It's hard for child/teenage actors to make the transition to adult roles. Has anybody ever noticed this? The Disney Company has been notorious for having it's stars not make the transition well. Tommy Kirk was a child actor who starred in the Disney films such as Old Yeller, The Shaggy Dog, and Swiss Family Robinson in the late '50s/early '60s. Walt Disney had once called Kirk his "lucky charm." When he was 19, it was revealed that he was having a sexual relationship with a 15-year old boy. The Disney Company decided not to renew his contract and he later was typecast in '60s beach party films. He later developed a drug addiction and later opened a carpet store in the San Fernando Valley.
Bobby Driscoll was also one of Disney's right-hand actors. He was in Song of the South and So Dear to My Heart, but you probably know him best as the voice of Peter Pan in the 1953 Disney animated film. After hitting puberty and having a severe case of acne, Disney dropped him. He later went to college, but later dropped out because of the ridicule of his classmates. By this time, Bobby was already experimenting with heroin. He was later charged with assault with a deadly weapon and went to rehab. After moving to New York City penniless, he moved into Manhattan's underground. In 1968, his body was found by two boys in a tenement. The medical examination determined that he had died from heart failure caused by an advanced hardening of the arteries due to longtime drug abuse. It wasn't discovered that the body was his until 1972.
Of course, not all child actors became depressed drug addicts. Some of them basically fade into obscurity such as Hilary Duff, who was once popular in films such as Cheaper by the Dozen, A Cinderella Story, and The Perfect Man. She was probably best known on Disney's Lizzie McGuire. She hasn't released an album since 2007 (She is actaully not signed to a record label, at the moment) and her last film was released to ABC Family. She is however living peacefully and engaged.
Not all child actors that can't progress to adult roles are associated with Disney. Anyone remember Danny Bonaduce? Yeah, I don't either but I've heard of him. Apparently after starring in the Partridge Family, he became drug addicted and lived in his car behind the Grauman's Chinese Theater. He later waxed his eyebrow on TruTV. Drew Barrymore was snorting cocaine by the time she was 13 and entered rehab for the second time when she was 14 when she attempted suicide. She lost her career for a while but made a comeback in the '90s after starring in Poison Ivy, Wayne's World 2, Scream, The Wedding Singer, and Never Been Kissed. So, technically, she did become famous as an adult actress.
The most recent troubled child actor I can think of is probably Lindsay Lohan. It's hard for me to think that barely six years ago, a lot of people liked her and she was hot. Cocaine posession and two DUI's later, she's one of the most hated actresses in Hollywood. Unlike other child actors, she made the transition to an adult actress well starring as Meryl Streep's daughter in Robert Altman's final film, A Prairie Home Companion. She also starred in Emilio Estevez's Bobby with Elijah Wood, Sharon Stone, Demi Moore, Martin Sheen, and Estevez himself. She also starred with Jane Fonda and Felicity Huffman in Georgia Rule. Now, after the DUI's and a few Razzie Awards for I Know Who Killed Me, she has lost a lot of film deals. She was supposed to star as Heather Graham's role (Jade the Stripper) in The Hangover, but she didn't like the script (That's a dumbass move ) She is however going to star in Robert Rodriguez's Machete (a film based off of his and Tarantino's film, Grindhouse). I hope she experiences the comeback that Barrymore did because, in my opinion, she's really talented. Even Jamie Lee Curtis, Meryl Streep, Tina Fey, Emilio Estevez, Jane Fonda, and a few other talented actors have expressed their fondness of her acting.
Some other notable mentions include Britney Spears - I'm not even going to try and write a paragraph about all of her problems. Dana Plato, Corey Feldman and Haim, Gary Coleman, and Jodie Sweetin are other actors who couldn't make the transition. It's hard to be taken seriously as an actor when you'll always be remembered as that fresh-faced young child in whatever film or TV Show they were in.
