in the Water (1995) and Piper (1996).Ashley Black in "Magic in the Water"
- Rishi Bhat was born in 1984 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an actor, known for The Indian in the Cupboard (1995).Patrick in "The Indian in the Cupboard"
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Heather Ripley was born on 6 May 1959 in Dundee, Scotland, UK. She is an actress, known for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), The Paul O'Grady Show (2004) and MGM Sing-Alongs: Searching for Your Dreams (1997).Jemima Potts in "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"