Thompson was everywhere in the late 2000s.
He traded barbs with Tracy Morgan on "30 Rock," held his own opposite Paul Rudd in "Role Models," and turned up in "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" and "Fred Claus" before he was even a teenager.
Hollywood had him on speed dial for one specific job: playing the funniest, mouthiest kid in the room.
Then the phone stopped ringing the way it used to.
The reason wasn't a scandal or a falling out.
Thompson has talked openly about the awkward stretch when child stars outgrow the roles that made them famous, and suddenly the industry has no script for you.
He went from red carpets to audition rooms where casting directors weren't sure what to do with him anymore.
Fans who grew up watching him have spent years asking the same question online: what happened to that kid?
The answer, it turns out, is more interesting than a comeback headline.
He kept working in smaller projects, leaned into voice acting, and built a following on social media where his personality does the heavy lifting.
He's also been candid about the darker side of child stardom, including the financial and emotional toll that comes with being the breadwinner before you can legally drive.
His story landed back in the spotlight recently, and it struck a nerve with viewers who remember him as a comedy MVP.
There's something uncomfortable about rewatching those old clips now, knowing the kid delivering the punchline was carrying pressures most adults couldn't handle.
What makes Thompson's arc resonate is how familiar it feels.
America has watched dozens of young performers get chewed up by the same machine, and every few years one of them speaks up and reminds us the child star pipeline was never built with their wellbeing in mind.
Thompson is one of the few who talks about it without asking for pity.
His interviews and posts still carry the same sharp timing that made him a scene-stealer, just aimed at different targets now.
Whether he lands another breakout role or not, Thompson already has something most former child stars never get: a voice, and the willingness to use it.
He's not chasing the version of himself that Hollywood packaged two decades ago.
He's just refusing to let the industry's silence be the last word.
Our take: Thompson's story is a reminder that child stars don't owe us a comeback, and the ones who speak honestly about what the business cost them are doing more for the next generation than any reboot ever could.
Final Thoughts
It's that he's still here, telling the truth.