Child Actors From TV Who Grew Up Before Our Eyes

Kasia Mikolajczak
A scene from Friends with Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer.
NBC | NBC

Isn't it amazing how quickly time flies, huh? That can be even more apparent when it comes to child stars. We get used to seeing them on our favorite TV shows, and then bam, they're all grown up, ha, ha.

So I thought it would be fun to show you just what child actors who grew up on TV look like now. I bet you won't recognize some of them. At least a few of them really surprised me. I wonder what you will think of the pictures of them now when you see them again.

Jessica Smith as the Sun Baby on 'Teletubbies'

Jessica Smith as Sun Baby on Teletubbies
youtube | Nicki Swift

Were your kids obsessed with Teletubbies? If they were, I feel bad for you, hehe. I don't think I would be able to sit through this TV show, lol. But if you remember the Sun Baby, here's an update.

This baby is all grown up now.

That's not a surprise, I know. But you won't believe what this little girl looks like now. Her name is Jessica Smith, and she finally revealed that she was the Sun Baby. And now that everybody knows it, they can surely see the resemblance.

Miles Brown and Marsai Martin on 'Black-ish'

Miles Brown and Marsai Martin on Black-ish
youtube | ABC

If you were a fan of Black-ish, you know that Miles Brown and Marsai Martin literally grew up on the show. Throughout the seven-year run of the show, these two showed the most growth.

And now they're pretty much adults.

Miles Brown And Marsai Martin on ET Canada
youtube | ET Canada

They recently reflected on what it was like to take part in the final taping of the show. I bet it was really emotional for everyone involved. It must be pretty neat to see yourself grow up on TV, huh?

Kiernan Shipka on 'Mad Men'

Kiernan Shipka and John Hamm in a restaurant scene in Mad Men
IMDb | IMDb

I don't know about you but I was totally obsessed with Mad Men. This show had so much flair. From all the amazing clothing to the interesting storylines. Kiernan Shipka played a young Sally on the show and now she's all grown up, alright.

Here's what she looks like now.

Kiernan Shipka in Swimming with Sharks (2022)
IMDb | IMDb

Wow! What did I tell you, huh? She's turned into a fantastic young actress. But something tells me that she must think of her days on the set of Mad Men with fondness. I know I would.

McKenna Grace on various TV Shows.

Mckenna Grace in a scene from Gifted (2017)
IMDb | IMDb

Not to be mistaken with Kiernan Shipka, as these two young actresses look so similar. McKenna Grace has made her own mark on the silver screen. She starred in The Vampire Diaries, and Once Upon a Time.

And now she's moved on to more mature roles.

McKenna Grace in a black and white promo shot
IMDb | IMDb

I think it's so wonderful to see these actors grow up and go from kids to adults, huh? I'm always interested to see what kind of roles they pick as they venture into the more mature fanfare.

Bailee Madison as Young Snow White on 'Once Upon a Time.'

Bailee Madison as Young Snow White on Once Upon a Time
IMDb | IMDb

I've got to tell you that I'm such a huge fan of Bailee Madison. She is such a talented young actress. If you have ever seen Just Go With It, you would have known that she stole all the scenes she was in, hee-hee.

I can't believe she's all grown up now.

I think she's turned into a beautiful young woman. Since I haven't seen her act in anything recently, I sincerely hope she has kept up with her sense of humor. I hope she gets roles where she can show off her comedic acting chops.

Iain Armitage as Ziggy Chapman on 'Big Little Lies'

We all remember Iain Armitage as Ziggy Chapman on Big Little Lies, right? He was definitely adorable in that role, no? But like everyone, he had to grow up sometimes.

So there is he now.

Iain Armitage as Young Sheldon
IMDb | IMDb

He's not so little anymore. And he's got a big show that he's on now. I'm sure he's honing his acting skills by being the star of Young Sheldon. What do you think? That's a perfect role for him, no?

Blake and Dylan Tuomy-Wilhoit as Nicky and Alex Katsopolis on 'Full House.'

John Stamos, Blake Tuomy-Wilhoit, and Dylan Tuomy-Wilhoit in Full House (1987)
IMDb | IMDb

How adorable were those two tykes on Full House, huh? Oh my goodness, ook at those cute haircuts, hehe. I wonder if these boys were well behaved, or did they cause chaos on the set?

As you have guessed — they're grown men now.

Here's a rare glimpse at the brothers at the Creative Arts Emmys a while back. Wow! What did I tell you? They're definitely a lot bigger now, ha, ha. I'm happy to see they're still hanging out and having fun.

Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven on 'Stranger Things'

Millie Bobby Brown was just a child when she began her work as part of the Stranger Things cast. Boy, did she ever change from the way she started on the show back in 2016, huh?

Just look at her now.

OMG! I honestly didn't even realize it was her in this picture. Holy moly! Talking about a transformation, huh? Can you believe she's 18 now? I had no idea, but she definitely looks all grown up.

Cali and Noelle Sheldon as Emma Geller from 'Friends'

Ross and Rachel's baby on Friends
youtube | urname09

We all remember those episodes of Friends when Rachel's pregnancy was announced, and then finally the birth of the baby. This little tyke was played by twins Cali and Noelle Sheldon and you won't believe what they look like now.

Here they are as adults:

Oh, my goodness. Has it really been that long? I guess so. If you can believe it, these young ladies are both 19 now. Wow! I bet they love their claim to fame, hee-hee. I mean, who wouldn't?

What did I tell you?

woman surprised and saying "Wow!"
Giphy | This Might Get

These child stars sure have grown up right before our eyes. I wonder what it must have been for them to go from being so young on the screen totally changing during all the years of filming? That must be so strange. What do you think? I love to see young people flourish, and these stars are no exception here. It's been so wonderful to watch them mature into the older selves that they are now.