These child stars from the '90s look so different today, you won't recognize them. And while they may not all have become Hollywood success stories, some of them still managed to live happily ever after...
Danielle Fishel Then
Danielle Fishel made boys blush when she played Topanga Lawrence on "Boy Meets World." She created the role when she was just 12 and played the character until she was 18 — the series finale aired on her 19th birthday — becoming a generation of xennials' dream girl along the way.
Danielle Fishel Now
Fishel also starred in “National Lampoon’s Dorm Daze” and its sequel. Eventually, she rejoined Ben Savage in the “Boy Meets World” sequel series, “Girl Meets World.” Now she’s playing the voice of the Librarian in the TV show “Star vs. the Forces of Evil.”
Neil Patrick Harris Then
Many of us '90s kids will always remember Neil Patrick Harris for his role as the title character on “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” a kid genius who becomes a surgeon at age 14. But those days are long gone and little “Doogie” is all grown up...
Neil Patrick Harris Now
The super talented Harris continues to act on stage and screen, most notably starring in the mega-popular '00s sitcom "How I Met Your Mother." More recently, we saw him star in the hit series adaptation of “A Series of Unfortunate Events,” in which he got to play Count Olaf.
Tatyana Ali Then
You might remember Tatyana Ali as the beautiful Ashley Banks on “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.” Her character, the precocious Ashley, was certainly a less annoying cousin to Will Smith than her sister Hilary (Karyn Parsons) or brother Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro).
Tatyana Ali Now
Ali enjoyed a string of good luck in Hollywood and went on to appear in a couple of shows and movies. She starred in “The Young and the Restless.” She’s appeared in movies like “Christmas Everlasting” and “Deadly Match,” and she even had a small role on "Key and Peele" in 2015. But Ali’s vocaltalents also allowed her to pursue a singing career.
Joseph Mazzello Then
In 1993, Joseph Mazzello played Tim Murphy in “Jurassic Park.” Tim and his older sister Lex came to the park while their mom was going through a bitter divorce. He was the one in the film who got electrocuted by a fence. You know: Big Tim, the human piece of toast.
Joseph Mazzello Now
A lot of people don't realize that Mazzello played Dustin Moskovitz in “The Social Network” or that he landed the role of Queen bass player John Deacon in the sensational “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Yup. That was him!
Christina Ricci Then
Ricci won us over with her performance as the super emo daughter Wednesday Addams in "The Addams Family" and its sequel. She went on to play Kat in the live-action version of “Casper," but she didn’t fade away. Not by a long shot...
Christina Ricci Now
Ricci has stayed busy over the years. She’s worked in the independent film “Distorted,” the TV film “Escaping the Madhouse: The Nellie Bly Story,” and has a bunch of things lined up in post-production like the film “Percy” and “Faraway Eyes.”
Jaleel White Then
The sitcom “Family Matters” wouldn’t have been complete without Jaleel White’s portrayal of Steve Urkel. The annoying, nerdy neighbor was always trying and failing to win Laura Winslow’s heart. But what happened to White after the show was over?
Jaleel White Now
White has continued to appear in a variety of television projects like “Trial and Error” and “Fresh off the Boat.” In 2012, he busted a few moves on "Dancing With the Stars." And in 2019, he reprised his role as Steve Urkel on the TV series “Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?”
Kellie Shanygne Williams Then
No list of child stars from the '90s would be complete without Kellie, who played Laura Winslow on the sitcom “Family Matters.” You might recall how her character was always looking for ways to avoid Steve Urkel’s geeky attempts to win her heart.
Kellie Shanygne Williams Now
After “Family Matters,” Williams appeared in TV shows like “What About Joan.” Her last role was in a short film called “Aide-de-Camp" in 2011. But according to her Twitter, she’s an actress, a producer, an entrepreneur, a wife and a happy mother of two.
Mario Lopez Then
Mario Lopez won his way into our hearts as A.C. Slater on the ‘90s series “Saved by the Bell.” He made teen and tween viewers swoon with his curly hair, million-dollar smile, sexy muscle shirts and rock-hard abs. But Lopez also had that je ne sais quoi. So where is he now?
Mario Lopez Now
These days, Mario Lopez splits his time between acting and co-hosting the entertainment news series “Extra." He's starred as himself in shows like “This Is Us” and “The Rookie.” He also voiced the character Cruz in “Elena of Avalor.” And to top it off, the Boys and Girls Clubs of America wants to honor him for his decades of support and volunteer work for BGCA.
Jodie Sweetin Then
You might remember Sweetin’s character Stephanie on “Full House.” She was the cute middle sister of the Tanner clan, whose signature line was “How rude!” But life after the sitcom was rough and she got into trouble with certain substances.
