15 Child Stars Who Are WAY Younger Than We Thought

When it comes to child stars, some of them can be stuck in a state of perpetual youth. Normally, that wouldn't be a bad thing, except for when they want to evolve and grow in their respective creative fields. Sometimes, it's for this reason that they choose to dress and act as though they are older than they really are, opting for scantily-clad photoshoots and heavy makeup in order to earn more mature roles, avoid being typecast, or simply leave their child acting career behind. Other times, some child stars end up looking a lot older than their real age, but it's not through any conscious effort. For these child stars, personal problems may be to blame for their prematurely aged look. Things like drug use, a poor diet, stress, mental illness, and hard partying could all be the culprits for turning a 30-year-old into what looks like a 45-year-old. For those child stars, looking older isn't a positive thing, and can actually be detrimental to their career.

We've combed through a lot of child stars, and gathered 15 who are WAY younger than we originally thought. From the ones we grew up with to the ones who have only recently shaken off their Disney roots, these former child stars may have taken the fast-track through time - and it's not always a good thing.

15 Hailee Steinfeld, 20 years old

Singer, actress, and model Hailee Steinfeld first came onto the spotlight in 2010 with her Academy Award-nominated role in True Grit, and with her pigtail braids and face free of makeup, the then-14-year-old looked closer to 11 or 12, even as her character was wise beyond her years. Fast-forward to 2017 and the gorgeous Steinfeld looks an awful lot older than a young woman just out of her teens. Thanks to her modelling and singing careers, we've seen Steinfeld grow into a statuesque beauty, and while her red carpet choices used to veer into princess territory, she's all grown up in heavier eye makeup, avant-garde looks, and a lot more black.

When she smiles, Steinfeld's stoic expression splits into the look of a girl her actual age, but most of the time, we see her smizing for the cameras and looking hella mature for only 20. Don't get us wrong, she's still absolutely beautiful, but we expected her to be closer to 25 than 19.

14 Madison Pettis, 18 years old

You may not recognize the name Madison Pettis, but she was a Disney kid of a lower tier (at least compared to others like Bella Thorne, Zendaya, and so on). Pettis was in the Disney show Cory in the House and the Disney film The Game Plan, both in 2007, so the girl is all grown up ten years later - and looking older than the decade that was added to her age!

While Pettis sometimes still chooses to rock the curly hair that she had when she was a child, her makeup and steamy Instagram photos make her look a lot older than 18. With crop tops and plunging necklines, Pettis looks like she could be in her early twenties, rather than a senior in high school, and the fact that she grew up from such a cute little girl makes us feel old as hell! We're not denying that she still looks amazing, but maybe a little more grown up than we were prepared for.

13 Miley Cyrus, 24 years old

When Miley Cyrus decided to grow up, she grew WAY up! While we were used to seeing her on the Disney Channel as Hannah Montana, with crooked teeth, loud outfits, and a blonde wig, Cyrus was determined to bury that part of her past in order to become an adult. Part of that growing up - for Cyrus, at least - involved an awful lot of partying, drinking, and drugs. While we're not judging Cyrus for wanting to cut loose a little after getting out from under Disney's thumb, it does surprise us that she's just into her mid-twenties and not closer to 30. Maybe it's because we've seen so much of her for the past 12 or so years, maybe it's the daring clothing choices, or maybe it's the cropped hair, but Cyrus looks older than 24 - not that that's a bad thing! In fact, although we're a little surprised that she's not yet 25, maybe that's exactly what she wanted in order to finally be taken seriously.

12 Demi Lovato, 24 years old

Another Disney star who was in the company of the likes of Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato has lived a lot of life in a very short time, which is probably part of the reason why we think she's so much older than she actually is. Since being in the spotlight, Lovato has publicly battled self-harming behaviour, eating disorders, addiction, and bipolar disorder to come out clean on the other side. Her knowledge and poise when speaking about such topics make us think of her as a woman in her early thirties, even though the girl is only 24!

Adding to Lovato's personal history, her bone structure and fashion choices make her look older than a woman in her mid-twenties. With defined cheekbones, a strong jawline, and a “take no s**t” expression”, Lovato isn't trying to impress anyone - which impresses us that much more! It's a maturity that's beyond her years, which is why we get confused as to when her birth date really is.

