Where Are Your Favorite Christmas Movie Child Stars Now? Catch Up with the Actors fromThe Santa Clause,Love Actually& More

Mar. 15, 2025

Christmas feels most magical through a child’s eyes, which is why the many young faces of belovedholiday filmsstay with us.

Though their roles now play a significant part in many people’s holiday traditions,the conversation surrounding child stardom has shiftedin recent years, as more former young actors have spoken out againstthe serious hardships they facedat such a vulnerable age. As a result, not every one of these actors followed the same trajectory. Some continued to appear on-screen well into their adult careers, some havestepped away from Hollywood altogetherand others continue to embrace the role they originated through sequels, conventions, interviews and more.

From now-award winners likeJohnny Galecki(National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation) to ex-Hollywood acts such asTaylor Momsen(How the Grinch Stole Christmas), find out where these Christmas movie child stars have sled off to since.

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Mara Wilson fromMiracle on 34th Street(Susan Walker)

Mara Wilson in ‘Miracle on 34th Street,’ 1994; Mara Wilson attends 9th annual Shorty Awards at PlayStation Theater on April 23, 2017, in New York City.Michael P. Weinstein/20th Century Fox/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; Chance Yeh/WireImage

Mara Wilsonwas only 7 years old when she brought wise-beyond-her-years charm to the 1994 remake ofMiracle on 34th Street. She went on to star inMatilda(1996) andA Simple Wish(1997) before stepping away from Hollywood life and earning a degree from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Looking back on her time makingMiracle on 34th Street, Wilson toldEntertainment Weekly(per Yahoo! Entertainment) that she helped keep the Christmas magic alive on set, even though that wasn’t part of her own faith. “There were so many other kids around, too. I didn’t actually believe in Santa, because I was raised Jewish,” she said, “but if [the other kids] asked me about it, I would be polite and just say, ‘Yes, sure, that’s Santa Claus.’”

Her memoir,Where Am I Now? True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame, hit shelves in 2016. In November 2017, she spoke out againstthe sexualization of young Hollywood starsin a powerful essay forElleand, in February 2021,penned an op-ed forThe New York Timesabouther personal experience with this issue.

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Macaulay Culkin fromHome Alone(Kevin McAllister)

Roles in the beloved holiday classicUncle Buck(1989) andRichie Rich(1994) helped shape Macaulay Culkin into an iconic ’90s child star. After a nearly decade-long hiatus from acting, he took on roles inParty Monster(2003) andSaved!(2004) “I don’t just turn my back [on the spotlight]; I actively don’t want it,” Culkintold The Guardianof fame in 2016. However, he did reprise his famousHome Alonerole for Christmas 2018 fora Google holiday ad.

These days, he keeps busy playing with his band,The Pizza Underground, and hanging with goddaughterParis Jackson. He also hosts a podcast calledBunny Ears(anduses Twitter (now X) to remind people how old they are). In 2021, Culkin starred in season 10 ofAmerican Horror Story.

In 2022,Culkin got engaged to fellow child actor Brenda SongofThe Suite Life of Zack and Cody. Months before their engagement, the couplewelcomed their first son, Dakota, in April 2021.They had a second sonin 2022.

03of 13Jake Lloyd fromJingle All the Way(Jaime Langston)Jake Lloyd in ‘Jingle All the Way,’ 1996; Jake Lloyd attends Wizard World’s Philadelphia Comic Con on June 17, 2011.Murray Close/Sygma/Sygma via Getty; Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagicThe same year he appeared onERand inUnhook the StarswithMarisa Tomei, then-7-year-old Jake Lloyd starred alongsideArnold Schwarzeneggerin 1996’sJingle All the Way— playing Howard Langston’s son, Jaime, whose one Christmas wish is a Turbo Man action figure. Lloyd then soon landed the role of a young Anakin Skywalker (the future villain Darth Vader) in 1999’sStar Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace.By 2001, Lloyd retired from Hollywood due to relentless bullying from classmates over hisStar Warsrole. His last on-screen appearance was in the hydroplane racing filmMadison.In 2015, the former child star made headlines followingallegations of assaulting his motherandan arrest for reckless driving. Lloyd’s family later disclosed in a 2020 statement to Geek News Now that the former child star had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia — a condition that contributed to his psychotic break three years later.Ina March 2024 interview with Scripp News, Lloyd’s mother, Lisa,shared an update, revealing he was 10 months into an 18-month stay at a mental health rehabilitation center. While his diagnosis initially “threw him off into an even worse depression,” Lisa expressed optimism about his recovery, telling the outlet he’s “doing much better than I expected” and is “becoming a little bit more social.”

