Love it or hate it,The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-Dwas afundamental childhood favoriteto many. The Robert Rodriguez joint took the bizarre, hyper-kid-friendly aesthetic of theSpy Kidsfilms and amped it up to 11, taking audiences inside the imaginative mind of the director’s son and inspiring a generation of fans. This was also the first time many would see Taylor Lautner on screen, long before he stole hearts as Jacob in theTwilightseries.
Max, an imaginative kid, is having a hard time. His parents are on the brink of divorce, and bully Linus won’t stop tormenting him at school. Max’s only escape is to his dream journal, where he writes about Planet Drool and two of its heroes, Sharkboy and Lavagirl. When the two arrive in the real-world requesting Max’s help on Planet Drool, he gladly accepts, only to find that his creation has been corrupted by Mr. Electric and Minus, mirror-world versions of Max’s real teacher Mr. Electricidad and Linus. Along with Sharkboy and Lavagirl, Max must fight to reach the center of Planet Drool and re-dream a better world.
In 2021, Netflix released a legacy sequel/reboot ofSharkboy and LavagirltitledWe Can Be Heroes, which was the streaming giant’s most-watched film of that year. Fans were sorely disappointed, however, that only one of the original cast members — Taylor Dooley as Lavagirl — appeared in the film. So, where are the other cast members ofSharkboy and Lavagirltoday?
8Cayden Boyd as Max
A year afterSharkboy and Lavagirl,starCayden Boydplayed the role of Young Warren Worthington III inX-Men: The Last Stand. From here, he would go on to have a variety of TV roles on shows likeScrubs,Crossing Jordan,andCold Case. In 2014, Boyd starred alongside Jesse McCartney and Disney alum AJ Michalka in the Lifetime originalExpecting Amish, which tells the story of an Amish teen who gets pregnant on Rumspringa.
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Most recently, Cayden Boyd can be found in the Showtime seriesThe First Ladyas Michael Ford, son of President Gerald Ford. 2022 also marked Boyd’s return to feature film with the Channing Tatum-led comedy dramaDog.
7Taylor Lautner as Sharkboy
Taylor Lautnercatapulted to fame three years afterSharkboyas Jacob Black, one part of the zeitgeist-shifting love triangle at the heartof theTwilightsaga. At the time, Lautner’s star only seemed like it could shine brighter, which may have ultimately been his undoing. Once theTwilightseries ended, Lautner was a hot commodity in Hollywood with a high price tag. His first outing post-Twilight, the teen thrillerAbduction, flopped with critics and the box office, with some calling the film exploitative of Lautner’s star power.
The actor’s next big filmTracers, a parkour action flick, didn’t fare any better. As Stephen Whitty at theNew York DailyNews puts it, “Hollywood’s hunkiest, lunkiest werewolf is still stuck making movies where his big stage direction is ‘He slowly peels off his T-shirt.’" That same year, Lautner also appeared inThe Ridiculous 6alongside Adam Sandler and several other Happy Madison alums. Critics equally derided this film, and Lautner faded into a bit of obscurity. That, though, may have been a good thing.
In a 2022 interview on theTodayshow, Lautner described feeling scared to leave his home during the peak of hisTwilightfame. The whole experience made Lautner step away from fame for several years, allowing him to find love and happiness from his wife, Taylor Dome. He has since returned to movies, starring opposite Kevin James inHome Team. If nothing else, it seems Lautner might have a comfortable career as part of theHappy Madisoncrew.
6Taylor Dooley as Lavagirl
Lavagirl actressTaylor Dooleyalways loved acting, but she stayed out of the spotlight in the years since her starring role. In her self-written bio on IMDB, Dooley cites a growth spurt that made her “difficult” to cast in roles for her age. In a later interview withLooper, Dooley recalls her parents “forcefully” removing her from the industry. She attended California State University Northridge to study psychology and later took up various acting courses over the years.
In 2021, Taylor Dooley would finally return to the screen, reprising her role as Lavagirl inWe Can Be Heroes. Dooley is passionate about acting and looking forward to appearing in future roles, but that could be hindered due to some of her public beliefs. While Dooley hasn’t been acting over the past few years, she’s held a significant pull in Christian mommy blogging and wellness spaces, also known as one of the major demographics of QAnon supporters. The actress made a very public appearance at the 2022 “Hold the Line” rally held outside Disneyland to protest the company’s alleged “agenda.”
