From Emma Watson to Zendaya: Here's What Our Fave Stars Looked Like at 10 Years Old

influencer 101

| LAST UPDATE 07/18/2021

By Joyce Ballard

From Drew to ScarJo, these stars have been slaying our screens for decades now. But ever wonder what they looked like before they made it big? Prepare for a trip down memory lane as we revisit our favorite celebs at 10 years old.

Miranda Cosgrove

Remember when we first met 10-year-old Miranda Cosgrove as Summer, the ambitious student in School of Rock? It's a time we can never forget. Since her tween years, the actress has gone on to Drake & Josh and other hits.

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And now, this star is back on our screens for the iCarly revival! "It feels kind of crazy," Miranda said of reuniting with the old crew. "We did the first table read... and it was kind of insane. Like, just getting everybody back together again, and it was really fun.'"

Ashley Olsen

It's hard to imagine Full House without an image of Michelle Tanner adorably saying, "You got it, dude!" One of the famous starlets behind the iconic baby had graced our screens long before she turned ten years old. Ashley appeared on the sitcom before embarking on a decade-long acting career.

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At ten years old, Olsen acted alongside her sister in You're Invited to Mary-Kate & Ashley's, a film series. And nothing's been the same since. But as many of us know, the now 35-year-old long ago moved out of acting and into fashion. Talk about multi-talented.

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Kiernan Shipka

Nowadays, we're used to seeing Kiernan on our Netflix browser as the protagonist of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. But when Shipka was ten years old, she was on Mad Men. "In a lot of ways, my acting education was also my life education because I grew up around adults 24/7," the actress explained.

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But growing up on set for an adult show didn't mean Kiernan wasn't a kid. "But I felt like I was never robbed of any kind of childhood," she clarified. "I think, to a certain extent, that I was extremely protected on that set - I was never learning anything through the show that I wasn't already aware of."

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Willow Smith

By ten years old, Willow had already released Whip My Hair and was busy promoting her latest song, 21st Century Girl. "I set the boundaries, the rules don't own me/I'm living life on the edge, I choose my path," the mature tween sang. So yeah, we were definitely not as cool as Smith just a decade into life.

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At the time, Willow was signed to Jay-Z's Roc National label. "Jay really welcomes me and makes me feel like the record label is a place where I can have fun and talk about my career," she told Vanity Fair at 10 years old. "He and his people make me feel like I'm a part of something."

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Millie Bobby Brown

Millie's television debut came as a guest star in ABC's Once Upon a Time in Wonderland at roughly ten years old. It's safe to say she's come a long way since then. At the age of twelve, Brown had her break-out role as Jane "Eleven" Ives in Strangers Things' first season.

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Fast forward, and the 17-year-old has two Primetime Emmy Award nominations and two Screen Actos Guilt Award nominations under her belt. But Brown will be the first to admit that growing up in the spotlight isn't all rainbows and butterflies. "Personally, I struggle with anxiety, and in some ways, [fame] has hindered it," she said.

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Dakota Fanning

By the age of ten, Dakota Fanning had nine films listed on her filmography and worked on three more before turning eleven. The child star wowed audiences in 2004's Man on Fire, My Neighbor Totoro, and In the Realms of the Unreal. And the beloved actress wouldn't have it any other way.

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"When I look back, and I think of the experiences being an actor has brought me, I just don't know a lot of people our age who have been to the places we've been and met all different kinds of people and the friendships," Fanning shared with Variety of growing up in Hollywood.

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Madison Pettis

Fans might recognize this grown-up child star from Disney's 2007 movie The Game Plan. Or maybe a few other hits like Seven Pounds and Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2. "I love being famous and recognized," Madison said at ten years old. "People always want to hug me, and I let them."

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She added, "When they tell me that I make them happy from watching my movies, that's so good, too." But much has definitely changed since Madison first came into the spotlight. Now in her 20s, Pettis has also starred in American Pie Presents: Girls' Rules and has been filming He's All That alongside Addison Rae.

