Scandals That Got Child Actors Fired from TV Shows

Child actors are very troubled people, and it's easy to understand why they get that way. Hollywood is rife with scandal, drugs, and everyone out to use everyone else. For the most part, child actors are almost expected to act out—but within reason.

In order to get fired, you have to do something pretty insane, right? Well, not always. Sometimes the scandals really are pretty insane. Other times, they are relatively tame by today's standards.

Depending on what era you're talking about, the scandals that got child actors fired from movies, TV shows, and more might really surprise you. If you've ever wondered why some stars faded into obscurity, check out the scoop behind these child star firings below...

Tommy Kirk

Back during the 50s and 60s, Tommy Kirk was the face of wholesomeness—and the apple of Disney's eye. The sunny, blonde-haired boy starred in family features like The Swiss Family Robinson and Old Yeller, remaining a mainstay in media well into his teenage years.

Of all the scandals that got child actors fired, his was a literal non-issue in today's world. He was fired because he was gay, and was dating someone on the down-low. Kirk realized that him coming out would cause him to lose his career, and like the pro he was, he took it gracefully.

Jamie Lynn Spears

The Spears family is definitely one that's used to seeing tabloids ask about them. Britney's younger sister was also a major child star—much like her sister was during her Mickey Mouse Club years. Jamie Lynn, as many Millennials remember, was the star of the hit TV show, Zoey 101.

Unlike her older sister, who only had scandals really hit in her mid-20s, Jamie Lynn Spears is remembered for one of the more stigmatized scandals that got child actors fired: Zoey 101 was cancelled because she got pregnant at 16 and decided to keep the kid.

Sasha Mitchell

During the 90s, Step by Step was one of those television shows that just about everyone enjoyed. One of the stars was the hunky and handsome Sasha Mitchell, who played the lovable but not-too-bright character known as Cody.

Behind the scenes, though, Sasha was far from lovable. In fact, he was a seriously disturbed young man who regularly had quarrels with people on set and in his private life.

After he was arrested for domestic violence against his young wife and children, ABC let him go. He claimed he was defending his children, but the bruises suggest otherwise.

Emma Roberts

Considering the amount of pressure child stars get from their world, it's not surprising that a lot of them snap. Like many scandals that got child actors fired, this one involves a bit of violence and rage outbursts.

Emma Roberts was one of the most up-and-coming teen stars and was the main character of Unfabulous. However, she had her contract with Nickelodeon die out after she, too, was arrested for domestic violence.

(She gave her boyfriend a bloody nose; they later reconciled.)

Lisa Bonet

Bill Cosby definitely had his own scandals, but there were others in the old 80s entourage that had problems too. One of the lead stars from one of his hit shows ended up showing how far scandals that got child actors fired can go.

In the 80s, Lisa Bonet was one of the hottest young stars in Hollywood. You might recognize her as the wholesome and innocent face of Denis Huxtable from The Cosby Show. Rumor has it that she was very diva-like while on-set, often bickering with directors and showing up late.

Cosby actually was very fair with her and kept her on. It was only after her nude sex scene in Angel Heart, an X-rated movie, that Cosby decided it was time to send her contract to the shredder.

Mitchel Musso

Mitchel Musso had the kind of acting résumé that most child actors could only dream of. He was a costar of the smash hit Disney show, Hannah Montana. He also headlined Pair of Kings and was about to have his own series called PrankStars.

That all came to a screeching halt when Musso was arrested with a DUI at 20 years of age. Though this might be one of the most understated scandals that got child actors fired, it still went against Musso's contract. His relationship with Disney was gone in an instant.

Disney ended up canceling PrankStars with only four shows aired, and immediately fired him from the set. Since them, Musso has struggled to find work. Most recently, he became a voice actor for Phineas and Ferb.

Taylor Momsen

In many ways, Taylor Momsen is the perennial story of a beautiful teenage actress who was totally broken by the world of Hollywood. Due to the pressures she faced as an actress, something in her snapped.

The Gossip Girl star was a known hard partier, which was totally fine considering what she was starring in. However, he behavior became erratic and unreliable—even by her own character's standards.

After a number of angry outbursts and a time that she flashed her boobs during a concert, producers decided it was time to curb her appearance on the show. By 2011, she was gone for good.

Judy Garland

You might be shocked to see Judy Garland on a list involving scandals that got child actors fired, but you shouldn't be. Garland was one of the most troubled child stars of all time—and let's be real, that's impressively hard to do.

During her time shooting the Wizard of Oz, producers got her hooked on drugs as a way to keep her slender. She never really stopped using those "diet pills" after that movie, and by her teenage years, became known for being incredibly strung out.

She was allegedly the inspiration for Neely O'Hara in Valley of the Dolls. She even was cast as Neely, until being fired for "flaky and unstable behavior."

Dana Plato

Diff’rent Strokes was a show that was all about feel-good family moments and all-American happiness. Dana Plato was one of the sweetest child stars on set, too.

That's why everyone was stunned when the innocent and fresh-faced starlet ended up getting pregnant. Because pregnancy didn't really work with the family-friendly nature of Diff'rent Strokes, she ended up getting let go.

Jessica Biel

Jessica Biel was the sitcom crush every 90s guy had, and when she was in 7th Heaven, it was magical. She was a great actor who played one of many children belonging to a pastor—and that also meant her personal acting brand needed to stay squeaky clean.

That innocent image came crashing down when she decided to pose topless for Gear at 17 years of age. Technically, this wasn't actually one of the scandals that child stars fired, but it was such a close call and such a crazy event, it still deserves a spot on this list.

Jennette McCurdy

Jennette McCurdy is a name that most people might remember from iCarlyand the spin-off, Sam & Cat. At one point, she was the second fastest-rising star next to Arianna Grande—and truthfully, she had what it took to get to the top.

So, you're probably wondering what was her category when it came to the kind of saucy scandals that got child stars fired. Believe it or not, leaked lingerie photos and an alleged demand for a higher salary was what did in her career.

Shockingly, McCurdy wasn't even a child when her teen-centric show got canceled. She was 21 years old when her acting career went on the skids, making her the oldest "child" actress on this list to be dismissed.