5George Lopez as Mr. Electric/Mr. Electricidad
At the time ofSharkboy and Lavagirl,The George Lopez Showhad already been on the air for three years. The show ended in 2007, butGeorge Lopezremained a major playerin the comedy scene. While still doing standup, Lopez had several voice acting roles, including as the starring pup in Disney’sBeverly Hills Chihuahua. In 2009, Lopez became the first Mexican American to hose a late-night TV talk show on the English network withLopez Tonight. The TBS show was critically panned and canceled just two years later.
Lopez spent the next several years producing, beginning with the Mexican American co-productionSpare Partsabout four Hispanic high school students who bested MIT in a prestigious robotics competition. He and his wife started The Ann and George Lopez Foundation, renamed The George Lopez Foundation following their divorce, a nonprofit dedicated to helping children, veterans, and people with kidney disease.
The actor/producer currently stars alongside his real-life daughter Mayan Lopez in the sitcomLopez vs Lopez, and he has a supporting role as the protagonist’s uncle in DC’s upcomingBlue Beetle.
4David Arquette as Max’s Dad
Like Lopez, actorDavid Arquettewas a successful actor prior toSharkboy and Lavagirl: he’s fan-favoriteScreamicon, Deputy Dewey Riley. The film also came after Arquette won the World Heavyweight Championship, a promotional stunt that caused fans to wrongfully assume the actor was to blame for the fall of WCW. He appeared in several fairly inconsequential film and television roles over the following years, while also dealing in private with drug and alcohol addiction.
After a heart attack at age 49, Arquette decided to get back into wrestling and has since had a presence in the WWE. Arquette reprised hisScreamrole in the 2022 sequel/reboot of the same name, which would mark hisfinal time playing the character. Arquette has since appeared in animated westernQuantum Cowboysand the mysterious sci-fi action seriesMrs. Davis, among others.
3Kristin Davis as Max’s Mom
Kristin Davisis most well known for her role as Charlotte, one of the four women at the center of hit franchiseSex and the City. Davis returned after the original show for bothSex and the Cityfilms as well as the sequel seriesAnd Just Like That…. Her success in this franchise led to Davis finding roles in films likeThe Shaggy DogandJack and Jill.
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Davis briefly took a detour to the stage, most notably in a West End production of Trevor Nunn’sFatal Attractionas Beth, the wife of the adulterous protagonist. In 2016 Davis starred in the well-receivedHallmark Christmas movieA Heavenly Christmas, and in 2020 she hosted the bizarre and extremely short-lived reality seriesLabor of Love.
Outside of acting, Davis is a prolific philanthropist and activist who has supported the Humane Society, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, UNHCR, and many more. She is an Oxfam Global Ambassador and recipient of the 2010 Human Society Wyler Award and the 2023 Perfect World Foundation Award.
2Jacob Davich as Linus/Minus
As the true villain ofSharkboy and Lavagirl, Linus and his Planet Drool counterpart Minus provide some of the most entertaining moments in the movie. Actor Jacob Davich overacts with abandon, making his scenes hilarious and memorable. We wouldn’t see much more of Davich over the next several years: he had a small role in the Billy Bob Thornton sports comedyMr. Woodcockas well as gigs like “Guy” and “Teenager” in shows likeWithout a TraceandAll Night. He also had a starring role in the well-liked but mostly unseen indie coming-of-age sex comedyThe Virginity Hit.
In an interview withartzray.com, Davich admitted that acting was no longer his calling, stating, “I’ve always been more comfortable and more passionate with music. I think I’m a better musician than actor.” Davich shared his love of music in 2015 with the release of a self-titled EP; he hasn’t released any new music since.
1Sasha Pieterse as Marissa/Ice Princess
Sasha Pietersedidn’t follow up herSharkboy and Lavagirlrole with more theatrical ones; rather, she stuck to TV. The young actress guested in primetime shows likeHouseandCSI: Miami, and she had a reoccurring role as Amanda Strazzulla inHeroes. Pieterse’s big break would come in 2010 when she took on the role of Alison DiLaurentis in the popular teen mystery seriesPretty Little Liarsand its various spinoffs.
Over the decade that Pieterse was onPretty Little Liars, the actress began appearing in more films, including Paul Thomas Anderson’sInherent Viceand the NetflixIvy + Beantrilogy. Outside of acting, Pieterse is a successful Instagram influencer and lifestyle blogger, and she placed 10th on the Season 25 ofDancing With the Stars.
