The Little Girl From Everybody Loves Raymond Is Unrecognizable Today

With next year marking the 30-year anniversary of the legendary sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond," the cast reunited for a special feature airing in late-November 2025. Sneak peeks from the reunion show clear glimpses of stars Ray Romano, Patricia Heaton, and Brad Garrett, while other cast members are barely recognizable. Madylin Sweeten, who portrayed Ray Barone's daughter, Ally Barone, is one of those child stars who grew up to be gorgeous, but in truth, we nearly missed her.

Appearing on the famous set with her fellow castmates, Sweeten had some fans doing a double take. Viewers remember her as the little girl who was just 5 years old when she took the role of Ally, so we'll never be able to properly reconcile seeing her as an adult, even if she still had her iconic long blond waves. These days, Sweeten's hair is a gorgeous copper shade and cropped to her shoulders (she clearly knows the advantages of having red hair), and that's not the only change. Now all grown up, Sweeten is a mother herself, welcoming a son in April 2025. "I brought my new son — I have a six month old right now, so he got to meet his grandparents ... his other grandparents," she told "The Morning Show" after filming the feature.

Reflecting on her time as Ally, Sweeten revealed that the "Everybody Loves Raymond" set was like "a big playground basically" and she has plenty of fond memories. "I think there's something so incredible about the writing of this show that it was very realistic," she said. Speaking of her on-screen parents (played by Romano and Heaton), Sweeten confirmed that they were "really big role models," and they may have even inspired her career path after the show.

Judging from her undeniable acting skills as a child, it's no surprise that Madylin Sweeten continued her career in entertainment after the show finished. In 2017, she appeared on "Grey's Anatomy," while later acting in projects like "Lucifer" and "Dirty John." After her last on-screen role in 2020, Sweeten turned her attention to theater, acting in productions in Los Angeles. "I have something kind of fun coming up next," she told "The Morning Show," adding that the unnamed project is "something a little spooky" and "definitely something that challenges the little girl image."

Along with maintaining her performing career, Sweeten uses her platform to speak out on issues that are close to her heart. This year also marked the 10-year anniversary of the death of her brother, Sawyer Sweeten, who also starred on "Everybody Loves Raymod," and she teamed up with her mother, Elizabeth Gini, to raise awareness for mental health. In a video posted to Instagram, the pair revealed that they intended to "keep the conversations around suicide and mental health happening." Understandably, losing her brother has left a lasting impact on Sweeten, but she revealed on "The Morning Show" that there was a silver lining. "There are so many memories that share the three of them [Sawyer, and castmates Peter Boyle and Doris Roberts, who passed away in 2006 and 2019 respectively]," she explained. " ... it felt different ... But in a beautiful way. We were kind of healing together, which was nice."

Of course, Sweeten isn't the only former child star who looks different now — young Jenna from "13 Going on 30" is also unrecognizable today.

If you or someone you know is struggling 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.