The 90’s was a decade of iconic fashion choices and, indisputably some of the most legendary movies and TV series. Many of the world’s biggest stars rose to fame during this era. Yet, many of the A-Listers from back then decided to step away from the spotlight in favor of a more laid-back lifestyle, while some have continued on to have a strong showbiz career. Have you ever wondered what happened to your favorite 90’s teen and child stars? Read on to discover what some of the hottest superstars of the 90’s are up to today.
#1 Amanda Bynes
Then…
Now…
Amanda Bynes rose to fame in the 1990s while starring in Nickelodeon’s comedy series All That and The Amanda Show. Despite starring in a number of successful flicks, such as What a Girl Wants (2003), She’s The Man (2006), Hairspray (2007), and Easy A (2010), she eventually decided to go on an indefinite break from acting in 2010. In March 2020, Amanda shared that she’s expecting her first child with fiance Paul Michael.
#2 Mara Wilson
Then…
Now…
Who wouldn’t remember the adorable little girl from Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Miracle on 34th Street (1994), and Matilda (1996)? But Mara Wilson decided to step away from the Hollywood spotlight at the young age of 13. Today, she’s focused on her writing and doing podcasts.
#3 Tatyana Ali
Then…
Now…
Tatyana Ali propelled to stardom while playing the role of Ashley Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air from 1990 to 1996. When the show’s run came to an end, she pursued a career in music, releasing tracks like “Day Dreamin’” and “Boy You Knock Me Out” which featured Will Smith. More recently, in 2019, Tatyana starred in the Lifetime TV Movie, Christmas Hotel. She’s also a dedicated mom to two adorable baby boys.
#4 Mark Paul Gosselaar
Then…
Now…
If Zack Morris didn’t steal your heart, then it’s probably because you haven’t seen Saved By The Bell. Mark Paul Gosselaar starred in the hit-series as the lovable Zack from 1989 to 1993. Mark Paul currently stars in the ABC series, Mixed-ish (a prequel to Black-ish), as Paul Jackson. This year, he’ll be reprising his Zack Morris role in the Saved By The Bell reboot which is set to stream on Peacock.
#5 Macaulay Culkin
Then…
Now…
Macaulay Culkin was, without a doubt, one of the most successful child actors of all time starring in movies such as Home Alone 1&2, My Girl (1991), The Nutcracker (1993), and Richie Rich (1994). He took a break from acting at the age of 14 and returned to the little and big screen in 2003 with roles on Will & Grace and the movie Party Monster (2003). Macaulay’s currently the CEO of a lifestyle website and podcast called Bunny Ears.
#6 Mary Kate Olsen
Then…
Now…
Mary Kate played the role of Michelle Tanner (shared with Ashley Olsen) on Full House from 1987 to 1995. Soon after, she and her sister Ashley produced and starred in movies like Passport to Paris (1999) and So Little Time (2001-2002). Her last movie appearance was in the 2011 flick, Beastly. She has since decided to retire from acting in order to focus on the luxury fashion brand she co-founded, The Row.
#7 Ashley Olsen
Then…
Now…
After years of appearing in the same movies and series together with her twin sister, Ashley Olsen decided to make independent appearances in the movies The Jerk Theory (2009) and I’m Still Here (2010). Just like Mary Kate, Ashley has also decided to step away from acting and focus on her career in the fashion industry.
#8 Julia Stiles
Then…
Now…
After starring in the iconic film “10 Things I Hate About You” in 1999, Julia Stiles went on to star in a bunch of other successful movies like The Prince and Me, and The Jason Bourne series.
Over the past twenty years, Julia Stiles has continuously maintained her film industry presence with movies like It’s a Disaster, Between Us, Misconduct, The Drowning, and Trouble.
In 2019, the actress portrayed the role of Elizabeth in the comedy/crime flick, Hustlers, alongside Jennifer Lopez. She currently portrays the role of Georgina Clios in the Sky Atlantic Series, Riviera. The distinguished actress is also married to Preston Cook and a mother to 2-year-old Strummer Newcomb Cooke.
#9 Mario Lopez
Then…
Now…
Mario Lopez portrayed the role of A.C. Slater on Saved By The Bell from 1989-1993. He’s since starred in The Bold and the Beautiful (2006) and Dancing with the Stars (2006). Mario’s currently an anchor for the entertainment news program Access Hollywood and will be appearing in the Saved By The Bell reboot this year.