11 Zendaya, 20 years old

A young woman who seems wise beyond her years, it's Zendaya's personality as well as her appearance that makes us think she's in her late twenties, even though she's just entered the decade! Her poise and grace when it comes to addressing important topics like Photoshop (she allegedly refuses to be Photoshopped for magazines), body shaming, black culture, cultural appropriation, and feminism speaks volumes for the young woman she is, and makes us consider her a lot older (and wiser) than her actual age.

In addition to the fact that as (yet another) former Disney star, Zendaya is able to rock it on the red carpet in outfits that would overwhelm a woman decades her senior, and we have to hand it to her! It's not necessarily a bad thing to be considered older, and while Zendaya is still a pretty young thing by industry standards, it's her wisdom that makes her seem mature beyond her years.

10 Kiernan Shipka, 17 years old

In cutesy flowered dresses and hairbands, Kiernan Shipka spent a lot of her childhood on Mad Men as an adorable, apple-cheeked little girl. However, since the show finished a couple years ago, Shipka has decided to grow all the way up and leave those pretty '60s outfits in the past.

As an actress who has been working since she was six (she was also print modelling as an infant), Shipka has worked her sweet smile and acting skills to her advantage. While she's still often cast as the daughter of the star in whatever project she's in, one look at her modelling work (most recently in the pages of InStyle), and you can see that this girl has grown way up! With bold brows and sleek, high-fashion outfits, Shipka isn't leaving any doubt about how she wants to be taken seriously as an actress, and not just as a “child star”. If she keeps this up, we bet she'll be nabbing leading roles in no time - as a woman much older than a teen!

9 Bella Thorne, 19 years old

It's always unfortunate when women think that they need fillers, Botox, or some other plastic surgery in order to appear younger or prettier, and it's even more disturbing when the young women doing those things are still teenagers! It seems that Bella Thorne, a real beauty, has reached for the needle lately, and puffed up her lips to the point that they make her look unnatural - and an awful lot older. Her normal, pretty features didn't need such an inflated pout, and doing so made her look more like Kylie Jenner than Bella Thorne, which we don't have to tell you is not a good thing.

The lip fillers come alongside with reports of her out-of-control partying, relationship-hopping, and scandalous outfits, all of which make a clear point: this Disney child star is a child no more! Too bad that young Bella now seems about a decade older than her actual age thanks to her new look!

8 Taylor Momsen, 23 years old

Remember that sweet little girl who played Cindy Lou Who in How the Grinch Stole Christmas alongside a green-furred Jim Carrey? Well, this is her now! Formerly Jenny Humphrey of Gossip Girl, Taylor Momsen jumped ship from acting to singing, as the frontwoman of the band The Pretty Reckless. As a result of this career switch, she began to update her look to suit her music style, and apparently that means a ton of black eyeliner!

Although she's only 23, Momsen appears to be in her late thirties, thanks to her heavy makeup, stringy hair, and strangely vacant expression. Maybe it's an homage to Blondie or another punk hero, but Momsen doesn't look much younger than Debbie Harry - who's in her seventies! Easing up on the sneer and the makeup could go a long way for Momsen, but if she wants to live the rock n' roll life, we doubt we could say anything to convince her.

7 Hayley Joel Osment, 29 years old

Hayley Joel Osment has come a long way from being the kid who could see dead people in The Sixth Sense, that's for sure! At least, in terms of appearance he has, because Osment has not been all that active on the acting circuit in the past decade or so. A curse for a lot of child stars is that, when they outgrow their cuteness, they're no longer marketable, and so their career often stalls or drops off altogether if they don't find something else to move into. Osment had a lot to live up to, and as he outgrew his boyish adorableness, he kind of fell off everyone's radar.

Now, with a husky frame and full beard, Osment could pass for a man in his mid-to late-thirties, which is why it's a little surprising to know that he's only 29! To give you a comparison, Zac Efron and Tom Felton (aka Draco Malfoy) are both 29 as well, and they look more their age than Osment does!

6 Macaulay Culkin, 36 years old

Cute should not always be what you aim for, and no one knows that better than Macaulay Culkin. After endearing the whole world to him thanks to his roles in the Home Alone movies, Richie Rich, My Girl, and Pagemaster, Culkin's personal life became a lot more difficult, thanks to improper money management by his parents, drug use, and puberty, which throws a lot of young people for a loop. As a result of the up-and-down parts of his life, Culkin largely stepped out of the spotlight (although he did date actress Mila Kunis for eight years, which is something else that has us scratching out heads).

