10 Movie Stars Who Become Famous Super Young VS 10 That Make It Big Much Later
The Entertainment industry is where anyone can start at any age. Some stars become famous when they are just babies, and some celebrities make it big when they are much older. When you have connections or belong to the Hollywood royalty bloodlines, fame comes quite easily for you. But if you’re just an ordinary guy like everyone else, you may have to spend decades building your name.
Some argue that stars who become famous at a young age struggle more later in life. They were robbed of their childhood and had to deal with public scrutiny way too soon. But if these child stars can overcome the obstacles, their careers tend to outshine even the most experienced peers in the industry.
So here are 10 stars who become famous at a very early age versus 10 that make it big much later in life. Will your favorite actors belong to team young talents, or will they be team older? Only one way to find out.
1. Drew Barrymore was 7 when she starred in E.T.
Source: Courtesy of Everett Collection
2. On the other hand, Viola Davis landed her breakout role as Mrs. Miller in Doubt when she was 42 years old. The role earned Davis her first Oscar nomination
Source: Courtesy of Everett Collection
3. Tatum O'Neal was nine during Paper Moon. The following year, she became the youngest actress to ever win an Oscar
Source: Courtesy of Everett Collection
4. After 30 years in the acting industry, 53-year-old Christoph Waltz landed his breakout role in Inglourious Basterds. He won his first Oscar for it
Source: Courtesy of Everett Collection
5. Dylan Sprouse was only a year old when he became the main character in a TV series. He played Patrick Kelly on Grace Under Fire
Source: Courtesy of Everett Collection
6. Alan Rickman became famous after his first movie role, Hans Gruber in Die Hard. He was 42 years old at that time
Source: Courtesy of Everett Collection
7. Jaden Smith was 8 when he made his onscreen debut alongside his dad, Will Smith, in The Pursuit of Happiness
Source: Courtesy of Everett Collection
8. Martha Stewart became globally famous after she published her first book, Entertaining at 41
Source: Courtesy of Everett Collection
9. Willow Smith also starred in her first movie, I Am Legend, alongside her dad when she was 7
Source: Courtesy of Everett Collection
10. At 50, Morgan Freeman got an Oscar for his breakout role in Street Smart
Source: Courtesy of Everett Collection
11. Daryl Sabara began playing Juni Cortez in the Spy Kids franchise when he was 9
Source: Courtesy of Everett Collection
12. Leslie Jones joined Saturday Night Live when she was 47. That made her the oldest cast member to debut on the show
Source: Courtesy of Everett Collection
13. Iain Armitage secured main roles on both Big Little Lies and Young Sheldon when he was 9
Source: Courtesy of Everett Collection
14. Ty Burrell booked his first major role, Phil Dunphy on Modern Family at 42
Source: Courtesy of Everett Collection
15. When Kiernan Shipka was 8, she landed the recurring role of Sally Draper on Mad Men
Source: Courtesy of Everett Collection
16. Steve Carell got his first major movie role in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy when he was 42. He starred in The 40-Year-Old Virgin and The Office in the following year
Source: Courtesy of Everett Collection
17. Mia Talerico started playing the titular role on Disney Channel's Good Luck Charlie when she was 10 months old, then wrapped the show before kindergarten
Source: Courtesy of Everett Collection
18. Lisa Vanderpump became famous after she landed her role in The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills at 50
Source: Courtesy of Everett Collection
19. Mary-Kate Olsen was about a year old when she began playing Michelle Tanner on Full House
Source: Courtesy of Everett Collection
20. F. Murray Abraham got his big break at 45 when he played Antonio Salieri in Amadeus and won an Oscar for the role
Source: Courtesy of Everett Collection
This concludes our list of 10 movie stars who become famous when they were kids versus 10 that make it big when they were much older. Do you think it’s better to be a young star, or should we only pursue fame when we have grown up? For more interesting facts about celebrities’ past, check out our post on 10 actors and actresses who made it big despite their dark starts here.