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Jake Lloyd fromJingle All the Way(Jaime Langston)

Jake Lloyd in ‘Jingle All the Way,’ 1996; Jake Lloyd attends Wizard World’s Philadelphia Comic Con on June 17, 2011.Murray Close/Sygma/Sygma via Getty; Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic

Murray Close/Sygma/Sygma via Getty; Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic

The same year he appeared onERand inUnhook the StarswithMarisa Tomei, then-7-year-old Jake Lloyd starred alongsideArnold Schwarzeneggerin 1996’sJingle All the Way— playing Howard Langston’s son, Jaime, whose one Christmas wish is a Turbo Man action figure. Lloyd then soon landed the role of a young Anakin Skywalker (the future villain Darth Vader) in 1999’sStar Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace.

By 2001, Lloyd retired from Hollywood due to relentless bullying from classmates over hisStar Warsrole. His last on-screen appearance was in the hydroplane racing filmMadison.

In 2015, the former child star made headlines followingallegations of assaulting his motherandan arrest for reckless driving. Lloyd’s family later disclosed in a 2020 statement to Geek News Now that the former child star had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia — a condition that contributed to his psychotic break three years later.

Ina March 2024 interview with Scripp News, Lloyd’s mother, Lisa,shared an update, revealing he was 10 months into an 18-month stay at a mental health rehabilitation center. While his diagnosis initially “threw him off into an even worse depression,” Lisa expressed optimism about his recovery, telling the outlet he’s “doing much better than I expected” and is “becoming a little bit more social.”

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Peter Billingsley fromA Christmas Story(Ralphie Parker)

Peter Billingsley in ‘A Christmas Story,’ 1983; Peter Billingsley attends ‘Tim Ferriss and Vince Vaughn: In Conversation’ at the 2017 Vulture Festival at Milk Studios on May 20, 2017, in New York City.MGM/UA/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Vulture Festival

On the lasting impact of the movie, Billingsley added during that same conversation, “To have something that stuck then, and then every decade continues to, there’s obviously a deeper core that it’s hitting.”

He’s stuck with acting over the years but has been more active behind the camera. His résumé includes executive producer credits forThe Break-Up(2006),Iron Man(2008) andF Is for Family, and his directorial debut,Couples Retreat(2009). Billingsley also served as a producer on the Broadway musical adaptation ofA Christmas Story.

However, the former child star has returned to the big screen with 2019’sSpider-Man: Far From Homeandreprised hisChristmas Storyrolein the HBO Max sequel,A Christmas Story Christmas, in 2022.

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Miffy Englefield fromThe Holiday(Sophie)

Miffy Englefield in ‘The Holiday,’ 2006; Miffy Englefield poses for a photo while wearing a crop-top reading ‘Call Me’.Columbia Pictures; Miffy Englefield/Instagram

Miffy Englefield was only 6 years old when she stole audiences' hearts as Graham’s (Jude Law) precocious oldest daughter, Sophie, inNancy Meyers' cozy holiday rom-com.

“To get messages coming up 20 years on, which makes me feel incredibly old, that people look forward to [The Holiday]. It’s like their Christmas tradition, they come home to their family and that’s what they watch,” Englefieldtold the Daily Mailin December 2023. “It baffles me, it’s absolutely insane and I love it. I love being a little part of people’s Christmas traditions. I think it’s so sweet.”

