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One of the most recognizable child stars of the 80s, Tami Stronach, is making a big screen comeback 40 years after the release of the film that shot her into superstardom.
Stronach, now 51, became a household name at age 11 when she portrayed The Childlike Empress in the 1984 German fantasy film The NeverEnding Story.
The Iran-born actress is now preparing for the release of her very first feature film since: Man And Witch: The Dance Of A Thousand Steps. In the works since 2021, this comic adventure serves as a heartwarming homage to the lo-fi fantasy films of the 80s.
Tami stars as the Witch and is joined by a stellar cast including Jennifer Saunders, Eddie Izzard, Bill Bailey, Sean Astin, Christopher Lloyd and Pauline McLynn. The film was written by Tami’s actor husband of 14 years, Greg Steinbruner and the couple’s ten-year-old daughter Maya is set to make her film debut.
What happened to the actress that played the Empress in The NeverEnding Story?
After her breakout role as The Childlike Empress, Tami Stronach chose to pursue theatre and dance rather than continuing with film acting. She created the Tami Stronach Dance Company and became a co-founder of Paper Canoe Company, focusing on creating family-friendly stories.
Whilst the 80s film may have been an instant cult classic, the fame brought unwanted attention to Stronach and her family, who were subjected to stalking incidents.
“There are people that navigated it brilliantly,” she said of child stardom. “I look at Natalie Portman – it can be done. But those are very smart women and kudos to them. It’s definitely a lot to take on.”
How old was the Childlike Empress in The NeverEnding Story?
Tami Stronach was 11 years old when she portrayed The Childlike Empress in the 1984 film The NeverEnding Story.
“It was my happy place. It was such a spectacle, I don’t think at the time as a child I understood how lucky I was,” she told Metro.co.uk of her experience on the set of The NeverEnding Story, praising acclaimed director Wolfgang Petersen
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