Why You Don't Hear Much From AnnaSophia Robb Anymore

More often than not, child stars follow one of two trajectories. Either they continue to ride the coattails of their early fame and fortune to build a successful career, or they fall into oblivion after their short stints on the big screen. AnnaSophia Robb is a bit of an outlier because while she's garnered notoriety for her roles as a child star in films like "Bridge to Terabithia" and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and continues to act as an adult, she tends to live life off-the-radar.

Robb made it clear she wasn't just a one-hit wonder when she went on to portray Bethany Hamilton in the 2011 film "Soul Surfer," playing the role of a professional athlete whose career was put on pause due to a freak shark attack. She then landed her breakout role as the lead in the CW television series "The Carrie Diaries," which premiered in 2013 and ran for two seasons, taking on the character of Carrie Bradshaw in a prequel to "Sex and the City." 

Despite her fame, AnnaSophia Robb went the nontraditional route after her roles as a child actor and decided to pursue a college education and a relatively normal life. While she continued acting while studying at New York University, fans noticed they hadn't seen as much of Robb as they did early on in her career. Rest assured, she has no plans of quitting the big screen anytime soon. So, why don't you hear much from AnnaSophia Robb anymore, and what's next for the star's career?

AnnaSophia Robb got her breakout role when she starred in the CW television series "The Carrie Diaries" in 2013. Playing the lead part of Carrie Bradshaw in a show designed to be the prequel to the hit sensation "Sex and the City" was a dream come true for the actor, but not everyone was as excited about the portrayal. "The Carrie Diaries" follows a younger version of future novelist and New York icon Carrie Bradshaw as she attempts to navigate the challenges of high school. Starring alongside actors Austin Butler and Ellen Wong, Robb plays a teenager finding her way in life and love in the bustling city of Manhattan. However, when the show was announced, all eyes were on Sarah Jessica Parker for her reaction to the news of a younger star playing the character she made a household name. 

Parker wasn't exactly thrilled about Robb's venture, telling Net-A-Porter's The Edit (via Us Weekly) in 2013 that she was "not sure" about a Carrie Bradshaw revival. "You know, I think it's one of those tests of your generosity," she admitted. "She [AnnaSophia Robb] is a lovely girl and I want her to feel good about it, but it's ... odd." Despite Parker's comments, Robb revealed that the monumental role was a huge stepping stone for her career. In a 2021 interview with Rose & Ivy, she admitted that playing the lead in "The Carrie Diaries" at just 19 years old was a "big turning point" in her life.

AnnaSophia Robb came off a major high playing Carrie Bradshaw in 2014, but she decided to take a step back from the spotlight after the show wrapped. Despite establishing a successful career and likely having more money than most adolescents at that age know what to do with, Robb decided she wanted to pursue a college education. In the fall of 2014, the "Dr. Death" star began her first semester at New York University. While she was accustomed to attending movie screenings and red-carpet premieres, the actor admitted she had no trouble trading in her A-list life for some library time. "My education has always been really important to me," she told CBS News at the time. "It's something I get really excited about. I love going to class, reading articles. I know I can do that by myself, but there's something special about a classroom."

Robb admitted that her acting roles also helped her in the classroom, especially when the characters she played aided in her school research. "I did the show 'Mercy Street' on PBS, which took place during the Civil War and I wrote an entire paper on women during that time period," she shared with Rose & Ivy. Robb graduated from NYU in 2018, though before enrolling, she moved to New York City in 2012 for "The Carrie Diaries." "You can really feel the history," the Colorado native said to V Magazine. "I love the little cracks [in the sidewalks] and the people who have lived there for absolutely ever."

AnnaSophia Robb had already built an impressive career by the time she was a teenager. However, taking time off for college proved more difficult than she initially anticipated. While the "Soul Surfer" star did manage to act in some more minor roles while pursuing her degree, by the time she returned to the industry full-time, she had to work to regain her credibility. "I don't think I realized at the time what a big deal it was to decide to go to college," she explained to Rose & Ivy. "I had a lot of momentum and had been building my work since I was a kid, then I had my own TV show, 'The Carrie Diaries.'"

Taking on the role of Carrie Bradshaw meant she had some big shoes — or stilettos — to fill, and Robb revealed she hadn't grasped the magnitude of landing that type of lead character role at the time. While hindsight is 20/20, the actor said her decision to go to college may have set her back a bit in terms of landing similar roles. "I think looking back and seeing how hard it has been to create that momentum again, especially in a period of time for young women where there are either teenage roles or mom roles. There is not a lot of in between; it can be a bit confusing so to step out in that transition was a bit puzzling but I am happy where I am now," she expanded.

Part of the reason AnnaSophia Robb has been flying under the radar in recent years could be due to her marrying her longtime boyfriend, Trevor Paul. The couple first crossed paths in 2016, when a chance encounter at a communal table in a Brooklyn coffee shop marked the beginning of their relationship. Robb told Vogue she had looked up from her novel and noticed Paul reading a famous children's book before she decided to initiate a conversation. "I asked if it was his first time reading 'Harry Potter,' and he replied that he was taking a study break from his—much less exciting—law school case books," she revealed. While the two didn't exchange numbers after meeting, they ran into each other the following day at a subway station when they both had to take cover from the rain. As luck would have it, Paul finally asked for her digits. "It was one of those kismet New York moments," Robb shared. 

