Child stars you recognize working today. While there are many child stars, it takes someone special to make it from kid to adult in the entertainment industry. There are lots of pitfalls a former child star can succumb to, like drug use, gambling and other addictions. It's also hard to overcome the fact that, in many cases, you simply cannot just get by on your cute kid looks. Some young actors actually do make the crossover into adulthood though. These former child stars are some of the few that have made it over the hurdle of adolescence and into adulthood intact. People like Jason Bateman, Natalie Portmant, Neil Patrick Harris and even Ron Howard. They not only made it out of the former child star pit unscathed, but have florished as adult working actors, writers and directors.
http://www.ranker.com/list/greatest-former-child-stars/carlybobarly,
Alyssa Milano
b. 1972 - "Who's the Boss?" (1984-1992)
Christina Applegate
b. 1971 - "Married... with Children" (1987-97)
Christina Ricci
b. 1980 - Mermaids (1990), The Addams Family (1991), Addams Family Values (1993), Casper (1995), Now and Then (1995)
Drew Barrymore
b. 1975 - E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982)
Jodie Foster
b. 1962 - Tom Sawyer (1973), Freaky Friday (1976), Taxi Driver (1976)
Kurt Russell
b. 1951 - "The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit" (1968), "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes" (1969)
Natalie Portman
b. 1981 - The Professional (1994), Heat (1995), Beautiful Girls (1996),
Neil Patrick Harris
b. 1973 - "Doogie Howser, M.D." (1989-1993)
Reese Witherspoon
b. 1976 - The Man in the Moon (1991), A Far Off Place (1993), Jack the Bear (1993), Return to Lonesome Dove (1993)
Ron Howard
b. 1954 - "The Andy Griffith Show" (1960-68), The Music Man (1962)