Best Child Stars (Aged 12 and Under )
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- Preston Wachtell is known for The Amazing Adventures of Little Batman (2007) and Little Indiana Jones and the Secret of the Magic Scrolls (2008).Child Star 2007-2008 5-6
- Victoire Thivisol was born on 6 July 1991 in France. She is an actress, known for Ponette (1996), Chocolat (2000) and Children of the Century (1999).Child Star 1996-2000 4-9
- Lucas Daniel Vazquez was born in 2008 in California, USA.Child Star 2013-Present 4-
- Nicolas Bechtel is an American actor who has made a name for himself through his roles in television series and films. He first gained widespread recognition for his portrayal of Spencer Cassadine on the long-running soap opera "General Hospital," a character he played with charm and depth, earning him a dedicated fan base.
Beyond his work on "General Hospital," Bechtel has showcased his acting abilities in various other television shows. He notably appeared in the Disney Channel series "Stuck in the Middle," where he played the role of Lewie Diaz, a mischievous and fun-loving character who added comedic flair to the show.
Throughout his career, Bechtel has demonstrated versatility and skill as an actor, seamlessly transitioning between different genres and mediums. With his engaging performances and natural charisma, he continues to captivate audiences and solidify his place in the entertainment industry.Child Star 2012-2017 7-12 - Gould was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He began acting at the age of two and is perhaps best known for providing the voice of the title character of Disney/Pixar's film Finding Nemo (2003) and starring as Shane Botwin on the Showtime dark comedy-drama series Weeds (2005). His on-camera credits include guest spots on the television series Ally McBeal (1997), Malcolm in the Middle (2000), and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999), Supernatural (2005), and Pushing Daisies (2007). He has been Married to Lieba Gould since June 24th, 2018.Child Star 1996-2006 2-12
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Daveigh Chase was born on July 24, 1990 in Las Vegas, Nevada. She was raised in the small town of Albany, Oregon; where she continues to spend much of her time. She began singing and dancing in her hometown and other local areas at community events and shows starting at age 3. After visiting Los Angeles, she did her first commercial for Campbell's Soup at age 7. At this time, she was also offered a starring role in the Musical Theatre production "Utah!". At age 8, she auditioned for the the voice of "Lilo", and tested at CBS network for her first television series. She continued to test and be cast as a series regular, working on many different television pilots, before finally FOX picked up the show Oliver Beene (2003) in which Daveigh starred as Oliver's quirky best friend "Joyce". In the meantime, she appeared in several movies, including Donnie Darko (2001), in which she played Donnie's youngest sister and was a member of the "Sparkle Motion" dance group; and "R.L. Stines The Haunted Lighthouse" which continues to show at various Busch Garden Theme Parks. In 2003, she won the "Best Villian" award at the MTV Movie Awards for her work as "Samara" in DreamWorks hit, The Ring (2002). She is the voice of "Lilo" from the hit animated and Oscar nominated Disney feature film, Lilo & Stitch (2002), and she continues to voice "Lilo" for the Disney Channel series, as well as various DVD's and video games. Daveigh is also cast as the English voice of the lead heroine "Chihiro" in Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Gibli's Spirited Away (2001) (aka Spirited Away) which won the 2002 Oscar for Best Animated Film.
Daveigh is also a very talented singer. Back in 1999, she had the opportunity to join up as lead singer with a small band and take the stage as an opening act for Reba McEntire and, later on, sang "Holly Jolly Christmas" for the "School's Out! Christmas" album released by Universal Records Hip-O Records, which also features the voices of other child stars, including Mae Whitman, Evan Rachel Wood, Jesse McCartney, and others. She was handpicked by director Steven Spielberg to sing "God Bless America" in his film, A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001); and in the Oliver Beene (2003) episode, entitled Oliver & the Otters (2004), Daveigh was given the opportunity to showcase her talent by singing the hit 60s song, "Tossin' and Turnin'". She has since recorded four original songs.
