Famous Memers Yesteryears: An Update on Their Current Whereabouts
In the ever-evolving world of the internet, memes have become a powerful cultural force, shaping popular culture and capturing the hearts of millions. Here, we take a glimpse into the lives of ten iconic meme stars and explore their current careers and activities in 2025.
Success Kid (Sam Griner)
Sam Griner, the toddler behind the globally recognized "Success Kid" meme, has grown into an 18-year-old self-described "lazy teenager" and artist. While he has maintained his iconic status, his career has not undergone a broad public shift. His family once utilized the meme to fund a kidney transplant campaign for his father, and in 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court let stand a ruling ordering former Congressman Steve King to pay $750 for using the "Success Kid" meme in a political ad without permission.
Disaster Girl (Zoe Roth)
Zoe Roth, known as "Disaster Girl," is a research associate at S&P Global, where she analyses trends in Internet-of-Things (IoT) technologies. In 2021, her family sold the original meme photo as an NFT for around 180 ETH (roughly $500,000), using the money to support charitable causes and pay off student loans. In a nod to her past, Zoe recently recreated the meme as an adult, smiling in front of a burning background once again.
Popeyes Kid (Anthony Johnson Jr.)
Anthony Johnson Jr., known as "Popeyes Kid," is an offensive lineman at Lake Erie College. He helped lead his high school to a New Jersey state football championship in 2021 and secured a sponsorship with Popeyes, featuring on billboards and ads. He studies sports management and dreams of a career as a professional football player or sports analyst.
Side-Eyeing Chloe (Chloe Clem)
Chloe Clem, known as "Side-Eyeing Chloe," gained viral fame at age two with a priceless side-eye in a Disneyland video and has over 600,000 Instagram followers in 2025. In 2021, her family sold the meme as an NFT for approximately $74,000. Now 14 years old, Chloe has grown into a teen social media influencer, continuing to engage with her audience.
Overly Attached Girlfriend (Laina Morris)
Laina Morris became the "Overly Attached Girlfriend" in 2012 after posting a parody video and gained over a million YouTube subscribers. She eventually stepped away from content creation due to struggles with anxiety, depression, and personal pressures. In early 2025, she reflected on how viral fame complicated her dating life. Today, she works freelance and creates short-form content on her own terms.
Bad Luck Brian (Kyle Craven)
Kyle Craven's goofy school portrait became the "Bad Luck Brian" meme in 2012. As of 2025, he's VP of his family's construction business based in Bath Township, Ohio, and co-owner of the Quaker Square redevelopment. He has appeared in ad campaigns with Shaquille O'Neal, sold NFTs, traveled internationally, and earned revenue from merchandise and licensing deals (approximately $20K by 2018).
Roll Safe (Kayode Ewumi)
Kayode Ewumi, the actor behind the "Roll Safe" meme, continues his career in acting, leveraging his meme fame alongside his professional work.
Math Lady (Renata Sorrah)
Renata Sorrah is a professional Brazilian actress known for the meme from her soap opera character and continues her acting career unrelated directly to the meme status.
Others Mentioned
- Drew Scanlon, known for the blinking meme, remains relevant as the meme continues to circulate, though no new career focus is noted.
- Maggie Goldenberger has opted for a non-celebrity career and became a nurse, moving away from meme fame professionally.
In summary, most meme stars from early viral fame have grown up and either embraced their meme identity as part of their personal branding or moved into non-meme-related careers such as freelance content creation, acting, or entirely different professions like nursing. Only a few, like Side-Eyeing Chloe and Overly Attached Girlfriend, continue active online engagement but on more controlled terms. Some, like Success Kid, maintain iconic status without a defined new career. The search results provide limited updates for certain meme stars like Disaster Girl and Popeyes Kid, reflecting their more low-key or private lives as of 2025.
- In the sphere of Internet-related fields, Zoe Roth, formerly known as "Disaster Girl," works as a research associate at S&P Global, analyzing trends in Internet-of-Things (IoT) technologies, while her family's 2021 NFT sale of the original meme photo helped fund charitable causes and repay student loans.
- Laina Morris, the "Overly Attached Girlfriend," has moved away from content creation, citing personal struggles, but has transitioned to freelance work and Short-form content creation on her own terms.
- Kayode Ewumi, the actor behind the meme "Roll Safe," continues his career in acting, utilizing his meme fame as a supplement.
- Renata Sorrah, known for the meme from her soap opera character, continues her acting career unrelated to her meme status. Other meme stars, such as Drew Scanlon (blinking meme), have maintained their relevance with their memes continuing to circulate, although no specific career updates are mentioned. Maggie Goldenberger, for instance, has pursued a non-celebrity career as a nurse, distancing herself from her meme fame professionally.
