The 1990s were an awesome time for TV and movies, specifically those marketed at teens and young adults. If you happened to appear in a show that hit it big, you immediately became a star known to everyone with a working TV and access to magazines. That led to some pretty iconic '90s icons who really "made it" in Hollywood, like Jennifer Aniston and Leonardo DiCaprio, but equally it gave us some stars that we don't hear much from anymore.
It's gonna be repeated throughout this piece, but it's worth noting right up top: A lot of young actors, including child stars, didn't have a "normal" upbringing when they became famous early. So it makes sense that they quit the business or retired to do something else. And show business can be rough—so it's understandable when actors want to take a break or lose the love of acting. A number of these actors also continued to work and still can be found on our screens today. You just may not have realized it!
Marla Sokoloff
Stephanie's frenemy on Full House (who also appears in Fuller House) actually almost played Topanga on Boy Meets World. (She also played Joey's sister on Friends!) These days, she's a mom of three. She still acts on smaller projects, and in 2022 she directed Rosé All Day.
Pauly Shore
Believe it or not, Shore was a '90s comedy legend, from Encino Man to A Goofy Movie and Son in Law. (He was also an on-camera VJ during a time when MTV was being watched by every single teen in America.) He's continued to act, and he's also a filmmaker (including Pauly Shore Is Dead, about his decreasing popularity. He's got a sense of humor!).
Fairuza Balk
With a name like Fairuza, Balk seemed destined for stardom—she was the best part of The Craft, and also had parts in American History X and Almost Famous. She's also released music and done visual art since 2010 and has starred in Ray Donovan and Paradise City. She's still in the industry, in other words.
Barry Watson
There are a ton of '90s heartthrobs on this list (and, if you didn't live through it, you might not understand how obsessed teen girls were with male celebrities). Watson is one of these, from his role on 7th Heaven to Teaching Miss Tingle. He's continued to act, including on Samantha Who? and The Loudest Voice.
Jenna von Oÿ
Dorothy "Six" LeMeure from Blossom and Stevie from The Parkers and Stacey from A Goofy Movie: von Oÿ had a prolific career in the '90s. She launched a music career in the 2000s and has continued to do some acting as well as some impressive writing. Fun fact! She came out as gay in 2023.
Moira Kelly
Kelly's list of acting credits from this era is long and impressive: Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, One Tree Hill, The West Wing, and (a role I didn't realize until just now) Nala in the original Lion King! She continued to act, including on the TV show Citadel and My Southern Family Christmas.
Mike Vitar
"You're killing me, Smalls!" Benny the Jet from The Sandlot and Luis from the three Mighty Duck movies retired from acting in 1997. Not much is known about him beyond that, other than that he has done work as an EMT and firefighter and that he has not shown up to film reunions.
Skeet Ulrich
If you happened to watch Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023), you'll know that Skeet Ulrich is back in the Scream franchise reprising his role as the murderous Billy Loomis. (Spoiler alert for the original Scream, and I guess the other movies, lol.) How, you ask? He comes back as a de-aged ghost!
Tatyana Ali
The erstwhile Ashley Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was a sensation in the '90s; She also parlayed that fame into a role on The Young and the Restless in the 2000s and 2010s. In 2023, she released holiday music and starred in Giving Hope: The Ni’Cola Mitchell Story.
Jason Behr
This might be the first of a couple times you say, "Oh yea, that guy!!" for people on this list. The first season of Roswell made Behr immediately recognizable and in hindsight became a fan fave. He married fellow actor Katherine Dee Strickland in 2006; He's acted since, including as Zor-El in Supergirl.
Rachael Leigh Cook
To be clear: Rachael Leigh Cook has continued to act, including in some very fun Hallmark movies. But she was a '90s on-screen darling thanks to She's All That (fun fact: She also had a role in the remake, He's All That) as well as the cult classic Josie and the Pussycats.
Billy Baldwin
One of the Baldwin brothers (brother to Alec!), Billy had his biggest hits in the '90s (Backdraft, Flatliners); He also did early work as a Calvin Klein model. He's continued to act in smaller projects (including Northern Rescue). He has three children with singer Chynna Phillips.
Thora Birch
Child stars have it tough! The actor who appeared in Clear and Present Danger, American Beauty, and Ghost World later said she found the expectations of her transition from child to adult actor "distasteful." Birch has acted more recently, included in The Last Black Man in San Francisco.
Tahj Mowry
The brother of Tia and Tamera Mowry had his own show (Smart Guy) and a similar role on Kim Possible. He stopped acting for a time in favor of school and football, later turning to singing and acting in smaller roles. In 2023 he began starring in Disney+'s The Muppets Mayhem.
Devon Sawa
Teenage girls absolutely raved over Devon Sawa in the '90s (remember his role in Casper?? Because I sure do!). He also starred in films like Now and Then and Final Destination; He then sought to get away from his heartthrob status. He's returned to acting, including horror films and TV like Chucky.
