Five child stars who banked fortunes before they turned 18

Hollywood has never been shy about putting kids on the marquee. Shirley Temple basically kept 20th Century Fox solvent during the Depression. Macaulay Culkin didn’t just sell tickets with Home Alone, he reset what studios had to pay child leads. Daniel Radcliffe landed Harry Potter at 11 and rode that broom straight into a billion-dollar franchise. Translation: the big checks do not wait for a driver’s license. Now there’s a fresh class of young actors already racking up serious credits and, yes, serious money. Some are franchise faces, others are quietly stacking roles like pros. Here’s who’s already cashing in while the rest of us were still figuring out locker combinations. The new class of power kidsChristian Convery (16) — Broke out at 11 with Netflix ’s Sweet Tooth and hasn’t slowed down. He’s a Children’s & Family Emmy winner and has been adding studio work — including Deadpool & Wolverine — to his resume. Industry estimates put his net worth around $1.5 million, built less on one giant franchise and more on a steady run of high-profile projects across streaming and film. It ’s the slow-and-steady version of young stardom, and it’s working. Walker Scobell (17) — This is the rocket-ship path. Ryan Reynolds personally tapped him to play young Reynolds in Netflix’s The Adam Project, which turned a lot of heads fast. Then he nabbed the lead in Disney+ ’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians. As the face of a fantasy series, he’s on Disney’s premium streaming pay scale, with the usual season-to-season bumps expected as the show grows. Current net worth estimates hover around $3 million. Alan S. Kim (14) — Stole scenes in Minari at age 7 and picked up a BAFTA nomination along the way. Since then he’s diversified: luxury fashion campaigns, commercial endorsements, and studio films like Theater Camp and IF. The ballpark net worth number you’ll see is about $1 million, spread across acting and brand work — a savvy mix for someone who hasn’t started high school. Diesel La Torraca (15) — First popped at 10 as Austin Miller on Netflix’s Ginny & Georgia, instantly memorable and a big part of the show’s charm. As the series kept breaking records and winning renewals, his per-episode pay rose accordingly — the standard Netflix success ladder. Estimates put him between $1 and $1.5 million so far, with room to climb if the show keeps rolling. Keivonn Woodard (12) — Made a huge impact at 10 playing Sam on HBO ’s The Last of Us and became the youngest-ever Primetime Emmy nominee for Guest Actor in a Drama Series. Between HBO-level rates and the kind of breakout that opens doors, he’s positioned to build a serious career (and earnings) early. The exact number isn’t pinned to a dollar sign here, but the trajectory is obvious. The throughline here is simple: whether it’s a franchise lead or a string of smart choices, today’s youngest stars are turning early momentum into real leverage — and real money — faster than ever. Consider this the next wave of kid-to-power-player stories already in progress. Quick note for the bean counters: those net worth figures are industry estimates, not audited statements. But even with the usual grain of salt, the trend is hard to miss.

Five child stars who banked fortunes before they turned 18

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