The Short Answer: No Children
No — Abby Ryder Fortson has no children. The actress, born March 14, 2008, in Burbank, California, is 18 years old — she only reached adulthood in March 2026. The 'kids' question likely confuses her with the character she played: Cassie Lang, Scott Lang's daughter in Marvel's Ant-Man films.
Fortson has been acting since 2013, when she was 5: The Mindy Project, Transparent (as Ella Novak), The Whispers, HBO's Togetherness — then Ant-Man (2015) and Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) as Cassie. Her transition to leading lady came with Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (2023), where her performance as Margaret Simon earned wide acclaim.
She is the daughter of actress Christie Lynn Smith and John Fortson — a show-business family. Now 18, she is navigating the child-star-to-adult-actor transition, with no public relationships, no marriage, and no children.
Biography Snapshot: Who Is Abby Ryder Fortson?
Abby Ryder Fortson (born March 14, 2008) is an American actress. She played Ella Novak in Transparent, Harper Weil in The Whispers, Sophie Pierson in Togetherness, Cassie Lang in Ant-Man (2015) and Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), and Margaret Simon in Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (2023). She is the daughter of actress Christie Lynn Smith and her husband, John Fortson. On January 6, 2024, Fortson was honored with the Star on the Rise Award at the 2024 Astra Awards of the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
Abby Ryder Fortson's Children: No Children
The reason people ask whether Abby Ryder Fortson has kids is almost certainly Ant-Man: for millions of viewers, she is Cassie Lang — the daughter. In real life, Fortson is the child, not the parent: born in March 2008, she is 18 as of 2026, and there is no record of any pregnancy or child.
Fortson, 18, was born into the business: her mother Christie Lynn Smith is an actress, her father John Fortson works in the industry. She started at 5, booking The Mindy Project in 2013, and stacked prestige TV credits — Transparent, The Whispers, Togetherness — before Marvel made her famous at 7 as Cassie Lang.
Her late teens brought the leap: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (2023), at 15, proved she could carry a film, earning her the Star on the Rise Award at the 2024 Astra Awards. She has continued with indie films like Griffin in Summer (2024) and the upcoming Carousel (2026).
Now 18, Fortson keeps her personal life private — no public relationships, no social-media oversharing. She is, by every account, a teenager-turned-young-adult focused on the tricky transition from child actor to adult star. Children are not part of her story; building a lasting career is.
Abby Ryder Fortson's Personal Life
Abby Ryder Fortson is 18 and has never been publicly linked to a romantic partner. She has kept her personal life entirely private throughout her childhood career — a notable achievement for someone who has been famous since age 7.
Her family is her foundation: mother Christie Lynn Smith, an actress, and father John Fortson. Growing up on sets with working-actor parents gave her a grounded view of the business, which those around her credit for her smooth navigation of child stardom.
As of 2026, newly 18, Fortson is single, focused on acting, and — per every public record — without children. Her story right now is the career transition: from Marvel's Cassie Lang to a young adult actress choosing her own projects.
Where Abby Ryder Fortson Is Now
Fortson's filmography is unusually strong for 18: Playing It Cool (2014), Ant-Man (2015), Forever My Girl (2018), Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), A Dog's Journey (2019), Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (2023), Griffin in Summer (2024) — plus voice work on Miles from Tomorrowland, Trolls: The Beat Goes On!, and DuckTales. The 2026 Sundance premiere circuit has already featured her as a young star to watch.
Fortson's Roles: From Transparent to Margaret
Abby Ryder Fortson's résumé at 18 would be impressive at twice her age. She started at 5 with The Mindy Project (2013), then stacked prestige TV: Ella Novak in Amazon's Transparent (2014), Harper Weil in ABC's The Whispers (2015), and Sophie Pierson in HBO's Togetherness (2015–16) — three serious shows before she turned 8.
Then came Marvel: cast as Cassie Lang in Ant-Man (2015) at 7, she returned for Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) at 10, becoming the face of Scott Lang's daughter for a generation of MCU fans. (The role was later recast with an older actress for Quantumania as the character aged up — a standard Marvel move that Fortson handled with grace.)