Outside of the entertainment industry, some of Daveigh's favorite activities are surfing, horseback riding, dancing, reading, and just hanging out with family & friends.Child Star 1998-2002 8-12- Actor
- Director
- Soundtrack
Jerry Mathers was born on 2 June 1948 in Sioux City, Iowa, USA. He is an actor and director, known for The Trouble with Harry (1955), Leave It to Beaver (1957) and The Love Boat (1977). He has been married to Teresa Modnick since 30 January 2011. He was previously married to Diana Platt and Rhonda Gehring.Child Star 1952-1960 4-12- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Cole Mitchell Sprouse was born in Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy to American parents, Melanie (Wright) and Matthew Sprouse, and was raised with his older identical twin Dylan Sprouse in Long Beach, in their parents' native California. Cole began his acting career alongside Dylan at the tender age of six months. From 1993 to 1998 the twins shared the role of Patrick Kelly on ABC's hit series Grace Under Fire (1993), soon booking Julian in Adam Sandler's box office hit, Big Daddy (2000). That same month, their second feature film, The Astronaut's Wife (1999), starring Johnny Depp and Charlize Theron, was also released. Cole appeared without his brother on the NBC series Friends (1994), portraying Ross's son Ben Gellar; in the fall of 2003, the brothers again shared a lead role: Jeremiah in The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things (2004). After that, Cole began starring alongside his twin in their own half-hour sitcom on the Disney Channel, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody (2005). After wrapping his sixth year of this program, Cole chose to attend NYU and remain absent from entertainment until he finished his college education in 2015, graduating with honors. The graduate soon booked the role of Jughead on Riverdale (2017), becoming a fan favorite, and then starred as Will Newman in the box office hit Five Feet Apart (2019), which was one of the highest-grossing non-genre teen movies of the 2010s.Child Star 1993-2005 1-12- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Sprouse was born August 4, 1992, in Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy, to American parents, Melanie (Wright) and Matthew Sprouse. Dylan and his younger identical twin Cole Sprouse were raised in their parents' Long Beach, California. He has acted from the age of six months, initially with Cole, and continues to do so out of his new home base of NYC after receiving his bachelors degree from NYU. Along with acting, Dylan owns a meadery and bar in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, serving as the master brewer of the business.Child Star 1993-2005 1-12- Actor
- Producer
- Executive
August Maturo may be best known nationally and internationally for his starring role on the hit Disney Channel Original Series "Girl Meets World." He was a scene-stealer as 'Auggie,' the precocious son of Cory [Ben Savage] and Topanga [Danielle Fishel] Matthews. 'Girl Meets World' was an instant hit and premiered to 5.2 million viewers and Maturo filmed over 70 episodes. The show was nominated for three Emmy Awards for 'Outstanding Children's Program' as well as three Teen Choice Awards, and a Nickelodeon Kids Choice Award. Additional credits for Maturo include: 'Teachers,' 'The Odd Couple', 'Weeds', 'Dads', 'Bones', 'Raising Hope', 'See Dad Run', 'Suburgatory', 'The Connors', 'S.W.A.T.', and 'How I Met Your Mother'. In 2023, Maturo will be seen guest-starring in the new FOX crime anthology series 'Accused' by Howard Gordon opposite Rachel Bilson, Jack Davenport, and Reid Miller, as well as a guest-starring role opposite Jennifer Love Hewitt in FOX's '9-1-1'.
Maturo made the jump from television to film in the wildly successful horror movie 'The Nun' (Warner Bros) which grossed over $366 Million worldwide. Maturo portrayed 'Daniel', opposite Demián Bichir, Taissa Farmiga, and Bonnie Aarons.
Maturo can also be seen starring as the lead in two feature films. He plays Joshua in the independent feature 'Shepherd: The Story of a Jewish Dog' (also released as 'Shepherd: The Story of a Hero Dog'). Based on the bestselling Israeli novel 'The Jewish Dog' by Asher Kravitz, it is written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Lynn Roth ('The Little Traitor') and produced by Howard Rosenman ('Call Me By Your Name'). This award-winning film was one of the first films to be shown in theaters during the pandemic, alongside 'Cruella' and 'A Quiet Place 2'. Maturo won the MovieBuff 2021 Independent Film Award for Best Breakthrough Performance for his role in the film.
Maturo also plays the lead role of Lucas in the Shudder/AMC+ horror/thriller 'Slapface' currently streaming on all platforms. 'Slapface' follows the story of a young boy who deals with the death of his parents and the physical and emotional abuse of being bullied by creating a dangerous relationship with a monster. Maturo won the Best Actor Award at Grimmfest in the UK for this role and received incredible reviews with a 91% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Born in Ventura, California in 2007 to an Italian father and Jordanian mother, Maturo began acting professionally at the age of four after appearing in a church play. He loved being on stage and bringing stories to life, so his parents decided to take him to a handful of film and TV auditions, testing the waters in the entertainment world. Maturo instantly captivated casting directors and producers and began landing back to back projects. His first major television role was a top of show guest star appearance at only four years old on HBO's 'Weeds'. He shortly thereafter was cast in a recurring role on 'How I Met Your Mother' He booked 'Girl Meets World' at the age of 5, the youngest person ever to be offered a Disney Channel contract.
A cause that is important to Maturo is spreading awareness and promoting the importance of creating an action plan for children and adults who are affected by life-threatening food allergies, something that has challenged Maturo and his family since he was three years old. In 2022, Maturo launched his own production company 'Maturo Entertainment' For his first production, he partnered with Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmakers 'Just Like You Films' to produce and star in a docu-drama hybrid feature film about food allergies. The film was also shot in virtual reality, and through immersive story-telling, will show audiences first-hand what it's like to be a young person living with life-threatening food allergies.
In 2022, Maturo graduated high school and began attending college at age the age of 14. He currently lives in the Los Angeles area with his parents and younger brother, actor Ocean Maturo.Child Star 2011-Present 4-- Actress
- Producer
As a California native, Ava Kolker has been acting one way or another from the time she could walk and talk. Her first screen role came on the first season of "American Horror Story" at the age of four. Since then, Ava has worked on a lot different movies both indie and studio films, national commercials, a multitude of television shows, including her major guest star recurring role on all three seasons of the Emmy nominated Disney television series, "Girl Meets World", and most recently her series regular role on "Sydney to the Max" where she has played Olive for 3 seasons.