In April 2020, Englefield welcomedher daughter, Frankie, who is regularly featured onher TikTok. There, the actress shares glimpses of motherhood as well as nostalgic reflections abouther time working onThe Holiday.

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Daniel Tay fromElf(Michael Hobbs)

Daniel Tay in ‘Elf,’ 2003; Daniel Tay attends a N.Y.C. screening of ‘I Knew It Was You’ on May 25, 2010.Alan Markfield/New Line Prods./Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

In the holiday comedy classicElf, Daniel Tay was just 12 when he played Michael Hobbs, Buddy’s (Will Ferrell) skeptical half-brother who eventually warms up to his cheery naïveté, especially after Buddy defends him from bullies via snowball fight.

In 2014, the ex-actor graduated from Yale University with a bachelor’s degree in economics. After spending a few years as an SAT prep tutor, he transitioned into academia as a research fellow at Columbia University and ispursuing a medical degreeat Cornell University.

07of 13Thomas Brodie-Sangster fromLove Actually(Sam)Thomas Brodie-Sangster in ‘Love Actually,’ 2003; Thomas Brodie-Sangster attends the ‘Godless’ New York premiere at The Metrograph on Nov. 19, 2017, in New York City.Peter Mountain/Universal/Dna/Working Title/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; Chance Yeh/Getty ImagesAfter his big-screen feature debut inLove Actually(2003), the angel-faced actor Thomas Brodie-Sangster has continued to work steadily into adulthood. He’s appeared inNanny McPhee(2005),Nowhere Boy(2009),The Maze Runnerfranchise (2014–2018), episodes ofGame of Thronesand even had a small part inStar Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens. In 2017, Brodie-Sangster reprised hisLove Actuallyrole for the charity mini-sequelRed Nose Day Actually. He returned to the small screen in 2020 on Netflix’sThe Queen’s Gambit,FX’s Pistolin 2022 and Hulu’sThe Artful Dodgerin 2024.Brodie-Sangsterbegan dating Talulah Riley, hisPistolscostar (andtwice Elon Musk’s ex-wife), in 2021.After announcing their engagementin July 2023,they wed in June 2024.

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Thomas Brodie-Sangster fromLove Actually(Sam)

Thomas Brodie-Sangster in ‘Love Actually,’ 2003; Thomas Brodie-Sangster attends the ‘Godless’ New York premiere at The Metrograph on Nov. 19, 2017, in New York City.Peter Mountain/Universal/Dna/Working Title/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; Chance Yeh/Getty Images

After his big-screen feature debut inLove Actually(2003), the angel-faced actor Thomas Brodie-Sangster has continued to work steadily into adulthood. He’s appeared inNanny McPhee(2005),Nowhere Boy(2009),The Maze Runnerfranchise (2014–2018), episodes ofGame of Thronesand even had a small part inStar Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens. In 2017, Brodie-Sangster reprised hisLove Actuallyrole for the charity mini-sequelRed Nose Day Actually. He returned to the small screen in 2020 on Netflix’sThe Queen’s Gambit,FX’s Pistolin 2022 and Hulu’sThe Artful Dodgerin 2024.

Brodie-Sangsterbegan dating Talulah Riley, hisPistolscostar (andtwice Elon Musk’s ex-wife), in 2021.After announcing their engagementin July 2023,they wed in June 2024.

08of 13Taylor Momsen fromHow the Grinch Stole Christmas(Cindy Lou Who)Taylor Momsen in ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas,’ 2000; Taylor Momsen attends the Helmut Lang show during Spring 2014 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week on Sept. 6, 2013, in New York City.Melinda Sue Gordon/Imagine Ent/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; Neilson Barnard/Getty ImagesIn 2000,Taylor Momsentaught us all about the real meaning of Christmas as Cindy Lou Who. Seven years later, she scored the role of ambitious teen Jenny Humphrey onGossip Girl. Since then, the star has been focusing her energy on her rock band,The Pretty Reckless.Growing up a child star was not easy for Momsen, telling formerGossip Girlcostar Penn Badgleyon the Podcrushed podcastin September 2023 that she was “made fun of relentlessly.”“Every time I would start a new school or go somewhere else, I don’t even think the kids knew my name. I was just ‘Grinch girl,’ " Momsen added. “Not even the character name [Cindy Lou Who], just Grinch girl. I got used to it, but it was alienating.”