Jodie Sweetin Now
Sweetin has had a turbulent number of years, but her dark past seems to be finally over. She reprised her role as Stephanie in the Netflix revival “Fuller House,” and has also done a few projects like the TV movie “Love Under the Rainbow.”
Kel Mitchell Then
Most ‘90s kids remember Nickelodeon's sketch-comedy-for-kids show “All That." Kel Mitchell was a big part of the series and had us rolling on the floor laughing from 1994 till 1999.
Kel Mitchell Now
Mitchell is now a fine-looking man who went on to star in the sitcom “Game Shakers.” He’s currently working on a short film called “Freeze!” and will be a voice actor in the animated series “Animaniacs” in 2020.
Alisan Porter Then
A lot of you may not remember Alisan Porter, but she was the little girl from “Curly Sue.” The 1991 film became a total hit and she won a Young Artist Award a decade after she starred in the movie alongside Jim Belushi. Then she vanished from the spotlight.
Alisan Porter Now
But Porter wasn’t really gone. She was too busy reinventing herself. In lieu of acting, she decided to give her singing career a try. In fact, you might have seen her on “The Voice,” on which she won in season 10. Now she’s a recording artist and songwriter too.
Tahj Mowry Then
The younger brother of "Sister, Sister" identical twins Tia and Tamera Mowry, Tahj Mowry played the adorable recurring character of Michelle Tanner's friend Teddy on “Full House.” He went on to star in the series “Smart Guy” before taking a break from acting to play college football.
Tahj Mowry Now
Eventually, Mowry got back into acting, earning the starring role of Tucker Dobbs in the sitcom “Baby Daddy.” Mowry’s currently working on a project called “Welcome Matt.” Since 2015, he's also pursued a music career.
Ariana Richards Then
Ariana Richards played Lex, Tim’s older sister in “Jurassic Park.” She was the only who was eating the green Jell-O in the park’s canteen and then panicked when she felt the presence of an approaching dino-threat.
Ariana Richards Now
Richards went on to do a number of TV films like “The Princess Stallion,” “Tremors 3: Back to Perfection” and her last movie, “Battledogs.” She hasn’t been active since 2013, but according to Twitter and her Instagram bio, she’s a painter, a mother and a vegetarian.
Melissa Joan Hart Then
Back in the 1990s, Melissa Joan Hart used her charm to bewitch audiences as the original Sabrina Spellman on “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.” And she did again in 2010 on ABC Family’s “Melissa & Joey.”
Melissa Joan Hart Now
In 2019, Melissa Joan Hart revived her career in the Netflix sitcom, “No Good Nick.” This time, she plays a mom named Liz who welcomes a young con artist into her family without realizing it.
Kenan Thompson Then
Most ‘90s kids remember the hilariously funny sketch comedy “All That,” which aired on Nickelodeon. Kenan Thompson was a big part of the series and had us rolling on the floor for several seasons.
Kenan Thompson Now
Kenan may have to do a bit of a juggling act with his duties on “Saturday Night Live” now that NBC has officially ordered “The Kenan Show” for the 2019-2020 season.
Ryan Gosling Then
Most people don't know this about “The Notebook” actor, but Ryan Gosling once took on the lead role of the demi-god Hercules in “Young Hercules” from 1998 to 1999. He also appeared on “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” and “Goosebumps.”
Ryan Gosling Now
In 2018, Ryan played Neil Armstrong in “First Man.” He’s kept it low key in 2019, but he and his partner Eva Mendes added a Doberman named Lucho to their family, which includes children Esmeralda Amada and Amada Lee Gosling.
Jurnee Smollett-Bell Then
Although Jurnee wasn’t a regular cast member on “Full House,” she was well known for playing Michelle Tanner's best friend on the hilarious sitcom. She continued acting through the 1990s and well into the 2000s, co-starring on the show "On Our Own". She also starred in the movie "Eve's Bayou" with Samuel L. Jackson.
Jurnee Smollett-Bell Now
In 2019, she took on the role of Letitia Dandridge in the TV series “Lovecraft Country.” She will also play Dinah Lance, aka Black Canary on “Birds of Prey” in 2020. Mark your calendars, everyone!
Anna Chlumsky Then
Anna Chlumsky co-starred with Christina Ricci in “Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain.” But most 90s’ kids will remember her for playing Vada Sultenfuss in “My Girl” alongside Macaulay Culkin, and “My Girl 2”.
Anna Chlumsky Now
In 2019, Chlumsky played the role of Shannon in the film “Hala.” She also ended a seven-season run playing Amy Brookheimer on the comedy series “Veep.” Chlumsky stayed pretty busy, entering the show's episode “Pledge” as her 2019 Emmy Awards submission for Best Comedy Supporting Actress.
Amanda Bynes Then
Amanda Bynes joined the cast of “All That” from season three to season six. Then she starred in the Nickelodeon series “Figure it Out.” But after starring in films like “What a Girl Wants” and “Easy A,” she took a break from acting.
