15 of the most iconic child stars from the 1980s and what they look like today

Soleil Moon Frye became best known for her role as the quirky, spirited title character in the popular sitcom Punky Brewster (1984–1988), which she also voiced in the 1985 animated series It’s Punky Brewster. The show proved popular with young audiences, with the creators even making special 15-minute episodes that could air when football games – which preceded Punky – ran long, ensuring children wouldn’t miss out.

Soleil went on to play Roxie King, Sabrina’s roommate, in Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996–2003), and voiced Jade in the animated Bratz (2005–2006) TV series. She reprised the role of Punky in the 2021 revival of Punky Brewster, and is currently appearing in the Disney revival The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (2022–) where she voices Zoey Howzer, a character she played in the original 2000s series.

After appearing on sitcoms like Diff’rent Strokes (1978–1986) in the late ‘70s, Molly Ringwald became synonymous with the works of John Hughes in the ‘80s, including Sixteen Candles (1984), The Breakfast Club (1985) and Pretty in Pink (1986). Her starring roles as complex, thoughtful young women made her a teen icon, known for being a member of the “Brat Pack” by the media, a group of young actors who frequently appeared in coming-of-age films.

Molly has kept up a successful acting career, with a notable resurgence in the late 2010s in popular teen media like Riverdale (2017–2023) and Netflix’s film trilogy The Kissing Booth (2018–2021). She recently appeared as Joanne Carson on the second season of Ryan Murphy’s biographical anthology series Feud (2024).

Sean Astin shot to fame with his starring role as Mikey Walsh in The Goonies (1984), leading to a slew of roles in films like White Water Summer (1987) and The War of the Roses (1989) opposite Michael Douglas and Danny DeVito. He also received critical acclaim for his portrayal of footballer Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger in the biographical sports film Rudy (1991).

He continued his high-profile acting career into the millennium, playing Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001–2003). Sean has remained a screen staple in recent years, becoming best known for his role as Bob Newby in the second season of Netflix’s Stranger Things (2016–2025). Sean is currently in the running to be the 2025 president of SAG-AFTRA after Fran Drescher declined to seek re-election.

Ke Huy Quan, also known as Jonathan Ke Quan, rose to fame as Short Round in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) before appearing alongside Sean Astin as Data in The Goonies (1985). Following his successful career as a child actor, Ke had several roles as a young adult before taking a 19-year hiatus from acting, where he worked as a stunt choreographer and assistant director.

Ke’s career once again skyrocketed in the 2020s with roles in Finding Ohana (2021) and the critically acclaimed Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022), the latter which earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Ke appeared in the sci-fi adventure flick The Electric State earlier in 2025, and will also star in the upcoming animated sequel Zootopia 2, set for release in November 2025.

After initially appearing on the sitcom Family Matters (1989–1998) in a one-time appearance, Jaleel's acting skill and popularity with audiences earned him a permanent role, where he eventually became the main protagonist of the show. As his popularity soared in the ‘90s, Jaleel made a number of guest appearances on shows like Full House, Step by Step, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Jaleel has maintained a strong acting presence, starring in the sitcom Grown Ups (1999–2000) and appearing on numerous shows like House, NCIS, and Fresh off the Boat. Since 2024, Jaleel has been the host of the game show Flip Side, where contestants guess the popular opinions of different groups of people and compete for cash prizes.

Jodie Sweetin was only 5-years-old when she first appeared as the witty middle child Stephanie Tanner in Full House (1987–1995), a role which would define her career. She also appeared as Stephanie on The All-New Mickey Mouse Club in 1989, alongside future stars like Britney Spears and Ryan Gosling. 

While Jodie has continued to act, she remained best known as Stephanie to a new generation when she reprised her role in the Netflix revival series Fuller House (2016–2020). Jodie currently has over 2.4 million followers on her Instagram, and regularly shares clips from media appearances and snippets of her life with Full House fans. 

Henry Thomas played Elliot Taylor in Steven Spielberg’s classic 1982 film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, a role which launched his career and earned him Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. Following his widespread acclaim and instant recognisability, he continued to star in a range of films throughout the ‘80s, like Misunderstood (1984), Frog Dreaming (1986), and Valmont alongside Colin Firth. 

In the years since, Henry has continued to work steadily in both film and television, taking on a variety of roles notably in the horror genre. He has appeared in multiple Stephen King adaptations like Doctor Sleep (2019) and Pet Sematary: Bloodlines (2023), and has collaborated frequently with horror director Mike Flanagan, appearing in series like The Haunting of Hill House (2018) and The Fall of the House of Usher (2023)

Danica McKellar became best known for her role as Winnie Cooper in the coming-of-age comedy series The Wonder Years (1988–1993), the good-hearted love interest of the main character, Kevin Arnold (Fred Savage). One of the most iconic characters of ‘80s TV, Danica went on to appear in a range of shows throughout the ‘90s, such as Walker, Texas Ranger and Love Boat: The Next Wave.

