Where are the child stars of the best Christmas movies today? From Home Alones Macaulay Culkin to

The Home Alone films, which came out in the 1990s, are holiday classics. Culkin was 10 when the first movie premiered. He starred in other 90s films, such as My Girl and Richie Rich.

Culkin also wrote an autobiography, co-founded a pizza-themed Velvet Underground tribute band called The Pizza Underground with which he toured before they split up in 2018, and hosted a podcast called Bunny Ears.

He has continued acting as well – among his roles, he played Michael Alig in Party Monster in 2003, and he did voice-over work for Robot Chicken. He also appeared in American Horror Story in August.

He welcomed a son, Dakota Song Culkin, in April with Brenda Song. In November, Culkin made a surprise catwalk appearance at the Gucci Love Parade show on Hollywood Boulevard.

Mara Wilson starred in the 1994 remake of the holiday classic Miracle on 34th Street

Wilson was just six years old when she made her on-screen debut in Mrs. Doubtfire in 1993. She went on to play the titular character in Matilda in 1996.

Wilson took a break from acting to focus on a career as an author and journalist, but she continues to do voice-over work and make small cameos.

Wilson published a memoir called Where Am I Now?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame, wrote a play called Sheeple, and has had bylines in various publications.

Earlier this year, she wrote an essay for The New York Times about the dangers of being a child star, including her experiences of being sexualised by the media as a child, and she voiced her support for Britney Spears following FX’s popular Framing Britney Spears documentary.

She has also lent her voice to characters in BoJack Horseman and Big Hero 6: The Series.

Peter Billingsley played Ralphie Parker in the holiday classic A Christmas Story in 1983

Young Ralphie asked Santa for an “official Red Ryder carbine action, 200-shot, range model air rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time”. Billingsley was just 12 years old when he played the role.

He now works behind the scenes as a producer.

He’s worked as a producer on Iron Man, Four Christmases and The Break-Up, and directed the romantic comedy Couples Retreat. He also produced the Broadway adaptation of A Christmas Story in 2012.

More recently, between 2015 and 2021, he’s executive produced the Netflix animated series F is for Family.

In Love Actually, Thomas Brodie-Sangster played Liam Neeson’s young stepson, Sam, who was madly in love with a girl at school

Brodie-Sangster reprised the role for charity in the mini-sequel Red Nose Day Actually in 2017.

Fans may recognise him now from Game of Thrones, the Maze Runner films, or The Queen’s Gambit.

Brodie-Sangster also voiced Ferb Fletcher in Disney’s Phineas and Ferb, played Jojen Reed in seasons three and four of Game of Thrones, and played Newt in the Maze Runner films.

Taylor Momsen played Cindy Lou Who in How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Momsen was seven years old when she held the role. She went on to star in Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams, Hansel & Gretel and Saving Shiloh.

After rising to fame as Jenny Humphrey in Gossip Girl, she pivoted to focus on music with her rock band, The Pretty Reckless.

The Pretty Reckless has released three studio albums, and Momsen hasn’t acted since Gossip Girl ended in 2012.

Johnny Galecki starred in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation in 1989

When he was 14, he starred in the movie as Rusty, the son of Clark and Ellen Griswold, played by Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo. A few years later, Galecki became known as David Healy on Roseanne, a role he held from 1992 to 1997.

He has since enjoyed a successful TV career. He reprised his Roseanne role in the series reboot and eventual spin-off The Conners.

He also starred as Leonard Hofstadter in The Big Bang Theory from 2006 to 2019. For his work on the show, he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy in 2011 and a Golden Globe in 2012, among other awards. He played Henry in the 2019 movie A Dog’s Journey.

Karolyn Grimes played Zuzu Bailey in the holiday classic It’s A Wonderful Life in 1946

Grimes played actor James Stewart’s daughter. She was six years old when she held the role. Grimes quit acting in the 1950s, but she still makes appearances at It’s A Wonderful Life screenings.

Grimes published Zuzu Bailey’s It’s A Wonderful Life Cookbook: Recipes and Anecdotes Inspired by America’s Favorite Movie in 2000.

Daniel Tay starred alongside Will Ferrell in the 2003 holiday classic Elf

Tay played Buddy the Elf’s brother, Michael. He was 12 years old when he starred in the film.

After a few other movie roles and some voice-over work, Tay left acting and earned a degree in economics from Yale.

According to his LinkedIn page, Tay now works as a tutor and a research associate at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. His last acting job was voice-over work for an episode of the web series AniMat’s Classic Reviews in 2017.

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