25 Former Child Actors Who Look Either Completely Different Or Exactly The Same 20 Years Later

BuzzFeed
·4 min read
40

1.Miranda Cosgrove in 2004:

Miranda Cosgrove on the red carpet wearing a green jacket over a mesh top, smiling towards the camera

Known for: iCarly, Drake & Josh, and School of Rock

Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images

Miranda Cosgrove in 2024:

Miranda Cosgrove smiles while wearing a floral dress with a plunging neckline at an event
Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images

2.Macaulay Culkin and Brenda Song in 2004:

Macaulay Culkin in a suit next to Brenda Song in a sheer black top giving a thumbs-up at an event

Macaulay known for: the Home Alone movies, Richie Rich, and American Horror Story

Brenda known for: The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior, Get a Clue, and Dollface

Steve Granitz / WireImage / Getty Images

Macaulay Culkin and Brenda Song in 2024:

Macaulay Culkin and Brenda Song pose together at a CLARINS event. Macaulay wears glasses, a dark jacket, and a white shirt; Brenda wears a strapless top
Olivia Wong / Getty Images

3.Raven-Symoné in 2004:

Raven-Symoné at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, wearing a striped top, sheer wrap, jeans, and a matching cap

Known for: That's So Raven, The Cosby Show, The Cheetah Girls

Steve Granitz / WireImage

Raven-Symoné in 2024:

Raven-Symoné smiles at an event, wearing a navy pinstripe blazer over a white top, accessorized with layered gold necklaces
Unique Nicole / Getty Images

4.Thomas Brodie-Sangster in 2004:

Thomas Brodie-Sangster in casual attire at an event, wearing a patterned tie, blue shirt, and black blazer. People converse in the background

Known for: Love Actually, Nanny McPhee, the Maze Runner franchise, Game of Thrones, and The Queen's Gambit

Dave M. Benett / Getty Images

Thomas Brodie-Sangster in 2024:

Thomas Brodie-Sangster at an indoor event, dressed in a dark suit with a bronze shirt
Dave Benett / Dave Benett / WireImage

5.Jennette McCurdy in 2004:

A young girl with long hair, wearing a black dress with floral embroidery, smiles at the camera at an event

Known for: iCarly, Sam & Cat, and Between

Mike Fanous / Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Jennette McCurdy in 2024:

6.Aly & AJ in 2004:

Vanessa Lengies and AJ Michalka smile on the red carpet, wearing casual tops with intricate patterns and necklaces

Together known for: Cow Belles and their music as a pop rock duo

Aly: Phil of the Future, Easy A, and iZombie

AJ: Super 8, The Goldbergs, and Schooled

Lee Celano / WireImage

Aly & AJ in 2024:

Aly Michalka and AJ Michalka pose on the red carpet. Aly is wearing a checkered coat, and AJ is in a black dress with sheer sleeves
Monica Schipper / Getty Images

7.Alexa PenaVega in 2004:

Smiling person with long, wavy hair on a red carpet, wearing a strapless top

Known for: the Spy Kids franchise, Sleepover, and Nashville

Steve Granitz / WireImage

Alexa PenaVega in 2024:

Andrea Barber smiles in front of a blue backdrop at a Great American Family event, wearing a sleeveless floral dress while posed next to someone partially out of frame
Michael Hickey / Getty Images

8.Tia and Tamera Mowry in 2004:

Tia Mowry and Tamera Mowry at a Princess Diaries event. Tia wears a scarf and jeans; Tamera wears a yellow hoodie and track pants. Banner in the background

Known for: Sister, Sister and the Twitches movies

Amanda Edwards / Getty Images

Tia and Tamera Mowry in 2024:

Tamera Mowry in a red dress and Tia Mowry in a grey suit with a black top smile at a red carpet event
Paras Griffin / Getty Images for ESSENCE

9.Josh Peck in 2004:

Josh Peck smiles while wearing a denim jacket and a graphic t-shirt at a red carpet event. Poster of a woman in the background

Known for: Drake & Josh and The Amanda Show

Mark Mainz / Getty Images

Josh Peck in 2024:

Josh Peck on the red carpet at the Hollywood Creative Alliance event, wearing a dark suit and black shirt. Background features Biltmore Los Angeles and ASTRAS logos
Variety / Variety via Getty Images

10.Emma Watson in 2004:

Emma Watson on the red carpet, wearing a strapless, knee-length dress with ballet flats

Known for: the Harry Potter franchise, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Beauty & the Beast, and Little Women

Thos Robinson / Getty Images

Emma Watson in 2024:

Emma Watson smiling, wearing a lace short dress with a black coat, walking outdoors under umbrellas held by others
Victor Boyko / Getty Images

11.Zac Efron in 2004:

A young person in a floral-patterned white shirt stands in front of a backdrop featuring multiple "WB" logos

Known for: the High School Musical movies, 17 Again, Neighbors, Baywatch, and The Greatest Showman

Jean-paul Aussenard / WireImage

Zac Efron in 2024:

Zac Efron, in a stylish suit jacket, poses for the camera at a National Board of Review event. A person is blurred in the background
Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images for National Board of Review

12.Vanessa Hudgens in 2004:

Vanessa Hudgens at a film festival, wearing a casual outfit: light jacket over a black top paired with jeans. She is smiling and posing in front of a banner

Known for: the High School Musical movies, Sucker Punch, Spring Breakers, and the Princess Switch movies

Peter Kramer / Getty Images

Vanessa Hudgens in 2024:

Vanessa Hudgens on the red carpet, wearing a sheer black dress with a flowing cape and large earrings
Amy Sussman / Getty Images

13.Abigail Breslin in 2004:

