What The Kid Who Played Conrad In The Cat In The Hat Looks Like Today
In 2003, we saw the release of the noteworthy adaptation to the popular children's book, "The Cat in the Hat." Its premise and general audience meant that director Bo Welch had to cast a unique set of actors to bring Dr. Seuss' jester-esque character to life. From casting known figures like Mike Myers and Alec Baldwin, Welch sought after two child actors to portray Joan Walden's precocious children, Conrad and Sally. Through their opposing personalities, the two quickly became fan-favorites. While we saw Dakota Fanning (who played Sally) transition into an illustrious actress, many of us may have forgotten about her fictional sibling, Spencer Breslin.
Thanks to his "rambunctious" antics as a child, the New York native began his acting career starring in several commercials and television series. By 2000, Breslin garnered massive success starring alongside Bruce Willis in "The Kid," which launched his career to newer heights. In an interview with Courageous Nerd, he owed all of his success to his passion for acting. "It worked out because I really enjoyed it," he stated. "I didn't really see it as a job back then. ... I was lucky and fortunate enough to keep booking stuff, keep going, and my love for it kept growing over time." Breslin, who is now all grown up, has continued to lead an interesting life following his portrayal of Conrad. From starring in self-curated projects to releasing music under his own label, here is what Conrad from "The Cat in the Hat" looks like today!
Spencer Breslin went on to work with his sister in a slew of films
Due to Spencer Breslin's seamless chemistry with Dakota Fanning in "The Cat in the Hat," it's easy to mistake the two for being siblings in real life. While that is untrue, Spencer, like his fictional counterpart, does have a younger sister who is just as precocious as Sally. Thanks to the massive success of her older brother, Abigail Breslin found her way into show business at the age of three. By 2002, she'd go on to work with the likes of Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix in "Signs." As each of their popularity grew, it was only a matter of time before the two would cross paths with one another.
In 2004, the two made their on-screen debut together in "Raising Helen," where they played Henry and Sarah Davis. Judging from their appearances on different media outlets like Jay Leno's talk show, it was clear their rapport, albeit childish, was infectious. This caused directors to go all-in with the brother and sister duo, casting them in films like "Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement" and "The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause."
Though Abigail eventually parted ways with Spencer, finding success through films like "Little Miss Sunshine" and "Zombieland," Spencer appeared on Elle Mills' podcast to recall the fond memories he had working with his little sister. When asked if working with Abigail was annoying, he replied: "Yeah, kind of. Like I remember telling her she was being unprofessional, a bunch of stuff like that."
Spencer Breslin released a full-length folk-indie album in 2012
As a child actor, Spencer Breslin dedicated most of his childhood to the film industry. For most, the strenuous routine of being an actor doesn't leave much time for other aspirations. In many cases, we may find actors abandoning what brought them notoriety to chase other ventures. Though Breslin still had his foot in acting, this didn't stop the child star from indulging in other hobbies that he deemed as his passion after "The Cat in the Hat." In 2012, Breslin released his full-length debut album, "Labor Day," which featured Jesse Eisenberg in a 1-minute monologue.
As his acting career began to slow down, Breslin took this time to fully commit to being a musician. The New York Native joined the band Broken Machine and successfully played numerous shows throughout the latter part of the 2010s. While their collective attempt at musical success appeared to gain traction, the band seemingly split up. This, however, didn't alter Breslin's passion for music. During his appearance on the "Too Opinionated" podcast in 2023, Breslin revealed that he is making music. "I'm working on a record with a buddy right now that's kind of like a new-wavy, kind of, dance record," he revealed. "Which is fun 'cause I've always played in, like, punk bands. So, this is a cool change up for me."
He spoke candidly about the dark side of being a child actor
Children who have grown up in show business tend to have harbored resentment for the industry they've once adored. As a result, the general public may witness raunchy behaviors or scandalous headlines of the child actor as they grow up. For Spencer Breslin, this transition was generally positive as he was able to navigate the acting world safely due to his positive influences. According to a 2016 thinkpiece curated by Vice's Broadly titled "Why Do Child Stars Sink or Swim," Breslin revealed just how dark the industry can get for a child actor.
In the Broadly interview, Breslin explained that while finding success as a young child is a feat of its own, it's generally backed by adults with ulterior motives. "A lot of times there are people who will kind of latch on to kids, whether it be an agent or a manager or anyone else like that, [who] will try to get the parents totally out of the picture so that the actor can rely on them," he revealed. "That can be really dangerous because then you have someone whose only motivation is making money calling the shots and directing this kid's life and what they should be doing. These wolves are coming up and saying, 'You don't really need mom and dad around, you don't really need that teacher you respect around, all you need is me, and I'll take care of you.'"
