The Dark Secrets of Child Stars: Discover Where Drew Barrymore, Haley Joel Osment, and Others Are Now!

Creepy children in horror movies are a terrifying sight, often even worse. However, it is interesting to note that many of these child actors have gone on to achieve remarkable success in their adult lives.

In 1984, Drew Barrymore portrayed the lead character in Firestarter, a film adapted from Stephen King's novel of the same name. Prior to her Golden Globe win and hosting her own talk show, Barrymore, known for her role in Charlie's Angels, captivated audiences as Charlie McGee. This character was a young girl endowed with pyrokinesis, the power to manipulate fire using her mind.

Barrymore was just 8 years old when she starred in the movie, but her performance left a lasting impression on King, who has kept a signed poster of her as Charlie on his office wall for over 40 years. In a March 2021 episode of The Drew Barrymore Show, the author of Carrie praised her not only for her incredible acting skills at a young age but also for being a genuinely good person.

Despite her reputation as a "scream queen," Barrymore actually does not enjoy watching scary movies. She made a return to the horror genre as an adult in 1996's Scream, but revealed during an October 2020 episode of her talk show that she is terrified of scary movies and avoids watching them.

Barrymore and Haley Joel Osment both achieved immense fame after starring in horror movies as children. Osment, a native of California, gained recognition for his role as Cole Sear in the 1999 film "The Sixth Sense," where he portrayed a young boy with the ability to see spirits. Remarkably, Osment's outstanding performance earned him an Oscar nomination, making him the second-youngest person to be recognized for a supporting role.

During the casting process for the character of Cole, director M. Night Shyamalan auditioned numerous children. However, it was Osment who immediately impressed him. Shyamalan expressed his astonishment, stating, "It was as if I had never heard the dialogue before." In an interview with The New Yorker in October 2014, the filmmaker recounted the powerful impact of Osment's audition, describing how both he and Osment were moved to tears. Overwhelmed by the young actor's talent, Shyamalan exclaimed, "Oh, my God. Who are you?"

Keep scrolling to see what some of the most famous frightening kids have been doing since they haunted movie screens.

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Creepy Horror Movie Kids: Where Are They Now? Drew Barrymore, Haley Joel Osment and More

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Creepy children are a terrifying trope in horror movies, but some of the child actors who portrayed them have gone on to achieve great success as adults. One such example is Drew Barrymore, who is now a Golden Globe winner and talk show host. In 1984, she played the lead role in Firestarter, a film adaptation of Stephen King's novel. Barrymore portrayed Charlie McGee, a young girl with the power to control fire using her mind.

Barrymore's remarkable acting skills left a lasting impression on King, who still proudly displays a signed poster of the young actress as Charlie on his office wall for over four decades. During an episode of The Drew Barrymore Show in March 2021, the renowned Carrie author expressed his admiration, stating, "Not only were you an exceptional actress at such a tender age, but you were also a kind-hearted individual, and you continue to be."

Although Barrymore ventured back into the horror genre in 1996's Scream as an adult, it may come as a surprise that she is not a fan of scary movies, despite being dubbed the "scream queen." In an episode of her talk show in October 2020, she revealed, "Funny enough, contrary to popular belief, I am absolutely terrified of scary movies and avoid watching them."

Barrymore and Haley Joel Osment both achieved immense fame after starring in horror movies as children. In 1999, Osment, a California native, played the role of Cole Sear in The Sixth Sense, portraying a young boy with the ability to see deceased individuals. His exceptional performance earned him an Oscar nomination, making him the second-youngest person to receive a nod for a supporting role. During auditions for the role of Cole, director M. Night Shyamalan encountered numerous child actors, but Osment was the first to deeply impress him. Shyamalan expressed astonishment, stating that it felt as though he heard the dialogue for the first time during Osment's audition. Emotionally moved by Osment's acting, Shyamalan and the young actor found themselves in tears after the scene. Overwhelmed by Osment's talent, Shyamalan exclaimed, "Oh, my God. Who are you?" in disbelief.