The newlyweds tied the knot in the fall of 2022 in their home state of New York. Robb and Paul exchanged vows in a picturesque ceremony nestled between the Catskill and Shawangunk Mountains in front of 175 guests. Robb recalled the special day in an interview with People, saying, "Seeing everybody's faces and then seeing Trevor, I didn't know if I would be nervous or emotional or what I would feel, and I just felt very confident," adding, "I was like, 'This is a great decision. The decision of my life.'"

Fans may wonder why AnnSophia Robb keeps such a low profile, but the actor says she prefers to keep her private life out of the public eye. When asked about her dating life in 2015 at a Fashion Week party, she admitted she prefers to date people outside of the film industry. "Sure, I have a lot of friends in Hollywood, and they are great, but it's not for me right now," Robb revealed (via New York Post). "My life is really low-key." She also admitted that her star power didn't have much effect on her friends while studying at NYU, stating, "I'm really just another college student who doesn't get much sleep."

You won't find Robb dancing on TikTok or harping about her day in a stream of video selfies. She's not eager to sell you the latest and greatest fad for a quick buck, either. While the actor does have a public Instagram profile, she is pretty selective about what she shares with the world. Robb's husband, Trevor Paul, who works as a lawyer, is often featured on her page, as well as a few snapshots of her travels, fashion choices, or the occasional night out with friends. However, Robb does take to social media to support a select few causes she holds near and dear. The actor posted a selfie when she participated in the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, advocating for better treatment and pay for actors. She also posted a series of photos supporting women's access to abortion.

AnnaSophia Robb is cautious about what roles she takes on as an actor — a key reason fans may wonder what the "Winn-Dixie" star has been up to. Following a smaller role in the 2019 Hulu series "Little Fires Everywhere," the actor offered her voice to the podcast series "Marvels." She also took on the darker role of Emma in the television series "The Expecting," which required her to shave her head and tap into the mind of a pregnant woman fighting for her life.

While Robbs' fans may not see her in back-to-back lead roles and box-office hits all the time, the actor has clarified there's a reason behind her choice of projects. "Being a lead in something is fantastic but for me I like to be part of really good projects, of course I want to star in something, but it's also about working with a great group of people," she told Rose & Ivy. "When I was younger, I was a lead in many projects and that isn't a goal for me now. I ask, who are the other people, even if it's just a scene, I want to work with them and learn from them." The "Act" actor also might be leaning towards taking on roles in projects based on real-life events, like her part in the television series "Mercy Street" and "Dr. Death" as well as the "Soul Surfer" film. "I love playing real people, it's such an honor and I take it very seriously," she admitted. 

Like many people around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, AnnaSophia Robb felt like she had hit a wall. The actor admitted she experienced a wave of emotions when the world was put on pause, from learning how to cope with a strange virus to later dealing with a social and political movement. "The beginning was painful to watch—I felt very grateful for my family, my health and I had a place to stay," she revealed in her interview with Rose & Ivy. "Then I felt extremely depressed and disillusioned like everybody and then during Black Lives Matter, it was a whole cultural reckoning and it was just depression and fury."

Robb's time away from work made her realize how much acting gave her a purpose, but it also helped teach her a lesson about work-life balance. The "Goodnight Darling" actor has since committed to taking on projects that leave her a healthy amount of free time. "Obviously I want to continue to work hard—you need a certain level of focus—but just not burning out," she shared. "I didn't know how to use downtime, I still don't—I was so anxious and didn't know what the hell to do with myself."

Robb wanted to make up for lost time with the pandemic behind her. "Now I have some downtime and I am going to spend time with my family and I am vaccinated so I can travel," she said in 2021. "I will wait to find the right project before just jumping to do something.

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

AnnaSophia Robb has kept herself busy, and not just in the acting world. The Colorado native is heavily involved in sustainability in her community, and she's even teamed up with non-profit organizations to help promote urban farming. According to an interview with Wild Elements, Robb teamed up with the Urban Growers Collective, which seeks to build more gardening communities in underprivileged areas and provide people living in larger cities with fresh produce.

The actor started working with Urban Growers Collective in Chicago after growing up in a family of gardeners. "They make food, but they also create bonds between neighbors, and soil nutrients, and educational opportunities," Robb said of the non-profit organization. "I just loved this idea of going back to the basics, learning how to cultivate vegetables at your own home," she added. 

In addition to working to turn urban areas greener, Robb also partnered up with General Mills and DoSomething on their Feeding Better Futures initiative. As shared by Innovation & Tech Today, the "Dr. Death" star works as an ambassador to help combat food waste worldwide and teach younger individuals how to better manage human consumption. "I think my generation is starting to become a lot more aware, but food scarcity is a real thing," said Robb. "We have to think about the way that we look at food and our relationship to food, and where food is first, and where is there healthy food, and where is there not such healthy food."

Fans may not have seen as much of AnnaSophia Robb lately, but that could be because the actor has stayed busy with multiple projects in her production pipeline. In early 2024, the star was attached to three separate projects that had yet to be released. She will feature beside Don Johnson and James Badge Dale in Netflix's "Rebel Ridge," a thriller action film "that explores systemic American injustices through bone-breaking action sequences, suspense and dark humor," according to the movie's description.

Robb will also star in the upcoming film "Thelma" alongside heavy hitters like Kathy Bates and John Malkovich. According to Variety, the film tells the true story of John Kennedy Toole's mother's 11-year-long fight to get her son's novel published following his death by suicide. At the time of this writing, the film was in the pre-production stage and set to be sold at Berlin's European Film Market. Robb was also involved in the short "ESC," which was in post-production in February 2024. As per the project's description, the film centers around a woman's 24-hour-long fight to stop a mass shooting from happening within a hate group she mistakingly formed.