A former child star made a rare public appearance in Los Angeles earlier this week, stepping out far from the Hollywood spotlight he once knew so well.
The 42-year-old former actor was once a sought-after young talent, landing roles for major directors such as Tim Burton, Tony Scott and Kathryn Bigelow.
During his screen career, he shared credits with some of the biggest names in film, including Robert De Niro, Angela Bassett, Wesley Snipes and Ralph Fiennes — not to mention Bugs Bunny.
After appearing in a string of 1990s hits, from modern classics to big-budget blockbusters, the former child actor’s Hollywood career abruptly faded by the early 2000s.
Now, more than 20 years after his last film and television roles, the once-familiar young performer looks almost unrecognizable.
So, can you work out which one-time child star this is?
A former child star was seen during a rare outing in Los Angeles earlier this week
The 42-year-old former actor previously worked with acclaimed filmmakers including Tim Burton, Tony Scott and Kathryn Bigelow, and appeared alongside Robert De Niro, Angela Bassett, Wesley Snipes, Ralph Fiennes — and even Bugs Bunny
More than two decades after his final film and television roles, this performer looks completely unrecognizable. Can you guess who this one-time child star is?
He’s former child star Brandon Hammond.
Our News Outlet has reached out to Hammond for comment.
He’s best known to contemporary audiences for playing the 10-year-old version of Michael Jordan in the box office hit Space Jam (1996), and he followed that big-budget spectacle by appearing the same year in Tim Burton’s cult-classic sci-fi comedy Mars Attacks.
Hammond – who was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to a mother who managed his acting career – looked nothing like the young actor who appeared in multiple films and television shows when he was pictured heading into a high school earlier this week.
He was dressed casually with a burgundy T-shirt, black sweatpants and dark Crocs.
The once clean-shaven star now sported a thick salt-and-pepper beard, and he had a backpack slung over one shoulder.
Hammond’s first credited role was a guest part on the short-lived drama Gabriel’s Fire, which starred James Earl Jones, in 1991, and he graduated to feature films with the 1993 crime classic Menace II Society, in which he played a young version of one of the adult leads.
Although he booked a few more TV guest spots, including a role on Coach, Hammond was destined to be a movie star in the ’90s.
He’s former child star Brandon Hammond! He’s best known for playing young Michael Jordan in Space Jam and appearing in Tim Burton’s sci-fi comedy Mars Attacks!; pictured in 1997
Hammond mostly appeared in films, but his longest-running TV role was on The Gregory Hines show; pictured with Hines (center), Bill Cobbs (top left) and Wendell Pierce (top right) in 1997
Hammond – who was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to a mother who managed his acting career – looked nothing like the young actor who appeared in multiple films and television shows when he was pictured heading into a high school earlier this week
He was dressed casually with a burgundy T-shirt, black sweatpants and dark Crocs
The once clean-shaven star now sported a thick salt-and-pepper beard, and he had a backpack slung over one shoulder
Hammond’s first credited role was a guest part on the short-lived drama Gabriel’s Fire, which starred James Earl Jones, in 1991, and he graduated to feature films with the 1993 crime classic Menace II Society, in which he played a young version of one of the adult leads
In 1995, he was featured in the cult-classic dystopian sci-fi film Strange Days, which was directed by future Oscar winner Kathryn Bigelow and starred Angela Basset and Ralph Fiennes
But after a guest role on The West Wing in 2000, Hammond’s final on-screen credit was for the 2002 TV movie Our America. Since then, he has stayed involved in the film and television industry, but on the outskirts as a writer and director of short films
In 1995, he was featured in the cult-classic dystopian sci-fi film Strange Days, which was directed by future Oscar winner Kathryn Bigelow.
Ralph Fiennes, Angela Bassett, Juliette Lewis and Tom Sizemore starred in the film, which was set in a near-future version of Los Angeles that was a prescient look at police violence inspired by the Rodney King beating and the 1992 LA riots.
Hammond was paired again with Bassett in 1995’s Waiting To Exhale, which also featured Whitney Houston, Loretta Devine and Gregory Hines, while Forest Whitaker stepped behind the camera to direct.
The following year, he was featured in the Tony Scott–directed thriller The Fan, a box office disappointment starring Robert De Niro and Wesley Snipes.
But 1996 also featured Hammond’s two biggest films, Space Jam and Mars Attacks.
Hammond largely worked in television afterward, where he booked a recurring role on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman through 1997. That year, he reunited with Hines for his longest-running role on The Gregory Hines Show.
But after a guest role on The West Wing in 2000, Hammond’s final on-screen credit was for the 2002 TV movie Our America.
Since then, he has stayed involved in the film and television industry, but on the outskirts as a writer and director.
He has directed multiple short films since the mid-2000s, and he recently worked as an acting coach on the 2024 short film Exit Interview.
