Former Child Actors Who Are Nearly Unrecognizable After Rumored Plastic Surgery

Growing up in the spotlight often means that every phase of your life is documented — which also means that every change is noticed. For many former child actors, the scrutiny can sometimes seem more intense, especially when these stars look nothing like viewers remember. Dramatic physical transformations have sparked widespread speculation about whether a given star has gone under the knife to alter their look. Of course, some of these former child actors have admitted to having had plastic surgery, be it due to a personal choice or industry pressure, and these changes in appearance can make the star unrecognizable later in life. 

Amanda Bynes, for example, was known for her witty charm during her Nickelodeon days, but her appearance in the years that followed has changed drastically. Another child star, Taylor Momsen, looks nothing like she did back in her "Grinch" days after transitioning from child star to rock front-woman — with plenty of rumors that she's also had plastic surgery. These transformations tend to highlight the unique pressures child stars face as they grow up in the public eye. Now, we're taking a look at some of the most dramatic changes – many of which have fueled rumors of elective surgery procedures.

After distancing herself from Hollywood, Amanda Bynes confirmed that she underwent plastic surgery. "I actually had blepharoplasty surgery on the skin folds and the corners of my eye so I don't have those skin folds anymore," she said on TikTok (via Today) in 2023. She has also been candid about her lip fillers and undergoing several nose jobs. After getting arrested in 2013, Bynes tweeted (via ABC News): "I had nose surgery after my mug shots so my nose and I are gorgeous!"

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen became famous when they were extremely young, landing the role of Michelle Tanner on "Full House," which ended in 1995. Their looks have changed in the time since, and
New Jersey plastic surgeon Brian Glatt told NewBeauty that he believes both Mary-Kate and Ashley have both had rhinoplasty surgery. "The tips [of their noses] were thicker and bulbous before and have been shaved down to more of a 'point,'" Glatt said in 2013. As of this writing, neither have confirmed if they've gone under the knife.

A lot has changed in the decades after Miley Cyrus' "Hannah Montana" era, especially when it comes to her looks. In 2011, she denied having a breast augmentation. "Thank you for the compliment but these babies are all mine," she wrote on X (then-Twitter). Cyrus has never admitted to having other procedures done, and in 2025, plastic surgeon Dr. Sam Fuller told the Daily Mail that it appears as though Cyrus had a sub-nasal upper lip lift. He also believes that Cyrus may have had buccal fat pad excision which helps sculpt the face.

In the '80s, Soleil Moon Frye made her debut as the fun-loving Punky Brewster on the eponymous sitcom. She's done quite a bit of work in the industry since, and while Frye is still acting, she's gone through some understandable changes over the past three decades. Although Frye hasn't been too forthcoming about the plastic surgery she may or may not have had, there's one procedure that she has opened up about. When she was 16, she underwent breast reduction surgery. "My shoulders had indentations, I had back problems, there were so many different issues," she told People in 2021.

As Ariana Grande has gotten older, her appearance has completely changed, and many would say that she looks vastly different from when she was on Nickelodeon. While hooked up to a lie detector, Grande and her close friend and "Wicked" co-star, Cynthia Erivo, did an interview with Vanity Fair in which Grande was asked to spill what work she's had done. "I've had fillers in various places, and Botox," she said, adding that was the "extent" of what she'd done. She also denied having a nose job and breast augmentation surgery — and she passed the polygraph with ease.

Some people may remember the adorable little girl who played Cindy Lou Who in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" alongside Jim Carrey. Well, that child actor is Taylor Momsen, and, no, you probably wouldn't recognize her today. Momsen's stunning transformation consists of bold makeup and some serious edge — but has she had any plastic surgery? "It appears Taylor has had a nose job," plastic surgeon Dr. Michael A. Fiorillo of Reflections Medical previously told Star magazine. "Now, it's not as wide and her nostrils appear to be slightly higher."

Christina Ricci was a very successful child star, landing all kinds of roles in the 1990s. And really, not much has changed for Ricci, whose contemporary work consists of hit shows like "Yellowjackets" and "Wednesday." Ricci's look has evolved in her decades on screen, and NewBeauty surmised that the actor had a nose job at some point, though she's never confirmed it. She did, however, get a breast reduction as a teen, when her body started becoming the topic of conversation, according to The New York Times. 

Kim Richards started acting in the '70s, landing a recurring role in "Nanny and the Professor" alongside Juliet Mills and Richard Long. Years later, Richards joined the cast of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," giving reality television a try. It was at this point that she felt the need to modify her look through cosmetic intervention. While some people aren't as forthcoming with information regarding elective surgery, Richards talked about it on television, giving Bravo viewers an up-close and personal look at her surgery on Season 3 of RHOBH.