Rider Strong
Fun fact about Rider Strong, who was a part of the hit show Boy Meets World: "I did not want to be associated with the show, which is crazy to me now," he told Business Insider. In a fun twist, now he co-hosts the Boy Meets World rewatch podcast (and he's voiced Brick in Kim Possible, too).
Andrea Barber
In hindsight, I actually love Kimmy from Full House (people thought she was annoying at the time, but...she's actually kind of adorable?). After the show ended, she retired from acting, but did return as Kimmy in Fuller House and acted in Nickelodeon's That Girl Lay Lay as the principal.
Nate Richert
Harvey Kinkle was a huge part of the success of Sabrina the Teenage Witch: Everyone loved Nate Richert and Melissa Joan Hart together and were rooting for them throughout the will-they-won't-they dynamic of the series. He since got into music and has talked about doing carpentry and improv (as well as reunion appearances for that show).
Fiona Apple
Fiona Apple has absolutely continued to make music, so she hasn't disappeared—but her '90s fame, including "Criminal," was the stuff of legend (recently, it was featured in the Jennifer Lopez film Hustlers and was introduced to new audiences!). Check out her latest stuff if you like her.
Macy Gray
"I try to say goodbye and I choke—try to walk away and I stumble." Macy Gray's extremely singable "I Try" is still a classic, although her subsequent musical work was never quite as popular. Gray has appeared on Dancing With the Stars and The Masked Singer in Australia; In the 2020s, she's had multiple film projects.
Andrew Keegan
If you love 10 Things I Hate About You (iconic, classic, would watch right now), you're familiar with Andrew Keegan—who plays the extremely unlikeable Joey with the exact right level of douchiness. He took a break from acting but since returned to it in the 2020s, both TV and film.
Larisa Oleynik
We probably know Larisa Oleynik best from 10 Things I Hate About You, but she first starred in Nickelodeon's The Secret World of Alex Mack (which, if you're unfamiliar, she's very good in). While her roles might not be as splashy, she has continued to act since then, including a small role on Mad Men.
Bridget Fonda
This '90s queen (who comes from a famous acting family—Jane Fonda is her aunt!) appeared in The Godfather Part III, Single White Female, and Jackie Brown. After marrying Danny Elfman and having a child, she stopped appearing in public. (In the '00s, she was in a car accident and broke one of her vertebrae, which may have influenced the decision.)
Rick Moranis
The prototypical '90s funny man had an amazing run of hits, including Ghostbusters (and the sequel!), Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, and (my personal favorite) Spaceballs. Tragically, his wife passed away from cancer, and he stopped working in Hollywood to be a single dad. (In the late 2010s and 2020s, he's made forays into the industry again.)
Mara Wilson
If you loved Mrs. Doubtfire and Matilda, you loved the sweet innocence of Mara Wilson (she basically had every 90s kid's dream job). Wilson took a break from acting and is actually a phenomenal writer who has spoken eloquently about, among other things, the difficulties of being a child star.
Macaulay Culkin
Culkin was the child star of the '90s. His most notable hits included My Girl, Home Alone (plus the sequel!), The Good Son, and Richie Rich. He retired from acting but has since has come back to the industry as well as done musical work. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023!
Shane West
Technically Shane West probably falls under "'00s forgotten icons," since his most famous film, A Walk to Remember, came out in 2002. But his career began in earnest in the '90s, including with Once and Again and The Cider House Rules—and a guest spot on Buffy, naturally. He may be more under the radar now, but he still acts!
Monica
If you heard and loved "The Boy Is Mine," you're familiar with the duet between Monica and Brandy. After the massive success of that single and her third album, she never quite hit those heights again, although she did act, including on Felicity, and did reality TV and worked on The Voice.
Emilio Estevez
Estevez comes from a famous acting family (Charlie Sheen, Martin Sheen) and had a real heyday in the 1980s—but he still had major roles in the '90s, including with Mission: Impossible and The Mighty Ducks movies. Since then, he's written and directed several films, and did appear in the 2021 series The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers.
Sinbad
The Coneheads and Jingle All the Way actor (who was also a viral comedian) even had his own sitcom in the '90s. He hasn't worked as much since then—partially due to a stroke in 2020 as well as filing for bankruptcy—but did appear as himself in season 4 of Atlanta and has done voice work and music.
Brandy
A highly prolific singer (see also: "The Boy Is Mine") and actor (the titular lead on Moesha), Brandy has continued to work as a singer, public figure, and actor (including on TV with Queens and on Broadway with Chicago). But she spent time away from public life after Moesha, including dealing with the aftermath of a fatal car crash.
Jonathan Taylor Thomas
The teen heartthrob to end all heartthrobs, JTT (as he was affectionately called) had massive early success on TV (Home Improvement) and movies (voicing Simba in the original Lion King). He quit his TV show to focus on school, but he did venture back on screen in 2013 and has directed.