Her transition to leading lady arrived with Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (2023). At 15, Fortson carried Judy Blume's beloved adaptation as Margaret Simon, earning some of the year's best child-performance reviews and proving she could anchor a film. The industry noticed: in January 2024 she received the Star on the Rise Award at the Astra Awards.
She has rounded it out with Forever My Girl (2018), A Dog's Journey (2019), Griffin in Summer (2024), and voice work on Miles from Tomorrowland, Trolls: The Beat Goes On!, T.O.T.S., and DuckTales — plus the upcoming Carousel (2026). The daughter of actress Christie Lynn Smith and John Fortson, she grew up on sets with working-actor parents — the grounded upbringing, insiders say, behind her unusually smooth child-to-adult transition. Now 18, she is choosing indie films and prestige projects over franchise work: the long game.
The Child-Star Transition: What's Next at 18
Abby Ryder Fortson, 18, is navigating Hollywood's hardest transition: child star to adult actor. Her parents, actress Christie Lynn Smith and John Fortson, are industry professionals who kept her grounded; her role choices have skewed prestige over paycheck; and her Margaret performance proved she can carry a film.
The Marvel chapter closed gracefully: after playing Cassie Lang in Ant-Man (2015) and Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), the role was recast with Kathryn Newton for Quantumania (2023) as the character aged into adulthood. Fortson, then 15, publicly wished the new Cassie well.
Her post-Marvel choices signal intent: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (2023) was the statement — a beloved literary adaptation, a complex lead role, critical acclaim. Then Griffin in Summer (2024), an indie festival film, and the upcoming Carousel (2026). She is building an indie-prestige filmography, not chasing franchise checks.
Fortson's voice work is an underappreciated part of her resume: Neeri in Miles from Tomorrowland (2016), Priscilla in Trolls: The Beat Goes On! (2018), Tara the Tapir in T.O.T.S. (2019), and a two-episode turn on DuckTales (2020). Now 18, with the Carousel (2026) role upcoming and Sundance buzz already building, Fortson stands at the threshold casting directors dream about: proven talent, professional reputation, and a blank adult canvas.
Why Fortson's Future Looks Bright
Casting directors talk about Abby Ryder Fortson, 18, the way they talk about young actors who make it: she listens, she's prepared, and she doesn't act like a former child star. The Margaret performance is the calling card — carrying a beloved literary adaptation at 15, opposite Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates, and holding the screen — but the pattern around it matters more: prestige TV as a small child (Transparent, Togetherness), franchise work handled professionally (Ant-Man), then a deliberate pivot to indie film.
The Astra Star on the Rise Award in January 2024 formalized the industry's bet. Her upcoming Carousel (2026) premiered on the festival circuit with Fortson, newly 18, doing press as an adult for the first time — poised, articulate, and clearly in control of her narrative. Sundance programmers have already flagged her as a name to watch.
The advantages are real: working-actor parents who demystified the business, a resume with zero tabloid baggage, and a demonstrated ability to choose well. The risks are real too — the child-to-adult transition ends more careers than it launches. But at 18, Fortson has done everything right so far, and Hollywood is watching to see what she does next.
The next few years will define her: more festival films, perhaps a streaming lead, and the slow shedding of the 'former child star' label. If the first 18 years are any indication — grounded parents, smart choices, real talent — Abby Ryder Fortson isn't just transitioning. She's arriving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Abby Ryder Fortson have kids?
No. She is 18 and has no children; people likely confuse her with Cassie Lang, the daughter she played in Ant-Man.
How old is Abby Ryder Fortson?
She is 18 years old, born March 14, 2008, in Burbank, California.
Who are Abby Ryder Fortson's parents?
Actress Christie Lynn Smith and John Fortson.
What is Abby Ryder Fortson known for?
Playing Cassie Lang in Ant-Man (2015) and Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), and starring in Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (2023).
Did Abby Ryder Fortson win an award?
Yes — the Star on the Rise Award at the 2024 Astra Awards.
Is Abby Ryder Fortson in a relationship?
She has never been publicly linked to a partner and keeps her personal life private.
What is Abby Ryder Fortson doing now?
Transitioning to adult roles — indie films like Griffin in Summer (2024) and the upcoming Carousel (2026).