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Child actors who end up as struggling adult actors

posted 4 years ago by [deleted]
17 replies | jump to latest

I like to look up the cast of movies, especially to see if child actors threw in the towel.

There's a few who walked away and went and got an education and career, then those who went on to be big movie stars or producers, but sadly, there are some who end up as struggling actors, lucky to appear in a low budget movie once a year.

I wonder why don't quit? Why keep trying to make it despite your heyday being long in the past?

I find it particularly sad when someone with intelligence couldn't walk away.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

I imagine it's hard to give up once you've had that kind of success. The desire to recapture it is pretty strong.

Some of them end up forced to get regular jobs when the acting gigs stop, just like any other struggling actor. It's a weird situation, being as famous as Gary Coleman was for example, yet you're working as a security guard at a store or something.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

Yeah. I think it was particularly sad because of his child like height and he's doing a job that requires a little bit of physicality.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

He had to sue his own parents as well after they stole a lot of his earnings as a child. I think that's not all that uncommon with them. Definitely not all it's cracked up to be for some of those actors.

[–] Quasimodo (16388) 4 years ago

Skye McCole Bartusiak (1992-2014) RIP

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skye_McCole_Bartusiak

[–] johnmarti59 (2356) 4 years ago

Robert Downey Jr. was almost in the grave until he came back. And he came back big time.

[–] davodikum (5970) 4 years ago

not really a child actor tho, just a cokehead

[–] actionkamen (23176) 4 years ago

I think if they were somewhat accepting the reality, like Daniel Radcliffe for example, they'll be fine. He knows he won't be getting a role better than Harry Potter so he doesn't shoot too high and settle on starring in random mediocre movies. As long as he don't live super stupid lavishly I don't think he would be struggling in his lifetime.

[–] Otter (24464) 4 years ago

Radcliffe seems to be doing okay, he has the sense to aim for being a real actor rather than a star. Good for him.

As for the sad cases, well, a lot of them have no educations and no real self-esteem, because they were raised by asshole stage parents who value nothing but fame, money, and celebrity. The parents believe that the kid is nothing if they're not rich and famous, and a lot of the child actors come to believe it, too. So they spend their whole lives trying to be rich and famous again.

[–] actionkamen (23176) 4 years ago

Yeah. Shitty parents ruin kids.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

Actors gotta act.

[–] missnat (1172) 4 years ago

Jonathan Brandis is another sad Hollywood story.

[–] Querelle (1603) 4 years ago

I miss him. He was great in It, Neverending Story II, Stepfather 2, and Seaquest. it's really too bad what happened. Similar to Lee Thompson Young.

[–] rudeboymurray (3241) 4 years ago

...and River Phoenix and Brad Renfro and quite a few others... so many tragic cases. Hollywood has a lot to answer for, I think.

[–] missnat (1172) 4 years ago

I also forgot Corey Haim.

[–] Stratego (29252) 4 years ago

"I find it particularly sad when someone with intelligence couldn't walk away."

Maybe they don't have intelligence?

[–] Mrmojo4700 (20441) 4 years ago

McCauley Co Co