30 Former Child Stars Striking Hollywood Gold

30 Former Child Stars Striking Hollywood Gold·GOBankingRates

Not all famous child actors are able to hold on to the success they achieved early in life, but some go on to pursue long-lasting careers — and accumulate sizable sums of money while doing so.

Take a look at some of the most successful child stars who have managed to hold on to fame and fortune through the years.

Click through to see these stars’ impressive net worths.

Alyssa Milano Net Worth: $10M

Known for: “Who’s the Boss?”

Alyssa Milano rose to fame when she starred on the TV sitcom “Who’s the Boss?” from 1984 to 1992. Her acting career has flourished since then. She’s starred on the TV shows “Melrose Place,” “Charmed,” “My Name Is Earl,” “Mistresses” and most recently Netflix’s “Wet Hot American Summer: 10 Years Later.” She’s also one of the celebrities who’ve made big bucks off of infomercials.

Anna Chlumsky Net Worth: $1M

Known for: “My Girl,” “My Girl 2”

Long before Anna Chlumsky was starring as Amy Brookheimer on the Emmy Award-winning HBO show “Veep,” the actress played the lead role of Vada Sultenfuss in the hit ’90s films “My Girl” and “My Girl 2.” Chlumsky currently appears on AMC’s “Halt and Catch Fire,” which she joined during season four, playing chief ontologist Dr. Katie Herman.

Ariana Grande Net Worth: $45M

Known for: “Victorious,” “Sam & Cat”

Before she was selling out stadiums, Ariana Grande got her big break on the Nickelodeon show “Victorious” and its spinoff “Sam & Cat.” Her debut album, “Yours Truly,” is certified platinum by the RIAA, and her two follow-ups, “My Everything” and “Dangerous Woman,” reached platinum status as well. She has also appeared on the silver screen in a cameo for “Zoolander 2.”

Bella Thorne Net Worth: $5M

Known for: “Shake It Up”

Bella Thorne might be best-known for her role as CeCe Jones on the Disney show “Shake It Up!” which ran from 2010 to 2013. But she had been working in the entertainment industry long before that breakout role. Thorne landed her first modeling gig at 6 months old and continued working as a child model, becoming the face of GUESS Kids in the 2000s. She’s also had roles on HBO’s “Big Love,” MTV’s “Scream” and the 2014 Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore movie “Blended.” Thorne now stars in the Freeform series “Famous in Love.”

In addition to acting, Thorne has found success as a singer, releasing her first album “Jersey” in 2014 and returning to music with the release of the single “Just Call” with Prince Fox in July 2017. Thorne has also written the “Autumn Falls” three-book series. And, the former child star has landed product endorsement deals with Neutrogena and Biore Skincare.

Britney Spears Net Worth: $215M

Known for: “The All New Mickey Mouse Club”

Britney Spears first appeared on TV as a contestant on “Star Search” before getting cast on “The All New Mickey Mouse Club” in 1993. She soon transitioned from TV to singing. Her first single, “…Baby One More Time,” sold 500,000 copies the day it debuted in 1998. It went on to go platinum.

Spears achieved mega-success as a singer since her start in the late ’90s: She has sold 34.5 million album units over the course of her career, according to the RIAA.

The former child star wrapped up a Las Vegas residency in December 2017, and its earnings were impressive. Billboard reported her “Piece of Me” show had grossed over $137 million overall.

Christian Bale Net Worth: $80M

Known for: “Empire of the Sun”

Christian Bale was only 13 when he starred in Steven Spielberg’s 1987 film “Empire of the Sun,” and he’s gone on to play numerous iconic roles since, including Patrick Bateman in “American Psycho” and Bruce Wayne in “Batman Begins,” “The Dark Knight” and “The Dark Knight Rises.”

Bale won an Oscar for best supporting actor for “The Fighter” in 2010 and earned Oscar nominations for “American Hustle” and “The Big Short.” His movies have grossed a total of $2.2 billion, according to Box Office Mojo.

Christina Aguilera Net Worth: $160M

Known for: “The All New Mickey Mouse Club”

She’s been one of the coaches on “The Voice,” for which she reportedly earned a $15 million salary, according to Celebrity Net Worth. But before that, Christina Aguilera appeared on the talent competition show “Star Search.” Like Spears, Aguilera joined the cast of “The All New Mickey Mouse Club” in 1993.

