F
ormer child stars now live in a world far removed from the bright lights that once defined them. Their paths have diverged: some faced personal turmoil, others amassed wealth, and many reinvented themselves entirely.
**Jonathan Taylor Thomas**
The 1990s teen idol, best known as Randy Taylor on *Home Improvement* and the voice of young Simba in *The Lion King*, earned up to $12 million. He stepped back from acting in the early 2000s to pursue education and travel, citing a need for a break after nonstop work since age eight. A brief return in 2013 on *Last Man Standing* was his last screen appearance. In 2000 he bought a lagoon‑front home in Westlake Village for $683,000, which he tried to sell for $2 million in 2015–16 but remained unsold.
**Shia LaBeouf**
LaBeouf first rose as Louis Stevens on *Even Stevens*, then starred in *Holes*, *Disturbia*, and the *Transformers* series. His earnings climbed from $400,000 per film to $15 million for *Transformers 3*. He has faced public controversies: a 2013 premiere stunt with a paper bag, a 2015 arrest for intoxication, and accusations of abuse toward ex‑partner FKA Twigs. He has since apologized for past conduct and welcomed a daughter with Mia Goth. In 2020 he purchased a Pasadena home for $5.475 million and previously owned a Sherman Oaks house that sold for $2.4 million.
**Angus T. Jones**
Jones played Jake Harper on *Two and a Half Men* for nearly a decade, earning about $350,000 per episode. After leaving the show in 2012, he publicly criticized the series as “filth,” citing a newfound faith. He later retracted his remarks, expressing gratitude for former colleagues. He resides in Glendale, California, and bought a home in 2007 for $1.595 million (under his mother’s name).
**Corey Feldman**
Starting with a McDonald’s commercial at age three, Feldman starred in *Gremlins*, *The Goonies*, and *Stand By Me*. He battled heroin addiction, spending $300 a day, and faced multiple arrests. By 1990 he was selling CDs for crack. In 2024 he disclosed having only $34,000 in the bank and owing $200,000 to the IRS. His 2023 income of $78,946 came mainly from fan‑convention appearances, but after fees his net earnings were lower. He has no significant real estate holdings, renting a Woodland Hills home for $5,500 a month.
**Kirk Cameron**
Cameron starred as Mike Seaver on *Growing Pains* (1985–1992), earning $50,000 a week. He converted to Christianity during the show, which strained relationships with co‑stars. He married co‑star Chelsea Noble in 1991; they have six children (four adopted, two biological). In 2024 they relocated from California to Tennessee. They owned a California home bought in 1998 for $645,000.
**Liesel Matthews (Liesel Pritzker Simmons)**
Matthews, known for *A Little Princess*, was an heiress to the Hyatt Hotels fortune. In 2002 she and her brother sued her father and cousins for $6 billion over misappropriated trust funds, winning a $500 million settlement. She left acting, moved to India, taught yoga to heroin addicts, and founded philanthropic ventures like YAO. She now lives in Greater Boston with husband Ian Simmons and their two daughters. She owns a $6.2 million apartment at 455 Central Park West (2007) and a $2.29 million condo near Columbia University.
**Michelle Williams**
Williams debuted on *Baywatch* at 12, then starred in *Dawson’s Creek* (1998). She earned critical acclaim for *Brokeback Mountain* and *My Week with Marilyn*, amassing a $30 million net worth. She had a daughter, Matilda, with Heath Ledger in 2005. She married director Thomas Kail in 2020; they have three children (one via surrogate). They own a $10.8 million townhouse in Brooklyn Heights (purchased 2020) and another $2.5 million Brooklyn home (bought 2015).
**Stephen Dorff**
Dorff appeared in *Diff’rent Strokes*, *Family Ties*, and *Roseanne*. He starred in *The Power of One*, *Backbeat*, and *Blood and Wine*. His net worth is $12 million. He bought a Malibu beachfront home for $2.546 million in 2001, owns a Manhattan penthouse, and sold a New York apartment for $2.7 million in 2017.
**Jami Gertz**
Gertz began on *Square Pegs* (1982) and appeared in *The Lost Boys*, *Sixteen Candles*, and *Less Than Zero*. She married businessman Tony Ressler in 1988; together they co‑own the Atlanta Hawks (since 2015) and hold minority stakes in the Milwaukee Brewers. Their primary residences are in Malibu and Beverly Hills; the Beverly Hills home is valued at at least $30 million. They moved to Tennessee in 2024.
These former child actors illustrate a spectrum of outcomes: some leveraged early fame into lasting careers or wealth, others struggled with addiction and financial instability, and many pivoted to new ventures—whether philanthropy, business ownership, or personal reinvention—while navigating the complex legacy of their youthful stardom.
