If you grew up in the ’90s, you probably remember 12-year-old Larisa Oleynik – a young girl with a bright, open smile. She was Alex Mack in Nickelodeon’s The Secret World of Alex Mack, a show (which ran from 1994 to 1998) that focused on a teen who could shoot electricity from her fingers like a superhero, but still had to worry about homework.
Fame for Oleynik came tumbling in fast. She filmed in Southern California, then headed back north for school, trying to pretend life was normal while strangers asked her to “morph” in public. To which she cleverly responded, “Not here, everybody would see!”
By the late ’90s, of course, she had become rom-com royalty when she starred in The Baby-Sitters Club and 10 Things I Hate About You in 1999. In the latter, she played Bianca Stratford with the pink prom outfit. She was the younger sister looking for love. “I happen to like being adored, thank you,” her character once said. According to Oleynik, the cast chemistry was very special, and she’s openly mentioned that she hasn’t felt anything like it since then. At the time, she also dated her on-screen co-star Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who also played her boyfriend in the film.
At the height of her career, however, Oleynik did something unexpected. She quietly stepped back from Hollywood. Instead of chasing more teen leads in movies and TV roles, she enrolled at Sarah Lawrence College in New York for four years, doing writing workshops and screenwriting. And here’s a fun detail: she was actually partly inspired because Julia Stiles’ character chose the same college in 10 Things I Hate About You. Today, she calls it the best decision she ever made.
Despite what many might believe, Oleynik actually never disappeared. Her life just changed course. Over the years, however, you might have spotted her on Boy Meets World, Malcolm in the Middle, Pretty Little Liars, Hawaii Five-O, and Mad Men as Cynthia Cosgrove. She’s also done a lot of stage work.
But these days, she plays moms on TV, and fully owns what she calls the “mom zone.” She even returned to Nickelodeon in 2023 for Erin & Aaron. It was the same network that made her famous, but in a very new role.
31 years after The Secret World of Alex Mack, Larisa Oleynik is, of course, still hardworking, and, yes, she still looks great doing it. And if you grew up watching her, it’s nice to see she grew up exactly how she wanted.
Also, there’s talk of a 10 Things I Hate About You sequel, perhaps you’ll see her as Bianca Stratford again soon.
RELATED: Julia Stiles Looks Beautiful 26 Years After 10 Things I Hate About You Made Her a Star
