'How She Grew Up': See What the Little Girl from the Famous Meme Looks Like Now at 14

Over a decade ago, a simple family video turned Chloe Clem into one of the most recognizable faces on the internet. Now 14, Chloe has grown up far from the toddler we remember. Here's a look at where life has taken her since the day she unknowingly became a meme.

In the vast world of memes, a select few manage to transcend time and become embedded in internet culture. Among them is the hilariously unimpressed expression of a toddler strapped into her car seat — a moment that encapsulated pure skepticism and judgment.

That toddler was Chloe Clem, whose reaction during a family surprise announcement in 2013 transformed her into one of the internet's most recognizable faces.

The story began innocently enough. Chloe's mother, Katie, uploaded a family video to YouTube, capturing the moment she and her husband told their daughters they wouldn't be going to school that day — they were headed to Disneyland instead.

Seven-year-old Lily, Chloe's older sister, immediately burst into tears of joy, her excitement overflowing. But it was Chloe's reaction that stole the show. As the camera panned to her, her deadpan expression spoke volumes.

With an unimpressed glare, she seemed less than thrilled about the surprise, a reaction Katie later described as quintessential Chloe. "[...] Chloe made the face, which she always made, every day. It was nothing new. So, when I panned over and she made the face, I didn't think anything of it," Katie revealed.

Initially, the video was meant for close friends and family, a follow-up to Lily's first Disneyland surprise two years earlier. But after encouragement from friends, Katie decided to post it publicly on YouTube, unaware of what was about to unfold.

Soon, Chloe's expression became a meme, spreading like wildfire across platforms like Tumblr, Twitter, and beyond. Katie vividly remembers the moment she realized just how far the meme had gone.

"My friends were like, 'You need to see this. This is crazy.' I went online, and there was Chloe's little face everywhere," she recalled. Social media users took Chloe's meme and ran with it, creating videos and other memes featuring celebrities like Taylor Swift.

The video's popularity didn't just bring laughs — it opened doors for the Clem family. They were invited to stay in Disneyland's exclusive Dream Suite and even took a trip to New York City.

The meme's popularity also brought unexpected financial benefits. The Clem family owned the rights to the original image, allowing them to monetize it. At the time, the family was struggling financially, and the success of the meme couldn't have come at a better moment.

"Ten years ago, we were so poor. This happened to us, and we're like, 'What? We can pay bills. We can upgrade our tiny apartment for the four of us,'" Katie shared.

The additional income allowed them to buy a car, pay for living expenses, and even set aside savings for Chloe's future education and potential wedding.

Katie reflected on how the meme provided stability during difficult times, including periods when her husband, David, faced job losses. The income helped the family stay afloat and allowed David to return to school.

"I look back and I'm just like, 'How?'" Katie said. "I don't believe in God. I'm not religious, but I'm like, 'Wow, that intervention — divine intervention.' Because it came to us at very, very vulnerable times in our life throughout the last 10 years."

For Chloe, the meme opened up opportunities most children could only dream of. She traveled to Brazil twice, once at four and again at six, and even attended movie premieres.

She reflected on the experience, "My meme is changing my life because I've been able to do a lot of cool things that some people might not have been able to do."

Despite the fame and its perks, Katie remained mindful of her daughter's well-being. Although she initially embraced content creation, regularly posting videos on YouTube, she began to scale back in 2020.

She noticed her children's enthusiasm for filming waning and felt it was time to prioritize their needs. "In the beginning, it was really fun...You just hop on this train and you say yes to everything," she said. "I did not include my kids' consent at all in the beginning. We just did it because you get wrapped up in all of the things."

Katie ultimately decided to take a step back from creating content, focusing instead on maintaining a sense of normalcy for her family. "Eventually it got too much with my kids, and I just felt like no one was benefiting from it," she explained.

However, by 2021, the family found a unique way to honor Chloe's meme legacy by auctioning it as an NFT. The digital token, representing the iconic image, was put up for auction with bids starting at 5 Ethereum (around $15,000).

For Katie, the decision was a "no-brainer." "It's a cool opportunity, especially if there's a Chloe fan out there who loves this meme they'll be able to own it. Even Chloe has said, 'That's pretty cool' — it's a typical 10-year-old thing to say," she stated.

Over a decade later, Chloe is no longer a gap-toothed, two-year-old in the back of her parents' car. For some, it might be hard to believe that she turned 14 in November 2024.

"Thank you to everyone who wished Chloe a happy birthday yesterday. She had the best day. We love you all! PS: @lilyaclem made her cake from scratch! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 💙🖤❤️" she shared on Instagram.

Social media users were amazed by how much she had grown, marveling at how time had flown since her viral moment first captured the world's attention.

"Oh so this was back in 2013?!! I didn't know that!! Wow does time fly 😢" one person commented. Another typed, "The legend herself." Someone else wrote, "She went from cute to beautiful" and a fourth person shared, "Only hair is the change 🙂."

A fifth added, "How she still radiates the exact same energy is way to [sic] cool 😂." Another person commented, "Your meme is the most useful one ever," while another shared, "How she grew up!! 😱❤️"

In January 2025, Chloe reflected on her viral fame with no regrets. When asked if she wished anything had been different, she confidently replied, "No, not at all." Now a teenager, she is exploring her own interests, including the possibility of creating content on Instagram and YouTube.

While Katie describes her daughter as "shy" and "introverted," she has noticed Chloe becoming more confident over the years. However, the vigilant parents still monitor their youngest daughter's social media activity, as she is still a minor.

What began as a simple family video turned into a life-changing moment, bringing opportunities and stability they never expected. Chloe's iconic expression remains a timeless reminder of how a single snapshot can shape an entire decade.