Santa Clause Child Actor Eric Lloyd Shares Life Update 30 Years Later

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Eric Lloyd is embracing his holiday icon status—even while blazing a new trail.

Over thirty years after appearing as Charlie Calvin in the beloved 1994 film The Santa Clause—where his father (Tim Allen) unexpectedly becomes Santa—the actor has mostly left acting to focus on a career in music.

Eric, age 39, recently told Entertainment Tonight that he now focuses on sound design and re-recording mixing. He appreciates being able to work from home often, calling it a great benefit.

Despite now working as an audio engineer, he still remembers his time as an actor with fondness, including roles in Batman and Robin and the ‘90s sitcom Jesse. He even returned to his role as Charlie in The Santa Clause 2 (2002) and The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006), and later made a guest appearance in the 2022 spinoff series The Santa Clauses.

You know, as I look back on photos and videos from my younger years, it’s just incredible. It really makes you appreciate everything life has given you, and I feel so thankful for the journey it’s been. Being able to revisit those moments is a true gift, honestly.

Eric, who now owns a content creation studio, reflected that the original Santa Clause was likely to do well because of Tim Allen, but he believes the movie’s fresh and relatable feel is the main reason it remains popular today.

Eric pointed out that the movie wasn’t a traditional holiday film for its time. It explored difficult topics like divorce and family struggles, which are much more commonly seen in movies now, but were unusual back then.

He explained that the show’s popularity stemmed from its honesty and authenticity, and he believes that’s why it remained successful for so long.

Similar to Eric, lots of actors who started their careers as children have found new directions in life. Stay tuned for the latest news on the stars you remember!

Jonathan Taylor Thomas became well-known in 1991 for his role as the smart and lovable Randy Taylor on the show Home Improvement. Throughout the 1990s, he also appeared in films, notably as the voice of young Simba in The Lion King (though another actor did the singing) and in Tom and Huck (1995) with Brad Renfro and Wild America (1997) alongside Devon Sawa.

In 1998, he left the show Home Improvement (his character, Randy, moved to Costa Rica) to concentrate on his education, while still continuing to act in other projects.

In 2004, he played a recurring character on 8 Simple Rules. Then, in 2013, he worked with his former TV dad, Tim Allen, again, directing—and also appearing in—multiple episodes of Last Man Standing.

You know, it’s been fascinating watching Jonathan Taylor Thomas. He intentionally stepped away from the intense public eye to focus on living a normal life – he even graduated from Columbia University in 2010! But here’s the thing: he doesn’t need to be actively acting to stay relevant. Whenever a photo of him pops up, it instantly goes viral. It just proves what a lasting impact he’s made, and people are still incredibly interested in seeing what he’s up to.

Oh my gosh, remember Mason Lipnicki? Seriously, what a star! He was amazing in ‘Jerry Maguire,’ going head-to-head with Tom Cruise himself – and honestly, he totally held his own! He was SO cute and had, like, all the best lines. Then he just kept popping up in everything – ‘Stuart Little,’ he was Baby Tiger in ‘Doctor Dolittle,’ ‘The Little Vampire,’ ‘Little Mike’… I even remember him on ‘Dawson’s Creek’! It’s so cool that he stepped away to just be a normal kid for a while, but I was always a huge fan. He was just the cutest little actor ever!

In 2017, actor Jake Lipnicki shared on Instagram that he was bullied during middle school, hoping his story would help others going through similar experiences.

He was severely bullied as a child, and surprisingly, some of those same kids later tried to connect with him on Facebook. He remembered being told he’d never work again, and this led to nightly panic attacks as he dreaded facing more embarrassment. Despite everything, he persevered and now feels grateful for his life, hoping to share the message that things can improve.

Even now, he continues to act, most recently appearing in the 2023 Lifetime movie Secrets at the Museum. Originally from Los Angeles, he’s also a skilled martial artist with a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Demonstrating his commitment to his community, he volunteered to help protect a local synagogue in May 2021 when anti-Semitic incidents were increasing.