Brenda Song has been acting since she was young, taking on several smaller gigs before landing a recurring role on "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody," which premiered in 2005. Over the next two decades, there seems to have been an untold truth about Song regarding her very different look. Although Song hasn't been open about any work that she has or has not had, some people believe that she's had double-eyelid surgery and a nose job. 

Back when she was just 8 years old, Dove Cameron started dabbling in acting. Over the years, she's appeared in several shows and movies, and eventually broke into the music world, officially launching an independent music career in 2019. Cameron's overall look has changed a lot over the years. Though she's never admitted to having plastic surgery, there are rumors that she's had a rhinoplasty, eyelid surgery, buccal fat removal, a breast augmentation, and even a dimpleplasty. "In her earlier childhood photos, there are no dimples visible on her face," said cosmetic surgery clinic Longevita.

Just about everyone remembers Hilary Duff as Lizzie McGuire, but not everyone would recognize her today. In October 2025, Jonny Betteridge, an aesthetician, dissected the apparent changes in Duff's face. "The changes seem to go beyond styling or lighting, suggesting some careful aesthetic refinement," he wrote on Instagram. There has been quite a bit of speculation about how Duff has achieved her chiseled features, with many assuming that she's had some work done. She's been accused of having a rhinoplasty, buccal fat removal, and a breast augmentation, though all of these assumptions are nothing more than rumors.

Tori Spelling has had quite the evolution over the years. In October 2023, the actor — best known for her role in "Beverly Hills, 90210" — confirmed that she had a nose job when she was younger. "I was 15 in this pic, before nose job, bleach, and knowing how to pose," Spelling captioned an Instagram photo of her first headshot for Fox. Spelling has also confirmed that she had a breast augmentation surgery, admitting in a 2018 interview on "Good Morning America" (via the New York Daily News) that she regretted that procedure after becoming a mom. 

In 2023, Raven-Symoné confirmed that she had two breast reductions and liposuction before she turned 18. During an episode of "The Best Podcast Ever," which she co-hosted with wife Miranda Pearman-Maday, Raven-Symoné recalled a conversation she had with her dad about the procedures. "If I get lipo, will people stop calling me fat?" she had asked him. "So I got a twofer," she also said, referring to getting her breast reduction and liposuction surgeries at the same time.

When she first started out in the industry, Jenna Ortega had a very sweet and innocent look, but there are rumors that she did a little nip and tuck to define her face. London-based medical aesthetician Dr. Gizem Seymenoglu believes that, based on the unnatural hollowness of the actor's cheeks, there was cosmetic intervention. He told Longevita, "You can't achieve a similar effect with a non-surgical treatment because the volume loss is quite apparent, and nothing gives as dramatic results as a buccal fat removal surgery."

Jamie Lynn Spears' face has evidently changed since her time on "Zoey 101." But her transformation has been the catalyst for rumors, including that she had a nose job — which she has never confirmed nor denied — as it looks narrower compared to her younger years. When Spears was 17, however, speculation swirled about a possible liposuction. The kicker is that Jamie Lynn was supposedly pregnant with her daughter, Maddie, at the time of said surgery. The actor denied the gossip — with a source even telling TMZ that she threatened to take legal action against the press.

"Stranger Things" fans have essentially watched Millie Bobby Brown grow up in front of their eyes. As she's aged, Brown has been accused of having a nose job and adding fillers to re-shape her face. Although she hasn't flat-out denied having plastic surgery, Brown has responded to the criticism she's received over her appearance. "If me being blonde or wearing more make-up really bothers you, I'm going to address it — not just for myself, but for every other girl who wants to try a new hairstyle or wear a red lip," she told British Vogue in 2025. 

Kyle Richards' overall look has evolved, and she's admitted that she's had plastic surgery to help her achieve her aesthetic goals. Richards has had a nose job as well as liposuction, the latter of which she discussed on Bravo's "Secrets Revealed" in 2013. "After having four kids, no matter what exercise I did, the love handles wouldn't go away," she said, adding, "I'm very happy with the results." Of course, Richards is just one "Real Housewives" star who's had a stunning transformation.

In January 2021, Ashley Tisdale revealed she had a nose job that was essential because of a deviated septum. "In the aftermath and the hardest part, was not the recovery but the media who constantly tried to paint a picture of me as someone who didn't like their appearance," she wrote on her lifestyle site Frenshe. Tisdale has also had breast implants, which she later had removed due to health issues.