Ava's career has been very diverse in the types of roles she has been able to deliver successfully. Her movie career started when she was cast out of hundreds of children at 5 years old to play a supporting lead as Kate Beckinsale's unhappy daughter, Augie in the drama "Trials of Cate McCall". Ava's first comedy role came when she worked on "Scary Movie 5" as Lily, which spoofs the horror flick "Mama". More recently Ava played major supporting roles in the horror movie franchise, Insidious the Last key and in the feature film "Manifest West".
Ava not only does live acting work on film, television, and commercials, but she booked her first voice-over animation role for the feature film, "Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs". In addition, Ava models fashion by walking runways and even performs musical theatre. She also goes to charity events and gives back as much as she receives especially to animal charities since Ava is an avid dog lover.
Ava has been nominated for both the 2016 Young Artist Awards and the Young Entertainer Awards. Ava won Best Actress in the Guest Star category aged 9 and under at the Young Entertainer Awards for her amazingly comedic and dramatic efforts in Disney's "Girl Meets World". When not acting, Ava enjoys the outdoors such as playing tennis, hiking, swimming and going to the beach. She continues to grow as an actress without losing the natural spark of a child who loves her life, her pets and her family most of all.Child Star 2011-Present 5-- Actress
- Soundtrack
Skai Jackson stars as the adorable "Zuri Ross" on the Disney Channel sitcoms Jessie (2011), with Debby Ryan, and Bunk'd (2015). Before that, we've seen her in small roles on Boardwalk Empire (2010) and Royal Pains (2009), and even in the film, The Smurfs (2011).Child Star 2007-2015 5-12- Actor
- Soundtrack
Jay North will forever be remembered for giving TV life to the popular comic strip hellion Dennis the Menace (1959). Humanizing this little tornado would not only be his treasure, it would be his torment.
Jay was born Jay Waverly North, Jr. on August 3, 1951, in Los Angeles, and started off on the small screen at age 7 with roles on such series as "Wanted: Dead or Alive," "77 Sunset Strip," "Sugarfoot" and "The Defenders." He quickly moved into minor filming as well with featured roles in the western The Miracle of the Hills (1959) and the low-budget, exploitation film The Big Operator (1959) .
With over 500 children auditioning, Jay was selected by Dennis the Menace cartoon creator Hank Ketcham himself for the star-making title role alongside beleaguered parents Herbert Anderson and Gloria Henry and exasperated neighbors Joseph Kearns and Sylvia Field. During this four-season TV peak that filmed 146 episodes, Jay appeared in countless programs as either himself or Dennis on such shows as "The Donna Reed Show," "The Red Skelton Show," "The Hollywood Squares," "I've Got a Secret," various talk shows, and even a cameo in the film Pepe (1960). Also an occasional presence on variety shows hosted by Dinah Shore, Milton Berle and Tennessee Ernie Ford. He guest starred in episodes of "Wagon Train," The Lucy Show," "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." and "My Three Sons."
However, after the cancellation of his own show, the now active teenager noticed a major tapering off. He found himself badly typecast and efforts to forge ahead with film projects and other series work proved difficult. At first things looked promising. He perpetuated his wholesome image with the family film Zebra in the Kitchen (1965) and, more notably, the exotic adventure Maya (1966), which spun off into a mildly popular TV series, but then all offers dried up. He went from top child star to cruelly, discarded teen in only a few short years, and had a terrible time adjusting.
Despite voicing the popular character Bamm-Bamm in the animated series The Flintstones (1960) and Prince Turhan in The Banana Splits Adventure Hour (1968), he would find occasional work in the field. Jay all but disappeared after a co-starring role in the adult-aimed film The Teacher (1974) with sexy blonde Angel Tompkins. Glimpsed here and there, he appeared on a 70's "Lassie Series" and appeared in the TV movie Scout's Honor (1980), a co-starring role in the "C" film Wild Wind (1985) and an appearance in Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003) as himself.
Jay went through years of personal turmoil and emotional anguish (two divorces, drug experimentation, weight gain) before his recovery. Reportedly abused and mishandled during his peak years by on-set relatives/caretakers, Jay has since been instrumental in providing advice and counseling to other professional child/teen stars in the same boat and remarried a third time (since 1993) to Cynthia Hackney. From time to time these days, Jay has been glimpsed at nostalgia conventions.Child Star 1958-1964 7-12- Actress
- Producer
- Music Department
Miranda Taylor Cosgrove was born May 14, 1993 in Los Angeles, California, to Christina (Casey) and Tom Cosgrove, who owns a dry-cleaning business. She was discovered at a young age singing and dancing around a table in a restaurant, where an agent saw her talent and quickly signed her. Miranda's career started with commercials for Burger King, McDonalds and more as she auditioned for many roles and finally won her first role as the band's manager in the movie, School of Rock (2003).
While filming School of Rock (2003) in New York, she was informed that her pilot Drake & Josh (2004) had been picked up. She co-starred as Drake and Josh's little sister, while making brief appearances on other Nickelodeon shows, before landing in her own show for the network, iCarly (2007). Her iCarly (2007) popularity helped her launch a singing career, and she was named an MTV Pop Rookie for 2009. Her debut album, "Sparks Fly", was released in 2010 and reached #8 on the Billboard 200 chart, along with two EPs: "About You Now" in 2009, and "High Maintenance" in 2011.
