It seems that time does go by faster as we get older. We feel like it was just yesterday we watched the Harry Potter series and followed his adventures to save the wizarding world. But surprise! At the beginning of the year, he and his partner Erin Darke welcomed their first child. At that time, fans suddenly realize that the iconic on-screen boy is not a kid anymore.
Famous child actors grew up way too fast that we don’t notice. Some start dating and continue their career while others became a mom or a dad and decided to leave the spotlight to have more free time for their family.
We’ve compiled a list of actors who grew up very fast, just like their on-screen characters.
#1. Joey King
Joey King achieved recognition for playing Ramona Quimby in the comedy film Ramona and Beezus and became more famous for her lead role in The Kissing Booth. For her performance in The Act, she was nominated for both a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award.
#2. Harry Melling
Do you remember Harry Potter's cousin, Dudley Dursley? Despite being a spoiled character in Harry Potter, he was still loved due to his cute look. After the success of the series, Harry Melling acted in some Movies but didn’t get much attention.
#3. Dakota Fanning
Source: I Am Sam / New Line Cinema
At age 7, Dakota Fanning rose to stardom in her role as Lucy Dawson in the drama film I Am Sam. The movie made her the youngest nominee in SAG history. As an adult, she followed with more mature roles and impressed everyone with her performance in some movies such as Twilight Saga, The Alienist and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
#4. Nicholas Hoult
Source: About a Boy / Universal Pictures
During his career, the actor won some prestigious accolades for his great work. Nicholas started his career at the age of 5 and his breakthrough role in the 2002 comedy-drama About a Boy helped him gain wide recognition. After the success of the movies, he went on to act on many projects.
#5. Cole and Dylan Sprouse
Cole and Dylan Sprouse became “heartthrobs” and “overwhelming draws” among preteen and teen audiences after the success of the sitcom The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, where they starred in. Dylan and Cole were two of the richest children alive in 2007, and in 2010, the Sprouse brothers were the highest-paid Disney television child actors. When growing up, they started cultivating an adult image.
#6. Freddie Highmore
Source: August Rush / WarnerBros.
Freddie Highmore started his career at age 7 and was famous for his role in Finding Neverland and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. during his career, he received many awards and won two consecutive Critics' Choice Movie Awards for Best Young Performer.
#7. Abigail Breslin
As a 10-year-old actress, Abigail Breslin rose her fame with the comedy-drama film Little Miss Sunshine (2006), in which she was nominated for Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She went on to establish herself as a mainstream actress in a lot of movie projects.
#8. Christina Ricci
Throughout her career, the actress filmed in numerous box office hits and received some prestigious nominations.
#9. Thomas Brodie-Sangster
Brodie-Sangster is best known for voicing Ferb on the famous animated series “Phineas and Ferb”. During his career, he starred in many popular movies and left a great impression when playing Sam in Love Actually, Jojen Reed in Game of Thrones Benny Watts in the Netflix miniseries The Queen's Gambit (2020), for which he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie, etc.
#10. Jonathan Lipnicki
Do you realize him as a little boy in the movie Stuart Little? The actor acted as the family son in two sequels of the movie. The actor focuses mostly on independent films.
#11. Frankie Jonas
Source: East News
In 2023, Frankie Jonas began his music career as a singer and songwriter. However, many might not notice, he appeared in several movies as a child. He made appearances on Jonas, Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam, Married to Jonas, and E!.
Would you recognize your favorite child stars portraying adult roles? Share your thought in the comments.