Getty Images
Child stars…many of them flame out or go on reality shows, like Danny Bonaduce. The list of those who didn’t make it out is long, too: Gary Coleman, Dana Plato, etc. Here are the ones from the 1980s and 1990s that survived and thrived:
He was capturing people’s hearts on Growing Pains LONG before Titanic. DiCaprio’s had a pretty good run too, being in Blood Diamond, The Departed and Inception of late. Yeah. I’d say he’s doing pretty well.
2. Mila Kunis
Before she hit the ’70s and Black Swan, Kunis was on shows like Seventh Heaven. She’s also great at voiceover work, doing a long stint on Family Guy. Her love life has been well-chronicled too, but she seems to have kept her head on her shoulders quite well.
3. The Olsen Twins
They might not be doing as much now, but they made a mint post Full House. During a certain period in the 2000s, they were EVERYWHERE, having their own line of clothes, direct-to-DVD movies, you name it. Oh yeah, there was that whole creepy “Wait-until-they-turn-18” countdown. That was a bummer.
Who’s The Boss? She’s the boss now on shows like Mistresses. She’s also got a huge following on Twitter and she’s a die-hard baseball fan. She’s certainly got a Charmed life.
Before Barney Stinson, he was legen – wait for it… – dary as Doogie Howser, MD. Of course, there were those hilarious appearances in the Harold & Kumar movies. He’s also been a great role model for the LGBT crowd.
His life’s in Arrested Development now, but he had a Silver Spoon in his mouth in the ’80s. Bateman’s always been someone who realizes he has an awesome job as an actor and is glad to be making a living doing that. Heck, he’s even appeared on Yo Gabba Gabba.
Carrie Bradshaw sure was a Square Peg in the ’80s. She’s also married to an icon of the decade: Matthew Broderick. I wonder if he keeps giving her Ferris Bueller advice…
8. Michael J. Fox
He hasn’t severed his Family Ties with NBC; he’s got his own show coming up in the fall. It’s a miracle that he’s doing that, since he’s been fighting Parkinson’s for a very, very long time. I hope his good run continues.
9. Drew Barrymore
As a kid, she met with an extraterrestrial: that might explain the weird people she subsequently dated. Since then, she’s become a Angel and a rom-com queen, and she’s been the face of beauty commercials for a long time.
10. Justin Timberlake
This ex-Mouseketeer is doing much better than another one, his ex Britney Spears. He recently briefly re-united with his former boy band N’Sync and had one of the most anticipated album releases in 2013 with The 20/20 Experience. He’s also been in some movies, and he’s a staple on both Saturday Night Live and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Yeah, I think he’s doing okay.
More:
Is Anyone Actually Watching ‘Camp’?
Are You There Fans? It’s Me, Azealia
5 Song Titles That Blow Their Own Trumpet
From Our Partners:
40 Most Revealing See-Through Red Carpet Looks (Vh1)
15 Stars Share Secrets of their Sex Lives (Celebuzz)
