It’s clear by now that some of your favorite Hallmark stars were absolutely adorable as kids. Just check out Lacey Chabert, Andrew Walker, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Tyler Hynes and Ashley Williams when they were little. That’s not to mention Daniel Lissing, Tamera Mowry-Housley, Jonathan Bennett, Hunter King and Jesse Metcalfe.
Of course, you surely want to check out even more of the channel’s beloved figures when they were younger and before they got famous. That’s why you need to keep scrolling to see Alison Sweeney, Brennan Elliott, Erin Krakow, Cameron Mathison and Nikki DeLoach long before they were famous adults.
1. Alison Sweeney
Alison Sweeney started playing Sami Brady on “Days of Our Lives” when she was 16 years old; however, her career actually began when she was just 4, according to Hallmark Mystery.
Granted, whether or not you happened to catch her before her soap opera days or during her time as the host of “The Biggest Loser,” you’ll definitely want to see her as a little one.
On May 11, 2025, Sweeney took to Instagram to mark a special occasion by sharing a sweet black-and-white photo of herself when she was tiny being held by her mother.
The actress added a caption, writing, “Feeling especially blessed for my mom this Mother’s Day. I am so grateful for her support & encouragement. Her tenacity, work ethic and sense of humor all continue to inspire me. My mom taught me to play (the first part of) Spring by Vivaldi on the violin for a tv show when I was 12. So many memories. 🎼 🎻 🐴 ❤️”
2. Brennan Elliott
The next time you watch Brennan Elliott onscreen, you’ll surely think about this photo of him as a child that he shared with his fans via an Instagram post in December 2022.
“#tbt to a time when life seemed simpler,” Elliot wrote in the caption.
Showing himself as a child with a group of other kids, the actor added, “Blonde bomber my brother in front me on far right and some dear friends growing up as kids. Every summer my brother and I would be shipped off by our mom to grandmas house on the lake. I’ve always said these were the years I grew the most I think.”
He continued his message by writing, “‘Live, laugh and love’ thankful to look back and feel blessed for many many summers on our own fending for ourselves as kids in a safe environment! Miss you guys and tHANKYOU grandma for always teaching us the best lessons on how to survive on this journey called life! Miss you bunches! 🙏”
3. Erin Krakow
Fans of “When Calls the Heart” will be very familiar with the series’ star, Erin Krakow. But have you seen her as a child? If not, then you’ll appreciate the fact that the actress has given her social media followers a look at herself when she was younger.
Sharing a trio of photos on Instagram in 2024, in order to celebrate the birthday of her friend and makeup artist, the third image is a collage that includes a shot of Krakow when she was a little girl. It’s hard to decided what’s cuter, her curly hair or her sailor-like outfit!
4. Cameron Mathison
“Always smiling ☺️,” Mathison noted while adding a caption to an Instagram post that he shared this past March. He then offered some context for the collection of photos that showed him as a child, telling his social media followers, “From the age of 2.5 to 7 I wore this metal leg brace day and night. It only came off when I was put in the bath.”
“I had a degenerative bone disease in the head of both my femur bones (Legg Calve Perthes disease) that made it impossible for my legs to support the weight of my body,” he explained. “By putting my legs out wide, and in a sense replacing them with the metal bars and brace, my femur bones were able to heal and harden over the course of about 4 years.”
The actor noted that his experience taught him quite a bit, including “[c]ompassion for those struggling” and “[e]mpathy for those being bullied,” as well as “learning to not be defined by, or to identify with the limited versions of ourselves regardless of what our limitations or challenges are.”
Beyond that, Mathison added, “The last few photos are with my brother who was my biggest champion and hero, and helped me get through that challenging time🙏🏼❤️”
5. Nikki DeLoach
Fans love to watch Nikki DeLoach in Hallmark movies like the “Curious Caterer Mysteries.” But did you know that when she was younger, she appeared on a popular kids show? That’s right, she was a member of “The All-New Mickey Mouse Club” after joining in 1993 when she was just 12 years old.
Appearing on the show until 1995, she starred alongside other future stars like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Ryan Gosling, Keri Russell and JC Chasez, as well as Justin Timberlake, who she can be seen with during that time in the photo above.
Years later, DeLoach and Timberlake were spotted together again while both were attending the 2022 Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Gala in Santa Monica, California. Posing for a photo while backstage at the event, the two smiled at the camera the same way they did as kids when they were just getting started in show business.
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See Even More of Your Favorite Hallmark Stars When They Were Kids