Traxan

We know of so many who failed to make the leap from child actor to adult actor, but who had the potential to be a great but walked away? Three come immediately to mind:

* Max Pirkis. Master & Commander is my favorite movie and he was incredible, and it was his first movie. Shame he walked away after a stint in "Rome."
* Carrie Henn. So awesome in "Aliens." Worked great with Sigourney. Shame she walked away.
* Wiley Wiggins. Another great debut, in "Dazed and Confused." I thought he stole the show. Never really did much after.

I expect many will say Jack Gleeson but I'm not a GoT fan.

dom56

Peter Ostrum who play Charlie in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was offered more film roles but quit acting.

Hazel Motes

Shannon Nutt

Ariana Richards from Jurassic Park. Although, honestly, I didn't see her in any of her post-Park movies (I guess she last appeared in a 2013 TV movie, but has none nothing since then and had done nothing prior to that since 2001).

And...gasp!...she's now 40! Which means I'm...really old too.

dom56

She now a artist and her work are amazing.

milo bloom

I follow Wil Wheaton on tumblr and he posts about the horrible childhood he had in acting. He never wanted to be an actor but his parents pushed him and were abusive over the years (I think he's cut all contact with them).

Reading about how he was treated, I don't begrudge any kid that walks away. I know there's some kids that love the whole thing (we have a friend of the family that's big in the local theater and wants to do movies/tv and she absolutely loves it) so I think there's plenty of kids out there that just need the opportunity and let the others just be kids.

d2cheer

Are we sure these kids walked away or were just not given many more opportunities?

Paff

I also wonder if looks have something to do with it. Not every "cute kid" becomes an attractive adult. Remember the little girl who was kidnapped in the first Rush Hour movie? I saw a short film she'd done later as a teenager, and (trying to be respectful here), it didn't look like she was on her way to having "movie star looks".

I've mentioned it before; it must feel really awkward to be a casting director for children, and having to make judgements based on looks. You can clearly see this in a lot of child actors. Again, being very careful in my phrasing here so as not to get the Chris Hanson gif, but I saw an old Law and Order ep over the weekend that featured a pre-teen Emmy Rossum. While she was still just a kid in that, you could totally tell she was gonna be a gorgeous adult.

orangerunner

Anyone who can make a good living as an actor in films is a lottery winner. To stay on top and work with the best directors and best actors takes a lot of dedication, drive, talent, face constant rejection, endless anxiety, self-doubt and great timing.

It's no surpise to me that many child stars opt-out and decide to pursue other avenues.

Goonies85

Danny Lloyd in The Shining. I don't think he ever had the acting bug and last I heard he's like a high school science teacher or something...

Paff

Brian T

She couldn't have had too many regrets, either, considering the primary image on her website is a still from Jurassic Park, and the "actress" page is fairly positive and detailed.

Drexl

When you use the world "regrettably," that means the kid didn't want to stop acting, but were advised to do so (as opposed to just not getting offered parts). Is that the case for those mentioned so far?

I can see a case in which a child is told that it won't last, you'd better go to school, and after that his name and recognition are forgotten. And then the kid wonders how it might have gone if he had continued to pursue acting instead.

milo bloom

I've heard that too, and he refuses to talk about The Shining.

Paff

Kubrick traumatized experienced adult actors.

Paff

Over the holiday I watched one of my guilty pleasures, Losin' It. We all know the lead actor, some guy named Cruise, never had much of a career, and Jackie Earle Haley may have started out playing "bad boys" like Kelly Leek in The Bad News Bears but his future would be as creeps and villains. But nothing ever became of the actor who played the little brother of Haley's character, John P. Navin Jr. He had a small but memorable part in the first Vacation film ("Did you ever bop your baloney?"), and was the first person to walk in the door of Cheers, but that was about it for him. IMDb lists a handful more credits in the mid 80s, and nothing after 1993.

Norm de Plume

I think the OP means "regrettable" from the standpoint of the viewer/audience.

TheMovieman

Jake Lloyd, Anakin Skywalker in the Phantom Menace, walked away after the backlash from the fans.

Groucho

All the delightful children in Greta Gerwig's Little Women.

Perkinsun Dzees

milo bloom

You can’t post that without a name...

Daytripper

Jenny Lewis

Traxan

I use 'regretably' as a fan. Particularly in the case of Pirkis, he was just so damn good in M&C and Rome. It's always a shame to see a talent walk away..I may not like it but I respect their decision.

TomOpus

A few weeks ago, saw a profile om Michael Conner Humphreys. He played the young Forrest Gump. He never pursued an acting career after the movie. He wound up joining the Army (did a tour in Iraq). Now, he's thinking of acting again.

nando820

love Jenny Lewis music
I actually haven't seen her acting besides the little part on Bill Murray's Christmas Special