15 Years Later, These ‘Smarter Than a 5th Grader’ Kids Still Shine on TV
Some unlucky game show contestants started getting the humiliation of a lifetime 15 years ago, when Fox introduced the trivia-fest Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? on February 27, 2007.
In the show, which aired on Fox and in syndication from 2007-15 before getting a Nickelodeon reboot in 2019, contestants had to answer some deceptively tough elementary school-level questions. And unless they won the million-dollar prize, host Jeff Foxworthy would have them face the camera and confess, “I am not smarter than a fifth-grader.”
Luckily, contestants had help from their “classmates,” who were actual fifth graders, as an old Fox casting call reminds. And some of those students are still gracing our TV sets. Here’s a look at the class of 5th Grade child stars who have graduated to these bigger roles.
Annalise Basso
Basso currently plays sadistic teen LJ Folger in the TNT dystopian thriller Snowpiercer, and she previously starred in the Lifetime miniseries V.C. Andrews’ Heaven.
Bryce Cass
After playing Cyrus on 13 Reasons Why (above), Cass recurred as Adam Lyons in last year’s Prime Video YA drama, Panic.
Zach Callison
Callison is a recurring player on The Goldbergs, on which he portrays Brian Corbett. He also had a seven-year stint as the voice of the title character in the coming-of-age series Steven Universe.
Mason Davis
Davis has appeared in a number of TV series and most recently played Sean Jr., Dennis Quaid’s onscreen grandson, in the 2019 Netflix series Merry Happy Whatever (above).
Taylar Hender
Sierra McCormick
McCormick had a breakout role as Scarlett in three installments of American Horror Stories last year and won acclaim for the scifi film The Vast of Night.
Laura Marano
Marano co-headlined last month’s The Royal Treatment, playing lovestruck hairdresser Izzy in the Netflix romance film.
Madison Pettis
In last year’s Netflix romcom He’s All That, Pettis played Alden Pierce, the BFF-turned-enemy of Addison Rae’s character.
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