Keep scrolling to see what some of the most famous frightening kids have been doing since they haunted movie screens.

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Drew Barrymore, 'Firestarter'

After starring in Firestarter, Barrymore collaborated with King again for Cat's Eye in 1985. Since then, she has appeared in numerous films, including Batman Forever, The Wedding Singer, Never Been Kissed, Donnie Darko, 50 First Dates, and Going the Distance. In 2009, Barrymore made her directorial debut with Whip It, and the following year, she received a Golden Globe for her role in HBO's Grey Gardens. Since 2020, she has been hosting The Drew Barrymore Show.

Barrymore was previously married to Tom Green from 2001 to 2002. Following her relationships with Fabrizio Moretti and Justin Long, she tied the knot with Will Kopelman in 2012. However, the couple divorced in 2016. They have two daughters together, Olive and Frankie.

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Linda Blair, 'The Exorcist'

Regan MacNeil, the young girl possessed by evil in the iconic horror film The Exorcist, remains the Missouri native’s most well-known role. Blair went on to reprise the character in Exorcist II: The Heretic, and also showcased her talent in other notable movies such as Hell Night, Repossessed, and Witchery. In addition, she made a memorable cameo appearance in the original Scream, where she shared the screen with fellow horror movie child star Barrymore.

The Golden Globe winner dated Rick James in the early 1980s. The "Super Freak" singer later said that he wrote the song "Cold Blooded" about Blair.

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Daveigh Chase, 'The Ring'

Chase had a terrifying impact on audiences when she portrayed Samara Morgan in 2002's The Ring, forever changing the way viewers perceived wells. Originally from Nevada, Chase went on to showcase her talent in notable roles such as those in Big Love, Without a Trace, and American Romance. She even reprised her role as Samara through archive footage in subsequent Ring sequels. Additionally, Disney enthusiasts may recognize Chase for her voice work as Lilo in the original Lilo & Stitch film, as well as in its sequels and spinoff TV show.

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John Franklin, 'Children of the Corn'

Franklin portrayed Isaac Chroner, the young leader of a deadly cult, in the 1984 film Children of the Corn, based on a short story by King. He also appeared as Cousin Itt in The Addams Family and its sequel Addams Family Values. Additional notable roles in film and television include Chicago Hope, Wag the Dog, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Fresh Off the Boat.

Taking a hiatus from acting in the early 2000s, the Illinois native pursued a career as a high school teacher for 14 years before making a comeback in the entertainment industry in 2016.

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Isabelle Fuhrman, 'Orphan'

Following her portrayal of Esther, the central character in the 2009 film Orphan, Fuhrman went on to depict Clove, the tribute from District 2 in The Hunger Games. Her extensive list of credits in film and television includes notable works such as Masters of Sex, The Novice, and One Night. Moreover, she will be returning to reprise her role as Esther in the highly anticipated sequel, Orphan: First Kill, scheduled to release in August 2022.

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Lisa and Louise Burns, 'The Shining'

In the 1980 film "The Shining," the characters of the Grady girls were portrayed by the Burns twins. Although they did not continue pursuing acting careers, fans now have the opportunity to connect with them through Cameo. By requesting personalized videos, fans can hear the twins utter their iconic line: "Come play with us, Danny."

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Haley Joel Osment, 'The Sixth Sense'

During his childhood, Osment gained recognition for his performances in A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Pay It Forward, and Secondhand Lions. Following his graduation from New York University, he continued to showcase his talent in various film and television projects such as Yoga Hosers, The Spoils of Babylon, Future Man, and The Boys. Currently, he is set to star in Dave Franco's upcoming movie Somebody I Used to Know.

