Where are they now?
Curious about what happened to your favorite childstars?
Written by: Kat

Best known to this writer for starring in one of this writer’s favorite childhood films Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home Francis Capra went on to star in Kazaam and do guest spots on numerous shows including So Little Time, The O.C., CSI, American Dreams, Crossing Jordan, Without a Trace and The Guardian before landing the role of Weevil on the hit UPN teen drama Veronica Mars. He will celebrate his 23rd birthday in April and will appear in the film Black Irish being released in 2006.

Anna Chumskley played the loveable Vada in the My Girl movies; she also starred in Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain, A Child's Wish, Miracle in the Woods and a few other projects while turning down roles in Beethoven, Lassie as well as a sitcom based around her life. Anna took time off to attend the University of Chicago where she graduated with a degree in International Studies. She has recently resumed her acting career and has been working on broadway and will appear in the upcoming film My Sweet Misery as well as last year appearing in Wait and Quid Pro Quo ( her first two roles since 1998.

One of Austin O’brien’s first roles was across from now governer Arnold Schwarzenegger in ‘Last Action Hero’ other movies he starred in as a child included My Girl 2 and The Baby-Sitters Club and a tv show spin of the hit show Touched by an Angel: Promised Land. From 1999 to 2003 Austin only appeared in one tv movie. In 2006 he will star in the film Defining Moments along with Andrew Keegan. Austin will celebrate his 25th birthday in May.

Michelle Trachtenberg first rose to fame in the Nickelodean series The Adventures of Pete and Pete which led to a lead role in a Nickelodean movie as the loveable kid spy Harriet the Spy. She later appeared in the films Inspector Gadget and Richie Rich's Christmas Wish. In 2000 she joined the cast of the hit show Buffy the Vampire Slayer after being personally recommended for the role by star Sarah Michelle Geller with whom Michelle had worked with in the past. Then in 2004 took on an older image in the raunchy teen comedy EuroTrip, in 2005 she starred in the indieMysterious Skin and in 2005 the Disney film Ice Princess which she promised to be her last young role. Now 20 she will next be seen in Beautiful Ohio, Black Christmas and Four Women

Jason James Richter starred in the hit Free Willy trilogy about an orphan who befriends a killer whale as well as The NeverEnding Story III and a few other projects. His last film was Ricochet River which happened to be Kate Hudson’s first acting role. Jason no longer acts but plays guitar in the popular Indie band Blue Root. Check out their official site bluerootmusic.com

Tina Majorino starred in the family film Andre about a girl who befriends a seal in 1994. In ’95 she starred across from Kevin Costner in Waterworld. She starred in numerous TV movies till 2004 when she starred in the acclaimed Napolean Dynamite. She is a regular guest on UPN’s Veronica Mars and will be seen in the upcoming films Think Tank and What we do is secret. She is also the lead singer in the band The AM Project.

Jonathan Taylor Thomas was most well known for playing middle child Randy on the hit sitcom Home Improvement but when he wasn’t on set filming the show he starred in numerous family films including The Lion King, Man of the House, Tom and Huck, The Adventures of Pinocchio and Wild America and eventually became a teen heart throb known to many teenage girls as simply JTT. Around the time of his senior year in High School Jonathon quit Home Improvement to attend Harvard but before long returned to acting with the films I’ll be home for Christmas, Speedway Junky and Walking Across Egypt. Since 2003 he has done guest spots on The Simpsons, Smallville, 8 Simple Rules and Veronica Mars.

Jena Malone started acting at the age of 12. Her most noticeable film credits as a child included Stepmom and Ellen Foster. As a teen she starred in Cheaters, Donnie Darko, The Ballad of Lucy Whipple, Life as a House, The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, American Girl, The United states of Leland, Cold Mountain and Saved. Unlike many of her peers Jena always avoided the cliché teen films instead opting to do deeper and more challenging dramas. In 1999 she achieved emancipation from her manager mother who she charged with mismanagement of her earnings and failure to pay taxes. Now 21 Jena was most recently seen in Pride and Prejudice and The Ballad of Jack and Rose. In 2006 she will appear in The Go-Getter, Four Last Songs, Lying and Container