Wilson starred in Mrs. Doubtfire at 6 and Matilda at 9 before putting acting on the back burner.

In 2016, the writer and activist published her memoir, Where Am I Now?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame. She’s also made appearances on the show Broad City and lent her voice to several animated series, including BoJack Horseman, Big Hero 6: The Series, and Helluva Boss.

Ugh, I remember reading about this thing that happened to her – someone she thought was a friend actually asked, all cheerfully, if she felt like she’d already had her best moment! Can you believe the nerve? She said at the time she didn’t even know what to say, but now? Now she’d tell them they were totally wrong. She hasn’t peaked at all. It’s not about some story other people are making up about her life anymore, she’s finally taking control and writing her own narrative. It’s so empowering to read, honestly. She’s reclaiming everything!

Joseph Gordon-Levitt had already been acting for years when he landed the role of Tommy Solomon on 3rd Rock from the Sun. The sitcom began airing in 1996, when he was 14 years old. That same year, he also appeared as Demi Moore’s son in the thriller The Jury.

I’ve been a huge fan of Joseph Gordon-Levitt for years, and it’s amazing to look back at his early roles! I first really noticed him as the sweet, lovelorn guy in 10 Things I Hate About You back in ’99. Then he really showed his range, playing a much grittier character in Mysterious Skin a few years later. But it was Brick in 2005 that truly blew me away – his performance as that determined, almost detective-like teen was just incredible. He really established himself as someone who could tackle any role.

Despite looking young even into his twenties, Joseph Gordon-Levitt has built an impressive filmography playing adult roles. Some of his most notable performances include films like 500 Days of Summer, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Inception, 50/50, The Dark Knight Rises, Looper, Lincoln, Don Jon (which he also wrote and directed), and Snowden. More recently, he’s taken on roles based on real events, portraying a prosecutor in The Trial of the Chicago 7 and Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick in the series Super Pumped.

He quietly married Tasha McCauley in 2014 and they share three children.

Natalie Portman gained recognition early in her career thanks to her remarkably mature performance in the 1994 film The Professional, and she’s consistently delivered strong work ever since. Starting with that impressive debut, she’s appeared in a wide range of successful films, including the Star Wars prequels, the Thor and Avengers movies, and acclaimed independent films like Beautiful Girls and Garden State. She’s also shown her versatility in comedies such as Mars Attacks! and Your Highness, serious dramas like Closer and Brothers, and thrilling, thought-provoking movies like V for Vendetta and Annihilation.

Natalie Portman won an Academy Award for her performance as a ballerina struggling with her mental health in the 2010 film Black Swan. She received another Oscar nomination for portraying Jacqueline Kennedy following her husband’s assassination in the movie Jackie. In 2015, she also directed her first feature film, A Tale of Love and Darkness, which was based on Amos Oz’s autobiographical novel.

She married choreographer Benjamin Millepied in 2012, and they have two children, a son named Aleph and a daughter named Amalia. They divorced in 2024.

Cameron Jones is best remembered for playing the son of Jon Cryer’s character – a down-on-his-luck divorcee – and the nephew of Charlie Sheen’s character on the popular early 2000s sitcom Two and a Half Men. In 2012, a video appeared online of Jones criticizing the show, calling it “filth.” The clip came from a 15-minute religious talk he gave for Forerunner Chronicles, a Seventh-day Adventist ministry based in Alabama.

Jones later apologized for not showing enough respect to his coworkers and for not recognizing how fortunate he was to have the opportunity he’d been given.

The actor soon left the series, but returned for the finale in 2015.

During his last season on the CBS sitcom, actor Jones reportedly earned $350,000 per episode. He recently told KHOU in Houston that he felt the show joked about serious real-world issues, and he considered himself a “paid hypocrite” for participating despite his discomfort with the subject matter.

Oh my gosh, it killed me waiting for anything new from him! After being amazing in Louis C.K.’s Horace & Pete way back in 2016, I thought I’d never see him act again. Then, finally, in 2023, there was this little uncredited thing on Max called Bookie – it wasn’t much, but it was something! I was so relieved, honestly. It had been ages!

