25 Child Stars Who Quit Acting

Being a child star sounds like a kind of purgatory: Sure, you get fame, fortune, and don't have to go to school, but you also grow up fast, are at risk of being taken advantage of financially, and lose out on many aspects of a "normal" childhood.

Nevertheless, child stars are a part of our collective consciousness. We watch them grow up as we grow up. A kind of transference exists; we want to see them grow up and thrive, whatever that looks like.

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For some child stars, it means blossoming their careers into full-fledged adult roles. But for many a child star, that means quitting the entertainment industry entirely.

Stacker compiled this list of 25 child actors who quit show business, pulling from historical news coverage. The list includes diverse actors from various genres and eras and excludes actors who continue to take gigs, even if acting is not their primary job.