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Mary-Kate Olsen

Mary-Kate started building a movie/beauty/fashion empire with her twin sister from a young age. By ten, the siblings had their own movie franchise, You're Invited to Mary-Kate & Ashley's. But while the famous sisters were in front of the camera for as long as they can remember, this Olsen felt like it was all a blur.

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"I look at old pictures of me, and I don't feel connected to them at all," Mary-Kate told Marie Claire at 24 years old. As she put it, she and Ashley felt like "little monkey performers." And still, Olsen wouldn't change a thing. "I wouldn't take it back for the world," the fashion icon added.

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Raven-Symoné

We practically watched Raven grow up through our television screens: from NBC's The Cosby Show to Disney Channel's Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century and (obviously) That's So Raven and The Cheetah Girls, we can't imagine the mid-90s-2000s without Symoné.

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And while she's certainly grown-up, there's no mistaking that the 10-year-old seen above is Raven. And the actress was planning carefully for the future, even as a little girl. In 2020, Symoné revealed that her money from those few years on The Cosby Show remained untouched. What a boss.

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Alyson Stoner

Alyson had us feeling all the feels along with her on-screen fam in Cheaper by the Dozen. The talented actress was only ten years old when she appeared in the 2003 hit alongside Hilary Duff, Steve Martin, and a few other icons. So what's Stoner been up to since then?

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Well, other than looking fabulous with a trendy hairdo and style, Alyson's stayed busy since her big-screen debut. From Missy Elliot's music videos as a child and acting in Camp Rock to voicing Isabella in Phineas and Ferb, it seems that there's nothing Stoner can't do.

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Skai Jackson

Skai had starred in Liberty Kid, Rescue Me, The Rebound, Arthur, and The Smurfs by the age of ten. Fast forward a couple of years to 14 years, and things get even more impressive, as Jackson was named one of Time's 30 Most Influential Teens of 2016. There's no stopping her!

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She might now be a mere 19 years old, but Skai sure has a wise head on her shoulders - and is even an author! "You don't need to meet anyone else's standards," she once reassured fans during an interview with The Huffington Post. "Just live for you."

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Emma Watson

We saw 10-year-old Emma grow up as Hermoine Granger in the beloved Harry Potter film series. The way she sees it, childhood and adolescence onset was much different from the real world. "I'd spent more than half of my life pretending to be someone else," Watson shared.

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"While my contemporaries were dying their hair and firing out who they were, I was figuring out who Hermoine was and how best to portray her," she continued. "Now... for the first time in my life, I feel like I have a sense of self that I'm comfortable with.

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Kim Kardashian

Today, Kim Kardashian just wrapped up a 20-season long series that changed reality television as we knew it. The Hollywood icon is expanding her beauty empire, from a clothing line to cosmetics. And as of April 2021, Kimmy's net worth became $1 billion, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

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But rewind about three decades, and little Kimmy was a ten-year-old growing up in Los Angeles, California. A lot has changed for the beauty mogul since then, as Kardashian is now a 40-year-old mama of four. But one thing's for sure: she always looked fabulous.

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Natalie Portman

It's hard to remember a time when Natalie wasn't one of Hollywood's sweethearts. It seems that the now 40-year-old actress has brought us drama and talent for all of our lives. Portman's breakout role came about two years after her tenth birthday in the mid-90s hit Léon: The Professional.

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Since then? Well, don't hold your breath for Natalie's long list of acclaimed films. From playing Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars franchise to starring alongside Mila Kunis in Black Swan, we can't get enough of her. And thankfully, Portman's not slowing down.

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Noah Cyrus

Now just over 20 years old, Noah once ran the web show Noie and Ems Show at the young age of 10. Cyrus has since paved a successful music career, too. But the young starlet admitted that she "always believed" she would stay in big sister Miley's shadow.

