Remember the Welch’s ‘Grape Juice Girl’ of the ’90s? Here’s Where She Is Now

If you grew up in the ’90s, chances are you remember the Welch’s Grape Juice Girl.

Earlier this fall, Welch’s rekindled that nostalgia when it shared a throwback TikTok on Oct. 9, 2025, writing, “Memory unlocked: the iconic Welch’s girl. Who else remembers these classic commercials?”

That familiar face belonged to Emily Mae Young, who filmed one of the brand’s memorable commercials in 1997. Decades later, fans were quick to recognize her as the child star who helped define a generation of family-friendly ads.

Born on Feb. 14, 1990, Young is now 34 years old and long removed from her days as a commercial kid. Still, her work with Welch’s remains one of the most enduring touchstones of her early career.

Young didn’t stop acting after her time with the brand. She went on to star as Lily Lambert on Step by Step from 1996 to 1998 and later appeared in the 1999 film Undercover Angel as well as the TV movie Santa and Pete.

Eventually, Young stepped away from the entertainment industry. She now works as a content creator and in social media marketing, keeping her life largely out of the spotlight.

In 2025, however, Young found herself back where it all began. She reunited with Welch’s as part of the brand’s largest-ever Sparkling Juice campaign, marking the first time in 25 years that a former Welch’s child star returned to the brand’s advertising.

Reflecting on her childhood experience, Young said Welch’s was “such a special part of my childhood,” recalling days filled with “laughter, grape juice mustaches, and lip-smacking fun.” Those memories, she shared via PR Newswire, have stayed with her long after the cameras stopped rolling.

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Now a mom, Young said the brand’s return to kid-led commercials feels especially meaningful. Seeing Welch’s spotlight children again, she noted, makes it feel like “the heart of it all is returning.”

As part of the campaign, Young symbolically passed the torch to a new generation. Offering advice to Welch’s latest young star, she encouraged him to “have fun, be yourself, and most importantly… drink the juice!”