Spencer Breslin started his own ick-filled podcast in 2016
When Spencer Breslin isn't on the big screen or spending hours in recording studios, the multifaceted figure is indulging in a common social media pastime we all share. While his Instagram is used for his visual muses, his X, formerly known as Twitter, is flooded with meme-worthy quips and opinionated viewpoints on society, music, film, and, surprisingly, sports entertainment. Through this, we saw Breslin's personality come to life outside of interviews and films. Aside from his innate passions, the 31-year-old went on to tackle a career numerous content creators transitioned into, which, interestingly enough, mirrored his identity on social media platforms.
As the popularity of podcasts grew, Breslin took to Instagram in 2016 to announce that he was starting a podcast called "Vomitorium" with his friend Lara Kleinschmidt. As the name suggests, the podcast is essentially the two spitballing opinions about various topics that may or may not give them the "ick." Some of these include recreational drugs, the hardships of being an adult, the 2016 presidential election, and much more. Alongside having a sarcastic back-and-forth with model Tila Tequila on Twitter and having comedian Larry Owens guest-star in two episodes, the podcast appeared to have garnered some attention. Their efforts, however, were short-lived as the two went their separate ways, finding success in their own personal ventures.
He produced a short-lived mockumentary depicting his return to acting
In a 2014 Reddit AMA, Spencer Breslin opened up about possibly transitioning into a potential director. Despite it not being an easy feat, the actor's journey as a producer started well before the general public knew of this interest. In 2000, Breslin executively produced a TV short titled "A Kid Becomes The Kid." By 2013, he got his first legitimate production gig for "Really Bad Movie!" This only propelled him into "Widget & Poptop" in 2014, where he executively produced five episodes throughout two seasons. Though it'd be a long time before Breslin would have a hand in curating another project, a mockumentary surfaced on YouTube in 2017 which saw the prolific actor make light of his childhood legacy.
Similar to the likes of Matthew Gray Gubler, Breslin produced a mockumentary titled "Show Me The Money," which was loosely based on his real life. In addition to accurately depicting his interest in the acting business, it poked fun at the beliefs of him being a struggling actor now that he's all grown up. With the help of Liam Hourican, Jake Thomas, and Jonathan Lipnicki, it seemed like Breslin had started a mockumentary series worth watching. Unfortunately, the YouTube series never stood the test of time, as Breslin abandoned the project after the first episode. Nonetheless, the mockumentary not only showcased his comical personality but also showcased his talents as a producer.
He married a well-known Australian activist in 2017
Aside from opening up about having a "girlfriend" at the age of 12 to Jay Leno, Spencer Breslin has kept his relationships under wraps. However, this changed in 2016 when Breslin began posting a mystery girl on his Instagram. Within the slew of comedic-themed posts — whether promotional or just for fun — Breslin also introduced his followers to his Australian beau, Grace Tame, a renowned author, humanitarian, and advocate for sexual assault survivors. Outside of their individual pursuits, it appeared the two developed a deep connection with each other — culminating in the two getting married in 2017.
During his appearance on the "Quarter Lyfe Crisis" podcast, Breslin explained how he met his wife through a mutual friend. Despite his low expectations, the two strung up a romance that saw Breslin eventually wanting to marry her, stating: "I actually didn't know I was going to marry her. I knew I wanted to marry her very badly ... But for me, I met her, and I was like, 'Oh my god.'" Although all seemed well for the pair, each of their social media accounts suggests that they are no longer together. Due to Breslin's private nature, it is unclear as to when the two divorced. In addition to her humanitarian efforts, Tame has since moved on and now is head-over-heels for Max Heerey, while Breslin has appeared to shift his focus onto his career.
Spencer Breslin lost his father in 2021 due to COVID-19
For Spencer Breslin, life under quarantine was a unique one. As he devoted his time to self-reflecting and other creative hobbies, he also understood the severity of the pandemic and how it affected the lives of others. All seemed well for the actor until 2021 when it was announced that his father, Michael Breslin, had passed away due to complications with COVID-19. Breslin took to X, formerly known as Twitter, on February 6, 2021, to inform his followers of his family's loss. "I lost my father tonight. The wonderful, genius, kind, and eccentric, Mike Breslin passed away around half past 6 from COVID," he wrote. "Raise a glass and kiss your loved ones."
