It feels like just yesterday we were watching a tiny girl with massive curls outsmarting Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in The Game Plan. That movie came out in 2007, which, if you do the math, is nearly twenty years ago. Let that sink in for a second. Because of that "frozen in time" effect child stars have on us, the question of how old is Madison Pettis usually gets answered with a look of pure shock.
People still expect her to be that eight-year-old in a tutu, or maybe the precocious Sophie Martinez from Cory in the House. Honestly, seeing her now is a bit of a trip. She isn't a "Disney kid" anymore; she’s a fully grown woman navigating a very different kind of Hollywood than the one she started in.
How Old Is Madison Pettis Right Now?
Madison Pettis was born on July 22, 1998. Since we are currently in early 2026, Madison Pettis is 27 years old.
She’ll be hitting that big 28-year-old milestone this coming July. It’s wild because she’s been working professionally for over two decades. Most people at 27 are just starting to figure out their career paths, but Madison has been on film sets since she was five. She literally grew up in front of a camera lens, moving from Barney & Friends to massive theatrical releases before she even hit double digits.
Being 27 in the industry is a pivot point. You’re no longer the "young breakout," but you’re also too young for the "grizzled veteran" roles. She’s in that sweet spot where she can lead rom-coms—like her recent work in Netflix's The Wrong Paris—while still carrying the nostalgia of a generation that grew up alongside her.
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From The Game Plan to The Wrong Paris: A Massive Shift
If you haven't kept up with her lately, you might have missed her transition into more "adult" territory. It wasn't one of those messy child-star-gone-wild transitions either. It was actually pretty subtle.
The Netflix Era
Lately, Madison has become a bit of a staple on Netflix. You probably saw her in He’s All That (2021), playing the "mean girl" archetype, which was a far cry from her Disney days. Then there was American Pie Presents: Girls' Rules. That one definitely signaled she was done with the G-rated stuff.
Stepping Into Action and Rom-Coms
By 2025, she was starring in The Wrong Paris alongside Miranda Cosgrove. It’s kinda cool seeing two former child stars from competing networks (Disney vs. Nickelodeon) working together as adults. Madison has been vocal about doing more physical work, too. She reportedly did her own stunts in The Wrong Paris, including riding a mechanical bull, which apparently requires a lot more core strength than people realize. She credits her long-time Pilates habit for that.
Why We Are Obsessed With Her Age
There’s a specific psychological reason why we keep Googling things like how old is Madison Pettis. We use celebrities as anchors for our own timelines.
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If Madison is 27, it means the kids who watched Cory in the House after school are now approaching 30. That’s a scary thought for a lot of people! We want her to stay 8 years old because it means we’re still young. But she’s out here proving that you can survive the "child star curse" without the typical tabloid drama.
Breaking the "Child Star" Mold
Madison has managed to stay relevant without a public breakdown. That’s rare. She’s leaned into fashion, specifically her partnership with Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty, which definitely helped rebrand her as an adult. When she started posting those campaigns, the internet collectively gasped because, again, everyone still thought she was the little girl from the White House.
What’s Next for Madison in 2026?
So, what does a 27-year-old actress with twenty years of experience do next?
She’s recently been making headlines for "manifesting" a dream role: playing Mariah Carey in a biopic. Honestly, the resemblance is there, especially when she leans into those 90s-inspired curls. While nothing is official yet, the buzz is real.
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She’s also been doing more voice-over work, which has been a consistent backbone of her career. From Phineas and Ferb to The Lion Guard, she’s been working in the recording booth for years. It’s the kind of work that keeps a career stable even when the live-action roles are in between projects.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
If you’re trying to keep up with her current era, here’s what you should actually look at:
- Watch her recent filmography: Don't just stick to the Disney+ reruns. Check out The Wrong Paris on Netflix to see her current acting range.
- Follow her fitness journey: She’s big into Pilates and often shares how she stays in "stunt-ready" shape, which is actually pretty inspiring for anyone looking to switch up their workout.
- Look out for the Mariah rumors: Keep an eye on casting calls for the Mariah Carey project. If she lands that, it’ll be the defining role of her adult career.
At 27, Madison Pettis isn't just "still around." She’s basically a veteran of the industry who is finally getting to play characters that match her actual life experience.
To stay updated on her latest projects, check out her official social media channels, where she’s surprisingly active with her fans. If you're interested in more celebrity career deep-dives, you can look into the trajectories of her former co-stars like Dwayne Johnson or the cast of He’s All That to see how they've navigated the industry alongside her.