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Taylor Momsen fromHow the Grinch Stole Christmas(Cindy Lou Who)

Taylor Momsen in ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas,’ 2000; Taylor Momsen attends the Helmut Lang show during Spring 2014 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week on Sept. 6, 2013, in New York City.Melinda Sue Gordon/Imagine Ent/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

In 2000,Taylor Momsentaught us all about the real meaning of Christmas as Cindy Lou Who. Seven years later, she scored the role of ambitious teen Jenny Humphrey onGossip Girl. Since then, the star has been focusing her energy on her rock band,The Pretty Reckless.

Growing up a child star was not easy for Momsen, telling formerGossip Girlcostar Penn Badgleyon the Podcrushed podcastin September 2023 that she was “made fun of relentlessly.”

“Every time I would start a new school or go somewhere else, I don’t even think the kids knew my name. I was just ‘Grinch girl,’ " Momsen added. “Not even the character name [Cindy Lou Who], just Grinch girl. I got used to it, but it was alienating.”

09of 13Johnny Galecki fromNational Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation(Rusty Griswold)Clockwise from lower left: Johnny Galecki, Juliette Lewis, Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo in ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,’ 1989; Johnny Galecki attends the 2017 CMT Music Awards at the Music City Center on June 7, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn.Warner Bros/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; Kevin Mazur/WireImageJohnny Galecki joined the Chevy Chase-ledVacationseries as son Rusty Griswold in 1989. He became a permanent cast member onRoseannein 1992 andreturned in 2017 as David Healyon the short-lived ABC revival beforeits cancellationfollowingRoseanne Barr’sracist tweet. However, Galecki joined theRoseannespinoff,The Conners, in 2018 as a recurring character for a handful of episodes.After wrapping his 12-season run as Leonard Hofstadter onThe Big Bang Theoryin 2019, the actor has been working onproducing aChristmas Vacationspinoff seriestitledThe Griswoldsfor HBO Max, though no release date has been set yet.GaleckitoldRolling Stonein 2020 about a regret he had then about a choice he had made on theChristmas Vacationset as a 14-year-old actor. When he was approached to shoot a father-son scene that wasn’t originally in the script with costar Chevy Chase, Galecki said no.“So they asked what I thought and I said, ‘I don’t think there’s any point. Somebody thought it was worth taking out at some point, so even if we shoot it, it’ll probably get taken out again.’ I literally talked myself out of what could have been a classic scene with Chevy Chase,” he shared. “Now that I’m a jaded Hollywood f—, I realize the error of my ways. I still kick myself in the a– for this everyday.”Galecki welcomed a son,Avery, with then-girlfriendAlaina Meyerin 2019. The actorshared inArchitectural Digest’s March 2024 issue that he and his wife, Morgan,quietly married and welcomed a daughter, Oona Evelena.

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Johnny Galecki fromNational Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation(Rusty Griswold)

Clockwise from lower left: Johnny Galecki, Juliette Lewis, Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo in ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,’ 1989; Johnny Galecki attends the 2017 CMT Music Awards at the Music City Center on June 7, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn.Warner Bros/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Johnny Galecki joined the Chevy Chase-ledVacationseries as son Rusty Griswold in 1989. He became a permanent cast member onRoseannein 1992 andreturned in 2017 as David Healyon the short-lived ABC revival beforeits cancellationfollowingRoseanne Barr’sracist tweet. However, Galecki joined theRoseannespinoff,The Conners, in 2018 as a recurring character for a handful of episodes.

After wrapping his 12-season run as Leonard Hofstadter onThe Big Bang Theoryin 2019, the actor has been working onproducing aChristmas Vacationspinoff seriestitledThe Griswoldsfor HBO Max, though no release date has been set yet.