Amanda Bynes Now
Bynes enrolled in fashion school but expressed interest in returning to acting. Sadly, she ran into trouble with the law in 2012 and underwent a mental evaluation after setting a fire outside her home. In 2019, Kel Mitchell expressed interest in having Amanda Bynes do a cameo in the “All That” reboot. In 2019, she finally got her degree from L.A.’s Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising.
Jonathan Taylor Thomas Then
Although he voiced young Simba in Disney’s 1994 film “The Lion King,” Jonathan Taylor Thomas became a teen heartthrob on the sitcom “Home Improvement” where he played Randy Taylor. He took a break from acting after 2006 but popped up in “Last Man Standing” between 2013 and 2015.
Jonathan Taylor Thomas Now
According to Oprahmag.com, Jonathan has quit acting. He also told People, “I never took the fame too seriously. It was a great period in my life, but it doesn't define me.”
Tia and Tamera Mowry Then
Tia and Tamera Mowry starred on the insanely funny hit sitcom “Sister, Sister” from 1994 to 1999. It wasn't much of a stretch since the actresses are twins in real life and played twins on the show.
Tia and Tamera Mowry Now
In 2019, Tia played the role of Cocoa McKellan in the Netflix sitcom “Family Reunion.” Meanwhile, Tamera and her husband Adam Housley launched a family-focused summer series called “The Housley Life” on YouTube on July 24, 2019.
Candace Cameron Bure Then
Candace Cameron Bure played DJ Tanner, the eldest sister in the sitcom “Full House” from 1987 to 1995. She made a couple of guest appearances on shows like “Boy Meets World.” She also appeared in a few TV movies like “Kidz in the Wood.”
Candace Cameron Bure Now
Cameron Bure’s portrayal as DJ on the Netflix sequel series “Fuller House” is coming to an end as she films the final episodes with the cast. But she's still staying pretty active. In 2019, celebrity trainer Kira Stokes posted a lower-body workout on Instagram which featured Cameron Bure performing some serious moves.
Mark-Paul Gosselaar Then
Mark-Paul Gosselaar’s career took off when he played Zack Morris on “Good Morning, Miss Bliss” from 1988 to 1989. He went on to play the same character on “Saved by the Bell” from 1989 to 1992 and from 1993 to 1994 on “Saved by the Bell: The College Years.”
Mark-Paul Gosselaar Now
Mark-Paul Gosselaar stayed busy throughout the 90s and into the 2000s. He was a regular in the 2019 drama series “The Passage,” which was canceled. But he will be appearing in the 2019 show “Mixed-ish.”
Tiffani Thiessen Then
Although Tiffani Thiessen didn’t appear on “Good Morning, Miss Bliss,” she did play Kelly Kapowski on “Saved by the Bell” from 1989 to 1992 and from 1993 to 1994 on “Saved by the Bell: The College Years.” She also appeared on the TV film “Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas.”
Tiffani Thiessen Now
Her last reported acting role was on “Alexa & Katie” in 2018. In the meantime, she’s keeping busy being married to actor Brady Smith and being the mom to two gorgeous kids.
Keshia Knight Pulliam Then
Keshia won audiences as Rudy, the adorable and youngest member of the Huxtable family on “The Cosby Show.” She did a few things here and there in the 2000s and later appeared in “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne.”
Keshia Knight Pulliam Now
In 2019, Keshia was in the spotlight after winning a bitter child custody battle against her ex, former NFL star Ed Hartwell. Now, rumor has it she's dating “For Better or Worse” star Brad James.
Tina Majorino Then
Tina Majorino is best known for her performances as a child star in '90s flicks like "Waterworld" and "Corrina, Corrina." Later, in 2004, she made a comeback as the object of the title character's affection in "Napoleon Dynamite."
Tina Majorino Now
Since her return to show business in the mid-'00s, Tina Majorino has remained active as an actor, and in the 2010s she has appeared in the "Veronica Mars" movie, on "Grey's Anatomy" and, most recently, in the recurring role of Flo Tipton on the short-lived CBS drama "Scorpion.
Macaulay Culkin Then
Macaulay Culkin is best known for his role as Kevin in 1990’s “Home Alone” and its sequel in 1992. He also appeared on “My Girl” in 1991 and “The Good Son” in 1993. But despite a few stints here and there, he didn't become the breakout actor everyone hoped for.
Macaulay Culkin Now
On August 18, 2019, he will appear at The Bell House in New York for a monthly comedy showcase called “The Macaulay Culkin Show.” Culkin also announced that he plans to officially marry his actress girlfriend, Brenda Song in the United States in 2019. Apparently, Culkin and Song eloped to Paris a mere five months after meeting each other and didn't tell anyone. But now they need to get officially married in the states.