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"That was something I heard my whole life, every single day, my whole life. It was either that or that I wasn't enough in some way, whether it was the way I look or the way I am," she said. "I feel like I don't even breathe right sometimes." Well, Noah, you'll always be a queen in our eyes.

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Zendaya

Some fans might not know that 10-year-old Zendaya was more focused on dancing than acting: the young star was in a youth hip-hop dance group and studied at The Academy of Hawaiian Arts. She's sure come a long way since then, and an equally long way from her Disney Channel roles to more mature parts like Rue in Euphoria.

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The jump from child star to mature actress wasn't easy, "I was really nervous because I wanted to do well," Zendaya explained of taking on Euphoria. "It's like going from nothing to everything - there were no steps in between." Well, safe to say she killed it.

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Kylie Jenner

It's hard to believe the grown-up on the right is the same person as 10-year-old Kylie on the left. We watched Jenner do the silliest of shenanigans throughout the beginning of Keeping Up With the Kardashians before blossoming into a total businesswoman.

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Since her time as a little starlet on KUWTK, Jenner has founded Kylie Cosmetics, Kylie Skin, and Kylie Baby. According to Celebrity Net Worth, the mom-of-one has a net worth of about $700 million, surpassing all of her sisters except for Kimmy. We can't decide who's probably more proud: momager Kris or Stormi?

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Kristen Stewart

We might know Kristen best for playing one of our favorite humans-turned-vampires, but the truth is that she got her start in Hollywood long before that. 10-year-old Stewart starred in the 2000s film The Flinstones in Viva Rock Vegas and took off from there.

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Kristen tackled intense roles early on. At 12, she acted in the thriller Panic Room and played a traumatized high schooler in Showtime's Speak two years later. This might explain why Stewart earned two nominations for Young Artist Awards during her adolescence.

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Rashida Jones

Rashida's first television role came in 1997 at around 20 years old. But she was living the Hollywood lifestyle long before that. When Jones was ten, the future actress could be spotted at premieres and walking the red carpet with famous parents Peggy Lipton and Quincy Jones.

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But there's no doubt she's paved her own way in Hollywood. And we're not just talking about Rashida's hit roles in Parks and Recreation or The Office. We're talking about this boss woman's various filmmaking endeavors, from an episode on Hot Girls Wanted to Quincy, a documentary about her father.

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Lea Michele

When Lea was only a decade into her life, she had already landed a hit role in the Broadway production of Les Miserables. But we guess that's hardly a shocker when you think about the actress's incredible voice. It's been onwards and upwards since that theater debut.

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Michele starred in Glee from 2009-2015. From there, she went on to act in Scream Queens and The Mayor, to name a few of her on-screen gigs. Lea later returned to the stage to play Princess Ariel in the Hollywood Bowl's The Little Mermaid. The starlet's got quite a few credits (and awards) under her name.

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Drew Barrymore

Whether it's from her time alongside E.T. or yet another Adam Sandler adventure, Drew Barrymore has been blessing our screens for decades now. But back in 1985, she was just 10 years old when her name was first put on the map. After starring in Cat's Eye, the child star's life would never be the same.

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Not only did the breakthrough role land her a nomination (Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actress), but it morphed her into the unstoppable star we know and love. Fast forward to today, and proud the momma of 2 hasn't slowed down one bit. And we certainly love to see it!

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Khloe Kardashian

Today, she's one of the most famous sisters in the world. But back in 1994? It was actually 10-year-old KoKo's father whose name was plastered across headlines. Why? Robert Kardashian had been defending NFL star O.J. Simpson during his infamous murder trial.

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Safe to say, a whole lot has changed since then. Today, the late lawyer's daughter has gone on to follow in his successful footsteps. Boasting her very own clothing line, the Good American beauty has morphed into a role model for girls and women alike. And bible, we've never been more proud. 

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Lindsay Lohan

Long before Lohan had us seeing double, this Parent Trap beauty was busy as a regular on TV soap opera, Another World. Little did 10-year-old Lindsay know that life as she knew it was about to change forever. Fast forward to today, and her success officially knows no end.

