What Happened To Haley Joel Osment?
- Photo: Entourage/Warner Bros.
As An Adult, He Takes Roles That Subvert His Innocent Image
Osment, no longer the cute kid actor, frequently takes more adult-oriented roles - even edging closer to the raunchy side of Hollywood with parts in Tusk, Sex Ed, Entourage, and Izzy Gets the F*ck Across Town.
As with many child actors, Osment is likely trying to separate himself from his most famous role (in his case, the fresh-faced little boy who helped Bruce Willis realize he was dead). Moving into more adult-themed parts keeps the actor busy, and he works in both film and television regularly.
- Photo: Square Enix
He's The Voice Of Sora In The 'Kingdom Hearts' Games
In 2001, the teenage Osment joined the voice cast of the first Kingdom Hearts game for PlayStation 2 as Sora. The actor has kept the role across multiple titles, including 2019's Kingdom Hearts III.
Though in his 30s, Osment consistently proves himself with each iteration of the game. Sora isn't Osment's only voice work, either. He's been a regular at Disney Studios, voicing Chip in Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas, Zephyr in The Hunchback of Notre Dame II, and Mowgli in The Jungle Book 2.
- Photo: Mike Marsland/Contributor / WireImage
He Became A Really Good Golfer
Not all of Osment's talents lie in his on-screen work; he's also an accomplished golfer. Osment picked up the sport at the age of 7 and developed his skills to the point where he joined the US team at the All-Star Cup in 2005. At age 19, he shot from 50th to 30th place in Golf Digest's rankings of celebrity golfers.
- Photo: atp_tyreseus / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
He Studied Theater At NYU
Like many child actors, Osment attended school both on and off film sets. He went to the Flintridge Preparatory School in La Cañada, CA, where he played basketball and football, wrestled, and worked on his golf game. Following high school, Osment continued pursuing his interest in the arts by attending New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where he studied experimental theater. He graduated in 2011.
- Photo: Jason Kempin/Staff / WireImage
He Starred In A Play On Broadway
Not content to be remembered as the kid who saw dead people, Osment tried out theater work in 2008 while still attending college. Osment was cast as Bobby in a Broadway revival of David Mamet's American Buffalo. He played a young heroin addict alongside John Leguizamo and Cedric the Entertainer. The show opened to mixed reviews and closed after its first week.
He Got Into Trouble On The Cusp Of Adulthood
Osment mostly stayed out of trouble growing up, but he did have one run-in with the law. On July 20, 2006, Osment crashed his car after losing control of the vehicle. He hit a brick-mounted mailbox, which caused the vehicle to flip.
Fortunately, Osment was the only passenger and suffered only minor injuries. He eventually pleaded no contest to charges of misdemeanor drunken driving and drug possession resulting from cannabis found in the vehicle. He was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to attend 60 hours of alcohol rehabilitation. He paid his fine, did his hours, and went on with his life.
- Photo: Ron Galalla/Contributor / Ron Galalla Collection
He Enjoyed An 'Old-Fashioned' Upbringing
Osment credits his parents, Theresa and Michael Eugene Osment, with keeping him grounded. He described his childhood as a "good, old-fashioned Southern upbringing."
Osment told The Telegraph:
[My parents] emphasized school as the most important thing and really kept my feet on the ground. When I was younger, making those movies took about two or three months, and for the rest of the year, I would be in a regular school, so that enabled me to have friends who weren't in the industry and a life that was separate from Hollywood.
- Photo: The X-Files/Fox
He's Found A Niche In Television
For a guy who started his life in Hollywood in one of the biggest films ever (Forrest Gump), it might surprise you to hear Osment has spent much of his adult life working in television.
Since reaching adulthood, Osment has played roles on shows including The X-Files, Family Guy, Alpha House, Comedy Bang! Bang!, Drunk History, Teachers, and Silicon Valley. If you ever wonder what Osment is up to these days, check your TV listings.
He Watches A Lot Of Baseball
If you check out Osment's Instagram and other social media feeds, one thing becomes immediately apparent: this guy loves baseball. Specifically, he's a fan of the LA Dodgers and regularly attends games with friends and family. Born in Los Angeles, CA, Osment has always been a big supporter of his home team - so it comes as no surprise he continues attending games.
- Photo: Oasis/Amazon
He Grew A Beard
One reason you might not know what happened to Osment: you don't recognize him. His biggest roles came when he was still a boy, and he doesn't look much like he did when he whispered "I see dead people" in 1999's The Sixth Sense.
One of Osment's key features these days is an impressive beard that he keeps long and bushy. He originally grew the beard for his role as a weed farmer on the Amazon show Oasis and decided to keep it.
