‘Peter Pan’ Star Jeremy Sumpter Looks Unrecognizable 22 Years Later Ahead of Acting Return
Jeremy Sumpter, who starred as Peter Pan in the 2003 live-action movie, looks almost unrecognizable 22 years after the film made him a star. The actor, now 36, was just 13 when he played the boy who never grows up, capturing the hearts of audiences worldwide.
Since his breakthrough, Sumpter acted in several films and TV shows, but he recently stepped back from acting to focus on family life. He married Elizabeth Treadway in 2022, and their daughter was born in April 2023. These days, he sports a beard and mustache, a big change from his youthful appearance in Peter Pan.
Speaking to Page Six, Sumpter reflected on growing up in the public eye. “It happens every day,” he said, referring to fans recognizing him on the street. “Now I’m their daughter’s first crush, it just keeps going. The movie never really grows up, does it? To be part of that movie, it’s been a blessing.”
Sumpter’s first acting role was in the 2001 film Frailty, and he later appeared in movies like Just a Dream and Local Boys. But Peter Pan, alongside actors like Jason Isaacs and Rachel Hurd-Wood, launched him into international fame. He continued acting in films such as The Sasquatch Gang, Into the Storm, and appeared on NBC’s Friday Night Lights.
Now, Sumpter is making a comeback. He will star in Miami Nights with Terrence Howard, Sydelle Noel, and Jeremy Piven, and in Alterity with Mina Sundwall. He is also set to direct and star in a romantic comedy called Strawberry Roan. “I had a daughter, so my life was around her. 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,” he told Page Six.
He revealed that directing has been a lifelong goal. “I’ve been wanting to direct my whole entire life. When I was younger, the son of the director of Peter Pan and I would make short films. 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.”
Sumpter will also reunite with his Peter Pan co-star Rachel Hurd-Wood for Strawberry Roan. “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. “I’m a very passionate person, and I try to bring love and happiness to everybody. It’s been a blessing … I’m very excited. The future is bright.”
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