Iconic Child Stars of the ’80s

No matter what decade it is, nostalgia for the 1980s never seems to fade. Throwback parties featuring '80s fashion and music are still prominent in American culture. The aesthetics of this decade are often commercialized in flashy clothing or even hit television shows like "Stranger Things."

The 1980s was a period of commercialization. Malls and their food courts became essential hangout spots for Americans of all ages, and big-name brand toys were must-haves that shoppers would fight over. Considering a sense of optimism defined the 1980s, it's no wonder we keep returning to that decade.

Meanwhile, the emergence of future film franchises in this decade like "Star Wars," "The Terminator," "Back to the Future," "Top Gun," and "Indiana Jones" defined what it meant to be a Hollywood blockbuster. Some of these titles permeated pop culture for so long that they still receive sequels to this decade. On the small screen, television shows such as "Cheers," "The Cosby Show," "The Golden Girls," and "Miami Vice" helped to characterize the cultural zeitgeist of the time.

Through several of these '80s films and television shows—many of which still cling to the collective memory of society—countless young performers got their professional start. The career of a child star can be tumultuous, being thrust into the public eye on such a large platform. With commercial pop culture reaching such heights in the '80s, child stardom was a more frequent occurrence. As with child stars of other decades, some of these entertainers eventually became embroiled in personal and public controversies, sometimes leaving the industry altogether, but many of these actors and actresses continue to work in Hollywood today.

Stacker has compiled a list of just 25 of these prominent child stars from 1980s American pop culture. This list is based on information from resources like IMDb and news outlets, including Entertainment Weekly and more. Read on to learn more about the most famous child stars of the '80s and what they might be up to today.