Jeff Cohen became a pop culture icon in the 1980s for his role as Chunk in The Goonies, but his life after child stardom took a very different path. When puberty changed his appearance, the kinds of roles that defined his early fame disappeared, effectively ending his acting career.
Born Jeffrey Bertan McMahon, he adopted his mother’s maiden name, Cohen, as his stage surname. Before The Goonies, he had already appeared in television projects and game shows, showing early charisma that helped him land auditions in a highly competitive industry.
His breakout role as Chunk came after intense casting competition, with director Richard Donner ultimately choosing him for his personality and energy rather than stereotype. Filming became part of Hollywood legend, with Cohen even continuing to work through illness during production.
The film’s success made him instantly recognizable, but like many child actors, he faced a difficult transition as he grew older. Roles disappeared, and his acting career faded without a formal ending, something he later described as the industry moving on rather than a personal choice.
Instead of struggling in Hollywood, Cohen reinvented himself academically. He attended UC Berkeley, where he explored new interests and eventually shifted toward law and business, stepping fully away from acting.
Mentorship played a key role in his transition. Director Richard Donner supported his education and encouraged him to think beyond acting, helping him envision a future in the business side of entertainment.
Cohen went on to earn a law degree from UCLA and became an entertainment attorney in Hollywood, representing major clients and negotiating high-profile deals within the industry he once performed in as a child.
One of the most notable moments in his later career came when he helped negotiate a deal for his Goonies co-star Ke Huy Quan, who later won an Academy Award. The moment symbolized a full-circle connection between his past and present.
Today, Jeff Cohen is recognized not just as a former child star, but as a successful entertainment lawyer who built a second career on his own terms, proving that reinvention can be just as powerful as fame.