Jones described his time at the University of Colorado at Boulder as a normal period in his life, as he shared with People magazine in 2016. He admitted to once being very pessimistic, but explained he’s now enjoying life and feeling much more relaxed. He said he no longer feels constantly anxious or like he’s walking on eggshells.

Daniel Radcliffe has successfully moved beyond his role as Harry Potter by taking on a wide variety of challenging parts. He’s proven his range on stage in plays like Equus and The Cripple of Inishmaan, in the musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and in films such as Kill Your Darlings, where he played Allen Ginsberg, and the quirky Swiss Army Man. He’s also impressed on television as a doctor struggling with opioid addiction in A Young Doctor’s Notebook.

Recently, he finished four seasons on the show Miracle Workers, starred as Weird Al Yankovic in the biopic Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, and returned to the stage in a Broadway revival of Merrily We Roll Along.

On a personal note, Radcliffe is dad to a son with longtime partner Erin Darke.

Jodie Foster began her acting career around age six with a role in the Mayberry R.F.D. series, a spin-off of The Andy Griffith Show. At just fourteen, she received her first Academy Award nomination for her performance in Taxi Driver, where she played a young girl exploited by a dangerous man. This role was a key factor in driving the film’s plot and the actions of Robert De Niro’s character. Also in 1976, Foster starred in the original Freaky Friday, a much lighter role that helped establish her as a popular child star.

The dedicated actress paused her studies to attend Yale University. She then achieved a breakthrough role, winning her first Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in the 1988 film The Accused, where she played a woman who bravely pursued legal action after a gang rape, only to find herself unexpectedly on trial herself. In 1991, she directed her first feature film, Little Man Tate, and the following year, in 1992, she won the Best Actress Oscar for her compelling performance as a determined FBI trainee in The Silence of the Lambs.

The acclaimed actress and filmmaker received the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement at the 2013 Golden Globes. More recently, she’s focused on directing for television, having directed episodes of popular shows like House of Cards, Black Mirror, and Orange Is the New Black. In the 2000s and 2010s, she appeared in films such as Panic Room, Inside Man, Elysium, Hotel Artemis, and The Mauritanian, for which she unexpectedly won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in 2021.

She has two sons with her former partner, Cydney Bernard, and she married photographer and director Alexandra Hedison in 2014.

It’s not surprising that Jodie Foster took Kristen Stewart under her wing while filming the 2002 thriller, Panic Room, directed by David Fincher, as they played mother and daughter. Similar to Foster, Stewart has had a complicated relationship with fame, but it’s been amplified by the internet since she landed the breakthrough role of Bella Swan in the Twilight series around age 16.

In a 2019 interview with Stellar magazine, Kristen Stewart recalled that Jodie Foster didn’t believe she’d stick with acting. Stewart clarified this wasn’t a judgment of her abilities, but rather a reflection of Foster’s own down-to-earth personality. “I enjoy what I do,” Stewart said, “but looking back, I can see why she’d have thought that about me when I was younger. I have a lot of affection for her.”

Since finishing the Twilight films, the actress and Chanel brand ambassador has consistently found work. While she briefly attempted to reboot Charlie’s Angels in 2019, she’s mostly focused on smaller, more personal projects. These include critically acclaimed films like The Clouds of Sils Maria (which earned her a Cesar Award – the French equivalent of an Oscar, and a first for an American actress), the suspenseful Personal Shopper, and biographical dramas inspired by real figures, Seberg and Spencer.

Following her public relationship with Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart began dating women and later married Dylan Meyer in 2025.

Long before Josh Brolin became famous for his role as Thanos in the Marvel movies, and decades before he played the character who eliminated half of the population with a snap, he began his acting career. In 1985, he starred as the older brother, Brandon Walsh, in the film The Goonies – a cool, slightly annoyed, but ultimately caring and protective character.

