Shaun Weiss is all smiles these days, thanks to a new set of pearly whites.
The actor, who’s best known for his role as goalie Greg Goldberg in 1992’s The Mighty Ducks, shared a photo of his updated smile to Instagram.
Weiss hasn’t had an easy go at life since his stint as a child star. He’s struggled with methamphetamine addiction and has been arrested multiple times, most recently in 2020 for his alleged role in a residential burglary.
However, he’s on a path to recovery and has a new smile to help keep him on track.
“I feel like a new person. Thank you Dr. Gabe!!” Weiss captioned his Instagram post. The picture showed Weiss posing alongside his dentist Dr. Gabe Rosenthal, who replied in the comments, “You look even more handsome in person! So happy for you my brother.”
Weiss has been open about his recovery journey, sharing inspirational messages and progress updates with fans on social media.
Last summer he attended drug court and had his burglary case dismissed upon his graduation.
Yuba County District Attorney’s Office shared some details about Weiss’ success in the California drug court in a Facebook post highlighting his accomplishment.
“Shaun demonstrated perseverance during his recovery, complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic. He had to move treatment and transitional living programs on several occasions. He underwent dental reconstructive surgery, and had a close family member suffer a serious accident during his treatment. Shaun regained employment and has been traveling across the country making guest appearances and signing autographs. He received tremendous support from friends and fans of the character, Goldberg, he played in the 1992 hit The Mighty Ducks,” the court wrote.
Weiss had trouble with the law in August of 2017, when he was arrested for possession of suspected methamphetamine in Burbank, Calif., after being out of jail for just one week. He was arrested in July 2017 for stealing $151 worth of electronics, and was sentenced to 150 days in L.A. County Jail. He was released early due to overcrowding.
The August 2017 arrest took place after a neighbourhood resident called the police to report a man stumbling around a property near the Warner Bros. studio lot. According to the Burbank Police Department, responding officers then arrested Weiss for possession of a controlled substance.
Past photos and mugshots of Weiss showed a shocking change in his appearance. His face was sunken and drug use caused his original teeth to decay. In more recent photos, Weiss looks much healthier.
Weiss’ first and most popular movie role was as the talkative and loveable Goldberg in The Mighty Ducks, which also starred a young Joshua Jackson.
The movie tells the story of a ragtag group of misfit kids coming together to win a hockey tournament. The film birthed the real-life NHL team in Anaheim, though the “Mighty” was eventually dropped from the official name. They’re now known as the Anaheim Ducks.
He went on to appear in D2 and D3, The Mighty Ducks sequels and had minor roles in Freaks and Geeks, Boy Meets World and The King of Queens.
— With files from Global News’ Chris Jancelewicz