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She was photographed making a memorable face in the backseat and, almost overnight, a two-year-old became a global icon. The short clip uploaded in 2013 turned a private family moment into an image the internet couldn’t stop sharing.
How a backseat reaction became a worldwide meme
In 2013, Katie Clem recorded a family moment meant for relatives. Her daughters, seven-year-old Lily and two-year-old Chloe, were told the day would be a surprise trip to Disneyland.
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That small home video went far beyond family circles. Screenshots and reposts spread quickly online. The clip eventually amassed over 20 million views and Chloe’s expression was immortalised.
- Video posted by Chloe’s mother, Katie Clem.
- Clip captured Lily’s excitement and Chloe’s now-famous look.
- Image spread across social platforms, especially Tumblr.
Side Eye Chloe: a nickname that stuck
Fans started calling the child “Side Eye Chloe” because of the now-classic expression. The label followed her for years.
What began as a single frame became a cultural reference. Memes, reaction images and reposts kept the moment alive long after the original upload.
Where Chloe is now — teen, social creator and public figure
Time moved on. Chloe, born in the early 2010s, is now a teenager and marked her birthday with family in November.
- Age: 15 in 2026.
- Instagram: more than 600,000 followers on her monitored account.
- YouTube: family vlogs and Q&A videos featuring Chloe and Lily.
Because she is still a minor, her social profiles remain supervised by a parent. The family channel often shows daily life and sibling interviews.
The sister bond that helped the clip resonate
Lily, Chloe’s older sister, was a big part of the viral moment. Her joyful reaction added a warm contrast to Chloe’s quieter side-eye.
Today the sisters remain close. Lily is 20 and has built her own audience online. She announced an engagement in September and has roughly 25,000 Instagram followers.
From theme-park recognition to celebrity photos
The unexpected fame carried real-world effects. Days after the original clip surfaced, people were spotting and approaching Chloe at Disneyland.
In recent years, the family have encountered fans and figures at events. At a Nashville convention, Chloe posed for photos with attendees and with actors, including Jamie Campbell Bower.
How Chloe’s mum processed the fallout
Katie Clem has spoken about the emotional flip side of overnight fame. What began as a harmless home video quickly spiralled into a viral moment that she didn’t foresee.
She recalled discovering screenshots circulating on Tumblr and being surprised by how widely the image had been shared. People were approaching Chloe in public within days of the upload, a development Katie found unsettling.
- Katie describes the experience as a mix of pride and unease.
- She says the family adjusted as attention grew.
- Parental oversight remains in place for Chloe’s online presence.