While continuing her singing career, Miranda has expanded upon her voice-over work for the children's movies, including Here Comes Peter Cottontail: The Movie (2005), and the Despicable Me (2010) films and related shorts, as well as expanding her film work with Yours, Mine & Ours (2005), Keeping Up with the Steins (2006) and The Wild Stallion (2009). Her TV reach has extended beyond Nickelodeon, with an appearance on the CBS legal drama The Good Wife (2009) during the show's second season. She has served as a spokesperson for Neutrogena skin care products since 2010.
She lives in Los Angeles with her family.Child Star 2001-2006 8-12- Actress
- Soundtrack
Kaitlyn Maher was born on 10 January 2004 in Novi, Michigan, USA. She is an actress, known for America's Got Talent (2006), The Search for Santa Paws (2010) and Free Birds (2013).Child Star 2008-2017 4-12- Child Star 2014-
- Landon Gimenez was born on 5 November 2003 in Houston, Texas, USA. He is an actor, known for Chasing Titles Vol. 1 (2017), Resurrection (2013) and Criminal Minds (2005).Child Star 2014-2016 11-12
- Nikolaj Rasmussen is known for Lille mand (2006).Child Star 2006
- Producer
- Actor
- Writer
Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard is one of this generation's most popular directors. From the critically acclaimed dramas A Beautiful Mind (2001) and Apollo 13 (1995) to the hit comedies Parenthood (1989) and Splash (1983), he has created some of Hollywood's most memorable films.
Howard made his directorial debut in 1978 with the comedy Grand Theft Auto (1977). He began his career in film as an actor. He first appeared in The Journey (1959) and The Music Man (1962), then as Opie on the long-running television series The Andy Griffith Show (1960). Howard later starred in the popular series Happy Days (1974) and drew favorable reviews for his performances in American Graffiti (1973) and The Shootist (1976).
Howard and long-time producing partner Brian Grazer first collaborated on the hit comedies "Night Shift" and "Splash." The pair co-founded Imagine Entertainment in 1986 to create independently produced feature films.
Howard's portfolio includes some of the most popular films of the past 20 years. In 1991, Howard created the acclaimed drama "Backdraft", starring Robert De Niro, Kurt Russell and William Baldwin. He followed it with the historical epic Far and Away (1992), starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. Howard directed Mel Gibson, Rene Russo, Gary Sinise and Delroy Lindo in the 1996 suspense thriller Ransom (1996). Howard worked with Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Ed Harris, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise and Kathleen Quinlan on "Apollo 13," which was re-released recently in the IMAX format.
Howard's skill as a director has long been recognized. In 1995, he received his first Best Director of the Year award from the DGA for "Apollo 13." The true-life drama also garnered nine Academy Award nominations, winning Oscars for Best Film Editing and Best Sound. It also received Best Ensemble Cast and Best Supporting Actor awards from the Screen Actor's Guild. Many of Howard's past films have received nods from the Academy, including the popular hits Backdraft (1991), "Parenthood" and Cocoon (1985), the last of which took home two Oscars.
Howard directed and produced Cinderella Man (2005) starring Oscar winner Russell Crowe, with whom he previously collaborated on "A Beautiful Mind," for which Howard earned an Oscar for Best Director and which also won awards for Best Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress. The film garnered four Golden Globes as well, including the award for Best Motion Picture Drama. Additionally, Howard won Best Director of the Year from the Directors Guild of America. Howard and producer Brian Grazer received the first annual Awareness Award from the National Mental Health Awareness Campaign for their work on the film.
Howard was honored by the Museum of Moving Images in December 2005, and by the American Cinema Editors in February 2006. Howard and his creative partner Brian Grazer, were honored by the Producers Guild of America with the Milestone Award in January 2009, NYU's Tisch School of Cinematic Arts with the Big Apple Award in November 2009 and by the Simon Wiesenthal Center with their Humanitarian Award in May 2010. In June 2010, Howard was honored by the Chicago Film Festival with their Gold Hugo - Career Achievement Award. In March 2013, Howard was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. In December 2015, Howard was honored with a star in the Motion Pictures category, making him one of the very few to have been recognized with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Howard also produced and directed the film adaptation of Peter Morgan's critically acclaimed play Frost/Nixon (2008). The film was nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Picture, and was also nominated for The Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures by the PGA.
Howard has also served as an executive producer on a number of award-winning films and television shows, such as the HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon (1998), Fox's Emmy Award winner for Best Comedy, Arrested Development (2003), a series which he also narrated, Netflix's release of new episodes of "Arrested Development," and NBC's "Parenthood."
Howard's recent films include the critically acclaimed drama Rush (2013), staring Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl, written by Peter Morgan; and Made in America (2013), a music documentary he directed staring Jay-Z for Showtime.
Howard's other films include In the Heart of the Sea (2015), based on the true story that inspired Moby Dick; his adaptation of Dan Brown's best-selling novels Angels & Demons (2009), and The Da Vinci Code (2006) staring Oscar winner Tom Hanks; the blockbuster holiday favorite "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)" starring Jim Carrey; "Parenthood" starring Steve Martin; the fantasy epic Willow (1988); Night Shift (1982) starring Henry Winkler, Michael Keaton and Shelley Long; and the suspenseful western, The Missing (2003), staring Oscar winners Cate Blanchett and Tommy Lee Jones.