Before releasing her own album, Aguilera sang “Reflection” for the “Mulan” soundtrack in 1998. She released her hit single “Genie in a Bottle” the next year, which is certified platinum by the RIAA. The singer has sold 14 million album units to date.

Christina Ricci Net Worth: $18M

Known for: “Mermaids,” “The Addams Family,” “Casper”

Christina Ricci made her big screen debut in 1990’s “Mermaids” before going on to star in “The Addams Family,” “Addams Family Values,” “Casper” and “Now and Then” as a successful child actor.

Ricci has continued acting in film and TV since her early start, and recently she appeared as Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald in the Amazon series “Z: The Beginning of Everything.” Her movies — which also include the hit “Sleepy Hollow” — have earned over $743 million, according to Box Office Mojo.

Cole Sprouse Net Worth: $8M

Known for: “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody,” “Grace Under Fire,” “Big Daddy,” “Friends”

Although he’s currently best-known for portraying Jughead Jones on the hit CW show “Riverdale,” Cole Sprouse got his acting start over 20 years ago when he portrayed Patrick Kelly on the television series “Grace Under Fire” from 1993 to 1998. His next major role was in the 1999 Adam Sandler comedy “Big Daddy,” before landing the role of Ross’ son Ben on “Friends,” which he appeared on from 2000 to 2002.

But Sprouse really became a household name when he starred alongside his twin brother, Dylan, in the Disney series “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody” and its spinoff “The Suite Life on Deck.”

Dakota Fanning Net Worth: $16M

Known for: “I Am Sam,” “The Twilight Saga” movies

Even though she’s only 24 years old, Dakota Fanning has 61 acting credits to her name. Fanning landed one-off roles on “ER,” “Ally McBeal” and “Malcolm in the Middle” before starring alongside Sean Penn and Michelle Pfeiffer in 2001’s “I Am Sam.”

She went on to star in “Uptown Girls” and “Charlotte’s Web” as well as the “Twilight” movies: “The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” and “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2.”

Fanning is set to star in “Ocean’s 8” this year. The film also stars Sandra Bullock, Rihanna, Katie Holmes, Cate Blanchett and Anne Hathaway.

Daniel Radcliffe Net Worth: $110M

Known for: “The Tailor of Panama,” the “Harry Potter” movies

Daniel Radcliffe has starred in all eight of the “Harry Potter” films, which he began acting in when he was only 11 years old. His movies have grossed over $2.6 billion, according to Box Office Mojo. And, he’s the richest cast member in the “Harry Potter” films, as of 2016.

Shortly before rising to fame as the title star of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” Radcliffe made his film debut in the 2001 movie “The Tailor of Panama,” which stars Pierce Brosnan, Geoffrey Rush and Jamie Lee Curtis.

Demi Lovato Net Worth: $33M

Known for: “Barney & Friends,” “Sonny with a Chance,” “Camp Rock”

Demi Lovato has been focusing her efforts on her singing career in recent years, but she got her start as a child actor. She first appeared on television as Angela in “Barney & Friends” from 2002 to 2004, and she made her Disney debut in the TV movie “Camp Rock” in 2008. Lovato also starred in the Disney series “Sonny with a Chance” from 2009 to 2011 and in “Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam” in 2010.

Lovato released her debut album, “Don’t Forget,” in 2008 as well as five other studio albums since then, including her latest “Tell Me You Love Me.” Lovato has had over 20 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, including three in the top 10: 2011’s “Skyscraper,” 2013’s “Heart Attack” and 2017’s “Sorry Not Sorry.”

Drake Net Worth: $100M

Known for: “Degrassi: The Next Generation”

Before he was the rapper simply known as Drake, Aubrey Drake Graham starred as Jimmy Brooks on the tween series “Degrassi: The Next Generation” from 2001 to 2009. He released his first album, “Thank Me Later,” in 2010 after completing his run on the show. The album is certified platinum by RIAA.

Drake has had over 30 singles and albums reach platinum status, with “One Dance,” “God’s Plan” and “Nice For What” reaching the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Drake’s “Summer Sixteen” tour was the highest-grossing hip-hop tour ever, amassing $84.3 million in ticket sales, according to Pollstar.

Drew Barrymore Net Worth: $125M

Known for: “Altered States,” “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial”

Though she appeared in the movie “Altered States” in 1980, it was her portrayal of Gertie in 1982’s “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” that launched Drew Barrymore’s acting career at age 7.