A young Abigail Breslin wearing a camouflage beanie and a scarf, smiling at an event

Known for: Little Miss Sunshine, My Sister's Keeper, and Definitely, Maybe

Jim Spellman / WireImage

Abigail Breslin in 2024:

Abigail Breslin attends a Clarins event, wearing a casual light denim jacket and a white top, with loose, wavy hair
Olivia Wong / Getty Images

14.Haley Joel Osment in 2004:

Young man with medium-length blond hair wearing a grey checkered blazer and black shirt, smiling in front of a step-and-repeat banner

Known for: The Sixth Sense, Pay It Forward, and A.I. Artificial Intelligence

Jon Kopaloff / FilmMagic

Haley Joel Osment in 2024:

Haley Joel Osment smiles at the camera at a red carpet event, wearing a dark suit jacket over a black shirt
Olivia Wong / Getty Images

15.Tyler James Williams in 2004:

Young person in a suit speaking into a microphone at a formal event with the words "Diverse Awards" in the background

Known for: Everybody Hates Chris and Abbott Elementary

Stephen Shugerman / Getty Images

Tyler James Williams in 2024:

A person in a black leather suit stands in front of a background with "FOX" and "EMMY" text
Gilbert Flores / Variety via Getty Images

16.Dakota Fanning in 2004:

A young girl, Dakota Fanning, smiles brightly with a shoulder-length bob haircut and wearing a ruffled top, standing outside with a building in the background

Known for: Uptown Girls, Man on Fire, I Am Sam, The Secret Life of Bees, and the Twilight franchise

Lee Celano / WireImage / Getty Images

Dakota Fanning in 2024:

Dakota Fanning at a Tribeca Festival event, wearing a white silk blouse and smiling at the camera
Jamie Mccarthy / Getty Images for Tribeca Festival

17.Kyle Massey in 2004:

A person wearing a polo shirt with red, white, and black stripes, and a necklace with a rectangular pendant, pointing towards the camera with both hands

Known for: That's So Raven and Cory in the House

M. Von Holden / FilmMagic

Kyle Massey in 2024:

A person smiling, making hand gestures, wearing jeans, a brown shirt, a brown jacket, a watch, and a green cap, standing in front of a floral display and West Coast Hustle sign
Paul Archuleta / Getty Images

18.Hilary Duff in 2004:

Hilary Duff at a 2004 event, wearing a sleeveless top and layered gold necklaces

Known for: the Lizzie McGuire show and movie, A Cinderella Story, Raise Your Voice, The Perfect Man, and Younger

Steve Granitz / WireImage

Hilary Duff in 2024:

19.Josh Hutcherson in 2004:

Young boy smiling, wearing a plaid shirt over a t-shirt with the logo "Lost Enterprises," at a media event. Name not provided or recognizable

Josh Hutcherson in 2024:

Josh Hutcherson, seated and smiling, in a brown suit and black shirt on a talk show set with a cityscape backdrop
Nbc / Todd Owyoung / NBC via Getty Images

20.Lindsay Lohan in 2004:

Lindsay Lohan smiles in front of a backdrop featuring promotional images of herself. She wears a black outfit and a gold necklace with three linked circles

Known for: Mean Girls, Freaky Friday, The Parent Trap, and Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen

Evan Agostini / Getty Images

Lindsay Lohan in 2024:

Lindsay Lohan on the red carpet, wearing a strapless metallic dress and long earrings, with her hair down
Christopher Polk / Variety via Getty Images

21.Corbin Bleu in 2004:

A young person with curly hair, wearing a simple white shirt, smiles while leaning against a tree

Known for: the High School Musical movies and Jump In!

Barry King / WireImage

Corbin Bleu in 2024:

Corbin Bleu smiling, wearing a suit jacket over a white dress shirt at a public event
Bruce Glikas / WireImage / Getty Images

22.Tyler Posey in 2004:

Young boy holding a large cell phone, wearing a patterned shirt, sitting in a bedroom

Known for: Teen Wolf, Maid in Manhattan, Doc, and Jane the Virgin

PAX TV / Via youtube.com

Tyler Posey in 2024:

Tyler Posey, sitting outdoors without a shirt and showing extensive tattoos, invites viewers to sit down and meditate with him
Tyler Posey / instagram.com

23.Emma Roberts in 2004:

Young girl on a red carpet, wearing a strapless top, flared jeans, and sandals, with people and event displays in the background

Known for: Unfabulous, American Horror Story, Aquamarine, We're the Millers, and Scream Queens

Lee Celano / WireImage

Emma Roberts in 2024:

Emma Roberts in a black, cut-out dress at the Spirit Awards
Jc Olivera / The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images

24.Dylan and Cole Sprouse in 2004:

Dylan and Cole Sprouse on the red carpet, smiling with their arms around each other, wearing casual button-up shirts

Together known for: The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, The Suite Life on Deck, Big Daddy

Dylan: After We Collided

Cole: Riverdale

J. Vespa / WireImage

Dylan and Cole Sprouse in 2024:

Dylan and Cole Sprouse smile while standing together on a red carpet. Both are wearing dark, stylish suits.
Leon Bennett / Getty Images

25.And finally, Keke Palmer in 2004:

A boy sits relaxed in a chair outdoors with his legs propped up, wearing a sweater over a shirt, pants, and headphones

Known for: Akeelah and the Bee, True Jackson, VP, Nope, and Hustlers

Edward M. PioRoda / ?TNT / Courtesy Everett Collection

Keke Palmer in 2024:

Keke Palmer strikes a confident pose on the red carpet, wearing an elegant, shimmering gown with intricate embellishments, surrounded by photographers
Jeff Kravitz / FilmMagic
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next