Child stardom can precede an impossible journey: having been known to audiences and the industry alike as a certain person, you inevitably age into a different individual entirely. Actors speak often about how tough it can be to come into their own as adult professionals, especially when they look and sound different than they did when they were kids—and that's without touching on the notorious pressure cooker that is child stardom, an environment many performers continue to struggle with long after they've left it behind.
Put that way, it's incredible that any child star makes the transition to adulthood unscathed. And yet! Many do, and some even make it look easy. Others have a couple bumps along the way, but grow into the most successful and beloved public figures of our time (Drew Barrymore, hi!). Below, 32 child stars who have aged like fine wine.