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Miko Hughes, 'Pet Sematary'

Following his portrayal of Gage Creed in the 1989 rendition of Pet Sematary (another adaptation of a Stephen King novel), Hughes went on to star in Kindergarten Cop, Apollo 13, and Spawn. Additionally, he took on the role of Aaron, Michelle's antagonist, in the beloved television series Full House. As he entered adulthood, Hughes graced the screens in notable works such as Tropic Thunder, Veronica Mars, and Scrubs.

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Patty McCormack, 'The Bad Seed'

McCormack received an Oscar nomination for portraying Rhoda, a potentially murderous preteen, in the 1956 film The Bad Seed. Born in New York, she went on to have a prolific career in both movies and television. Some of her notable appearances include Rawhide, Hart of Dixie, The Master, and Criminal Minds. On The Sopranos, she portrayed Liz La Cerva, the mother of Adriana (Drea de Matteo). In 2018, McCormack made a cameo appearance in a TV remake of The Bad Seed, directed by Rob Lowe.

The Scandal alum shares two children with ex-husband Bob Catania, whom she divorced in 1973.

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Harvey Spencer Stephens, 'The Omen'

Stephens portrayed Damien, a juvenile who is ultimately revealed as the Antichrist, in The Omen of 1976. Despite garnering a Golden Globe nomination for his acting, he discontinued his pursuit in the field. Nevertheless, he made a brief appearance in the 2006 reimagining of The Omen, featuring Julia Stiles and Liev Schreiber.

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Macaulay Culkin, 'The Good Son'

After gaining immense popularity from his role in Home Alone, Culkin took on the character of Henry, a young boy fixated on death, in the 1993 film The Good Son. As he grew older, the actor from My Girl went on to feature in other notable works such as Saved!, Party Monster, American Horror Story: Double Feature, and The Righteous Gemstones.

During the years 1998 to 2002, Culkin was married to Rachel Miner. Following this, he began a relationship with Mila Kunis before eventually starting a new chapter with Brenda Song, his co-star from the movie Changeland. Their first child, a son named Dakota, arrived in April 2021. In March 2023, news broke that Song had secretly given birth to their second child, a son named Carson, sometime before Christmas 2022.

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Megan Charpentier, 'Mama'

In 2013's Mama,

Megan Charpentier, 'Mama'

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Isabelle Nélisse, 'Mama'

After playing the other feral sister in Mama, Nélisse reunited with Charpentier in It. She has also appeared in The Strain, The Tale and The Far Shore.

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Danny Lloyd, 'The Shining'

Lloyd, known for his portrayal of Jack Nicholson's son Danny in The Shining, reappeared on the silver screen almost four decades later in Doctor Sleep, the sequel to the iconic horror film. In the 2019 adaptation, Ewan McGregor assumed the role of an adult Danny, while Lloyd made a fleeting appearance as a spectator at a baseball game.

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Christina Ricci, 'The Addams Family'

While the Addams Family movies leaned more towards comedy rather than horror, Christina Ricci's portrayal of Wednesday Addams in both films, The Addams Family and Addams Family Values, was brilliantly eerie and amusing. Ricci's incredible talent as a child actor propelled her to great success, starring in notable films such as Casper and Now and Then in 1995 alone. As an adult, she continued to thrive, taking on lead roles in popular TV shows like Yellowjackets and Wednesday, where she impressively embodies the role of Wednesday Addams' principal.

Ricci is a mom of two: she shares son Freddie with ex-husband James Heerdegen and daughter Cleo with husband Mark Hampton, whom she wed in 2021.

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Heather O’Rourke, 'Poltergeist'

O’Rourke’s Carol Ann became a vessel for the malevolent spirits in the movie Poltergeist, famously declaring, "They’re here!" while surrounded by static on a television screen. Despite reprising her role in the subsequent two installments of the Poltergeist franchise, the young actress tragically passed away from septic shock before the release of the third film. O’Rourke's untimely demise occurred in 1988, merely six years after the initial movie premiered.

In this article

Drew Barrymore

Haley Joel Osment

Isabelle Fuhrman

Macaulay Culkin

stephen king