Static Media
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
Nobody expects a child star to remain unchanged forever. Even so, young actors are often judged harshly as they grow older. Millie Bobby Brown, for example, has faced relentless commentary from the media and “Stranger Things” fans simply because she no longer looks like the child audiences first saw on screen.
Actors naturally change with time, even when the public continues to picture them as the youngsters who played beloved roles decades ago. It is worth looking back at the paths these performers took after their breakthrough appearances — and seeing where their careers have led. After exploring 1990s child stars who became almost unrecognizable, we are going further back to revisit some of the most memorable child actors of the 1980s. These stars appeared in popular television shows such as “Growing Pains” and “The Cosby Show,” as well as films including “The Goonies.”
Aileen Quinn
Kathy Hutchins/Shutterstock & Tplp/Getty
Aileen Quinn became one of the 1980s’ brightest child stars through a role that remains closely associated with her. She played the title character in John Huston’s 1982 film adaptation of the Broadway musical comedy-drama “Annie,” earning two Golden Globe nominations and holding her own alongside Albert Finney, Carol Burnett and Tim Curry.
Quinn had already worked on the Broadway production of “Annie” as a “swing orphan,” stepping in whenever one of the actors playing an orphan was unavailable. She won the film role after competing against 8,000 other hopefuls. “Annie” was only her second movie, following a small appearance in the 1981 Burt Reynolds comedy “Paternity.” After lending her voice to a couple of projects, Quinn played Princess Zora in the 1986 musical “The Frog Prince.” She then took a two-decade break from screen acting.
Quinn eventually returned to the camera, although her later acting work has been relatively limited. From 2007 through her most recent role in 2020, she appeared in only a handful of smaller parts. Her guest appearance as Ramona Delaney on “Will & Grace” was arguably her most prominent television role during that period. Quinn has remained more active onstage, performing in numerous productions on and off Broadway. She is also a drama professor at Monmouth University — an especially fitting connection, since the school’s Great Hall at Shadow Lawn portrayed Daddy Warbucks’ (Finney) mansion in “Annie.”
Sean Astin
Warner Bros./Aldara Zarraoa/Getty
Sean Astin occupies a unique place among former child stars. His career includes both the transformation of a young performer into an established Hollywood actor and a remarkably consistent body of work. Astin broke through as Mikey Walsh in Richard Donner’s 1985 adventure classic “The Goonies,” and he has continued acting at a steady pace ever since, appearing in at least two projects in most years.
Astin’s leap into adult stardom came with one of cinema’s most recognizable fantasy franchises. As Sam Gamgee in Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, his practical nature, enormous loyalty and courageous heroics were distinct enough from his “The Goonies” persona to introduce him to an entirely new generation. After the J.R.R. Tolkien adaptations, Astin became even busier, taking on roles across a wide range of genres. In 2015 alone, he had at least 14 screen and voice credits. He also demonstrated that he could still create an unforgettable character, winning over “Stranger Things” viewers as the warm and charming Bob Newby in Season 2.
Astin’s influence extends beyond acting. He has become a prominent figure in the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, or SAG-AFTRA. He has served as president of the labor union since September 2025.
EXPLORE MORE: HYROX Athlete Who Soiled Herself Mid-Race Wins on Return
C. Thomas Howell
Kathy Hutchins/Shutterstock & Archive Photos/Getty
C. Thomas Howell had an extraordinary film debut. His first movie role was Tyler, a member of the bicycle gang, in Steven Spielberg’s 1982 classic “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.” His next project placed him at the center of Francis Ford Coppola’s 1983 coming-of-age drama “The Outsiders,” in which he played Oklahoma greaser Ponyboy Curtis.
Work came quickly after those two high-profile appearances. Howell went on to star in films including “Red Dawn” and “The Hitcher,” but his momentum was severely damaged by the 1986 movie “Soul Man.” The critically condemned film cast him in a role involving extensive use of blackface. The controversy had a lasting effect on his career and effectively ended his period as a sought-after leading man.
Despite that setback, Howell has continued working in film and television, accumulating well over 200 acting credits. He also records country music under the name Tommy Howell.
Raven-Symoné
NBC/David Becker/Getty
The youngest performer on this list, Raven-Symoné Christina Pearman — known professionally as Raven-Symoné or simply Raven — arrived late in the 1980s child-star era. She joined “The Cosby Show” as Olivia Kendall, the stepdaughter of Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet). After leaving the series in 1992, she played Nicole Lee on “Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper,” appeared as Charisse Dolittle in the 1998 Eddie Murphy comedy “Dr. Dolittle” and its 2001 sequel, and took on numerous other roles.
Raven-Symoné reached another level of fame in the 2000s as the lead character Raven Baxter on “That’s So Raven,” while also voicing Monique on “Kim Possible.” She returned to the role of Raven in “Raven’s Home,” which premiered in 2017 and ran through 2023. She has also had a recurring role as Rhonda Johnson on “Black-ish.”
Acting is only one part of Raven-Symoné’s career. She is also an accomplished musician with several albums and performed on Broadway as Deloris Van Cartier in “Sister Act” in 2012.
Tracey Gold
ABC/Bobby Bank/Getty
Tracey Gold had already built an acting résumé before becoming a defining television star of the 1980s. Following a small role in the acclaimed 1977 miniseries “Roots” and appearances in several other productions, she landed the part of Carol Seaver on “Growing Pains.” Gold played the sitcom character from 1985 through 1992.
Gold continued working in television and film after “Growing Pains,” maintaining a steady career even though she did not return to the same level of fame. Her personal life, however, included a difficult and highly public struggle. The series made jokes about her weight, making Gold an unwilling focus of one of television’s most troubling child-star controversies and contributing to her negative self-image. She has spoken openly about her experience with anorexia and documented her journey in the book “Room to Grow: An Appetite for Life.” Although she has not acted since 2016’s “All Hallows’ Eve,” Gold remains connected to the performing arts and teaches acting at the Santa Clarita School of Performing Arts.
If you need help with an eating disorder, or know someone who does, help is available. Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA’s Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).
FIND OUT MORE: 82-Year-Old Runner Prepares for Milestone 50th New York City Marathon
