What Really Happened To These Kids From Old-School Commercials?

Just what lives did old-school commercial kids lead? Well, for starters, to be a commercial actor, the less experience an actor had, the better, casting director Kate Evans revealed to Business Insider. "Lots of people are trained in theater and drama schools for years, so they act everything. In commercials, they just need to be themselves." Luckily for children, being themselves is what they do best.

Talent agent Pamela Goldman revealed what she looks for in a child actor — and the ability to act isn't high on the list. To Backstage, Goldman revealed that she chooses children with big personalities. "They smile. They react. And they are not shy at all," she wrote. She looks to cast "unique"-looking children, but it's most important that they're able to remain focused. "This is an aspect that a lot of parents overlook when they make an assessment on whether their child is cut out for this business," she explained.

Lastly, Goldman looks for kids who excel at cold reads. "Those are the kids that I remember," she wrote. As viewers, we, too, remember the standout stars — like the boy behind Oscar Mayer's bologna commercial and Life's Mikey. Whatever happened to these talented kiddos?

Long before Elijah Wood would transform into a hobbit named Frodo Baggins in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, he made a memorable impression on viewers in old-school commercials. Wood once promoted cheddar cheese as the star of a commercial for America's Dairy Farmers (via YouTube). Although the TV spot aged about as well as, uh, milk, it's easy to see how the adorable young actor catapulted into fame. 

Due to his big personality, Wood continued to star in commercials, but he also secured roles in films like "Back to the Future Part II." In 2001, the actor became a household name thanks to Peter Jackson's film series. Since then, Wood has turned away from big blockbuster hits and has instead taken roles in what IndieWire dubbed "wild genre movies." 

In an interview with IndieWire, Wood explained, "It's such an organic process. My intention is not to circumvent agents, but it's just interesting to find work where it kind of comes to you. Some of these things are the ones representative of a portion of my taste and the kind of movies I really like to make." 

In the early aughts, Doner, the automaker of Mazda, retired its tagline, "Get in. Be moved," and introduced, "Zoom zoom." At the time, Mazda didn't think of the phrase as a new tagline. Kristen Simmons, then marketing vice president at Mazda North American Operations in California, dubbed it a "mantra" when speaking to Adweek. She said, "'Zoom zoom' sums up everything that we stand for as a company." Doner's automotive president, Tim Blett, referred to the phrase as "an emotional promise."

Regardless of its label, "Zoom zoom" became a hit when Micah Kanters, the boy dressed in a suit and tie, whispered the two words at the camera during an old-school commercial for Mazda (via YouTube).

Over a decade later, Mazda still made good use of the "Zoom zoom" phrase, but Kanters — having all grown up — was no longer the unofficial face of the company. So, what happened to him? As of this writing, he is no longer acting, but still wears a suit and tie in the general counsel's Office at Ernst & Young. We can only hope he drives a Mazda. And whispers.

Tobey Maguire was a hit with casting directors because he looked much younger than his actual age. And, unlike many children auditioning for commercials, he already had acting experience from attending drama school. However, there was one child actor in Maguire's circle that was able to pull in even more work: Leonardo DiCaprio. "The two men go back a long way, having met as teenagers at auditions in the 1990s, most of which DiCaprio won at Maguire's expense," The Guardian revealed. "Later, DiCaprio would recommend his friend for parts when he could."

In a 1994 interview with DiCaprio, the star said he "did about 30, 40 commercials" before starring in "Growing Pains" (via Interview). Yes, just like Maguire, DiCaprio's career stemmed from old-school commercials, like one for Bubble Yum and one for Kraft Singles.

While the two are friends, Maguire told the publication, "Our lives are very different." As different as, say, Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby. DiCaprio has since lost his boyish '90s look, but he continues to secure lead roles in major films like "The Wolf of Wall Street" and "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood."