#10 Mila Kunis
Then…
Now…
This Ukrainian stunner came to America with her family when she was seven years old in the year 1991. She may not have initially known how to speak English, but she defied the odds and showed that perseverance and determination can make dreams come true. In 1998, Mila Kunis rose to fame when she joined the cast of the That ‘70s Show as Jackie Burkhart. The A-lister solidified her superstar status as she continued to showcase her talent in blockbuster films, like Friends With Benefits, Bad Moms, and Black Swan. She recently starred in 2018’s The Spy Who Dumped Me and 2020’s Four Good Days. In 2015, she married her That 70’s Show co-star, Ashton Kutcher, with whom she shares two adorable children.
#11 Ross Bagley
Then…
Now…
Ross Bagley took on the role of the youngest member of the Banks family, Nicky, on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air from 1994-1996. Nowadays, Ross is a DJ who goes by the name Ro$$y B. He’s also a proud dad to his son who happens to look EXACTLY like Ross circa Fresh Prince days.
#12 Benjamin David Salisbury
Then…
Now…
We know him best as Brighton, the middle child and only son of the Sheffield family, on the comedy sitcom “The Nanny”. Benjamin Salisbury starred in The Nanny from 1993 to 1999. Most of us may know him as an actor, but Benjamin is quite the accomplished dancer as well. He would often entertain studio audiences with his improv dance moves in between takes. Benjamin went on to take on roles in the movies Captain Ron, D3: The Mighty Ducks, and The Oz Kids. In the early 2000s, the actor starred in the flicks Sabotage and Numb3ers. In 2004, he participated in the television reunion special of The Nanny, titled The Nanny: A Nosh to Remember. Since 2017, Benjamin has been working as the director of operations at Universal Studios Hollywood.
#13 Melissa Joan Hart
Then…
Now…
The OG teenage witch, Melissa Joan Hart, had us spellbound from 1996 to 2003 on Sabrina the Teenage Witch. After the show concluded, the charismatic actress took part in countless TV shows and movies, such as Boy Meets World, Teen Angel, Robot Chicken, Melissa & Joey, and When I Was 17. She even lent her voice to Becca Chang, a character on the animated Nickelodeon series, The Loud House. In 2019, she starred in Netflix’s No Good Nick as Liz, and portrayed the role of Holly Anderson in the 2019 holiday flick, Christmas Reservations. A few years back, the actress was able to live out her childhood dream of establishing her own candy store, Sweet Harts. Melissa is also a proud mom to 3 children and maintains an active social media presence on Instagram.
#14 Keshia Knight Pulliam
Then…
Now…
The role of Rudy Huxtable on the Cosby Show was portrayed by Keshia Knight Pulliam from 1984 to 1992. At the age of 7, she became the youngest actress to be nominated for an Emmy. In 2018, she appeared on CBS Celebrity Big Brother. Nowadays, she’s busy documenting her journey as a chef on social media through @KeshiasKitchen.
#15 Sarah Michelle Gellar
Then…
Now…
Sarah is mostly known for playing the role of Buffy Summers on Buffy the Vampire Slayer from 1997 to 2003. She went on to star in hit movies and TV shows, such as Scooby Doo, the Grudge, Possession, American Dad, Ringer, Those Who Can’t, and the Bigbang Theory. Aside from having a successful acting career, Sarah has also dabbled in the food business by releasing cookbooks and co-founding Foodstirs, a company that produces baking kits. She’s set to star in the series Sometimes I Lie, which she’ll be producing alongside Ellen Degeneres. With regard to her personal life, the superstar has been happily married to Freddie Prinze Jr. for 17 years and counting, and she is a mother of two.
#16 Kenan Thompson
Then…
Now…
“Kenan & Kel” brought us laughs with their hilarious antics from 1996 to 2000. Kenan Thomspon continues to deliver comedic sketches on Saturday Night Live, which he’s been a cast member of since 2003. Kenan’s single camera series, The Kenan Show, is set to air on NBC this 2020.
#17 Kel Mitchell
Then…
Now…
One half of the dynamic duo, Kenan & Kel, is most iconic for his love of orange soda throughout the series which aired from 1996 to 2000 (Who loves orange soda?). Kel returned to Nickelodeon in 2015 for the show Game Shakers until its series finale in 2019. In the same year, he finished in 2nd place as a celebrity contestant on Dancing with the Stars.