Barrymore has 76 acting credits to her name, including roles in the hit movies “Never Been Kissed,” “Batman Forever,” “Charlie’s Angels,” “50 First Dates,” “Scream” and “He’s Just Not That Into You.” Her movies have grossed over $1.6 billion, according to Box Office Mojo. Barrymore currently stars in the Netflix series “Santa Clarita Diet,” which has been renewed for a third season.

In addition to acting, Barrymore has been producing movies through her company Flower Films since 1995. She even launched her Flower cosmetics line in 2013.

Elijah Wood Net Worth: $30M

Known for: “Radio Flyer,” “The Adventures of Huck Finn”

Elijah Wood was starring in films long before he became a household name as Frodo in “The Lord of the Rings” movies — one of the most successful billion-dollar movie franchises. Wood had a part in “Back to the Future Part II” in 1989, which was his first big-screen role. However, he had more major roles in 1992’s “Radio Flyer” — alongside Lorraine Bracco and John Heard — and in 1993’s “The Adventures of Huck Finn” with Courtney B. Vance and Robbie Coltrane.

Wood has been acting steadily throughout his long career, and his movies have grossed nearly $1.9 billion, according to Box Office Mojo. But the three “Lord of the Rings” films are his top-grossing movies.

Emma Watson Net Worth: $80M

Known for: The “Harry Potter” movies

Emma Watson’s first film role was “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” Her portrayal of Hermione Granger made her a household name at age 9 and one of the film’s richest cast members.

She starred in all eight “Harry Potter” films and had roles in “My Week With Marilyn,” “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” “The Bling Ring,” “Beauty and the Beast” and, most recently, “The Circle.” Watson’s films have grossed over $3.2 billion, according to Box Office Mojo. Her most successful film, “Beauty and the Beast,” has grossed over $500 million since its March 2017 release date.

Outside of acting, Watson has landed endorsement deals with Lancome and Burberry.

Hilary Duff Net Worth: $25M

Known for: “Casper Meets Wendy,” “Lizzie McGuire”

Hilary Duff’s first credited acting role was in the straight-to-video movie “Casper Meets Wendy” in 1998. But it wasn’t until three years later when she played the title role in the Disney show “Lizzie McGuire” that she really gained fame. Duff starred in the show from 2001 to 2004 and went on to star in the films “Agent Cody Banks,” “A Cinderella Story” and “Material Girls.” She also appeared in “Gossip Girl” and stars in the TV Land show “Younger.”

In addition to acting, Duff has achieved success as a singer. Her albums “Metamorphosis” and “Hilary Duff” are both certified platinum by the RIAA.

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Justin Timberlake Net Worth: $230M

Known for: “The All New Mickey Mouse Club”

Before he was part of ‘N Sync, Justin Timberlake was a Mouseketeer on “The All New Mickey Mouse Club” from 1993 to 1995. Three years later, Timberlake and the rest of the boy band released their debut album, “‘N Sync,” which reached diamond status — 10 times platinum — as certified by the RIAA.

The multitalented singer released his first solo album, “Justified,” in 2002, which went on to reach platinum status. Timberlake has had four No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” “What Goes Around…Comes Around,” “My Love” and “SexyBack.”

He’s also achieved success as an actor, starring in “The Social Network” and “Friends With Benefits.” His movies have grossed over $670 million, according to Box Office Mojo.

Leonardo DiCaprio Net Worth: $245M

Known for: “Parenthood,” “Growing Pains,” “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,” “Titanic”

He might be a multimillionaire, but Leonardo DiCaprio is actually one of the celebrities who had humble beginnings.

Before becoming a household name, the actor had small roles on the TV shows “Romper Room and Friends,” “The New Lassie,” “The Outsiders,” “Santa Barbara” and “Roseanne” before landing the role of Garry Buckman on “Parenthood,” which he appeared in from 1990 to 1991.

In 1991, DiCaprio joined the cast of “Growing Pains,” which helped his star to rise. He transitioned to the big screen after his run on the show and earned his first of six Oscar nominations at the age of 19 for his performance in “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.” But DiCaprio became a megastar with the release of 1997’s “Titanic,” which is the second highest-grossing movie of all time, according to Box Office Mojo.

DiCaprio finally won his first Oscar in 2016, taking home the Academy Award for best actor for his performance in “The Revenant.” He is slated to star in the upcoming films “Killers of the Flower Moon” and “The Black Hand.”

Lindsay Lohan Net Worth: $500K

Known for: “Another World,” “The Parent Trap”

Lindsay Lohan got her acting start on the soap opera “Another World,” where she portrayed the character Alli Fowler from 1996 to 1997. Her big break came the next year when she starred in the 1998 remake of “The Parent Trap.”

