For those people who find fame at a young age, they come to find that it has a way of effortlessly creating cautionary tales. For every child star who has burned through millions, there were also plenty who went on to take different paths. Whether they found it through investments, mindful spending, or just by staying grounded, these former child actors were able to turn their early success into long-term financial stability.
1. Jodie Sweetin
Most well known as Stephanie Tanner on Full House, Jodie Sweetin has been very open about the financial and also personal challenges she faced after childhood fame. Even then, she managed to rebuild her career, return to television, and also create multiple income streams through acting, books, and public appearances.
2. Neil Patrick Harris
Before you knew him as Barney from the widely loved show, How I Met Your Mother, Neil Patrick Harris was already stacking paychecks as a child actor on Doogie Howser, M.D He would manage to avoid the spending traps that catch many young stars, and also steadily built a career that has endured for decades.
3. Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore’s series of early years was turbulent to say the very least. However, eventually she managed to take control of both her life and finances. Beyond the realm of acting, though, she built a successful production company and also later on launched businesses that significantly expanded her wealth.
4. Soleil Moon Frye
As Punky Brewster, Soleil Moon Frye established herself as one of the most iconic faces of the 1980s. Outside of relying strictly on nostalgia, she was also able to diversify into directing, producing, and entrepreneurship to create long-lasting financial security.
5. Brooke Shields
Brooke Shields is not a name easily overlooked. She was already a major star before even reaching childhood. Throughout the years as well, she carefully managed her brand, continued acting, wrote numerous bestselling books, and was able to secure endorsement deals that would help her preserve and grow her fortune.
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6. Christina Applegate
Christina Applegate began acting as a child before becoming an outright, undeniable breakout star on Married… with Children. Her long-running television career and selective project choices helped her maintain financial security far beyond her childhood years.
7. Fred Savage
Fred Savage was one of television’s biggest young stars, largely thanks to The Wonder Years. However, instead of chasing every acting role thereafter, he successfully transitioned behind the camera as a director and producer, thereby creating a stable second career.
8. Jason Bateman
Jason Bateman started acting as a teenager in the early 1980s and was able to avoid becoming another former child-star cautionary tale. His massively successful comeback and consistent work in television, film, and producing have managed to keep his finances holding strong over decades.s
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9. Ricky Schroder
Ricky Schroder was able to acquire substantial money as a child actor on Silver Spoons. Schroder later then invested in real estate and also continued working in television, helping him preserve much of the wealth he earned early in life.
10. Candace Cameron Bure
After growing up in front of the eyes of millions of invested viewers on Full House, Candace Cameron Bure successfully pivoted into a long-running career in television and publishing. Through both consistent work and also a disciplined approach to business, Bure achieved financial success.
11. Danica McKellar
Known to so many as Winnie Cooper on The Wonder Years, Danica McKellar went on to take a path that few former child stars would ever choose. Alongside acting, she built herself a career as a mathematician and author, creating income opportunities far outside Hollywood.
12. Mayim Bialik
Mayim Bialik attained fame as a young actress before stepping away to earn her doctorate in neuroscience. When she returned to television with The Big Bang Theory, she was able to combine academic achievement with a very successful entertainment career.
13. Alyssa Milano
Alyssa Milano became a star as a teenager on Who’s the Boss? and then continued working steadily for decades on end. Her longevity in television, in addition to endorsement deals and business ventures were able to help her avoid the boom-and-bust cycle that was common among child actors.