Recently, Howard directed Inferno (2016), the third installment of Dan Brown 's Robert Langdon franchise and The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years (2016), a documentary about the rock legends The Beatles. He also produced the second season of Breakthrough (2015), Mars (2016), and directed the first episode of Genius (2017), based on the life of Albert Einstein, all for NatGeo.Child Star 1956-1967 2-12- Luis has become a familiar face on Prime Time television as Max on ABC's the George Lopez Show. Garcia, in his fifth season, is delighted to be a member of the first successful Hispanic family situation comedy on network television and the longest running series of its kind.
At age 13, Luis is already a TV veteran, having performed on episodic series including ER and Any Day Now. Luis has also appeared in numerous national commercials, most recently for Chevrolet, as well as Public Service Announcements which support issues he believes in.
As he enters his teen-heart throb years, Luis maintains a well-balanced life outside of his career in television. He not only excels at school with an A average scholastically but loves sports and has played on his school football team, is an avid skateboarder and golfer. In the Spring of 2006 Luis will introduce a new line of active Skate wear fueled from his love of skateboarding. A recent highlight for Luis was being asked to play in a celebrity golf tournament with George Lopez.
Giving back to his community is important to Luis so he appears at charity events for Make-A-Wish Foundation and the American Heart Association. However he dedicates most of his time to his own foundation Hands on Horses which benefits American Foster Children.
Garcia recently was honored by the Walt Disney Company when they selected his design of the G-Lo Mickey Mouse that toured across country with a collection of other celebrity designed Mickey Mouses' such as Ellen DeGeneres, John Travolta and Raven. After the national tour the collection was auctioned off for charity.
Garcia is a native of Palos Park, Illinois and is one of six children. He now resides with his family in Los Angeles.Child Star 2000-2005 8-12 - Actor
- Soundtrack
Erik Per Sullivan was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. He has a first-degree black belt in tae kwon do, loves to ski, boogie board, build obstacle courses, play games of paintball, and travel. His debut was an uncredited role in Armageddon (1998). His breakthrough, however, was the role of Fuzzy in The Cider House Rules (1999) and Dewey in Malcolm in the Middle (2000). Erik's mother is from Sweden, and he is fluent in Swedish and English. Erik has always been an honor student and enjoys time with his classmates.Child Star 1998-2004 7-12- Aubrey Anderson-Emmons was born in Santa Monica, California. She is an actress, best known for her role on Modern Family (2009) as "Lily," the adopted daughter of Mitchell Pritchett and Cameron Tucker. She also appeared in Distance (2014), the story of a man about to embark on a journey of reconciliation with his estranged daughter, when a natural disaster hurls his plans off course.Child Star 2012-Present 5-
- Pierce Wallace is known for Modern Family (2009).Child Star 2013-2015
- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Danielle Harris is an American actress and film director from Plainview, New York. She is regarded as a scream queen for her many roles in horror films. Her better known roles include protagonist Jamie Lloyd in "Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers" (1988) and "Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers" (1989), and "final girl" Annie Brackett in "Halloween" (2007) and "Halloween II" (2009). As a voice actress in animation, Harris is primarily known for voicing 16-year-old Debbie Thornberry in the fantasy animated series "The Wild Thornberrys" (1998-2004).
In 1977, Harris was born in a Jewish family of Plainview, New York. Plainview is a hamlet of Long Island with a large Jewish population. The hamlet is named because its location offered a clear view over the Hempstead Plains. Harris' family soon moved to Florida, where Harris received part of her primary education.
While still in elementary school, Harris won a beauty contest for children. She was consequently offered various modeling jobs, but initially had to turn down these offers. The modeling gigs would require long-distance travel, which she could not afford at the time. When her family moved to New York City, Harris started working as a child model. She also began to regularly appear in television commercials.
In 1985, Harris joined the cast of the long-running soap opera "One Life to Live" (1968-2012) in her first acting role. She played the part of "miracle child" Samantha "Sammi" Garretson. Her character was extracted as an embryo from the womb of her recently deceased mother Samantha Vernon and implanted in family friend Delilah Ralston, with her birth considered miraculous by the other characters. Harris continued playing Samantha until 1987, when the character was written out of the series. Afterwards, Harris started making guest star appearances in other television series.
Harris auditioned for the role of child protagonist Jamie Lloyd for the horror film "Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers" (1988), competing against several other child actresses. She won the role and made her film debut at the age of 11. In the film series "Halloween", serial killer Michael Myers was initially obsessed with attempts to kill his younger sister Laurie Strode (played by Jamie Lee Curtis). In the fourth film, Michael awakes from a coma and learns that Laurie died in an unrelated traffic accident. He decides to instead hunt down Laurie's daughter Jamie Lloyd, who is his sole living relative. The film also focuses on Jamie's relationship with her foster sister Rachel Carruthers (played by Ellie Cornell). Its finale hints that Jamie has a dark side of her own and is following in Michael's footsteps.