Lohan went on to star in “Freaky Friday,” “Mean Girls,” “Herbie: Fully Loaded” and more. Her movies have grossed over $492 million, according to Box Office Mojo. Lohan also had a successful singing career — her album “Speak” is certified platinum by the RIAA.

Despite her early career successes, Lohan’s party girl reputation eventually caused her to lose money and acting roles. In 2012, the IRS seized control of her funds, stating that she owed $200,000 in back taxes. Lohan earned a reported $2 million for a series of interviews she did with Oprah in 2013, but much of that income was used to pay off debts.

But Lohan seems to be reviving her acting career. She recently starred alongside Rupert Grint in the Sky Atlantic comedy “Sick Note” and is slated to appear in the upcoming film “The Shadow Within.”

Mark-Paul Gosselaar Net Worth: $9M

Known for: “Good Morning, Miss Bliss,” “Saved by the Bell”

Mark-Paul Gosselaar had small television roles on shows including “The Twilight Zone” and “The Wonder Years” before landing the role of Zack Morris on “Good Morning, Miss Bliss” — which later became “Saved by the Bell” — in 1988. Gosselaar played the iconic teen heartthrob through 1994, when its “The College Years” spinoff ended.

Gosselaar went on to star in several TV series following “Saved by the Bell,” including “Hyperion Bay,” “NYPD Blue,” “Franklin & Bash” and “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.” Most recently, Gosselaar shot a pilot for the vampire drama series “The Passage,” which is in contention for Fox’s fall 2018 lineup, Deadline reported.

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen: $400M

Known for: “Full House,” “It Takes Two,” “Switching Goals”

Before they were fashion moguls, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen got their big break playing Michelle Tanner on “Full House” from 1987 to 1995, starting on the show when they were only 15 months old.

After the show ended, the Olsen twins really started on their path toward millions as they acted in and produced their Mary-Kate and Ashley home video series and starred in the TV shows “Two of a Kind” and “So Little Time.” The Olsens are also co-presidents of Dualstar Entertainment Group, which owns the rights to their television, film and video properties.

Though they have both since stepped away from acting, they now run a fashion empire that includes luxury brand The Row and contemporary label Elizabeth and James. They each have a net worth of $200 million.

Miley Cyrus Net Worth: $160M

Known for: “Hannah Montana”

Miley Cyrus’ rise to fame and fortune began on the Disney Channel. She played the title character on the hit “Hannah Montana,” which ran on TV from 2006 to 2011 and was also made into a movie in 2009.

Cyrus’ debut album “Meet Miley Cyrus” was certified triple platinum by the RIAA, and she reached platinum status again with the albums “Breakout” and “Bangerz.” Her latest album, “Younger Now,” was released on Sept. 29, 2017.

Cyrus appeared on “The Voice” as a coach for season 13, along with Jennifer Hudson, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton.

Neil Patrick Harris Net Worth: $35M

Known for: “Clara’s Heart,” “Doogie Howser, M.D.”

Neil Patrick Harris launched his acting career at age 15, starring opposite Whoopi Goldberg in the 1988 drama “Clara’s Heart.” His portrayal of David Hart in the film earned him a Golden Globe nomination for supporting actor. He then landed the title role in the popular ’90s television series “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” which ran for four seasons.

Harris has acted steadily throughout his career, notably starring as Barney Stinson in “How I Met Your Mother,” which ran from 2005 to 2014. He reportedly earned $400,000 per episode during the show’s last season.

Harris has also had success as a theater actor, starring in Broadway productions of “Proof,” “Cabaret,” “Assassins” and “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.” He has hosted the Tony Awards several times. Harris currently stars in the Netflix series “A Series of Unfortunate Events.”

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Nick Jonas Net Worth: $25M

Known for: “Camp Rock,” the Jonas Brothers

Even before he was known for being the youngest member of the pop band the Jonas Brothers, Nick Jonas got his start as an actor on Broadway, acting in productions of “Les Miserables,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Annie Get Your Gun.”

In 2007, the Jonas Brothers released their self-titled second album, which went platinum and achieved commercial success for the group. After the Jonas Brothers released their final album in 2010, Jonas launched his own musical career — first as Nick Jonas & the Administration and later as a solo artist. Jonas has had six songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart as a solo artist, and his singles “Close,” “Jealous” and “Chains” have all been certified platinum by the RIAA.