Brolin continued to act in numerous films, including Flirting With Disaster, Mimic, and No Country for Old Men, which earned the Best Picture Oscar and significantly boosted his career. He also appeared in American Gangster, W. (where he played George W. Bush), and Milk, receiving an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Dan White, the man who killed Harvey Milk. Other notable roles included Jonah Hex, True Grit, Sicario, Deadpool 2, and the blockbuster Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, where he played Thanos using CGI. More recently, he’s been in the science fiction film Dune, with parts one and two released or upcoming.

Josh Brolin has two children with his first wife, Alice Adair. He was then married to Diane Lane from 2004 to 2013. He married Kathryn Boyd in 2016, and they have two daughters together: Westlyn Reign Brolin, born in 2018, and Chapel Grace Brolin, born in December 2020.

She started her acting career at around age 10, appearing in films with Cher and Winona Ryder. She was in the 1990 movie Mermaids, and the following year she starred as the playfully gloomy Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family.

Christina Ricci continued to gain recognition in the 1990s with roles in films like Casper and Now and Then. She then built a career playing complex characters in movies such as The Opposite of Sex, Buffalo ’66, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Sleepy Hollow, Prozac Nation, Pumpkin, and Monster. In Monster, she portrayed the girlfriend of serial killer Aileen Wuornos, a role famously won an Oscar for Charlize Theron.

Over the last three decades, Christina Ricci has consistently chosen bold and daring roles. From playing a stylish flight attendant in the TV series Pan Am to enduring a challenging situation in Black Snake Moan, and portraying captivating historical figures like ax murderer Lizzie Borden in The Lizzie Borden Chronicles and writer Zelda Fitzgerald in Z: The Beginning of Everything, Ricci has never shied away from complex characters.

Ricci has two children: a son named Freddie with her former husband, James Heerdegen, and a daughter named Cleopatra with her current husband, Mark Hampton.

In October 2021, Yellowjackets actress Melanie Lynskey married her husband, hairdresser Mark Hampton. They then welcomed their daughter, Cleopatra, in December of that same year.

Macaulay Culkin became a household name with a single scream in Home Alone when he was just ten years old, but he’d actually been working in TV movies and films like Uncle Buck and Jacob’s Ladder since he was around five. After taking a break from acting following 1994’s Richie Rich, he’s returned to it occasionally, often appearing in smaller, culturally significant films like Party Monster and Saved. He’s also pursued music and painting.

Macaulay Culkin, known for his voice work on Robot Chicken and a cameo as a barista on The Jim Gaffigan Show, is set to appear in the tenth season of American Horror Story, which is scheduled to premiere in 2021, assuming pandemic safety measures are in place.

The actor is engaged to Brenda Song and they have two sons. Their oldest, Dakota Song Culkin, is named after the actor’s sister, Dakota, who sadly passed away in a car accident in 2008. Their younger son, Carson, made his first public appearance at his father’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony on December 1, 2023, when he was just one year old.

Kieran Culkin started his acting career with a memorable role as Fuller, Kevin McCallister’s cousin who loves Pepsi, in the popular film Home Alone, which also starred his older brother.

Known for his roles in teen movies like Father of the Bride, She’s All That, Igby Goes Down, and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, he transformed his image with his Emmy-winning performance as the sharp-tongued Roman Roy on Succession.

In 2025, Kieran had a breakthrough year, culminating in an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the film A Real Pain.

Kieran and his wife, Jazz Charton, are parents to three children: Kinsey Sioux, Wilder Wolf, and a new baby who was born in September 2025, as announced by Kieran’s Succession co-star, Sarah Snook.

Dakota Fanning’s career has seemed to jump quickly from playing young versions of characters in shows like Ally McBeal and the movie I Am Sam to a starring role as a pioneering female detective in the historical drama The Alienist. However, that transformation wasn’t as sudden as it appears.

For over 20 years, she’s consistently delivered strong performances in a variety of films, including Uptown Girls, Man on Fire, Hide and Seek, War of the Worlds, Charlotte’s Web, The Secret Life of Bees, three Twilight movies, American Pastoral, and Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood. Notably, she portrayed Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, a follower of Charles Manson, in Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood.

