Alison Sweeney was just 7 years old when she landed her first role, a spot in a 1984 episode of “Simon & Simon.” She followed that up with other small roles, including parts in “Webster,” “St. Elsewhere,” “Family Man,” and “A Brand New Life” (via IMDb).
While child stars often struggle later in life due to the pressures of growing up on-screen, Sweeney is grateful for those early opportunities. In an interview with Closer Weekly, she revealed that growing up in the entertainment industry taught her some useful skills and life lessons. “Discipline and work ethic was always instilled in me as a kid,” she said. “I was really lucky to have rock-solid parents who helped me through the industry and didn’t pressure me to do it. It was my choice, and I always wanted to be a part of telling the story behind the scenes.”
Sweeney has remained grounded over the years, perhaps because she knew from the age of 6 that she wanted to be on camera. “It’s a dream come true, quite literally,” she said. She also credits her family with keeping her down to earth, telling Fox News, “I was really lucky. I’m from LA, so it wasn’t a big fish out of water story, and my parents are super grounded and normal and real and tough and strict.”