The Lucky Few: How Much Do You Know About Child Actors Who Became Stars?

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Child Actors: What Can Go Wrong
As the song goes, "There's no business like show business . . . Everything about it is appealing." Well, Mr. Berlin, maybe not quite everything. It's true that Hollywood is a place where dreamers can find fame and fortune. . . but they also might lose it all. Nowhere is this dark side of fame more apparent than in the grim fate of so many former child stars. Young actors thrust too early into the adult world experience a loss of innocence, where regular childhood experiences are replaced by intense pressure and fear of rejection—not to mention early exposure to alcohol, drugs and sex. Whether it's alcohol and drug abuse (Lindsay Lohan, Corey Feldman, Patty Duke, Tatum O'Neal. . .), violence and crime (Shia LaBeouf, Edward Furlong, Danny Bonaduce. . .), or a combination of both (the entire child cast of Diff'rent Strokes), there is no shortage of evidence that growing up in show business is hard. Many of us gobble up these stories of former child stars gone off the deep end with a mix of pity and (let's be honest) schadenfreude—if that's what you're looking for, you'll find plenty of juicy trivia out there, but you'll have to look elsewhere because this quiz is not about the train wrecks. This quiz is a celebration of the survivors! Try it out and see how much you really know about the child actors who managed to come out the other side with their careers (and sanity) intact.
Child Actors: What Can Go Right!
Jodie Foster, Leonardo DiCaprio, Neil Patrick Harris . . . Some of today's most respected actors were actually child stars and managed to skirt the sad fate of so many of their Hollywood peers. What's their secret? According to Psychology Today, good parenting is one crucial factor: parents need to stay focused on protecting their child's normal development (and not, say, dad's own dreams of stardom). Taking a real life time out for college has helped child actors like Jodie Foster and Natalie Portman make the transition. And then there are those lucky survivors like Robert Downey Jr. and Drew Barrymore who almost didn't make it but managed to beat their demons along the way. Finally, the ticket to success for many successful former child actors is simply to not be too successful as kids. As Elizabeth Moss put it: "In a way, that was my saving grace - not being a star on a hit show. It kept me working and kept me grounded." For more interesting trivia about child actors who made it big as adults, check out this quiz!
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: Child Actors Quiz Questions

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Question 1

Pictured here with fellow '80s wild child Corey Feldman, Drew Barrymore was born with a Hollywood royalty pedigree and experienced massive fame at the tender age of seven—in other words, a recipe for a child star crash and burn. What was the title of Barrymore's 1991 autobiography?

  • A
    Childhood Lost
  • B
    Get Lost
  • C
    Little Girl Lost
  • D
    Innocence Lost

Question 2

This Oscar-winning actor was just 13 when he made his big screen debut in a Steven Spielberg film. Who is it?

  • A
    Tom Cruise
  • B
    Hugh Jackman
  • C
    Christian Bale
  • D
    James Brolin

Question 3

True Blood star Anna Paquin was just 11 years old when she won Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance in which film?

  • A
    Terms of Endearment
  • B
    Because of Winn-Dixie
  • C
    The Piano
  • D
    Fly Away Home

Question 4

Long before Sex and the City, Sarah Jessica Parker made her TV debut at age 17 in which short-lived but fondly remembered sitcom about high school ('n stuff)?

  • A
    Double Trouble
  • B
    Square Pegs
  • C
    Facts of Life
  • D
    It's A Living

Question 5

Leonardo DiCaprio was just 19 when he earned his first Oscar nom, for What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1994). How many years later did Leo actually win the prized accolade?

  • A
    25
  • B
    2
  • C
    22
  • D
    10

Question 6

About which of his early films did Robert Downey Jr. say that his character was like playing "the ghost of Christmas future"?

  • A
    Chaplin
  • B
    The Pick-up Artist
  • C
    Less than Zero
  • D
    Weird Science

Question 7

On which classic children's TV program did Russian Doll star Natasha Lyonne have a recurring role?

  • A
    The Muppets
  • B
    Pee-Wee's Playhouse
  • C
    Sesame Street
  • D
    Reading Rainbow

Question 8

Like Britney, Justin and Xtina, Ryan Gosling has the Mickey Mouse Club to thank for launching him toward superstardom. What nationality is Gosling?

  • A
    Norwegian
  • B
    American
  • C
    Canadian
  • D
    British

Question 9

Shown here with frequent co-star Judy Garland, this young fellow went on to have one of the longest film careers in Hollywood history. What was his name?

  • A
    Jimmy Durante
  • B
    Fred Astaire
  • C
    Mickey Rooney
  • D
    James Cagney

Question 10

Winona Ryder's big screen debut was in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice (1988). How many films has she made with the director in total?

  • A
    2
  • B
    3
  • C
    10
  • D
    1

Question 11

Although best known for his portrayal of Marty McFly in the Back to the Future films, Michael J. Fox was a star of the small screen first. What was the name of his hit TV show?

  • A
    Welcome Back, Kotter
  • B
    Family Ties
  • C
    Night Court
  • D
    Silver Spoons

Question 12

Interview magazine once called this '90s child/teen star "a Hayley Mills for misfits." What's her name?

  • A
    Winona Ryder
  • B
    Emma Watson
  • C
    Christina Ricci
  • D
    Anna Paquin

Question 13

Arrested Development star Jason Bateman was just a tween when he made his TV debut on Little House on the Prairie (1974-83) in 1982. On which show was his next recurring role?

  • A
    Family Ties
  • B
    Charlie's Angels
  • C
    Silver Spoons
  • D
    Who's the Boss

Question 14

Dakota Fanning's breakout performance at age 8 in the film I am Sam (2001) earned her major accolades, including an acting nomination for which major award?

  • A
    Golden Globe
  • B
    Oscar
  • C
    Screen Actors Guild
  • D
    Emmy

Question 15

Diane Lane (Unfaithful, The Perfect Storm) made her screen debut at age 13 in this charming '70s film about young love . . . alongside no lesser of a thespian than Sir Laurence Olivier.

  • A
    A Sweet Serenade
  • B
    Adolescent Daydream
  • C
    A Little Romance
  • D
    The Passion of Youth

Question 16

Kieran Culkin got his big break at age 8 playing a cousin of real life big brother Macaulay's character in Home Alone (1990). In 2020, he received a Golden Globe nom for his portrayal of Roman Roy on which hit TV drama?

  • A
    The Crown
  • B
    Succession
  • C
    Big Little Lies
  • D
    Mr. Robot

Question 17

Doogie Howser, MD, Count Olaf, Great White Way headliner, awards show host extraordinaire. . . multi-talented Neil Patrick Harris is known for many projects. But long before becoming a household name, he made his professional debut alongside Whoopi Goldberg in which of these films?

  • A
    Ghost
  • B
    The Color Purple
  • C
    Jumpin' Jack Flash
  • D
    Clara's Heart

Question 18

The musical Midas known as Drake actually first rose to fame as a child actor, best known for performing in what type of production?

  • A
    Back to School Special
  • B
    TV show
  • C
    Feature film
  • D
    Local theater

Question 19

In which classic 1970s film can you spot a teenaged Laurence Fishburne?

  • A
    Jaws
  • B
    Apocalypse Now
  • C
    Dog Day Afternoon
  • D
    The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Question 20

Jodie Foster, arguably the leading child actor of the 1970s, had no fewer than five feature films released in 1976 when she was just 13 years old. For which of these movies did she receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress?

  • A
    The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane
  • B
    Bugsy Malone
  • C
    Taxi Driver
  • D
    Freaky Friday

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