Twelve years ago, a single photograph captured the hearts of millions. It was one of those rare moments that transcends the internet — a candid, pure, and unexpectedly powerful image that somehow made the world pause and smile.
The subject? A curly-haired, wide-eyed 2-year-old girl whose concerned expression spread like wildfire across social media.
People from every corner of the globe couldn’t get enough. Memes were made. Fan pages popped up. And almost overnight, this little girl became a symbol of innocence, light, and the kind of happiness we all needed.
So… whatever happened to her?
For younger generations, she’s a natural part of internet culture, a meme that’s been shared millions of times since it first surfaced in 2013. For older folks, it might just seem like a funny photo of someone’s granddaughter — but that unforgettable expression etched itself into our collective memory.
Honestly, I always thought the little girl had stayed anonymous, but it turns out, she has a name, and she’s actually still pretty well-known today.
The girl in the photo is Chloe Clem, though most people on the internet know her as “Side Eyeing Chloe.”
Who is Chloe Clem?
Chloe Clem, born on November 30, 2010, in Utah, was just a regular kid — until her parents, David and Katie Clem, launched a YouTube channel that would change her life forever.
Her first appearance came in a family video uploaded on October 3, 2011. But it wasn’t until 2013 that Chloe’s life would take an unexpected turn, thanks to a viral video that made her face an internet sensation.
The video, titled ”Lily’s Disneyland Surprise… AGAIN!” was posted on the family’s YouTube channel. It shows Chloe and her older sister, Lily, reacting to a surprise trip to Disneyland. While Lily bursts into tears of joy, Chloe’s reaction was… well, less than thrilled. In fact, she gives a perfectly timed, side-eye look to the camera that would later become the stuff of meme legends.
That single moment — Chloe’s expression of confusion and mild annoyance—quickly turned into a viral meme, sparking a wave of ”Side Eyeing Chloe” posts across social media platforms like Tumblr and Twitter.
”My friends were like, ‘You need to see this. This is crazy.’ So I went on to Tumblr and I remember just seeing Chloe’s little face everywhere,” Katie Clem, now a Tennessee resident, told People and added:
”I realized someone had taken a screenshot from the video and created it, because it wasn’t us.”
The image of Chloe’s face was shared millions of times, often photoshopped onto celebrities or in funny scenarios, with captions highlighting the contrast between Chloe’s unimpressed look and whatever was going on in the photo.
Brazil is obsessed with her
By 2013, Chloe was officially dubbed the ”patron saint of Tumblr” by BuzzFeed, who couldn’t get enough of the meme. Chloe’s side-eye expression became iconic, with people using it to express judgment or confusion about just about anything.
And if you’ve ever stumbled across a meme that’s been remixed into a GIF, you’ve probably seen Chloe’s side-eye there too, racking up millions of views.
Chloe’s fame didn’t stop there. In 2017, she and her family traveled to Brazil, where her now-famous expression was plastered all over the Google offices.
Google even covered the costs for the trip so Chloe could connect with her huge fanbase. ”South America is absolutely obsessed with Chloe,” Katie told People, comparing it to the Beatlemania frenzy from the ’60s. ”She’s ridiculously famous in Brazil. I have no idea how or why, but it’s true.”
When Chloe was at the peak of her fame, the family couldn’t go anywhere in Brazil without being surrounded by crowds. ”It was wild,” Katie recalls. ”She had billboards everywhere in São Paulo.”
Later that year, Chloe and Lily ventured into modeling, capitalizing on their newfound popularity.
Sold her photo for $74,000
Fast forward to 2019, and Chloe and her mom, Katie, were featured in BuzzFeed’s “I Accidentally Became A Meme” series, where they talked about the massive impact the meme had on their lives.
Katie recalled the overwhelming response after the second video, noting how Chloe’s fame affected their daily lives, especially during their trips to Disneyland where fans recognized her.
”Chloe was 2, and people were coming up to her,” Katie says. ”They were freaking out. They were taking pictures of her.”
With all the hustle and craziness, Katie and Chloe really focused on staying grounded and making the most of life’s chances. They traveled all over, met some celebs, and had plenty of unforgettable moments. But Katie also made sure they didn’t forget the simple, everyday family time that meant just as much.
And the meme’s legacy didn’t end with social media fame. In 2021, Chloe’s iconic side-eye was sold as a non-fungible token (NFT) for a jaw-dropping $74,000, cementing her place in the digital age’s history of viral moments.
”10 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.’ It was real-world issues,” Katie explained. ”That money literally helped us survive for a decade. Every ounce of the money, aside from saving it and putting it away, was helping us get through our life. Rent, bills, food.”
Chloe Clem today
After Chloe’s rise to fame, the Clem family kept their YouTube following engaged by posting regular vlogs, offering fans a glimpse into their everyday lives. But these days, Katie updates the channel far less frequently. Chloe and Lily’s interest in being part of the family series has faded, something Katie is definitely aware of.
Today, she has mixed feelings about family YouTube channels, including her own. She reflects on how people used to want to see her kids all the time, across every platform, and how that constant attention and exposure can be overwhelming.
However, Chloe is starting to carve out her own path in the world of social media. Today, she’s 14 years old and she has recently warmed up to the idea of creating content for platforms like YouTube and Instagram.
According to her mom, Katie, Chloe has begun to come out of her shell more, though she’s still quite shy and introverted. Katie can’t help but wonder if that reserved nature is a result of everything the family has experienced over the years.
Despite that, Katie is grateful for the strong connection she maintains with her daughters, especially as they continue to update Chloe’s Instagram with fresh photos and videos. While Lily, now 19, is off doing her own thing, Katie and her husband remain diligent about staying involved in Chloe’s social media world, making sure everything is safe and appropriate, given that she’s still a minor.
What started as a simple family video turned Chloe Clem into one of the most recognizable faces on the internet, and her meme continues to be a symbol of judgment, sass, and unforgettable reactions.
During an interview with PEOPLE, Katie turned to Chloe and asked, “Do you ever regret the fame or everything that’s happened?” Chloe quickly replied without hesitation, “No, not at all.”
It couldn’t have been easy for Chloe to become a global sensation overnight, but it seems like she’s handled it pretty well, with plenty of support from her parents along the way. We wish her all the best in her future endeavors and thank her for all the laughs she’s shared with us over the years!