The singer has also found success as an actor. He started out acting in the Disney movie “Camp Rock” as well as its sequel “Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam,” but he’s since moved onto more mature roles, starring in the Ryan Murphy series “Scream Queens,” the MMA drama “Kingdom” and the critically acclaimed movie “Goat.” Jonas also appeared in 2017’s “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.”

Raven-Symoné Net Worth: $55M

Known for: “The Cosby Show,” “That’s So Raven”

Raven-Symone gained fame when she joined the cast of “The Cosby Show” in 1989, portraying Bill Cosby’s step-granddaughter Olivia Kendall.

She went on to star in various TV shows and movies, including “Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper,” “Dr. Dolittle,” “The Cheetah Girls” and the wildly successful Disney series “That’s So Raven,” which was the highest-rated show on the channel at the time among its target demo.

The actress joined “The View” as a co-host in 2015 but left in October 2016 to develop the “That’s So Raven” spinoff — “Raven’s Home” — which premiered in July 2017.

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Ryan Gosling Net Worth: $60M

Known for: “The All New Mickey Mouse Club,” “Are You Afraid of the Dark?”

Ryan Gosling’s first role was on “The All New Mickey Mouse Club” back in 1993. The Canadian actor earned small parts on “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” and “Goosebumps” before joining the casts of “Breaker High” and “Young Hercules” in the late ’90s.

But Gosling’s breakout role was portraying Noah in the 2004 romantic drama “The Notebook,” opposite Rachel McAdams. He’s gone on to star in the films “Crazy, Stupid, Love,” “The Big Short,” “Drive” and “La La Land.” He has earned two Academy Award nominations, and Gosling’s movies have grossed over $754 million, according to Box Office Mojo. The actor also starred in the movie “Blade Runner 2049.”

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Selena Gomez Net Worth: $60M

Known for: “Barney & Friends,” “Wizards of Waverly Place”

A multimillionaire singer and actress, Selena Gomez’s road to riches began on popular kids’ shows. Before landing her breakout role on Disney’s “Wizards of Waverly Place” — which she starred in from 2007 to 2012 — Gomez was featured on “Barney & Friends” as Gianna from 2002 to 2004.

Gomez has landed steady acting roles since her start at a young age, starring in the movies “Spring Breakers,” “Rudderless” and more. She’s also had a lucrative singing career, landing on Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list in the music category in 2016. Her 2015 album release, “Revival,” was certified platinum by the RIAA.

Gomez landed an endorsement deal with Coach in 2016 for a rumored $10 million and has also inked deals with Coca-Cola, Verizon, Louis Vuitton and Pantene.

Shia LaBeouf Net Worth: $25M

Known for: “Even Stevens”

Shia LaBeouf had a few small parts on TV in the late ’90s, but his first major role was as the star of the Disney Channel series “Even Stevens,” which ran from 2000 to 2003 and earned him a Daytime Emmy.

LaBeouf also starred in the movies “Disturbia,” “Eagle Eye,” “Fury” and “Lawless,” but it was his work in the first three “Transformers” movies that really built his fortune. The actor reportedly earned $15 million for “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” which made $1.1 billion worldwide.

LaBeouf is currently filming the adventure-drama “The Peanut Butter Falcon.”

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Zac Efron Net Worth: $24M

Known for: “Summerland,” “High School Musical”

Zac Efron rose to fame as the star of the “High School Musical” movies, but he first acted on TV shows. He landed a few small roles early in his career before getting the part of Cameron Bale in “Summerland,” which he appeared in from 2004 to 2005.

In addition to starring in the three “High School Musical” films, Efron has starred in “Hairspray,” “17 Again,” “Neighbors” and “Baywatch,” among others. His films have grossed over $1.2 billion, according to Box Office Mojo.

Efron starred along with Hugh Jackman and Zendaya in “The Greatest Showman.”

Zendaya Net Worth: $5M

Known for: “Shake It Up”

Zendaya broke out as the star of the Disney Channel’s “Shake It Up,” which she appeared in from 2010 to 2013. She made her big-screen debut in “Spider-Man: Homecoming” in 2017 and starred in Disney’s “K.C. Undercover.” Zendaya is also known for her singing — her single “Replay” achieved platinum status in 2014.

In addition to her acting and singing, the young starlet launched a clothing line, Daya by Zendaya.

Click to keep reading about TV stars who now have big-screen paychecks.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 30 Former Child Stars Striking Hollywood Gold

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