The fourth "Halloween" film only earned about 18 million dollars at the box office, but gained a cult following due to its cast of interesting female characters. Harris played Jamie again in the direct sequel "Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers" (1989). In the film, the minds of Jamie and Michael are linked through telepathy. It was the first "Halloween" film to introduce elements of supernatural horror, and was considered controversial by the series' fans. The film earned only about $12 million at the box office, though Harris was praised for her acting skills. The "Halloween" series went on a hiatus for several years following the release of this film.
Harris' next film project was the action film "Marked for Death" (1990). She played Tracey Hatcher, niece of retired Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent John Hatcher (played by Steven Seagal). In the film, John's family is repeatedly threatened and attacked by employees of a drug lord who wants revenge against John, and styles himself as a user of black magic. The film was a surprise box office hit, earning $58 million at the worldwide box office. It was the highest-grossing film in Harris' career up to that point.
Harris had a substantial role in the television film "Don't Touch My Daughter" (1991), as a kidnapped damsel-in-distress. Her next major film project was the black comedy "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead" (1991). She played Melissa Crandell, a 12-year-old tomboy. In the film, 5 siblings are supposed to spend their entire summer vacation under the care of an elderly babysitter. When the old woman dies in her sleep, they decide to cover-up her death, to take control of her car, and to start living on their own. The leader of the siblings in this film was played by Christina Applegate. The film performed modestly well at the box office, but gained more success in the home video market.
Harris returned to the action genre with the action comedy "The Last Boy Scout" (1991). She played Darian Hallenbeck, the rebellious daughter of private detective Joseph Cornelius "Joe" Hallenbeck (played by Bruce Willis). In the film, Joe is implicated in the murders of his ex-partner and a female client. While trying to clear his name, Joe learns that he is about to be framed for the assassination of a senator. He sets out to prevent this assassination, though the senator in question is one of his old enemies. The film earned $114.5 million at the worldwide box office and was credited with reviving Willis' career.
In 1992, Harris joined the cast of the sitcom Roseanne (1988-1997). She played the recurring character of Molly Tilden, the promiscuous daughter of supporting character Ty Tilden (played by Wings Hauser). Molly was depicted as a frenemy to main character Darlene Conner (played by Sara Gilbert). They hanged out together but frequently argued, and they soon realized that they were competing over the same potential boyfriend. Subplots involving Molly included her relationship with her older sister (and mother figure) Charlotte Tilden (played by Mara Hobel), and her habitual use of marijuana. Molly was written out of the series in 1993. Harris would later play Molly again in the sequel series "The Conners" (2018-), in an episode depicting Molly as a dying cancer patient.
Harris played the runaway girl Gwenie in the drama film "Free Willy" (1993). The film focused on the growing bond between a troubled orphan boy and a captive orca at an ailing amusement park. The film had a worldwide gross of about $154 million, and turned animal actor Keico the orca (1976 - 2003) into a popular star. The film had three sequels, but Harris was not involved with these film projects.
For the next couple of years, Harris was limited to playing only minor television roles. She entered negotiations to reprise the role of Jamie Lloyd in the sequel "Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers" (1995), but eventually declined to play the part. The character of Jamie only had limited screen time in the film and the salary offered for the role was below Harris' expectations. The role was instead played by J. C. Brandy.
In 1995, Harris made the news for her personal life. She was being stalked by obsessed fan Christopher Small, who frequently mailed death threats to her. Small was arrested after he arrived at her home with a shotgun. Several years later, Small started harassing Harris online. In 2009, Harris was granted a restraining order against Small.
In 1996, Harris co-starred with Katherine Heigl in the fantasy-themed television film "Wish Upon a Star". Harris played science nerd Hayley Wheaton, who is secretly envious of the supposedly perfect life of her older sister Alexia Wheaton (played by Heigl). The girls experience body swapping following a wish, and get to experience each other's life first hand. Hayley soon finds out that Alexia had a dysfunctional relationship with her female friends, and a rather poor relationship with her boyfriend. The life she just inherited is far from perfect. The film was one of several popular television films produced by the Disney Channel.
Harris returned to the action genre with the film "Back to Back". (1996). She played Chelsea Malone, daughter of disgraced ex-cop Bob Malone (played by Michael Rooker). She tries to raise bail money for her father, who was arrested for executing a gang of bank robbers in an episode of intense rage. But father and daughter instead find themselves hostages of a Yakuza member who is trying to flee Los Angeles. All three are soon on the run from both the local Mafia and from crooked cops. The film was marketed as a sequel to the crime film "American Yakuza" (1993), but their only similarities were depictions of conflicts between the Mafia and the Yakuza.
Harris had a supporting role in the disaster film "Daylight" (1996), which featured an accidental explosion and a consequent tunnel cave-in in the vicinity of New York City. Harris played teenager Ashley Crighton, one of several survivors who tried to find a way out of the collapsed tunnel. The film earned $159.2 million at the worldwide box office, and its sound editors were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Sound Editing.