While Danica continued to act, she also earned a degree in mathematics from UCLA and went on to author a series of bestselling math books aimed at young girls. She has also continued to balance her career alongside math advocacy, starring in a range of made-for-TV movies, and became a familiar face in seasonal holiday films. 

Another The Goonies star, Kerri Green played Andy Carmichael in the era-defining film, and also appeared in Summer Rental (1985) that same year. After further acting appearances in Lucas (1986), opposite Corey Haim, and Three for the Road (1987), Kerri later ventured into behind-the-scenes work, going on to co-write and direct the drama film Bellyfruit (1999).

While she has not formally retired from acting, she has just one appearance since 2001, in the independent film Complacent (2012). Kerri has largely remained out of the public eye, but appeared at a number of events in 2025 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of The Goonies, including Ke Huy Quan’s hand and footprint ceremony and the Awesome Con reunion in April. 

After a producer saw his audition for a revival of the ‘70s series The Little Rascals, Gary Coleman was instead cast as Arnold Jackson in Diff’rent Strokes (1978–1986), a role which launched him to stardom. Gary made an estimated $18 million (around £13.5 million) during his time on the sitcom, and was both fan-favourite character and actor, also appearing in a range of television series like Simon & Simon (1986) and even starring in his own Saturday morning cartoon The Gary Coleman Show (1982). 

Gary faced a series of health issues and financial difficulties later in life, and passed away at age 42 in 2010, leaving behind a lasting impact on pop culture and television. A documentary about his life, Gary, was released in 2024.

Josh Saviano appeared alongside Danica McKellar on The Wonder Years (1988–1993), playing Kevin Arnold’s loyal best friend Paul Pfeiffer. Josh got the role while appearing in the 1987 Broadway production of The Nerd opposite Mark Hamill, and became integral to the show’s enduring charm.

After The Wonder Years finished, Josh quit acting and went to study Political Science at Yale University, becoming a paralegal and eventually a lawyer. In 2014, he made a special appearance in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, where he played an attorney akin to his real-life profession. While Josh hadn’t acted since, he has made numerous appearances at reunions and convention panels for The Wonder Years opposite his co-stars.

At just 9-years-old, Ricky Schroder became the youngest recipient of a Golden Globe for his role in the sports film The Champ (1979) alongside Jon Voight. Following his rapid rise to fame, he joined the cast of the sitcom Silver Spoons (1982–87) as Ricky Stratton, earning two Young Artist Awards for the role.

Under the name ‘Rick Schroder’, he continued acting into adulthood in the Western miniseries Lonesome Dove (1989) and the long-running police drama NYPD Blue (1993–2005). Rick made his directorial debut in 2004 with Black Cloud, and also directed, produced and starred in the film Our Wild Hearts (2013) for the Hallmark Channel. While Rick hasn’t acted regularly in the past decade, he shares life updates on his social media channels, having recently married actress Julie Trammel. 

After gaining notoriety for her appearances in Parenthood (1989) and I Love You to Death (1990) alongside Keanu Reeves, her role as the titular character in Curly Sue (1991) further boosted Alisan Porter’s stardom. Following the success of Curly Sue, she also appeared on the sitcom Chicken Soup (1989) opposite Lynn Redgrave. 

After graduating high school, she gravitated towards more theatre roles, where she appeared in the Los Angeles production of The Ten Commandments: The Musical (2004) alongside Val Kilmer and Adam Lambert, and the Broadway revival of A Chorus Line in 2006. In 2016, Alisan won the tenth season of The Voice and had since continued her career as a successful singer-songwriter. 

After starring in Stand by Me (1986) alongside fellow child actors River Phoenix and Corey Feldman, Wil Wheaton continued his successful career with his portrayal of Wesley Crusher in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994), a role he remains closely associated with in the sci-fi community. He also appeared alongside Sean Astin in the 1991 action thriller Toy Soldiers. 

Since Star Trek, Wil had a recurring role on The Big Bang Theory (2007 –2019) as a fictionalised version of himself, and made a brief return to the role of Wesley in Star Trek: Picard (2020–2023). Wil has written several books about his time on the show, and continues to share updates on his Instagram account to 1.2 million followers. 

Following an extensive acting career on shows including Shirley (1979–1980) and Goodnight, Beantown (1983–1984), Tracey Gold later became famous for her role as Carol Seaver in the hit sitcom Growing Pains (1985–1992). She later went on to reprise this role in The Growing Pains Movie (2000), where her former child character went on to become a lawyer.

Tracey has continued to act sporadically, and has made numerous guest appearances as herself on shows like Battle of the Network Stars. She has spoken openly about her battle with anorexia following her time on Growing Pains, and continues to use her platform to raise awareness for body image issues. Tracey also makes regular appearances at fan conventions for ‘80s and ‘90s sitcoms.