In the '90s, Hallie Eisenberg stole everyone's hearts in a series of Pepsi commercials when she, the curly-haired, dimpled little girl, would not accept a Coke as a substitute for her beloved Pepsi (via YouTube). This wasn't Eisenberg's first gig, though. She first starred in an old-school commercial for "Blue's Clues," Observer reported, but Eisenberg's stardom hit a new level after starring in the Pepsi campaign. It led to her getting bigger roles, like a spot in "Bicentennial Man" and Disney's "The Miracle Worker."

Eisenberg's older siblings were also in the acting business at the time and secured roles in Broadway plays. Although you may not be familiar with the Pepsi girl's older sister, you certainly know her brother. In case you didn't already spot the resemblance, Hallie Eisenberg is Jesse Eisenberg's little sister.

While her brother's acting career is still going strong, the actor hasn't starred in anything since 2011. From time to time, she shares photos on Instagram of her and the "Zombieland" star traveling together.

"This is what I want to do for the rest of my life and I hope to get to, and this is definitely something that I really love," a young Dakota Fanning said of acting when speaking with Movie Web in 2005. Now with several projects under her belt like "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" and "The Alienist," Fanning appears to still be passionate about acting. But how did her career begin?

"When we lived in Georgia my mom put me in plays at school," she explained, "and one day they told her you should get her an agent, so we got one, and then came to [California] for [six] weeks during pilot season and it all pretty much took off from there."

Although moving to California jump-started her career, her first gig was actually in the southeast when she was just 5 years old. "I did a Tide commercial in Florida," she confirmed, recalling her days of starring in an old-school commercial. (You can watch it on YouTube.) From there, she went on to star in one-off episodes of popular shows like "ER," "CSI," and "Spin City." Her big break came when she starred in "I Am Sam" in 2001.

At the age of 3, Rodney Allen Rippy starred in a hit old-school commercial for Jack in the Box. After the ad aired in 1976, Rippy's fame grew. "Soon the cute, chubby-cheeked youngster with the Afro as big as his head was hanging out in Hollywood with Michael Jackson," The Christian Science Monitor reported. "He made movie cameos and recorded a hit album called 'Take Life a Little Easier.'"

Despite signs of a promising career, Rippy's stardom fizzled out by the '80s. "I wanted to continue to act, but at the time acting was a thing that unless you were really burning hot, you better have something on the back burner," he revealed to the publication.

After Rippy graduated high school, he attended college and earned a degree in marketing. Some three decades later, Rippy made headlines once more. He was no longer singing or acting, but instead running for mayor of Compton. Ultimately, Rippy decided to leave the race and, as of this writing, has not run again for political office.

In the 1970s and '80s, Mason Reese was a young, charismatic commercial actor. According to The New York Times, the child actor starred in over 75 old-school commercials and won Clio awards for his performances.

After captivating audiences with his commercials for brands like Dunkin' Donuts and Underwood Deviled Ham, he went on to publish an autobiography at the young age of 7. He also became the co-host of "The Mike Douglas Show." After his childhood career fizzled out, he "spent years club-hopping and drumming in bands, a process prolonged by a series of accidents that have left him now, at 31, walking with a cane," the publication revealed in 1996.

"I don't necessarily think I will ever have the popularity as an actor I once did," Reese said. "In that business you're only as good as your last job and you have to scrape the rust off to remember what mine was." The former child star did, however, attempt to return to TV in 2017's "Life Interrupted." In June 2019, Reese was also interviewed on "This Morning" about his unconventional relationship with his girlfriend, a model 27 years his junior (via YouTube).

Alyson Stoner was a fixture of the early aughts. At age 7, she starred as a dancer in the music video for Missy Elliott's 2002 hit, "Work It." The pigtailed spitfire became an instant celebrity — and for a while, her face was everywhere from films to talk shows. Stoner was also pursued by big corporations, who sought to use the dancing sensation to sell their products. Her most memorable commercial appearance was in 2004, when she danced for JCPenney's back-to-school ad. 