#18 Alicia Silverstone
Then…
Now…
Clueless star Alicia Silverstone, graced the silver screen with her iconic fashion choices in 1995, but before that the captivating actress gained popularity by starring in Aerosmith’s music video for the hit song “Cryin’”. Over the past two decades, the actress has been extensively active in animal rights and environment activism and advocacy. In May 2011, Alicia gave birth to her first son, Bear Blu Jarecki. More recently, she appeared in the 2019 horror film, The Lodge, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. This year, she has collaborated with Netflix for two series, The Babysitters Club and Masters of the Universe: Revelation. Alicia is also the co-founder of MyKind Organics, a vegan supplement line.
#19 Sara Gilbert
Then…
Now…
You may recognize this charismatic star as the spunky Darlene Connor from the immensely popular 90’s sitcom, Roseanne. After the success of the show, Sara Gilbert starred on several other TV shows, such as The Bigbang Theory and Atypical. The actress publicly came out as lesbian in 2010. Sara took the brave step of declaring her gender identity to the world during a promotion for the premiere of The Talk. In 2014, the actress tied the knot with singer/songwriter, Linda Perry. The pair split 5 years later, but are proud parents to an adorable boy named Rhodes. Roseanne was momentarily brought back to the small screen back in 2018, wherein, Sara reprised her iconic role. Currently, Sara stars in the show’s spinoff, The Connors.
#20 Ben Savage
Then…
Now…
Who wouldn’t remember the lovable plot and characters of Boy Meets World? The sitcom put a hilariously endearing twist on the struggles and misadventures of a young boy on his journey to adulthood. More recently, Ben Savage has taken his comedic skills to other TV shows, like Speechless and Criminal Minds. From 2014-2017 he reprised his role as Cory Matthews in Girl Meets World, which is a spinoff to the original Boy Meets World.
#21 Jonathan William Lipnicki
Then…
Now…
You may recognize this cute kid as George Little from the endearing ‘90s movie, Stuart Little. The captivating child actor ventured into a long list of showbiz projects after the success of Stuart Little. A few of the most notable characters he portrayed were Tony Thompson in The Little Vampire, Murph in Like Mike, and Jonathan Flipmicky in Awkward Party. In 2019, he starred as Cory in the movie, A Second Chance, and he is starring in an upcoming short film of which the release date is yet to be announced. Aside from being active in the film industry, Jonathan actively participates in philanthropy, supporting causes for diabetes and breast cancer research.
#22 Rumer Willis
Then…
Now…
The oldest daughter of Hollywood legends, Demi Moore and Bruce Willis, made her showbiz debut alongside her mother in the1995 movie, Now and Then. A few years later, she worked alongside her father in the films, The Whole Nine Yards and Hostage. Rumer is still very much active in the film industry. In 2015, she made waves with her impressive dance moves as a celebrity contestant on Dancing with the Stars. Her latest endeavors include her role as Joanna Pettet in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
#23 Madeline Zima
Then…
Now…
This charmer first gained recognition in the showbiz industry as the adorable Grace Sheffield on the CBS sitcom, The Nanny. After the show drew to a close, the little star proceeded to showcase her acting chops in multiple prominent movies and TV shows, such as Grey’s Anatomy and Ghost Whisperer. Madeline recently starred as Rachel in an episode of Netflix’s most popular psychological thriller, You.
#24 Camilla Belle
Then…
Now…
Camilla Belle launched her acting career as Jane in the 1995 family drama, A Little Princess. The actress starred in numerous TV shows and movies from that point on.Her most remarkable endeavors include Jurassic Park, The Patriot, Doll Face, and The Mad Whale. Many people probably also remember her from the Jonas’ Brothers’ Lovebug music video, where she met Joe Jonas, whom she dated for seven months. Additionally, the Brazilian beauty has quite a few young actor award nominations under her belt.
#25 Winona Ryder
Then…
Now…
Winona Ryder has been taking on iconic roles since 1986 when she made her silver screen debut on the coming of age flick, Lucas. Next, she was cast in the comedy horror film by Tim Burton, Beetlejuice, wherein she portrayed the role of an eccentric teenager named Lydia. Oh, and let’s not forgot how she captivated audiences with her spectacular performance in the romantic fantasy movie, Edward Scissorhands. Her more recent movie appearances include Black Swan, Homefront, and Destination Wedding. However, Winona truly made waves with her riveting portrayal of a relentless and distraught mother in search of her missing son on the massive Netflix hit, Stranger Things. This year, the legendary actress has starred in 6 episodes of the miniseries, The Plot Against America. Here we are thirty Halloweens later, still dressing up as Lydia or Kim Boggs for trick or treat. Hey, maybe we’ll be dressing up as Joyce Byers for Ol’ Hallows Eve this year.