What is Danica McKellar doing now? The Wonder Years star opens up about quitting acting

Danica McKellar is being candid about her decision to quit acting and begin her education. According to New York Post, McKellar has revealed in an interview with Closer Weekly that she chose to pursue a degree in mathematics at UCLA, over continuing with her flourishing career in acting for four years after 1993. McKellar spoke to journalist Lindsay Hoffman, and, according to Parade, said in the interview:

“When I finished The Wonder Years, I went to UCLA to get a degree in Mathematics. I stopped acting for four years. I just needed to find who else I was."

She added:

For me the way I could find out was to do just something else… Even though I knew I had to do it, I was still worried about it. What if I can't go back to acting? What if I don't pass the math test?”

Despite her fears and anxieties about leaving her acting career, McKellar’s success in the field of mathematics did not stop her from giving her career in the entertainment industry another chance. Mckellar has been an active part of script development within the network, Great American Family, as per a report by New York Post. McKellar’s first writing credit for the Great American Family came with the TV movie, A Cinderella Christmas Ball, aired in 2024, as per IMDb.

Danica McKellar’s career as a child actor explored

Danica McKellar debuted on screen at the age of 10, in the series The Twilight Zone in 1985.

However, her first prominent role that won her immense popularity was in the series, The Wonder Years, which began airing on the ABC Network in 1988.

McKellar was 13 when she appeared in the first season of The Wonder Years. She went on to star in each of the six seasons of the show, which ran from 1988 to 1993.

By the time the final season of The Wonder Years was shot, McKellar had to take an important decision. She had to maker up her mind about going to college or pursuing professional acting.

Dancia McKellar at UCLA

McKellar eventually decided to attend UCLA and study mathematics. She completed her degree in 1998.

As per the UCLA alumni website, McKellar excelled in her studies while pursuing her degree at the prestigious university. As per the website, Mckellar ended up proving an important theorem in physics. This feat, which she achieved with fellow student Brandy Winn and her professor-supervisor, Lincoln Chayes, is known as the Chayes-McKellar-Winn Theorem, as per the website.

Dancia McKellar’s return to acting

After her graduation in 1998, Danica McKellar starred in a number of independent films like XCU: Extreme Close UP (2001), The Killer Next Door (2001), Jane White is Sick and Twisted (2002).

However, her breakout role during her second stint at acting turned out be her portrayal of a White House communication assistant in the fourth season of the acclaimed series, The West Wing.

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Additionally, McKellar’s roles in Hallmark films post 2010 helped her attain popularity. McKellar starred in Hallmark films such as Perfect Match (2015), Crown for Christmas (2015), Wedding Bells (2016), Campfire Kiss (2017), Love in Design (2018), Love and Sunshine (2019) and Christmas She Wrote (2020).

In 2021, Danica McKellar left the Hallmark network to sign an exclusive deal with Great American Family, where her responsibilities included roles beyond acting.

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