So, picture this: it’s a rainy Saturday, the kind where your socks stay damp no matter what you do, and you’re flipping through ancient VHS tapes in your grandma’s attic. That’s how I stumbled back into the world of Lucy Deakins. Yeah, that Lucy Deakins. The one from The Boy Who Could Fly. The one who made my awkward 9-year-old heart feel things I wasn’t ready for.
And now, years later, I got curious—where the heck did she go?
Turns out, the story of Lucy Deakins isn’t just about movie magic. It’s about walking away from the Hollywood dazzle, finding something quieter (and arguably cooler), and still living a life that’s totally worth writing about. So here we go—grab a snack or something. This is gonna be a ride.
Wait, Who Is Lucy Deakins Again?
If you’ve never heard the name Lucy Deakins, that either means you’re a Gen Z-er who thinks the 80s were “aesthetic,” or you missed one of the most oddly charming eras of teen drama.
A Face You Couldn’t Forget
She had this kind of presence—warm, slightly melancholic, like she just stepped out of a poem about lost summer afternoons. Not even kidding. Lucy Deakins was the girl next door…but like, actually next door, not the polished Netflix version.
Here’s where she showed up:
- The Boy Who Could Fly (1986) – Her most iconic role
- Cheetah (1989) – She ran through Kenya, like, literally
- Law & Order (various episodes) – She popped up in courtrooms all serious and lawyer-y
- Lifestories: Families in Crisis – Some real heavy 90s drama stuff
More on these later, don’t worry—I won’t leave you hangin’.
Childhood Stardom: The Good, The Weird, And The Wild
Let me set the scene: it’s the mid-80s. Big hair. Big emotions. And Lucy Deakins is suddenly in the middle of all of it.
Just a Regular Kid… Kinda
Born on December 18, 1971 (yes, Sagittarius energy), Lucy wasn’t raised to be a celeb. Her parents were college professors. Can you imagine the dinner convos? Like, instead of “How was math class?”, it was probably “Let’s unpack epistemological frameworks.”
Anyway, her acting career didn’t start with glitter and glam. It was more like:
- Local theater (she was a natural)
- Random commercials
- Then boom—The Boy Who Could Fly launched her into the spotlight
And honestly? She handled it better than I handled my first crush. Or braces. Or both.
The Boy Who Could Fly: The One That Stuck
Okay, we need to talk about this one. Because The Boy Who Could Fly wasn’t just a movie. It was a vibe.
A Teen Fantasy That Hit Different
In the film, Lucy Deakins plays Milly—a girl dealing with family grief who meets a boy that may or may not have superpowers. It’s not your Marvel type of superpowers either. It’s subtle, emotional, dreamy.
And her performance? Just wow. She didn’t oversell it. She felt it. Like, you could tell she wasn’t just pretending. She was living in that world. Milly was all of us trying to make sense of something unexplainable.
Also, I once tried to “fly” off the back porch after watching it. Sprained my ankle. Worth it.
Other Roles You Forgot You Loved
Even though The Boy Who Could Fly was her claim to fame, Lucy Deakins didn’t just ghost Hollywood after that. She kept showing up—quietly, confidently, and always real.
Cheetah (1989)
- Shot in Kenya, which is already insane
- She plays a teen who befriends a wild cheetah
- Honestly felt like a NatGeo drama with teen angst
- And yeah, she runs. A lot. Like, Forrest Gump-level running
I remember watching this during one of those educational movie days at school. The cheetah part was cool. But Lucy Deakins? She made it memorable.
Law & Order Appearances
Every actor does Law & Order eventually, right? It’s like jury duty but cooler.
Lucy popped up in different episodes across the years, and every time, she felt like a real person—not just another courtroom character. It’s weird how she could say one line and suddenly you’re like, “Yep, I trust her. She definitely didn’t commit the crime.”
But Then… Poof?
So here’s the thing that gets me.
Right when you’d expect Lucy Deakins to start headlining rom-coms or showing up in Seinfeld like every other 90s star…she left.
Left Hollywood? Seriously?
Yep. Just walked away. No big farewell tour. No dramatic breakdown in People magazine.
She went to Harvard. You read that right. She Harvarded herself right out of acting.
Imagine that. Turning down all the glam and flashing bulbs to dive into textbooks and paper deadlines. It’s like quitting pizza to eat quinoa on purpose.
But she did it. And she did it with grace.
Life After Fame: The Law Path
Okay, now this part honestly blew my mind.
From Screen Time to Court Time
After Harvard, Lucy Deakins didn’t chill. She kept going. Straight into law school.
Now she’s an attorney—specializing in family law and energy law of all things. Which is the most random-yet-fascinating combo ever.
And from what I dug up, she’s still practicing. Like, legit lawyer stuff. Filing motions. Arguing cases. Drinking too much office coffee (probably).
She works in Denver, Colorado now. That fresh mountain air must be doing her some good.
Where Is Lucy Deakins Now?
So what’s she up to today?
The Now-Life of Lucy
Let’s bullet it out because I know your scrolling thumb is getting tired:
- Lives in Colorado
- Practices law full-time
- Is a mom (yep, she’s got a kid)
- No recent acting gigs (but hey, never say never)
- Still low-key awesome
And no, she’s not on Instagram—at least not publicly. She kinda dipped out of the whole fame game, and honestly? I respect it.
Wrote this paragraph by hand. Then spilled coffee on it. Classic.
Why Lucy Deakins Still Matters
I get it—there’s a million “whatever happened to…” stories. But Lucy Deakins feels different.
She Chose Her Own Path
She didn’t crash and burn. She didn’t cling to stardom. She just…decided to be something else. Something grounded. Something that didn’t require red carpets or paparazzi.
That takes guts. I can’t even quit my caffeine habit, and this woman switched industries like she was changing shoes.
Fun Little Facts You Definitely Didn’t Know
Alright, let’s throw in some odd stuff just for kicks.
- She acted opposite Fred Savage before he went full Wonder Years
- She grew up in NYC—but didn’t get swallowed up by it
- In interviews, she said she never really loved being famous
- Rumor has it, she once said her cheetah co-star was “the most professional actor” she ever worked with
- Probably still owns a pair of scrunchies from the 80s (don’t we all?)
Also, someone once told me Lucy Deakins reminded them of “a young Jodie Foster without the intensity.” Honestly? Not a bad comparison.
Why I Still Think About Lucy Deakins
It’s weird, right? How someone can be part of your life for, like, one movie…and still linger in your memory forever.
I think about Lucy Deakins because she represents a kind of magic that doesn’t get made anymore.
The soft kind. The kind that whispers instead of shouts.
And because she left Hollywood? That almost makes her feel more iconic. Like she was in on some secret the rest of us never got.
Final Thoughts: If You See Her, Say Hi
If you ever run into Lucy Deakins at a Colorado farmer’s market or legal conference or heck, even at the DMV—tell her thank you.
Thank her for making weird little 80s movies that still make us feel things.
Thank her for showing us that it’s okay to walk away and reinvent yourself.
And if she has a dog, definitely compliment the dog.
Me? I’m just glad I got to rewatch her work and remember how weirdly beautiful that time was. Kinda like rediscovering your favorite cassette tape. Scratched up, forgotten in a drawer, but when you play it—man, it still hits.
And hey—Lucy Deakins may not be in the spotlight anymore, but she never really left our hearts.
