22 Years On, ‘Peter Pan’ Star Is Almost Unrecognizable Ahead of Comeback
Peter Pan star Jeremy Sumpter looks almost unrecognizable 22 years after he played the beloved character. The actor, now 36, rose to fame when he starred as Peter Pan in P.J. Hogan’s live-action version of the classic story in 2003, at just 13 years old.
Sumpter impressed audiences worldwide with his performance as the boy who never grows up. Today, he looks very different, sporting a beard and mustache, reflecting the years that have passed since the film’s release.
In an interview with Page Six, Sumpter spoke about how it feels to have been in the spotlight from such a young age. “It happens every day,” he said, explaining that fans still recognize him regularly. “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 career started before Peter Pan, with his debut in the 2001 film Frailty, followed by smaller roles in Just a Dream and Local Boys. But it was Peter Pan, alongside actors like Jason Isaacs, Rachel Hurd-Wood, and Olivia Williams, that made him a household name.
After the movie, he continued acting in films like The Sasquatch Gang, Into the Storm, and appeared on NBC’s Friday Night Lights. Recently, he stepped back from acting to focus on his family. He married Elizabeth Treadway in 2022, and their daughter was born in April 2023.
Now, Sumpter is ready to return to the screen. He will star in the upcoming films Miami Nights, with Terrence Howard, Sydelle Noel, and Jeremy Piven, and Alterity alongside Mina Sundwall. He also announced that he will both direct and star in a new 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,” Sumpter told Page Six.
He explained that directing has always been a dream of his. “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 be working with his former Peter Pan co-star Rachel Hurd-Wood in 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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