Summary

Whilechild actorscan often have a reputation for exit off the rail in belated life , some find a great making love for the world of media and terminate up becomingfilmmakersthemselves . Certain actors managed to maintain their acting careers alongside their picture show - making projects , while others give up act totally to engage filmmaking full - time . Having grow up fence by filmmaking , it only makes gumption that some actors would pick up and matter or two and decide to try their hand at their own movie .

When seem at all the different child actors who became film producer there is a huge variety when it add up to their backstories and how they ended up pursuing filmmaking afterwards in living . There are some histrion , like Drew Barrymore , who came from a long lineage of actors in their fellowship and were squeeze into the world of filmmaking before they had even pick up to take the air . Some spent most of their career in front of the tv camera before take a chance and making their own movies , like Helen Hunt . Whatever the reason , there are plenty ofchild actors who end up becoming film producer .

13Ron Howard

Went from teenage star on Happy Days to acclaimed film director across multiple genres

With a calling spanning over 60 years , Ron Howard is one of the most successful examples of a nestling - thespian - turned - filmmaker . Howard started acting at five years honest-to-god with role include an appearance inThe Twilight Zone , Opie Taylor inThe Andy Griffith Show , and he afterwards became a household name with a star part onHappy Days . In 1980,Howard shifted his focus to filmmakingandHoward defied categorization by make picture show across all genreslike the children ’s fantasyHow The Grinch Stole Christmas , the mystery thrillerThe Da Vinci Code , andSolo : A Star Wars Story . Howard deliver the goods the Academy Award for Best Picture for his dramaA Beautiful Mind .

12Sarah Polley

Went from a child actress on children’s television to an Academy Award-winner

Sarah Polley first gained the public ’s attention by act as eight - class - old Romana Quimby in the tv set showRamona , based series by Beverly Cleary . Polley went on to asterisk in the television seriesRoad to Avonleaand celluloid such asThe Sweet Hereafter , Guinevere , andMy Life Without Me . In 2006,Polley released her feature directional debutAway from Here , and in 2022 discharge the critically acclaimed dramaWomen speak , which she also wrote . woman Talkingwas put forward for Best Picture at the Academy Awards and Polley took home the prize for Best Screenplay for the celluloid .

Related:10 Former minor actor Who Became Oscar Winners

11Drew Barrymore

Went from a successful child actress to film director and media personality

As a member of theBarrymore family of histrion , Drew Barrymore ’s career get when she was 11 months old , and she gained major recognition at just 7 when she appeared inE.T. the superfluous - tellurian . WhileBarrymore has maintained a successful career as an actresswith star role in cinema likeNever Been Kissed , Charlie ’s Angels , and50 First Dates , she has also tried her hand at filmmaking . Barrymore released her directional first appearance , Whip It , in 2009 , and although the moving-picture show was well - received among critics it was a box - office letdown that barely break even by grossing $ 16.6 million worldwide against its $ 15 million budget ( viaLA Times . )

10Jodie Foster

Went from a Disney teen idol to feature film director

9Jason Bateman

Went from a child television actor to a successful actor and director

Known today for starring roles inArrested Development , Ozark , and an array of feature films , Jason Bateman get his commencement as a tiddler role player on serial publication likeLittle House on the Prairie . However , it was during these other years that Bateman first turned to filmmaking and made his guiding introduction with an installment ofThe Hogan Family . At just 18 class old , Bateman set the record for youthful theater director in the Director ’s Guild of Americaat the time ( viaKQED.)Bateman has directed two feature of speech films , including the black comedyBad Wordsand the comedy - dramaThe Family Fang .

8Sofia Coppola

Went from a child actress in her father’s films to an acclaimed director in her own right

Directing rill in the family for Sofia Coppola as her Padre Francis Ford Coppola is responsible for some of the great movies of all time includingThe GodfatherandApocalypse Now . Bulgarian capital Coppola got her acting start in her father ’s pic and present Mary , the girl of Michael Corleone inThe Godfather Part III . However , her true warmth pose in filmmaking and at 29 she made her first feature filmThe Virgin Suicides . Since then , Coppola has received the Academy Award for Best Original ScreenplayforLost in Translationand in 2023 wrote , directed , and producedPriscilla , a biopic explore Priscilla Presley ’s kinship and matrimony to Elvis .

7Asia Argento

Went from a teenage actress in her father’s movie to the director of three feature films

The girl of Italian director Dario Argento , Asia Argento began acting at nine year oldand when she was 16 starred in her father ’s filmTrauma . Argento experience recognition in Hollywood following her portrayal of the Russian undercover agent Yelena in the activity filmXXXopposite Vin Diesel . Argento directed her first flick , Scarlett Diva , in 2000 , and madeThe Heart is Deceitful Above All Thingsin 2004 , as well asMisunderstoodin 2014 . Argento was a outspoken advocate of the MeToo motility and in 2017 outlinedsexual ravishment allegation against Harvey Weinstein . Since then , Argento herself has also been accused of sexual assault of a minor ( viaThe New York Times . )

6John Francis Daley

Went from a child star on Freaks & Geeks to successful writer and director of massive franchises

Best known as the shy high school freshman Sam Weird inFreaks and Geeksand later FBI profiler Lance Sweets onBones , today John Francis Daley is arguably more successful behind the filmdom than on it . Daley has had a fruitful collaborationism with fellow writer and director Jonathan Goldstein and together they co - wrote motion picture likeHorrible BossesandSpider - Man : Homecoming . In 2023,Daley and Goldstein directedDungeons & Dragons : Honor Among Thievestogether , which , despite initially underperform at the box post , has been a hit with critic and audience .

5Peter Billingsley

Went from a child actor in a Christmas classic to a behind-the-scenes producer

Peter Billingsley startle his career seem in commercials at just two age old and gain wide recognition for portraying Ralphie Parker inA Christmas Storyin 1983 . Since then , Billingsley has spent most of his time turn behind - the - scenes output rolesin movies likeElf , The Breakup , andIron Man . However , in 2022 , Billingsley returned to his most famed office as Ralphie Parker for a legacy sequel calledA Christmas Story Christmaswhich he also co - produced and receive a story mention for .

4Jackie Cooper

Went from an acclaimed child actor to successful TV director

As the youngest person ever to find an Academy Award nominating address for Best Actor , child star Jackie Cooper get this nomination at just nine year erstwhile for the 1931 filmSkippy . Cooper was one of the most successful child actors everand successfully made the changeover to adult roles later in his career with theatrical role like Perry White in theSupermanseries . Cooper would also move around his aid not filmmaking and throughout his career directed several feature film film and TV episodes such asSledge Hammer!,Magnum P.I. , andCagney & Lacey .

How Rachel Zegler’s

Ben-Stiller’s-$128M-Dark-Comedy-Lands-On-Netflix’s-Global-Charts-18-Years-Later

Denzel-Washington’s-Best-The-Equalizer-2-Scene-Revealed-The-Real-Robert-McCall

Jodie Foster in a red and white top, Joseph Gordan-Levitt looking sad, and Ron Howard in a blue cardigan, all when they were young

Sarah Polley in Dawn of the Dead

jodie foster anna and the king 1999

Arrested Development Jason Bateman Michael Bluth

Sofia Coppola

Asia Argento as Yelena in xXx

John Francis Daley as Sweets interrogating a suspect on Bones.

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Jackie Cooper as Perry White in Superman