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  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies

When Child Stars Grow Up

Features
By Joshua Winning
Published 19 September 2012

It happens so fast…

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Miley Cyrus

The Child: Rose to fame via the Disney Channel where she played Hanna Montana (and recorded the show’s soundtracks). Took the show to the big screen for mucho green.

The Adult: Cyrus started growing up with rom-com The Last Song in 2010, then dated her co-star Liam Hemsworth (her “first serious boyfriend”). The relationship didn’t last.

Anna Paquin

The Child: Second youngest Oscar winner in the history of the Academy Awards, nabbing a Best Supporting Actress gong aged 11 for The Piano. Also made goose movie Fly Away Home.

The Adult:
Played Rogue in the X-Men f ilms before getting her kit off for saucy vamp show True Blood . Got stabbed in Scream 4.

Edward Furlong

The Child: Starred alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1991’s phenomenal Terminator 2: Judgement Day , which would end up being his best work to date ( American History X aside), before making other-sequel Pet Sematary II .

The Adult:
Has had numerous run-ins with the police, been hospitalised for suspected overdoses and slapped with a restraining order. Most high-profile recent movie credit? A bit part in The Green Hornet.

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Natalie Portman

The Child: Made a cracking entrance into film via her debut performance as an orphan in Léon: The Professional. Also had roles in Heat and Beautiful Girls.

The Adult: Has ridden out the storm that was Star Wars and emerged on the other side as a fan of daft fantasy ( Your Highness ), dark thrillers ( Black Swan ) and comic-book adaptations ( Thor ). Also, gorgeous.

Macaulay Culkin

The Child: Played troublemaker Kevin McCallister in the first and second Home Alone films (after an appearance in Uncle Buck ) before going on to make Richie Rich and My Girl. Was friends with Michael Jackson.

The Adult: Dated Mila Kunis. Got arrested for possessing marijuana and other ‘controlled substances’. Made a triumphant return to acting in 2004’s Saved! Has lent his voice to five episodes of Robot Chicken . Generally a spotlight-avoider.

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Ryan Gosling

The Child: Slightly odd-looking youngster and part of the Disney Channel’s feted Mickey Mouse Club (between 1993 and 1995). After that he made films like Frankenstein And Me and The Unbelievables , neither of which you’ve probably seen.

The Adult: Just plain cool, really. Though The Notebook made him into a heartthrob, Gosling’s resolutely done his own thing with indies like Lars And The Real Girl and the awesome ‘80s-inspired Drive .

Christian Bale

The Child: Was snapped up at the age of 13 by Steven Spielberg, who cast him in Empire Of The Sun . Prior to that, Bale had already starred in Mio Min Mio and three TV projects.

The Adult: Forevermore our generation’s defining Batman, thanks to Christopher Nolan. Also has a reputation as a dedicated workhorse, doing anything to nail a role.

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Jodie Foster

The Child: Had roles in Mayberry and The Doris Day Show before storming the big screen with Taxi Driver, aged just 13.

The Adult: One of the toughest women on film, having faced Hannibal Lector (and lived) in Silence Of The Lambs, invading crims in Panic Room and Christoph Waltz in Carnage .

Sean Astin

The Child: Inhaler-chuffing brace-wearer Mikey in The Goonies (his first ever acting role) and the kid in Dudley Moore comedy Like Father Like Son .

The Adult: Now most recognisable as Samwise Gamgee, Frodo’s best friend in the Lord Of The Rings films. Astin’s also a director now, having helmed episodes of Angel and Jeremiah .

Leonardo DiCaprio

The Child: Made his acting debut in underrated campy horror sequel Critters 3 before blowing us all away as a mentally disabled youngster in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?

The Adult:
One of the most interesting actors working today. Having outgrown his (unwanted) heartthrob image, DiCaprio’s now a solid dramatic actor who’s worked with the best in Hollywood

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Joshua Winning
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Josh Winning has worn a lot of hats over the years. Contributing Editor at Total Film, writer for SFX, and senior film writer at the Radio Times. Josh has also penned a novel about mysteries and monsters, is the co-host of a movie podcast, and has a library of pretty phenomenal stories from visiting some of the biggest TV and film sets in the world. He would also like you to know that he "lives for cat videos..." Don't we all, Josh. Don't we all.  

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