Not every child star goes off the rails.
Sure, we know the stories of Amanda Bynes and Lindsay Lohan, and even Miley Cyrus has certainly turned some heads at times.
But many child stars manage to maintain solid careers, become role models, and do some great work for charity.
Here are a few who turned out to be pretty respectable – and pretty normal.
Daniel Radcliffe

Harry Potter grew up well, you guys. Daniel Radcliffe has gone on to be a part of a long list of projects since the final Harry Potter film, including his role in the BBC series, A Young Doctor’s Notebook, where he starred opposite Jon Hamm. He’s also managed to remain a level-headed and respectable guy, even raising his voice against JK Rowling’s transphobic rhetoric.
Mayim Bialik

Once her role as Blossom Russo ended, Mayim Bialik went on to live a pretty normal life. She went to college and did well, earning a PhD in neuroscience before returning to television to play a scientist on TV. She is perhaps best known for having played Amy Farrah Fowler on The Big Bang Theory, and she’s also known for being an awesome role model.
Anna Chlumsky

We’ll never forget Anna Chlumsky as Veda on My Girl. She took a break from acting after that and focused on school. She earned a degree from the University of Chicago, and later worked as an editorial assistant for a HarperCollins science fiction-fantasy imprint before making the decision to return to acting. As an adult, she is best known for her role on HBO’s Veep.
Neil Patrick Harris

Neil Patrick Harris was adorable as Doogie Howser, and he went on to become a successful actor known for roles such as Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother. More than that, he’s supported a long list of charities and organizations.
Hilary Duff

Hillary Duff has remained both successful and respectable as an actress and musician since her early days as Lizzie McGuire. She went on to star as Kelsey Peters on TV Land’s Younger. Since then, she has worked on a Lizzie McGuire revival and is well known for her posts about the realities of being a mom.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who was best known for his role on 3rd Rock from the Sun, went on to have a respectable acting career with no major scandals along the way. From the haunting Mysterious Skin to Inception to 500 Days of Summer, he is a versatile actor recognized for his genuine talent.
Candace Cameron Bure

Candace Cameron Bure managed to keep it together after the end of Full House. She continued working, and starred in several Hallmark films and other guest roles. Now, she’s back as DJ Tanner all grown up on Fuller House. She also spent years as a co-host of The View before she was replaced in her “villain” role by Meghan McCain.
Ryan Gosling

Ryan Gosling made his debut on The Mickey Mouse Club, but that was just the beginning of his career. As a young adult, he starred on Young Hercules, and was so mistreated by the network that he nearly quit acting. Fortunately, he went on to appear in feel-good sports movies like Remember The Titans and thrillers like Murder By Numbers. For better or for worse, Ryan became a household name after starring on the film, The Notebook. Now, he’s basically everywhere, and in addition to a successful acting career, he supports several charities and organizations.
Danica McKellar

Danica McKellar is best known for her role as Winnie Cooper on The Wonder Years, but that fame didn’t send her off the rails one bit. She’s had a few other acting roles sense and has competed on Dancing with the Stars, but she also went to UCLA and became an important role model for young women. Since 2010, she has voiced M’gann M’orzz, also known as Miss Martian, on the Emmy award-winning animated series, Young Justice, and continued to voice the role after the show’s long-awaited revival in 2019.
Leonardo DiCaprio

For as long as Leonardo DiCaprio has been around Hollywood, he’s done a pretty great job of staying on a solid path. He’s had a steady, successful career and finally won an Oscar in 2017. Though infamous for his comically younger girlfriends, he’s also known for his charity efforts and environmental activism.
Alyssa Milano

Alyssa Milano continued her acting career after Who’s the Boss?, and she also remained pretty level-headed. She’s also known for her work with organizations such as UNICEF and the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases. Really, the worst that you can say about Alyssa is that she can be a little cringe if well-intentioned when tweeting about politics, but that’s still well inside the “normal” range.
Mark-Paul Gosselaar

Mark-Paul Gosselaar had no problem whatsoever when it came to reinventing himself after Saved By the Bell. He went on to appear on several films and had a long arc on NYPD Blue. He has appeared in dramas like Pitch and Raising The Bar. Though he has lost a number of fans over the years for his political statements, he is still a fairly normal guy.
Raven-Symone

Raven-Symone has pretty much remained awesome since her adorable days on The Cosby Show. She took a break from acting in her late twenties to pursue a degree in fine arts at Academy of Art University. She then returned to screen as a co-host on The View, where some of her eccentricities and oddball statements left longtime fans wondering what to think.
Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake got his start on The Mickey Mouse Club, and his career only skyrocketed from there. The pop icon remains incredibly successful and scandal free, while being known as an LGBTQ ally and supporting multiple charities.
Emma Watson

Perhaps the most impressive person listed here, Watson was 11 years old when the first Harry Potter was released. It marked her first-ever film role. She has gone on to attend Brown University, speak at the UN and basically change the world as best she can.
Jaleel White

Everyone knows the catchphrase: “Did I do that?” Jaleel White is famous for his role as Steve Urkel on Family Matters. Shortly after the show ended, White went to college at UCLA and led a pretty great life, returning to his acting career and competing on Dancing with the Stars.
Claire Danes

Claire Danes won our hearts as Angela Chase on MTV’s My So Called Life, and now we know her best as Carrie Mathison on Homeland. Danes has had a steady acting career and supports the charity Afghan Hands. Oh, and she attended Yale University, too.
Melissa Joan Hart

Melissa Joan Hart has certainly kept her focus. From her role on Clarissa Explains it All to Sabrina the Teenage Witch and most recently, Melissa and Joey, her acting career has been steady. She’s also opened her own businesses and directed films. Melissa is a little eccentric — okay, a lot eccentric — but you could take a selfie with her now and you’d be able to post it without getting attacked. At this point, that passes for normal.
Michelle Williams

From her early roles on Baywatch and Home Improvement to Dawson’s Creek to her more recent film roles, Michelle WIlliams has stayed incredibly busy — and incredibly awesome.
Fred Savage

Fred Savage got his start at a young age on The Princess Bride and The Wonder Years. Much of his later career has been spent focused on directing and producing, though he’s had a steady acting career as well. He also earned an English degree from Stanford University.
Alyson Hannigan

Alyson Hannigan’s first major role was as Willow Rosenberg on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Years later, she won us over again as Lily Aldrin on How I Met Your Mother, and she’s pretty much just an awesome person. Hannigan is also married to Buffy co-star Alexis Denisof, and they have two daughters.
Jonathan Taylor Thomas

Jonathan Taylor Thomas was a child star and then hearthrob in the 90s, known for his roles on Home Improvement and The Lion King. You would think that being the walking, talking sexual awakening for millions of Millennials would doom someone to become an egocentric weirdo at best, but he lucked out. JTT turned out to be a totally normal guy, and even took a lengthy break from acting to go to Harvard and then Columbia University.
Sarah Michelle Gellar

Sarah Michelle Gellar has remained a force to be reckoned with, maintaining a positive image and a solid career, and venturing into other projects such as her recent co-founding of Foodstirs. She and husband Freddie Prinze Jr are parents, and have even worked together as voice actors.
Mario Lopez

He went from playing every sport possible in high school on Saved by the Bell to hosting every entertainment show out there as an adult. Mario can be seriously problematic at times, but as far as child actors go, the guy’s pretty normal. Also, he somehow hasn’t lost a touch of handsomeness. How?