Dakota Fanning acted alongside her sister Elle Fanning in The Nightingale, and in 2025, she received a Golden Globe nomination for her role as Marge Sherwood in the Netflix series Ripley.

Though she began her career playing a young version of her sister Dakota’s character in the film I Am Sam, Elle Fanning has since established herself as a unique and successful actress with her own distinct style.

I’ve been following Elle Fanning’s career for years, and it’s amazing to see how far she’s come! She started out playing supporting roles in films alongside some really big names – I remember seeing her in Daddy Day Care, Babel, and even popping up in different CSI shows. It was a little wild seeing her in those crime dramas when she was so young! As she grew up, her roles became so much more diverse. She did sweet family movies like We Bought a Zoo and Maleficent, then moved into teen favorites like Super 8. But what really impressed me was her ability to tackle serious dramas like Trumbo and 20th Century Women, and then completely transform herself for darker, more artistic films like The Neon Demon and The Beguiled. She’s truly a versatile actress!

She’s also taken on notable roles as Mary Shelley in a film about the author, and as Catherine the Great in the Hulu comedy series, The Great.

Since becoming famous on the Disney Channel’s Lizzie McGuire, the actress and singer has matured. She successfully transitioned from that role into popular family movies like Agent Cody Banks, Cheaper by the Dozen, and A Cinderella Story.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve always admired Hilary Duff’s ability to bounce back and deliver fantastic performances. After a quiet period, she really shone in Younger, playing a complex character alongside Sutton Foster in that clever series about a woman pretending to be younger. We were all thrilled when Younger was renewed for a seventh season! And the buzz around a potential spin-off focusing on her character, Kelsey, was huge. But honestly, many of us really wanted to see her reprise her iconic role as Lizzie McGuire in a Disney+ reboot. Sadly, that revival didn’t end up happening, which was a disappointment for those of us who grew up with the show.

She has since starred in two seasons of  How I Met Your Father.

Hilary Duff first married hockey player Mike Comrie and they had a son, Luca, together. They divorced in 2014 after four years. She then married musician Matthew Koma, and they have three daughters: Banks Violet, Mae James, and Townes Meadow, who was born in May 2024.

Candace Cameron Bure, younger sister of Kirk Cameron, became a style icon for many 12-year-olds thanks to her role as D.J. Tanner, the responsible oldest daughter on the popular show Full House, which aired from 1987 to 1995.

She’s appeared in many TV movies, including some that tackled important issues. One example is the 1996 film No One Would Tell, which was based on the heartbreaking true story of a high school student who was tragically murdered by her abusive boyfriend after enduring months of silent suffering. It’s a story that remains deeply impactful even today.

Lately, Candace Cameron Bure has become a Hallmark Channel favorite, especially during the holidays. Before that, she was a co-host on The View and reprised her role as D.J. Tanner in the Netflix series Fuller House for five seasons. She also stars in the Aurora Teagarden mystery movies on Hallmark, which are based on the novels by Charlaine Harris.

In 2021, she and her husband, former NHL player Valeri Bure, marked their 25th wedding anniversary. They have three children together.

Jodie Sweetin, best known for playing Stephanie Tanner on the TV show Full House for eight seasons, faced challenges with substance abuse. She openly shared her experiences in her 2009 autobiography, unSweetined.

Between 2002 and 2016, her three marriages frequently made news. A short-lived engagement to Justin Hodak also drew attention, particularly after he violated a restraining order she had against him. In 2019, Hodak was sentenced to over six years in prison for possessing a dangerous weapon and providing false evidence.

Having been sober since 2008, the mother of Zoie and Beatrix returned to the world of the Tanner family in the Netflix series Fuller House for five seasons. She’s also appeared in several Hallmark Channel movies, such as the Christmas film Merry and Bright (2019) and the romantic comedy Just Swipe.

The character of Michelle Tanner on the popular TV show Full House was actually played by twin sisters, who started on the show as babies and grew into a recognizable 6-year-old. Their success led to a whole business empire, including movies, clothing, books, and other products.

