What Peter Pan Child Star Looks Like Now, 22 Years After The Film, As He Gets Ready For An Acting Comeback

The star who once played Peter Pan has changed a great deal over the last 22 years, and now he’s gearing up for a return to acting. Fans remember him as the kid who flew across Neverland, but Jeremy Sumpter is now 36 and has stepped well into adulthood since taking on that beloved role.

A lot has happened in his life during that time. Sumpter was only 13 when he first appeared as Peter Pan in the 2003 movie, which also featured Jason Isaacs — known from both Harry Potter and White Lotus — playing the dual roles of Captain Hook and George Darling.

After his breakout role, Sumpter went on to act in several other projects, and in 2022 he married Elizabeth Treadway. The couple welcomed their daughter in April the following year, marking a new chapter in his personal life.

In a new interview with Page Six, the former child star talked about wanting to return to the film world after stepping away for quite some time. Even though it has been years since he played the iconic character, Sumpter said people still notice him from the movie.

"It happens every day," he said, before adding: "The movie never really grows up, does it? To be part of that movie, it's been a blessing."

Jeremy Stumper won over a lot of young girl's hearts as Peter Pan in the 2003 film Universal Pictures

So what exactly has he been up to since the Peter Pan days?

"I had a daughter, so my life was around her," he shared with Page Six. "Now it's time for me to buckle down and go full force into my dreams, continue the career that I've had and turn it into something that's going from a child actor to now being a leading man and director."

Sumpter decided to pause his career once he became a father so he could devote most of his time to raising his daughter, which naturally shifted his priorities for a while.

But now, he’s officially planning a return to the screen. He already has roles lined up in upcoming movies such as Miami Nights, where he’ll appear alongside Terrence Howard, Sydelle Noel, and Jeremy Piven, and Alterity, where he will act with Mina Sundwall. He’s also set to star in a new romantic comedy called Strawberry Roan.

And that’s not the only milestone on the way — Sumpter revealed that he’s preparing to make his debut as a director.

"I've been wanting to direct my whole entire life," he said. "When I was younger, the son of the director of Peter Pan and I would make short films."

The couple welcomed their daughter in 2023 Instagram/jeremysumpterofficially

He explained that his time spent on film sets over the years has given him confidence as he steps into directing, saying: "Living life on set has taught me a lot of things … I really know exactly how everything works and what it entails to make a movie."

"I've been told by a lot of people that I would be a great director. I just never had the opportunity to."

He also shared that one of his former co-stars, Rachel Hurd-Wood — who played Wendy Darling — may be part of his new creative chapter, as the two have stayed close friends ever since working together.

"I told Rachel, 'It's my first time directing, and I would not have it any other way than to have you as my leading lady for my directorial debut," he said.