Former Child Star: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

 

Probably one of Hollywood's biggest [[Acceptable Targets]], the Former Child Star is [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|just what it sounds like]]: a star of TV or film whose career was at its peak in their formative years. Alas, such an unorthodox childhood can leave its mark on anyone (especially if they were [[Not Allowed to Grow Up]]), and it always does in fictional depictions of the Former Child Star. In adulthood, they may be a struggling actor who finds it hard to be taken seriously when everyone remembers them as "[[I Am Not Spock|that one kid from that one show]]", if they're remembered at all. And that's if they're lucky: the unlucky ones wind up mourning their glory days in a dead-end job, or (dis)gracing the covers of tabloids after a run-in with the law. Sadly, a case of [[Truth in Television]], as the troubled biographies of some real-life Former Child Stars will show. On the other hand, there are other child actors who grew up well, like [[Jodie Foster]] and Bill Mumy, because their parents took care to raise them up right under the circumstances.

 

 

No doubt [[Growing Up Sucks]] for them...especially if they're [[Contractual Purity|treated as though they never did]].

 

== Literature ==

* Subverted in the [[X Wing Series]], part of the [[Star Wars Expanded Universe]]. Garik "Face" Loran was a child star who appeared in Imperial propagandist [[Call a Rabbit a Smeerp|"holodramas"]] until he realized the levels of cruelty [[The Empire]] was capable of. Now he's one part [[The Atoner]], one part [[Master of Disguise]] (he's still a fantastic actor), and one part [[The Ace]] (though this is mostly an act, and he can be a truly competent pilot when he needs to be). This definition of "child" is a bit flexible and seems to extend to "teen", since a number of women in his squadron had crushes on him when he was starring in holofilms.

** His old contemporary and rival Tetran Cowall, on the other hand, stayed Imperial.

 

 

 

== Real Life ==

* As a musical example, [[Britney Spears]] has fallen on this ''hard''. Though her musical career has rebounded, her personal life and reputation are a massive train wreck, with her remaining in the conservatorship of her father.

* [[Lindsay Lohan]]... Oh dear. It was a mix of [[The Prima Donna|her personality]] (even as a child) and [[Stage Mom|her parents]] that eventually demolished anything she had left resembling a professional career.

* [[Michael Jackson]] was ultimately a bigger star as an adult solo act, but didn't completely subvert this trope. The abuse he suffered under [[Stage Mom|his dad's]] thumb as a child star warped him so badly that once he was able to stand on his own, he became obsessed with finally having a happy childhood in his private life. Thus, most of his adult pursuits and hobbies were juvenile and a way for him to "live as a kid" (i.e., the whole Neverland Ranch), and were a big reason he wound up with the [[Memetic Molester]] reputation that ruined his career.

* Brad Renfro was 12 when he made his film debut in the critically-acclaimed film ''The Client'', co-starring with Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones. He won ''The Hollywood Reporter'''s Young Star Award in 1995 went on to appear in ''Apt Pupil'' and ''[[Ghost World]]''. Sadly, he spiraled into drug and alcohol abuse and died from a heroin overdose at the age of 25.

* Played tragically straight with River Phoenix. He had a skill for acting far beyond anyone else in his generation, but couldn't cope with the pressures of fame and hated that he was part of a system he despised. in which he was the focus of attention that should have been devoted to causes such as Humanitarian or Animal Rights which he felt strongly about. He turned to drugs and wound up dying of an overdose.

** Averted with his brother Joaquin, who's got a pretty good career as an adult.

** Jodie Sweetin in particular stands out as an example of this trope played straight. Facing an inability to find further work and a traumatic social life due to being typecast as Stephanie Tanner, she became an alcoholic and a habitual user of marijuana, cocaine, LSD and most famously, meth. However, she seems to have gotten her life back on track recently, has published a memoir about her drug addiction, and is now seeking a [[Career Resurrection]].

** Candace Cameron has since bouced back a bit, now appearing on [[Make It or Break It]]. Not as well-known or massive as Full House was in its time, but still a noteworthy performance.

* There is an interesting contrast between the two stars of ''[[Guest From the Future]]''. [[Natalia Guseva]] acted in a few more movies, but decided to become a scientist instead. Now, she not only works as a biochemist, but also is still involved with the fan community, and is raising a daughter. Meanwhile, [[Alexei Fomkin]] had a few more roles, but got into drug problems, which caused him to lose roles and spiral further downward. He quit acting and moved to a village, which seemed to be straightening him out. Sadly, he died in 1996 when his apartment burned.

* Robert Blake also starred in ''Our Gang'' comedies (as Mickey Gubitosi), then later starred in ''In Cold Blood'' and had the title role on the TV series ''Baretta'', and years later was acquitted of his wife's murder, but lost a civil wrongful death lawsuit filed by his children.

 

* [[Elizabeth Taylor]], going from a child star in movies like ''[[Lassie Come Home]]'' to one of the most famous film actresses '''ever'''. Her private life, however, was notably less successful: she was notorious for her large number of weddings and divorces, and was treated for alcoholism and prescription drug addiction.

* [[Jodie Foster]]. First major role was in ''[[Taxi Driver]]'' as a twelve-year-old child prostitute. Even after the scandal over [[Stalker with a Crush|John Hinckley]], she went on to have a very successful career which includes ''two'' acting Oscars.

* Blake Foster has been doing alright since his time as [[Power Rangers Turbo|Justin Stewart]], and while Justin was decried by many back then, there are plenty who wouldn't mind having him return.

 

* Up until a few years ago, [[Jackie Earle Haley]] was the embodiment of this trope, having starred in '70s hits ''[[The Bad News Bears]]'' and ''[[Breaking Away]]'', but then failing to make the transition to adult roles and quit acting for 13 years. However, in 2006 he returned to Hollywood and after playing supporting roles in the remake of ''[[All the King's Men]]'' and ''[[Little Children]]'' (and getting an Oscar nomination in the latter), he starred in ''[[Watchmen (film)|Watchmen]]'' as Rorschach, signed a multi-picture deal to star as Freddy Krueger in the rebooted ''[[Nightmare On Elm Street]]'' series, and is co-starring on ''[[Human Target]]''.

* Once famous as a child actor in Sweden and the son of a famous actor, Alexander Skarsgård gave up acting for quite a while until returning a decade later and becoming famous for roles on ''[[True Blood]]'' and ''[[Generation Kill]]''.

* Jackie Coogan starred with [[Charlie Chaplin]] as The Kid, sued his parents for squandering his film earnings before he became an adult ([[There Should Be a Law|which led to]] the California Child Actor's Bill, AKA the Coogan Act), and much later became known as TV's [[The Addams Family|Uncle Fester]].

 

* Ironically played with in the life of Mickey Dolenz. He was the child star of ''Circus Boy'' for several years, after which his parents took him out of show business entirely to avert this trope. By all accounts, it worked... far better than when he gained and lost fame AGAIN as one of [[The Monkees]].