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Whether it's from her time in army pants (and flip flops) or a dive into the music world, the Mean Girls star has become one of Hollywood's most recognizable faces. And with good reason. Despite the road bumps she may have faced along the way, Lohan has proved that she's not going anywhere anytime soon.

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Abigail Breslin

Most of us remember her time with the princess of Genovia back in 2001. But it was actually in 2006 that this Princess Diaries child-star caught her big break. Clad in those chunky, familiar frames and red headband, the quirky 10-year-old won hearts everywhere as we followed her journey to self-discovery.

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Since then, we've watched the adorable child star blossom into the beautiful star we know today. From her endless award-winning roles to a directorial debut, we love to see just how far Miss Breslin has come. Though from the looks of it? Something tells us she's just getting started...

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Candace Cameron Bure

Back in 1986, a 10-year-old Candace had no idea her face was about to be plastered on televisions across the country. Sure enough, after Full House's debut one year later, nothing has ever been the same. Bure, along with that beloved massive smile of hers, went on to dominate the 90s. And it's only been up from there...

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From the Full House reboot to welcoming a family of her own, we've watched Candace's long list of accomplishments only continue to soar. And while it's already been 3+ decades since we first said bye to the Tanner family, we'll never be too old to watch DJ shed some sisterly advice on our screens.

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Michelle Trachtenberg

Long before the Upper East Side was introduced to this brunette beauty, the Gossip Girl actress's reality looked very different. From 9 to 11 years old, Trachtenberg's fame only started to gain momentum after landing a role on the Nickelodeon series, The Adventures of Pete & Pete

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Since then, the actress has gone on to land endless noteworthy roles. From Ice Princess to her time alongside Zac Efron in 17 Again, Michelle Trachtenberg has certainly come a long way. And we can't wait to see what the future has in store. Just like our next famous face...

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Angelina Jolie

It's hard to remember a time when Angelina Jolie wasn't dominating Hollywood. But back in the day, as the world was introduced to a 7-year-old Angie in Lookin' to Get Out, even she didn't realize international superstardom was right around the corner.

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While she may have admitted to feeling like an outsider growing up, Jolie has certainly found her place since then. Whether it's the endless award-winning roles or countless charitable ventures, Jolie is living proof that brains and beauty - and humility - truly can go hand in hand.

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Amanda Bynes

Amanda, please! Any of our '90s kids already know exactly who we're referring to. Back in 1996, at about 10 years old, Amanda Bynes found her way onto the All That stage. Safe to say, it wasn't long before the hilarious entertainer won hearts everywhere - and it landed Bynes her very own spin-off series.

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At just 13 years old, the talented teen made her hosting debut as The Amanda Show graced our screens. Ever since then, the actress' time in Hollywood has been nothing short of amazing. From endless blockbusters to her recent fashion design endeavors, she may have taken a brief hiatus, but Bynes is not going anywhere just yet!

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Scarlett Johansson

At just 9 years old, as Scarlett Johansson stepped foot onto the set of her first-ever movie, North, she was practically destined for greatness. Not only was the child star a natural, as New York Magazine reported, but it was only up from there (as we already know).

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In the blink of an eye, the aspiring star went from landing indie films to forming her very own empire. Not only has ScarJo's name found its way onto Forbes list on endless occasions, but the Marvel actress's charitable time off-screen has proven to be just as noteworthy.

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Kristen Dunst

In 1994, Kristen Dunst took to our screens as "Claudia" in Interview with the Vampire for her first-ever role - but it wouldn't be the starlet's last. After the breakthrough part, Dunst went on to land so much more than just the Golden Globe nomination that followed.

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Fast forward to today, and the child star's impressive roster of roles has morphed her into one of Hollywood's most notable faces. Whether it's from Kristen's time in Spider-Man or as a cheerleader, the Bring it On beauty is clearly a woman of many talents.

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