13 Child Stars Who Had Unexpected Glow-Ups

Joseph Gordon-Levitt was a fixture of 1990s popular culture, thanks to his notable appearances on the sitcom hit 3rd Rock from the Sun and films such as Angels in the Outfield. From an early age, he showed an enviable ability to play lovable characters who sat somewhere between goofy and knowing (this is particularly evident in 3rd Rock from the Sun). This is also evident in 10 Things I Hate About You, where he plays a young man who is a little inept regarding teenage courtship.

However, it wasn’t long before he moved into far edgier material, including Greg Araki’s 2004 coming-of-age drama Mysterious Skin, in which Gordon-Levitt showed his ability to dig deep into characters with complicated psyches. He has shown a similar skill in various genres, ranging from biopics like Snowden to blockbusters The Dark Knight Rises, as well as in his passion projects, such as the cynical Apple TV series Mr. Corman.

For many people, Matthew Lewis is immediately recognizable for his role as Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter franchise. From the beginning of those, he was painted as a well-meaning but also clumsy and rather goofy character, in keeping with his description in Rowling’s original novels. However, it became evident as the series went on the extent to which Lewis was sitting on some formidable dramatic skills, which he subsequently showed in his various TV appearances. 

His appearance in All Creatures Great and Small demonstrated the clearest evidence of his talent. In the series, he plays the character of Hugh Hulton, a suitor for the hand of Helen (who is herself the romantic interest of main character Jame Herriot). There’s more than a bit of an edge to Hugh’s performance, and though he is ultimately shown to be a good man with a noble spirit, Lewis also shows his more sinister edge.

Christina Ricci has had a remarkably varied film and TV career. For many people, one of her most recognizable and beloved roles is Wednesday in the Addams Family films of the early 1990s. She captured so much of what makes this particular character so unique with a deadpan delivery that has yet to be matched. 

Fortunately, Ricci did not let this role keep her from pursuing various other performances, which showed her versatility. To take just one notable example, she earned significant critical praise for her performance as Selby Wall in Monster, in which she co-starred with Charlize Theron. In the years since she has continued to diversify and act in many applauded roles, particularly in TV. She has received particular praise for her appearance in the drama Yellowjackets and her return to the world of The Addams Family with a role in the Netflix hit Wednesday.

Jerry O’Connell was a regular fixture of various movies throughout his youth, but he is arguably best known for the hit film Stand By Me, based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. With his chubby cheeks and bubbly personality, O’Connell was the perfect person to play the character of Vern Tessio, and his character is charmingly oblivious. 

Though he never became what one might call a leading man, he nevertheless experienced a quick glow-up after his appearance in Stand by Me. By his own account, this was because he hit puberty and went through a rigorous training regimen. Subsequently, he appeared in many supporting roles throughout the 1990s and into the present, appearing in films and TV series such as Jerry Maguire, Scream 2, Crossing Jordan, and Billions. He even made an appearance in Mariah Carey’s music video “Butterfly.”

Josh Peck became quite popular due to appearing in the series Drake & Josh, which aired on Nickelodeon. As opposed to Drake, who is very much a cool character, Josh is of a very different type, being far clumsier and more awkward. Despite the character’s awkward demeanor, however, the role would help to establish Peck’s stardom and popularity.

Throughout the 2000s, however, Peck made a bit of a transition into different genres. In Red Dawn, in particular, he demonstrated his ability to play a more rugged and traditionally leading man role. However, he has also continued to show his comedy credentials with appearances in such series as Grandfathered.

These days, Nicholas Hoult is pretty much everywhere, appearing in several high-profile film and TV projects, including The Menu and The Great. However, his fans know he got his start playing several roles as a child actor, including a very awkward character in About A Boy, in which he starred with Hugh Grant and Toni Collette. He followed this with several smaller roles before making a bit of a splash in Clash of the Titans as one of the young soldiers who joined Perseus.

Hoult has long excelled at playing characters who manage to be a little silly yet charming and endearing, as he showed in both X-Men: First Class and Mad Max: Fury Road. Nevertheless, he has also demonstrated significant dramatic depth in such roles as J.R.R. Tolkien in the film Tolkien and Tyler, the delusional and aspirational foodie in the snarky film The Menu.