The '90s were a golden age for child stars, and decades later, some of those young actors are still everywhere, while others have traded Hollywood for fashion, directing, or simply focused on their family.

Let's see what some of those '90s child stars are up to today!

1. Danielle Fishel

Danielle Fishel was only 12 when she first appeared as Topanga Lawrence on Boy Meets World in 1993. Today Fishel still looks instantly recognizable to the fans. She co-hosts the Pod Meets World rewatch podcast with Rider Strong and Will Friedle, and in 2026, she also joined Lance Bass as a host of QVC's Christmas in July celebration.

2. Elijah Wood

Elijah Wood was basically everywhere during the '90s. He was 12 when he starred in the dark 1993 thriller The Good Son. After becoming an international star through The Lord of the Rings, Wood built a career filled with strange, funny, and creepy projects.

He continues acting and produces offbeat genre movies through SpectreVision, the company behind titles such as Mandy and Color Out of Space.

3. Christina Ricci

Christina Ricci was 11 when she appeared in the 1991 The Addams Family. By the middle of the decade, she was also starring in Casper and Now and Then. Decades later, Ricci still loves her wonderfully dark material.

She currently stars as the adult Misty Quigley in Yellowjackets in the show's fourth and final season.

4. Edward Furlong

Edward Furlong's debut role in Terminator 2: Judgment Day was more than a 13-year-old boy could handle, for better or worse. He followed it with Pet Sematary Two, A Home of Our Own, and American History X. Nowadays Furlong is just laying low most of the time. That said, the actor still connects with fans through conventions, including a 2026 appearance at New Jersey Horror Con.

5. Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman was 12 while filming her breakout role as Mathilda in Léon: The Professional, and by the end of the decade, she was cast as Queen Amidala in Star Wars: Episode I.

Today Portman is easily one of the most successful former child stars of her generation. In 2026, she appeared in the dark art-world comedy The Gallerist, which premiered at Sundance and also stars Jenna Ortega and Charli XCX.

6. Macaulay Culkin

10-year-old Macaulay Culkin became one of the biggest child stars in the world thanks to Home Alone. Today, he works much more selectively and seems perfectly happy poking fun at his former child-star status. In January 2026, he returned to the Golden Globes stage for the first time in 35 years and joked that, despite popular belief, he exists outside the Christmas season.

7. Larisa Oleynik

Larisa Oleynik was only 13 when The Secret World of Alex Mack hit the TV screens in 1994. She continues taking screen and theater roles. In 2026, she appeared in the Santa Fe Playhouse production of the political comedy POTUS.

So, yes, Alex Mack grew up and went to the theater, where she belongs.

8. Jake Lloyd

Jake Lloyd was 10 when he played young Anakin Skywalker, aka Darth Vader, in The Phantom Menace, and boy did that movie make his life miserable. Lloyd is now retired from acting and has largely stayed away from public life. In January 2026, however, fans were delighted to see him in a rare photo with Daniel Logan, who played young Boba Fett.

9. Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Joseph Gordon-Levitt was 14 when 3rd Rock from the Sun premiered in early 1996. He also later joined Larisa Oleynik in 10 Things I Hate About You in 1999. Today, Gordon-Levitt has successfully moved from child actor to leading man, writer and filmmaker. In 2026, he has been directing 2034, an AI-themed Netflix thriller featuring Rachel McAdams, Jeff Daniels, Toni Collette, and Joel Edgerton.

10. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were only three years old as the '90s began, already sharing the role of Michelle Tanner on Full House. They were eight when the sitcom ended in 1995, and after that it's been an endless stream of movies, videos, and merchandise. It's hard to believe, but the Olsen twins lives now look nothing like their Full House days. Both have left acting and avoid the cameras whenever possible. Instead, they run The Row, the highly respected luxury fashion label they founded in 2005. Ashley serves as CEO, while Mary-Kate works as creative director.