Despite being only 36, Culkin looks an awful lot older, and it's probably because he's seen more than he ever should have throughout his life. His prematurely lined face and long hair make him look a little erratic, and quite a bit rougher and more aged than a man in his mid-thirties.

5 Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, 30 years old

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are notorious for dressing like bag ladies both on and off the red carpet, and unfortunately for them, it has made them appear decades older than they actually are! While the Olsen twins are only 30, their penchant for long, drapey fabrics, furs, and embroidered pieces makes them look like an older woman who is enjoying flashing her cash. Sure, it's in the name of ~fashion~, but it also swallows up their small frames.

Speaking of their frames, both women have always been quite thin, and it's taken a toll on their looks. Rather than appearing younger - or even closer to their age - the lack of body fat on their figures makes them seem dried out and brittle. We've known them pretty much their entire lives, as the most famous pair on twins in the world, so it's not only their physical appearance that makes us do a double-take at their birthday, but the fact that most of us have grown up right alongside them!

4 Lindsay Lohan, 30 years old

To say that Lindsay Lohan looks older than her years would be a gross understatement, because the former hottest actress of the early 2000s looks nothing like her fresh-faced younger self. Owing to a trouble young adulthood that saw Lohan engaging in way too much partying, drinking, and drugs, as well as stints that saw her get scary-skinny, Lohan has ruined what Mother Nature gave her, and looks far more haggard than a woman of only 30. Her addiction not only to various substances but to tanning as well has leached the life out of her skin and left her looking way older than her years - and not in a good way.

Lohan's erratic behaviour has been a sad story in Hollywood for years, and the once-gorgeous redhead looks almost nothing like the way she used to. Instead of ageing naturally, she seems to have sped up the process, and looks like she could be her mother's sister rather than her daughter.

3 Ariel Winter, 19 years old

What is it about 19-year-olds these days? Along with Bella Thorne and Kylie Jenner, 19-year-old Ariel Winter seems to have a desire to grow up fast, and to do so by wearing provocative clothing, too much makeup (that waxy orange lipstick is especially jarring), and taking steamy, semi-nude shots for her Instagram.

We love that Winter has been open about embracing her body and her curves, including refusing to hide the scars she received from her breast reduction surgery, but we think her off-screen antics have led her to be written off as another hard-partying teenage actress who is more concerned about her social media following than anything of substance. Maybe it's because the character she plays on Modern Family, Alex Dunphy, is always clad in sweaters and glasses, and so Winter wants to step outside of the role, but her heavy makeup and glam gowns makes her look more like a Kardashian wannabe than a serious actress. They also make her look about ten years older!

2 Kylie Jenner, 19 years old

You knew we had to include Kylie Jenner on this list - we've already mentioned her twice! Jenner doesn't look anywhere near 19, and in fact, she hasn't looked like a teenager in a long time. It seems that a prerequisite to being a member of the Kardashian-Jenner clan is to get some surgery, and Jenner did just that, opting for lip injections at about the age of 16 (although she denied them for years). Combined with her heavy makeup, frozen face, and outfits that would make big sis Kim blush, and we've got a young woman who looks like she's well into her thirties instead of almost out of her teens!

Compared to the cute, freckle-faced girl we were introduced to when Keeping Up With the Kardashians started, Jenner looks like a completely different person - and we get the feeling that's exactly what she wanted. What she probably wasn't planning on: looking like a Real Housewife before she's even entered her twenties!

1 Steven Anthony Lawrence, 26 years old

Did it take you some time to remember who this guy is? If you recall the Disney show Even Stevens, you might remember the character of Beans, a chubby little blond-haired boy. Well, would it shock you to know that this is him, all grown up? And would it shock even more to know that he's only 26 YEARS OLD?!

Steven Anthony Lawrence is the victim of premature baldness, and boy, does it pack on the years! While his face doesn't look that old, his thinning hair makes him look like a middle-aged dad. Lawrence must have realized that the early-onset baldness was going to make it difficult for him to catch another break in Hollywood, and after a stint on the TV show Weeds, mall-goers were able to find him as an elf in Santa's workshop during the Christmas season! (No, really.) We hadn't thought about Lawrence in quite some time, but if someone had asked us to guess his age, there's no way we'd be anywhere near the twenties!