Vanessa Hudgens, star of High School Musical (ew), had some unflattering photos her leaked online, yet she still has a career. It makes me wonder where Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, and the "Jo Bros" will be in ten years. For being only 17, Miley Cyrus causes a lot of controversy with photo shoots, music videos, poles at Kids Choice Awards, and giving lap dances to 45-year old film producers who are gay. I think that tops anything Britney or Lindsay did at that age. Where do you think this set of "young Hollywood" kids will be in ten years? This includes Semi, Delena, and all those other Disney Channel kids.
Bobby Driscoll was also one of Disney's right-hand actors. He was in Song of the South and So Dear to My Heart, but you probably know him best as the voice of Peter Pan in the 1953 Disney animated film. After hitting puberty and having a severe case of acne, Disney dropped him. He later went to college, but later dropped out because of the ridicule of his classmates. By this time, Bobby was already experimenting with heroin. He was later charged with assault with a deadly weapon and went to rehab. After moving to New York City penniless, he moved into Manhattan's underground. In 1968, his body was found by two boys in a tenement. The medical examination determined that he had died from heart failure caused by an advanced hardening of the arteries due to longtime drug abuse. It wasn't discovered that the body was his until 1972.
Of course, not all child actors became depressed drug addicts. Some of them basically fade into obscurity such as Hilary Duff, who was once popular in films such as Cheaper by the Dozen, A Cinderella Story, and The Perfect Man. She was probably best known on Disney's Lizzie McGuire. She hasn't released an album since 2007 (She is actaully not signed to a record label, at the moment) and her last film was released to ABC Family. She is however living peacefully and engaged.
Not all child actors that can't progress to adult roles are associated with Disney. Anyone remember Danny Bonaduce? Yeah, I don't either but I've heard of him. Apparently after starring in the Partridge Family, he became drug addicted and lived in his car behind the Grauman's Chinese Theater. He later waxed his eyebrow on TruTV. Drew Barrymore was snorting cocaine by the time she was 13 and entered rehab for the second time when she was 14 when she attempted suicide. She lost her career for a while but made a comeback in the '90s after starring in Poison Ivy, Wayne's World 2, Scream, The Wedding Singer, and Never Been Kissed. So, technically, she did become famous as an adult actress.
The most recent troubled child actor I can think of is probably Lindsay Lohan. It's hard for me to think that barely six years ago, a lot of people liked her and she was hot. Cocaine posession and two DUI's later, she's one of the most hated actresses in Hollywood. Unlike other child actors, she made the transition to an adult actress well starring as Meryl Streep's daughter in Robert Altman's final film, A Prairie Home Companion. She also starred in Emilio Estevez's Bobby with Elijah Wood, Sharon Stone, Demi Moore, Martin Sheen, and Estevez himself. She also starred with Jane Fonda and Felicity Huffman in Georgia Rule. Now, after the DUI's and a few Razzie Awards for I Know Who Killed Me, she has lost a lot of film deals. She was supposed to star as Heather Graham's role (Jade the Stripper) in The Hangover, but she didn't like the script (That's a dumbass move ) She is however going to star in Robert Rodriguez's Machete (a film based off of his and Tarantino's film, Grindhouse). I hope she experiences the comeback that Barrymore did because, in my opinion, she's really talented. Even Jamie Lee Curtis, Meryl Streep, Tina Fey, Emilio Estevez, Jane Fonda, and a few other talented actors have expressed their fondness of her acting.
Some other notable mentions include Britney Spears - I'm not even going to try and write a paragraph about all of her problems. Dana Plato, Corey Feldman and Haim, Gary Coleman, and Jodie Sweetin are other actors who couldn't make the transition. It's hard to be taken seriously as an actor when you'll always be remembered as that fresh-faced young child in whatever film or TV Show they were in.
Vanessa Hudgens, star of High School Musical (ew), had some unflattering photos her leaked online, yet she still has a career. It makes me wonder where Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, and the "Jo Bros" will be in ten years. For being only 17, Miley Cyrus causes a lot of controversy with photo shoots, music videos, poles at Kids Choice Awards, and giving lap dances to 45-year old film producers who are gay. I think that tops anything Britney or Lindsay did at that age. Where do you think this set of "young Hollywood" kids will be in ten years? This includes Semi, Delena, and all those other Disney Channel kids.