His and his siblings' sentiments toward their father only brought them closer together. This was made apparent in 2023 when Abigail Breslin paid homage to her two brothers (Spencer and Ryan) by posting a picture on Instagram of them walking her down the aisle during her wedding in honor of National Siblings Day. Due to the loss of her father, Abigail praised her brothers for being the sons their late father would've been proud of. "Happy belated #nationalsiblingsday to the two best big brothers a gal could dream of. No clue what I'd do without these cute weirdos," she wrote. "In all seriousness, Dad would be so proud of the amazing men you guys are. I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!"
He got his second wind in 2022 after years of inconsistent acting gigs
Despite the lack of roles, Spencer Breslin's passion for acting has never vanished over the years. "The Cat in the Hat" actor was still hard at work, starring in numerous projects such as "Some Kind of Hate," "Sunshine Becomes You," "External Forces," and "Wickenburg." However, these acting gigs were relatively short-lived for Breslin. By 2019, it was apparent that his pickiness and other ventures were getting in the way of his acting career.
That was until 2022, when Breslin was casted to play Blain in "Murder, Anyone?" In a 2023 interview with "World Film Geek," Breslin spoke about how he got involved in the project. "I been friends with James Bressack, the director, for quite a few years now, and we were kind of talking about, 'Oh man, it'd be really cool if we worked together on something,' and then, you know, this popped up," he revealed.
The film's release was followed by numerous publications arranging interviews with Breslin to discuss his firm return to the big screen. During his appearance on "Jake's Take with Jacob Elyachar," Breslin opened up about the difficulties of remaining hopeful through inconsistent gigs and how things have changed thanks to his involvement in "Murder, Anyone?" "I guess the slow times have been the challenges. It's kind of a waiting game half the time," he revealed. "I had a really slow few years, and now I'm busy with like, six different projects."
He reminisced on the challenges he faced while filming The Cat in the Hat
While Spencer Breslin has grown a lot since his portrayal of Conrad in "The Cat in the Hat," he can't escape the impact his older work had on the general public. No matter how many accolades the actor has garnered for himself, publications and fans alike always remind him of his younger days as an actor. Breslin, however, has no problem reminiscing as they were momentous occasions that only a few can say they've experienced. During his press run for "Murder, Anyone?" Breslin oftentimes fielded questions regarding his time filming these cult classics. Though several stories served as fond memories for him, there was one memory, in particular, that Breslin would like to forget during his time filming "The Cat in the Hat."
In a 2023 interview with "Geek To Me Radio," Breslin was asked about the pleasant — and not-so-pleasant — moments in his acting career that shifted the outcome of the numerous projects he was in. Unbeknownst to us, Breslin's performance as Conrad in "The Cat in the Hat" was done amid a serious illness that saw him have emergency surgery at only 11 years old. "On 'The Cat in the Hat,' I did get strep throat and appendicitis during the course of the film," he revealed. "So, that wasn't super fun, but I got to have a lot of ice cream and presents and stuff in the hospital after my surgery."
Spencer Breslin used his newfound momentum to appear alongside acting legends
Thanks to the talented director — and his dear friend — James Cullen Bressack, Spencer Breslin found himself in yet another film shortly after "Murder, Anyone?" This time, however, he is mirroring his childhood by starring alongside acting legends. In 2022, Breslin took to Instagram to announce that he is starring in a film with Kristanna Loken and action star Jean-Claude Van Damme in "Darkness of Man." As the film is gearing up for its release, Breslin wrote a lengthy Instagram caption in 2023 regarding his inclusion in the film. "Pretty exciting getting to make movies with my friends!" he wrote. "'Darkness of Man' was one of my best experiences ever on set. My dad would be losing his mind right now if he was around and knew I made a movie with the incomparable badass and all-around good dude that is [Jean-Claude Van Damme]."
"Darkness of Man" would be one of many projects set to star the "The Cat in the Hat" alumni. In a 2023 interview with Courageous Nerd, Breslin suggested that fans will be seeing more of him in the near future as he is hard at work for another movie starring Stacey Dash and Meghan Carrasquillo. "It's a movie written by Ashley Berry, it's based on her memoir," he revealed. "All [a] true story, directed by Canyon Prince and produced by James, who directed 'Murder, Anyone?' It's called 'Four' and should be coming out later this year."