Kid 90 is a 2021 documentary created and directed by Soleil Moon Frye. The Punky Brewster star wades through her 1990s memories and reflects on her life as a teen actress. She includes current interviews with other former teen stars to help frame the conversation. The film is enriched by these dialogues, and some of the actors are still well-known.
Old video footage also shows a number of stars who are not present for interviews, some of whom tragically passed away previously. Although Kid 90 doesn't focus so much on its subjects' current work or personal lives, it is still interesting to see snapshots of who they were in their youth and who they are now.
Soleil Moon Frye
Soleil Moon Frye is the creator and director of Kid 90. She developed the project in relation to the hundreds of hours of video footage she saved from her teen years. Soleil captured viewers' hearts as Punky Brewster in the 1980s and reprises the role in Peacock's 2021 reboot. Kid 90 has Soleil at its center, from her teenage self living life to her current self trying to process the memories.
Leonardo DiCaprio
Although Leonardo DiCaprio is not interviewed in Kid 90, he is an executive producer of the documentary and can be seen in blasts from the past. DiCaprio was part of the sitcom crowd in the early 1990s due to his work on Growing Pains, but he quickly transitioned to film roles and became a household name. The actor is just as busy today executive producing through his company, Appian Way Productions.
Heather McComb
In her interview, Heather McComb tells Soleil that Soleil's memories of 1990s Hollywood were meant to be shared instead of staying in a box. The actress starred on '90s shows like The Outsider, Profiler, and Party of Five in addition to many guest roles at the time. She also played Autumn in Wild Horses, the 1998 film Soleil and her brother, Meeno Peluce, made.
Brian Austin Green
Brian Austin Green has a place of importance in Kid 90 because he has always been one of Soleil's closest friends. The Knots Landing and Beverly Hills, 90210 star talks about his attempt to become a successful hip-hop artist.
He remembers being rejected and having to learn how to be who he wanted to be. The actor is celebrated as a friend who has supported Soleil throughout the years.
Mark-Paul Gosselaar
Mark-Paul Gosselaar is famous for his role as Zack Morris on Saved by the Bell, which he reprises in the Peacock reboot. The accomplished actor has deep conversations with Soleil about being treated like an adult in the industry while still a teenager. He also touches on being turned down for some roles, even if just because of looks. Mark-Paul reveals that his experiences with such an adult business have made him want to keep his children from it.
Jenny Lewis
Jenny Lewis has a close-up scene while riding in the car with Soleil in California in Kid 90. Though she looks more grown-up there, viewers likely remember a younger version of Jenny Lewis as Hannah Nefler in Troop Beverly Hills. Jenny is one of few female stars to have a significant role in Soleil's teenage life, according to the video footage. Today, the actress is also known for her work as a musician and songwriter.
Danny Boy O'Connor
In the 1990s, the song "Jump Around" was everywhere, which Soleil Moon Frye recognizes in the documentary. Danny Boy O'Connor sang the hit as a member of House of Pain, and he was a big part of Soleil's life. Perhaps friends, perhaps more than friends, Danny Boy and Soleil were extremely close. The filmmaker catches up with the musician in Oklahoma, where he lives at the time of filming. Danny Boy seems to have found peace away from the spotlight.
Stephen Dorff
Now known for his work in projects like Embattled and True Detective, Stephen Dorff was just as busy acting in film and television in the 1990s. Kid 90 is especially poignant for him because, in the documentary, he speaks on losing his brother, Andrew, who passed away in 2016. It's clear by the end of the film that Stephen and Soleil have a strong bond and can speak plainly with one another.
Charlie Sheen
Though he does not appear for an interview in Kid 90, Charlie Sheen is presented as one of Soleil Moon Frye's most important companions. She had a romantic relationship with the actor that she documented extensively, and Charlie Sheen's voice can be heard in several old voicemails to Soleil, in which he always says, "This is Charles."
Though Charlie Sheen has had his share of public struggles, he is painted in a positive light throughout the documentary.
David Arquette
Actor and producer David Arquette looks back honestly on his time in the Hollywood teenage circle. The Scream star opened up about the prevalence of drug use and abuse in his young life, appearing slightly uncomfortable discussing it but grateful to be alive to speak on the matter. Arquette thinks about the past and recalls that "it got dark for awhile," a sentiment very much in line with the trials and tragedies presented throughout the documentary.