From child star to mother of four, this actress has faced fame, personal struggles, and heartbreaking losses. Take a closer look at her story, including how she embraced resilience and self-discovery.

This actress was just two years old when she first stepped into the world of acting, inspired by her father, a veteran actor, and her brother, Meeno Peluce.

“I grew up in a family of incredible entertainers and activists — my brothers and my dad were actors and I grew up watching them,” she shared.

Her father helped her secure an agent, and soon, her career was in motion. Her mother, Sondra Peluce, took on the role of manager, guiding her through the unpredictable world of Hollywood.

“One day I told my mom I wanted to try acting, and I had always been super shy, so she was like, ‘Really?’ I went in for my first audition and my mom told them, ‘I don’t know if she will say anything,'” the actress recalled.

“But I loved playing make-believe and acting really helped me come out of my shell and find my voice. I also loved journalism since I was little, so I would pick up video cameras, write in my diaries, speak into voice recorders, and document everything,” she added.

At just eight years old, she became a household name, playing the title character in the NBC series “Punky Brewster.” “Punky is still such a huge part of my heart and soul. If I’m 88 and people still want to call me Punky, I’d be thrilled,” she said.

However, when the series ended in 1988, the young actress found herself struggling with the transition from child star to adolescence. The changes in her body attracted unwanted attention, and the industry’s perception of her shifted drastically.

“I was in this position where I was going through puberty, and I developed very quickly,” she shared. “Everywhere I went I was called Punky Boobster, and people would stare directly at my boobs.”

By 15, at just 5’1″, she had a 38-DD chest, which not only caused her severe discomfort but also changed the way people treated her. Boys taunted her, calling her “Punky Boobster,” and casting directors started offering her overly sexualized roles.

“No one is in charge of how their body develops. But there was so much shame about it,” the former “Punky Brewster” star revealed. Then, at 16, she made a bold decision to undergo breast reduction surgery to relieve her pain and reclaim her confidence.

Diagnosed with gigantomastia, a condition that causes excessive breast growth, she suffered from chronic back pain and deep grooves in her shoulders from her bra straps.

“It was hard for me even to give somebody a hug. I couldn’t sit up straight without people looking at me like I was a prostitute. My breasts became an insecurity,” she admitted.

Her mother, who had struggled with similar issues, sympathized and supported her decision. Still, the choice was a deeply personal one.

“It was scary. It was a time when I was confronting my fears about becoming a woman. I needed to be sure that I was doing this for myself—not for producers or boyfriends or my family. It takes a lot of courage,” the actress shared.

She chose to speak openly about the surgery in hopes of promoting body positivity, but the message was overshadowed by sensationalized media coverage. With time, however, she found peace with her decision.

“My experiences made me who I am today, and as much of a roller coaster as it was, I wouldn’t change one thing,” she said.

Over the years, she found love, and by 22, she married producer Jason Goldberg, and they welcomed four children. “I had so many questions about parenting and I was constantly turning to social media,” the actress shared.

“I found that it was this balancing act. I was always trying to find the balance between trying my best and being an incredible parent. I literally realized that it was chaos — but it was happy chaos,” she added.

Sadly, in 2003, she suffered a devastating loss when her close friend, actor Jonathan Brandis, died by suicide. While working on her documentary “Kid 90,” the former child star uncsujovered voicemails and diary entries that brought back bittersweet memories of their friendship.

“I found so many voicemails Jonathan left me when we were kids. Some of them were 10 minutes long, his innermost thoughts. It just made me cry listening to them. He was a real friend,” she revealed.

Brandis, who starred in “Ladybugs” and “seaQuest DSV,” was only 27 when he died. Reflecting on his passing and the loss of other friends to drugs and suicide, she expressed deep regret over not recognizing the signs.

“I had some elements of guilt not seeing [the pain]. How often do we really look at each other and go, ‘How are you?’ and actually hear what someone is saying? I learned that I just wasn’t listening in the way I do now,” she shared.

As time went on, the former child star found herself reflecting more deeply on her own journey and the different roles she had played in her life. As she entered her 40s, she started questioning her own identity beyond motherhood.

“I’m so proud to be a mom but I started to wonder: ‘Who am I, in addition to my children whom I love so much?’ I had a really unorthodox upbringing that was amazing and so colorful, being raised by a single mom,” the actress shared.

She continued, “But that led me to desire some tradition — the love and joy of family. And I became so focused on giving my all to being a mom and a wife that I lost sight of the artist inside me.”

By December 2020, reports confirmed that she and Goldberg had quietly separated after more than 20 years together.

A representative for the actress issued a statement revealing that “their priority will continue to be their four beautiful children as they move forward with love and compassion.”

Years later, the “Punky Brewster” star faced another heartbreaking loss when her ex-boyfriend, Shifty Shellshock, lead singer of Crazy Town, passed away.

The two had known each other since childhood and were romantically linked in 2021, though they were not together when he died in 2024.

Crazy Town’s manager confirmed that the musician was found dead in his Los Angeles home on June 24 at 49. According to sources, his time with the actress had been a positive influence in his life.

“When he was with [her] he was at his happiest and really getting his life together. With her, he lit up and wanted to strive to be better,” a source revealed.

Following the tragic news, the actress took to Instagram, writing in part, “No words could ever express the love we shared or how we are feeling right now. It is a language all its own.”

This star is none other than Soleil Moon Frye, who, now at 48, has continued working in Hollywood, acting, directing, and even writing a screenplay.

Through triumphs and heartbreaks, she has persevered, embracing every stage of her life with strength and honesty. She continues to evolve, proving that resilience and self-discovery are lifelong journeys.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “help” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.