Stoner has been incredibly busy since the days of child stardom. In 2013, she released a dance anthem, "Dragon (That's What You Wanted)," followed by several more singles. Stoner is also an accomplished voice actor for various video games, movies, and television shows. In 2019, the icon teamed up with Missy Elliott for a nostalgia-filled VMAs performance. Her signature pigtails were long gone; in their place, Stoner rocked an ultrachic pixie cut. She tore up the stage in a yellow tracksuit, leaving fans in awe of her incredible transformation. 

In addition to her bustling entertainment career, Stoner is also a successful influencer. Her social media accounts are peppered with dance videos, wellness tips, and personal updates. The busy creator also cofounded a wellness community called Movement Genius.

Cheerios seems to be peddling more than just those round, wheaty morsels — they're also selling a curated image of suburban life. Many Cheerios commercials center on idyllic family moments at the breakfast table; however, they often fail to show diverse families. In 2013, Cheerios finally acknowledged the issue by featuring an interracial family in one of its commercials. The heartwarming ad portrays a curly-haired kid who dumps Cheerios on her father's chest after she learns of the cereal's heart-healthy benefits (via YouTube). The little girl was played by then-6-year-old Grace Colbert, a biracial actor. 

Despite its adorable message, the commercial received hateful backlash in the comments. In response, there was a massive outpouring of praise for the progressive ad. Grace's mother, Janet Colbert, told MSNBC that the little girl thought she was getting attention for her bright smile. The following year, little Grace Colbert starred in a sequel to the commercial.

Grace Colbert is a teenager now — and a busy one at that. In 2018, the budding actor appeared in a Ford Mustang ad (per iSpot.tv). The following year, she updated her Facebook, writing, "Hey guys! I took a leave from acting to focus on school. I'm about to get back to the grind." For someone so young with so many achievements, it makes sense that she wants to focus on her studies for the time being.

Coca-Cola's marketing revolves around the theme of bringing people together. In the Coca-Colaverse, everybody finds common ground — even people who seem to be worlds apart. That's exactly what played out in the famous 1979 commercial featuring football titan "Mean" Joe Greene. In the classic ad, Greene receives a Coca-Cola from a pint-size fan, played by 9-year-old Tom Okon. Moved by the sweet gesture, Greene famously says, "Hey, kid. Catch!" Then he tosses his football jersey to little Okon. Just like a fizzy glass of Coca-Cola, the ad is the epitome of sweet and refreshing.

Okon isn't so little anymore. In fact, the business owner is now in his 50s. But he still feels that familiar sense of childlike wonder when he looks back on the commercial. "My parents were both from Pittsburgh, and our family always rooted for the Steelers," Okon told ABC News. "It was a 9-year-old boy's dream." He went on to film around 50 more commercials before his retirement from acting. Okon later settled down and started a family in Westchester, New York.

And 36 years after filming the treasured Super Bowl commercial, Okon reunited with Greene. CBS documented the encounter while the two old friends reflected on the impact of their commercial (via YouTube).

Before Brooke Shields was an "it" girl, she was an "it" baby. In 1966, 11-month-old Shields booked her first gig — an advertisement for Ivory Snow soap. The tiny soap ambassador was just getting started. By age 12, Shields was in the thick of her famously controversial and exploitative child acting career.

In 1980, Shields made another unforgettable commercial appearance. This time, the 15-year-old starred in a provocative ad for Calvin Klein Jeans. Viewers slammed the commercial for its glaring over-sexualization of the young model. Outrage was so widespread that ABC and CBS refused to air the controversial advertisements. Since then, Shields has expressed that she doesn't regret doing the Calvin Klein ad. However, the superstar did speak out about how she was treated by members of the press. "I look at that little girl now and my heart really does go out to her," she told Town & Country. "I look back and have anger for the ignorance of these grown adults who prided themselves on being journalists and educators."

Despite her struggles as a child actor, Shields came out on top. "I felt it was really important to see how full circle my life has come," she said, referring to the intention behind her documentary "Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields." Today, the former Ivory Snow baby is an actor, director, and all-around Hollywood icon.