After 2004’s New York Minute, Mary-Kate continued acting with roles in shows like Weeds and films such as The Wackness and Beastly. Ashley, however, stepped away from acting. Today, both sisters are best known as fashion icons and the co-founders of the award-winning brands The Row and Elizabeth & James.

Ashley and her husband, Louis Eisner, welcomed their first child in 2023. Mary-Kate married Olivier Sarkozy in 2015, but they divorced in 2020.

Oh my god, before he was the Leonardo DiCaprio – you know, the yacht life, the Oscar, everything – he was just Luke! Luke, the homeless teen on Growing Pains back in ’91! It’s so cute looking back at that! And even then, he had that baby face, looking way younger than he was – he was already 16 when he joined GP and had been acting for ages! Then came What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, his first Oscar nomination – can you believe it?! He was always so good at playing those troubled kids, in movies like A Boy’s Life, The Basketball Diaries, Marvin’s Room, and even Romeo + Juliet – though, let’s be real, he was just troubled by love in that one! It’s amazing to see how far he’s come, but I’ll always have a soft spot for Luke.

He still kinda looked like a kid in Titanic, but at 22 he had reached full-on heartthrob status.

Over the last ten years, Leonardo DiCaprio has appeared in critically acclaimed films including Inception, The Wolf of Wall Street, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood, The Revenant (for which he finally won an Oscar for Best Actor), and Killers of the Flower Moon.

Accio, adulthood!

Emma Watson first gained recognition for her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films, and has since starred in popular young adult movies like The Perks of Being a Wallflower and The Bling Ring. She’s also acted alongside Tom Hanks in The Circle, played Belle in the live-action Beauty and the Beast, and portrayed Meg March in Little Women. Beyond acting, Watson uses her influence as a UN Goodwill Ambassador to support women’s empowerment and gender equality globally. She’s also worked as a model for brands like Prada and Burberry, co-founded a gin company with her brother Alex Watson, and studied creative writing at Oxford University.

Neil Patrick Harris, originally from New Mexico, achieved early success, receiving a Golden Globe nomination at age 15 for his first role in the 1988 TV movie Clara’s Heart. However, his career could have taken a different turn after starring as a teenage genius doctor in the dramedy Doogie Howser, M.D. – a possibility he playfully acknowledged by hilariously parodying himself in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle.

After a period of career slowdown following an intense start in Hollywood, he stayed active in theater, appearing in three Broadway productions. Eventually, he landed the perfect television role as the charming Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, which earned him four Emmy nominations. In 2010, he had a particularly successful year, winning two Emmys – one for co-producing the 2009 Tony Awards and another for a guest appearance on Glee, in addition to receiving three nominations.

Oh my gosh, can you believe this man?! He doesn’t just do entertainment, he is entertainment! Acting, singing, dancing, even MAGIC – he’s a total quadruple threat! And the awards? Forget about it! He’s hosted the Tonys four times and won an Emmy each time as a producer! Then there’s the Emmys – twice! And he hosted the Oscars in 2015! But it’s not just hosting, you guys! He actually won a Tony in 2014 for his incredible performance in Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Seriously, is there anything he can’t do?! I’m completely obsessed!

As someone who’s always believed in building a beautiful life, I’m so happy to share that my partner, David Burtka, and I welcomed our twins, Gideon and Harper, through surrogacy back in 2010. It was a dream come true! We then made it official and got married in 2014, solidifying our family and our commitment to each other.

She first gained fame as the adorable Olivia on The Cosby Show when she was just four years old. She continued acting in films like The Little Rascals and the Doctor Dolittle movies. In 2003, she starred in her own popular Disney Channel show, That’s So Raven, where she played a stylish teenage psychic. Throughout the show’s run, she also made appearances in other Disney productions, including The Cheetah Girls, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, Kim Possible, and Sonny With a Chance.

After her show ended in 2007, Raven-Symoné continued to appear on television, with roles in shows like American Dad, Nashville, State of Georgia, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Master of None, and Drunk History. She also had a recurring part on Black-ish. In addition to acting, she co-hosted The View for three seasons and married Miranda Maday in June 2020.

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2025-12-23 00:53