Mistreated Stars Who Grew Up And Sued Everybody
Child stardom sounds glamorous until you remember most of it was basically free labor performed under weaponized cuteness. Kids were shoved onto sets, told to smile harder, and paid in “exposure” long before influencers made that a punchline. The entertainment industry has always loved profit, but it rarely loved the children generating it.
Many of those kids eventually realized they had something even more powerful than a fanbase: lawyers. Years later, they revisited their childhood contracts, working conditions, and totally normal “you don’t need sleep” schedules with adult eyes and adult rage. Suddenly, justice looked extremely billable.
Now they’re grown, they’re furious, and revenge comes with an invoice.
Taran Noah Smith (Home Improvement) – 1999
Gained access to his $1.5 million trust fund after accusing his parents of squandering his earnings and suing them for control.
Corey Haim (The Lost Boys) – 1990s
Parents intervened in lawsuits against his ex-manager, but the cases were unresolved before his death.
Rae’ven Larrymore (What’s Love Got to Do With It) – 2015
Lawyers acted on their behalf against Dualstar, citing unfair pay and missing employee benefits.
Gary Coleman (Diff'rent Strokes) – 1993
Filed suit against adoptive parents and former manager for misappropriating $3.8 million.
Lindsay Lohan (Mean Girls) – 2000s
Cited parental mismanagement and alleged exploitation in her ongoing financial struggles.
Frankie Muniz (Malcolm in the Middle) – 2000s
Reclaimed legal control of his earnings after parental mismanagement.
Jussie Smollett (The Mighty Ducks) – 1997
Challenged parents and manager over excessive control of contracts and salaries during childhood.
Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine) – 2010s
Separated finances from exploitative family members through legal action.
Dominique Moceanu (Olympic Gymnast) – 1998
Took her parents to court to gain control over her trust fund and career after alleged abuse.
Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl) – 2011
Brought a $3 million case against her mother for diverting funds meant for her brother’s care.
LeAnn Rimes (Country Singer) – 2000
Sought legal recourse against her father and ex-manager for $7 million in misused funds.
Corey Feldman (The Goonies, The Lost Boys) – 1990s
Accused his parents of taking the majority of his child actor earnings.
Jackie Coogan (The Kid) – 1938
Took legal action against his parents after they spent almost $4 million of his child star money.
Mischa Barton (The O.C.) – 2015
Went to court against her mother regarding unpaid earnings and eviction from her own home.
Shirley Temple (1930s films) – 1940s
Her stepfather spent nearly all of her earnings, inspiring the creation of the Coogan Law.
Jodie Foster (Taxi Driver, Freaky Friday) – 1980s
Challenged her mother-manager in court to regain control of her finances and property.
Jennette McCurdy (iCarly, Sam & Cat) – 2022
Wrote a bestseller exposing exploitation by her mother and former manager, Dan Schneider
Macaulay Culkin (Home Alone) – 1995
Blocked his parents from touching his $17 million fortune until turning 18.
Ariel Winter (Modern Family) – 2015
Alleged years of physical and emotional abuse, leading to full emancipation from her mother.
Drew Barrymore (E.T.) – 1989
Gained legal emancipation from her mother at 14 to escape abuse and control her own finances.