GaleckitoldRolling Stonein 2020 about a regret he had then about a choice he had made on theChristmas Vacationset as a 14-year-old actor. When he was approached to shoot a father-son scene that wasn’t originally in the script with costar Chevy Chase, Galecki said no.

“So they asked what I thought and I said, ‘I don’t think there’s any point. Somebody thought it was worth taking out at some point, so even if we shoot it, it’ll probably get taken out again.’ I literally talked myself out of what could have been a classic scene with Chevy Chase,” he shared. “Now that I’m a jaded Hollywood f—, I realize the error of my ways. I still kick myself in the a– for this everyday.”

Galecki welcomed a son,Avery, with then-girlfriendAlaina Meyerin 2019. The actorshared inArchitectural Digest’s March 2024 issue that he and his wife, Morgan,quietly married and welcomed a daughter, Oona Evelena.

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Savannah StehlinThe Family Stone(Elizabeth Trousdale)

Savannah Stehlin in ‘The Family Stone,’ 2005; Savannah Stehlin attends Temara Melek’s Birthday Bash on May 12, 2012, in Hollywood, Calif.20th Century Studios; Amy Graves/WireImage

20th Century Studios; Amy Graves/WireImage

At just 9 years old, Savannah Stehlin landed her first feature film role inThe Family Stoneas Elizabeth Trousdale — the child of the eldest daughter in the Stone clan — sharing the screen with an all-star cast ofDiane Keaton, Craig T. Nelson,Dermot Mulroney,Rachel McAdams,Sarah Jessica Parkerand more.

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Eric Lloyd fromThe Santa Clause(Charlie Calvin)

InThe Santa Clausetrilogy, Eric Lloyd starred alongsideTim Allenas Charlie, the son of a divorced dad who becomes the actual St. Nick. He continued acting in the eight-year gap between the first and second films in the series before enrolling at Chapman University to study film production. Lloyd now plays in a band, runs a production studio and occasionally acts.

“It’s funny that people still recognize me,” he shared in a 2014 Reddit AMA. “I don’t think I look the same. But people will come from across the room and say, ‘OH MY GOD, CHARLIE!’ "

Theactor rejoined Allen and the originalSanta Clausecastin 2022 on the Disney+ seriesThe Santa Clausesfor an episode in its first season.

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Karolyn Grimes fromIt’s a Wonderful Life(Zuzu Bailey)

Karolyn Grimeswas merely 6 years old when she warmed hearts as Zuzu Bailey in 1946’sIt’s a Wonderful Life. She only acted until the early 1950s — starring in another holiday film,The Bishop’s Wife(1947) — but theclassic Christmas movieremains an important part of her life.

Grimes still travels to speak at film screenings during the holiday season, and in 2000, she publishedZuzu Bailey’s It’s a Wonderful Life Cookbook. After 68 years, Grimes returned to the screen in 2020 as a talk-show guest inCanaan Land. In 2023, the actress revisited her famous line"Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings,“lending her voice to Anders Knudsen’s Christmas single,“A Day in the Life of a Christmas Tree.”

Grimes is a mother of four — with two children from her first marriage to Hal Barnes and two more with her second husband, Mike Wilkerson, who died in 1993.

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Brett Kelly fromBad Santa(Thurman Merman)

Brett Kelly in ‘Bad Santa,’ 2003; Brett Kelly attends the N.Y.C. premiere of ‘Bad Santa 2’ on Nov. 15, 2016.Tracy Bennett/Dimension/Kobal/Shutterstock; Jamie McCarthy/Getty

Tracy Bennett/Dimension/Kobal/Shutterstock; Jamie McCarthy/Getty

Brett Kelly was around 10 years old when he starred inBad Santaas Thurman Merman — the sweet, clueless kid who believes that a boozy department store Santa (Billy Bob Thornton) is the real deal.

As of 2021, Kelly has been a recurring cast member in the Canadian legal dramaFamily Law. He also competed in an October 2024 episode ofJeopardy!, finishing in third place.

source: people.com