Harris' next film project was the slasher film "Urban Legend" (1998), her first appearance in a horror film since the late 1980s. The film featured a series of murders within the campus of a private university in New England, with each murder styled after an urban legend. Harris played Tosh Guaneri, a goth girl who was strangled to death within her own room. Tosh's sleeping roommate later claimed that she never heard any disturbance during the night of the murder., The film earned $72.5 million at the worldwide box office, and it was followed by two sequels. The film is credited with starting a trend of horror films which took inspiration from multiple urban legends.
In 1998, Harris was cast in the role of Debbie Thornberry in the fantasy animated series "The Wild Thornberrys" (1998-2004). It was the first time that she was part of the main cast in a series. The series featured the Thornberrys, a British family of modern-day nomads who traveled the world in order to film nature documentaries. The youngest daughter, Eliza Thornberry (voiced by Lacey Chabert), was secretly granted the ability to communicate with animals by an African shaman. She tried to keep this secret from her family, though her older sister Debbie is eventually let in on the secret. The two sisters have a love-hate relationship with each other, but each of them tries to defend the other sister from danger. The series lasted for 5 seasons and 91 episodes. Harris also voiced Debbie in the animated film "The Wild Thornberrys Movie" (2002) and the crossover film "Rugrats Go Wild" (2003). The series was one of the most popular television projects created by the animation studio Klasky Csupo, and provided Harris with a share of the spotlight for several years.
Harris had a supporting role in the crime comedy film "Poor White Trash" (2000). In the film, two teenagers from lower-class backgrounds start working together in heists in order to finance their college education. But their plans clash with those of their manipulative and opportunistic relatives, who each have agendas of their own. And the duo start hanging out with various local eccentrics in the process of their criminal plans. The film was noted for its ensemble cast, though the casting of 23-year-old Jaime Pressly in the role of of a scheming step-grandmother was regarded as the film's main appeal at the time.
In the autumn of 2000, Harris joined the main cast of the comedy-drama series "That's Life" (2000-2002). The series depicted life in the working-class suburbs of Newark, New Jersey. Harris played Plum Wilkinson, the girlfriend (and later wife) of police officer Paulie DeLucca (played by Kevin Dillon) and the close friend and college classmate of Paulie's sister Lydia DeLucca (played by Heather Paige Kent). The series was well-received by critics, but suffered from poor ratings throughout its run. It lasted for 2 seasons and 36 episodes. Its abrupt ending reportedly left several of its subplots unresolved.
In 2004, Harris became part of the main cast on the adult animated sitcom "Father of the Pride" (2004-2005). The main characters were anthropomorphic white lions, and Harris was cast as 16-year-old lioness Sierra. Her character was depicted as a rebellious teenager, who was frustrated by her inept parents. A subplot involving Sierra was that her boyfriend Dean was an older male, who already had children from a previous relationship. The series lasted for a single season and 14 episodes. While it started with strong ratings, the series' ratings rapidly declined during its run. The series won an Annie Award for its character design, which was considered unique.
During the following few years, Harris herself considered her career to have declined as she was offered no major roles in either film or television. When she heard of an upcoming remake of the original "Halloween" film, she decided to audition for a role. Rob Zombie, the film's director, was initially not interested in casting people who had participated in any of the older films in the series. He was, however, sufficiently impressed with Harris' audition to cast her in the role of Annie Brackett. Annie was a relatively minor character in the original "Halloween" film (where she was played by Nancy Kyes), but was she was re-imagined as one of the main characters in the remake. After capturing Annie, Mike Myers decides to torture her instead of killing her. She survives the events of the film. Harris' role required her to perform her first nude scene, and she noted in an interview that she felt more vulnerable than ever before.
"Halloween" (2007) was released to great success, and earned $80.4 million at the worldwide box office. It was at that time the highest-grossing film in the entire film series. As Harris had hoped, the film helped revive her career and she started being considered a potential asset to horror films. Among her next few projects were the fantasy horror film "The Black Waters of Echo's Pond" (2009), the slasher film "Blood Night: The Legend of Mary Hatchet" (2009), and the superhero comedy "Super Capers" (2009). "Blood Night" was the first time that Harris played the main villain in a film.
Also in 2009, Harris played Annie Brackett in the sequel "Halloween II". Annie was depicted as Laurie Strode's housemate, scarred due to previous torture but mentally stable in comparison to the traumatized Laurie. Michael Myers eventually kills Annie, which leads to the further deterioration of Laurie's sanity. The film earned only $39.5 million at the worldwide box office, and it was seen as far more brutal than the previous films in the series.
During the 2010s, Harris further established her reputation as a scream queen with many horror-themed roles. Among her most notable appearances was playing recurring character Marybeth Dunston in two films of the "Hatchet" film series. Harris replaced Tamara Feldman, who had originally portrayed the character. In 2013, Harris directed the horror comedy "Among Friends". This was her directorial debut.
In 2013, Harris was engaged to her boyfriend David Gross. In January 2014, the couple had a private wedding ceremony in Holualoa, Hawaii. Harris was 36-years-old at the time of her wedding, and she had no previous marriages or engagements. She had her first son in 2017, and a second son in 2018. In 2019, Harris played a member of the Manson Family in the historical film "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood", a film depiction of the Tate murders (1969).
