The child star who brought Lava Girl to life in the beloved superhero film The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl now looks strikingly different more than 20 years after the movie’s release.
Taylor Dooley, now 31, first won hearts as the fiery and fearless Lava Girl alongside a young Taylor Lautner in Robert Rodriguez’s 2005 family adventure. Since then, she has taken a significant step back from the spotlight to focus on education and family life.
After the film’s premiere, Dooley paused her acting career to pursue university studies in psychology—a field that complements her passion for understanding human behaviour. In her IMDb biography, she explains, “What I love about acting is understanding people and what makes them tick, which is what makes Psych so interesting.”
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Growing up as a child actor, she felt her life was somewhat limited and sheltered. She wanted to explore more of the world, which led to what she describes as the best “life road trip” she could have taken. This journey not only enriched her personally but also deepened her skills as an actress.
Today, Taylor is a devoted mother of two and frequently shares glimpses of her family life with her 332,000 social media followers. Earlier this year, she touched fans with a heartfelt Valentine’s Day post featuring a warm moment with her husband, captioned, “How blessed am I, how blessed are we…to be loved by you and to get to love you every day.”
Taylor also recently celebrated the enduring popularity of her breakout film, posting a nostalgic photo of herself pointing at the screen as Sharkboy and Lavagirl climbed to number five on Netflix’s Family chart. She expressed gratitude to fans, saying, “I am always in awe of just how much love Sharkboy and Lavagirl receives after all these years. THANK YOU for watching. Forever your Lavagirl.”
Now sporting blonde hair—a far cry from her iconic pink Lava Girl locks—Taylor Dooley regularly delights fans with throwbacks from her acting days, showing that while she may have grown up, the magic of her early career continues to resonate.