Harris has had relatively few new roles in the early 2020s. She maintains a large fan following due to her previous roles. By 2022, Harris was 45-year-old. She has been an actress for most of her life, and seems to have no plans to retire yet. She has stated in interviews that despite several difficulties in her career over the years, she has managed to never quit trying. This determination has helped her endure in show business for decades.Child Star 1987-1990 10-12- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Josh started his career at the age of 6 and enjoyed many years of great roles on top TV shows and films. At the age of 15, Josh decided to pursue his love of baseball and continued playing through college. After graduating from the University of San Diego with his Bachelor's Degree in Business, he continued playing baseball at the professional ranks. He played professionally in the Chicago Cubs organization and in 2002 decided to move back to entertainment. He is a Director/Producer under his own company bannerChild Star 1985-1991 6-12- Omri Katz is probably best known for appearing on the hit TV shows Dallas (1978) and Eerie, Indiana (1991). He has appeared in many movies, including Hocus Pocus (1993), Matinee (1993), and Adventures in Dinosaur City (1991). He also has made guest appearances on many TV shows. His Israeli parents are Yoram and Rina, and he has an older brother, Michael, and an older sister, Lali. Omri lived in Israel when he was young and, at the moment, is taking a break from acting and hairdressing in Los Angeles and living in Israel.Child Star 1984-1989 8-12
- Patrick Gibbons Jr. is known for One Life to Live (1968), One Life to Live (2013) and General Hospital (1963).Child Star 2010-2013
- Child Star 2009-?
- Child Star 2006-2008
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Preston Bailey was born in Portland, Oregon. He was scouted by an agent while attending his older brother Brennan Bailey's acting class and was cast in his first national commercial at age 2. Soon after, his family moved to Los Angeles and he booked the first role he auditioned for. Co-starring as an orphan on Lifetime's Strong Medicine. His maturity, love for acting and his ability to read and memorize lines at 5 years old, helped him to book many roles on T.V. as well as in feature films.
In 2006, Preston was cast as a series regular in NBC's Alpha Mom. In 2007, he began working on Showtime's award winning drama Dexter. He played Dexter's son Cody for 6 years. He was nominated for Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2009 and 2010 for this role. In 2007, Preston co-starred opposite Kate Beckinsale, Vera Farmiga and David Schwimmer in the Critic's Choice acclaimed feature film, Nothing But The Truth.
He had guest starring roles on CBS's Cold Case, Criminal Minds, How I Met Your Mother and Numbers. He later starred in feature films Children of the Corn (2009), The Crazies (2010) and the Disney Channel favorite, Judy Moody and The Not Bummer Summer (2011). This role won him and fellow cast members, the Best Performance in a Feature Film, Young Artist Award 2012.
In 2014, Preston was cast in Universal's star-studded comedy, A Million Ways to Die in the West, as Albert (Young Seth MacFarlane). Preston also played young Mac (Rob McElhenney) in FX's groundbreaking comedy, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Preston starred in Across My Land (2017), which was an official selection in the Cannes Film Festival. It premiered in Cannes, France in 2017 and was directed by Fiona Godivier and produced by Joaquin Phoenix.
While acting is Preston's true passion, he also enjoys travel and volunteering around the world. Preston also speaks French and is accomplished in many dialects and foreign languages. He is of British, German, Swedish, Norwegian and Irish decent.Child Star 2005-2013 5-12- Goro Abashiri is known for Emperor Tomato Ketchup (1971).Child Star 1971 8
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Frederick Koehler was born on 16 June 1975 in Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor, known for Mr. Mom (1983), Death Race (2008) and Pearl Harbor (2001).Child Star 1983-1988 8-12- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Taliesin Jaffe is a Los Angeles-based actor known for his roles in film, television, animation and video games, as well as the massively popular hit show and media brand, Critical Role.
Critical Role has become one of the most popular storytelling and world building independent media companies in the world, and Taliesin plays a pivotal role within the company as a co-founder, primary cast member for the flagship show and executive producer of The Legend of Vox Machina animated series which will air exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.
Taliesin began his career as a child actor appearing in films such as Mr. Mom as Kenny Butler, 2010 as Christopher Floyd, and Explorers as Ludwig Müller, and television series including The Facts of Life as Danny Slater, St. Elsewhere as Jimmy Hassett and She's the Sheriff as Kenny Granger. Since then he has worked as an ADR director for projects such as Hellsing, BECK, Street Fighter IV, and Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3.
Taliesin has also worked as a voice actor, lending his voice to characters such as Blanka in Street Fighter, Darion Mograine in World of Warcraft, Thancred in Final Fantasy XIV, Basil Hawkins in One Piece, Ga'nar in Lords of War, The Flash in Injustice 2 and Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, Aaron Terzieff in Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn, Edward 'Edge' Geraldine in Final Fantasy IV, plus countless others.
Taliesin is the recipient of two Young Artist Awards for his roles in Child's Cry and The Facts of Life. He has also been nominated for three additional Young Artist Awards as well as a BTVA Anime Dub Movie/Special Voice Acting Award for his role in Fairy Tail: Priestess of the Phoenix.Child Star 1983-1989 6-12- Deric McCabe was born on 28 August 2008. He is an actor, known for A Wrinkle in Time (2018), Stephanie (2017) and Hold On (2019).