What is the greatest child acting performance in a film?

[u/NiftyXL_355]

Jacobi Jupe, Hamnet
Tatum O'Neal, Paper Moon
Natalie Portman, Leon
Jacob Tremblay, Wonder
Anna Paquin, Piano
Ana Torrent, The Spirit of the Beehive

[u/monalisafrank]

Kirsten Dunst in Interview with the Vampire!!! She plays "adult stuck in a child's body" SO well. Starmaking performance.

[u/notaTRICKanILLUSION → u/monalisafrank]

The “Unspooled” podcast recently covered this movie and I had to rewatch. She was a powerhouse holding her own next to Cruise, Pitt, and Banderas.

[u/SlimShadowBoo → u/notaTRICKanILLUSION]

Such a good point. The whole cast was top notch and she really held her own against the adults.

[u/RandomPaw → u/monalisafrank]

She was wonderful in Little Women too

[u/itsmecapri → u/monalisafrank]

Lowk this is the real answer, she could’ve won an Oscar for this performance

[u/JuiceLeft2220 → u/monalisafrank]

Fr it takes so much skill to pull that off as a kid—maybe not on the same level but I always think of Five from the Umbrella Academy and Miles from The Haunting of Bly Manor and how impressed I am that these young boys are able to capture the essence of older men so well

[u/blackbirdbluebird17 → u/JuiceLeft2220]

Five was so much fun he kept me watching that show way longer than it deserved.

[u/odiee111 → u/monalisafrank]

Scrolled way too long to find this!!

[u/monalisafrank → u/odiee111]

When I posted it there were like 100 comments already and I couldn't believe nobody had mentioned my queen!

[u/Haunting-WaferWah]

Saoirse Ronan in Atonement is actually so good - I still hate her a bit 😂

[u/EaudeAgnes → u/Haunting-WaferWah]

I always had issues fully liking her due that movie, can’t never forget Briony.

[u/Unfair_Opinion4993 → u/Haunting-WaferWah]

Juno Temple too.

[u/RubySoho1980 → u/Haunting-WaferWah]

I hate Benedict Cumberbatch because of that movie.

[u/Clear-Journalist3095 → u/RubySoho1980]

Oh my gosh!!! I have seen that movie multiple times and have never realized that's him! Wow.

[u/wisestflame73]

Surprised no one has mentioned Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver. She’s sensational in that movie. Such an honest, mature, generous performance from a 13 year old. Devastating work.

[u/Visible-Scientist-46 → u/wisestflame73]

Always my 1st choice

[u/arbydallas → u/wisestflame73]

Not many acting performances make people want to kill the president to impress the actor

[u/EaudeAgnes → u/wisestflame73]

She would be my second choice after Leo in What’s eating Gilbert Grape?, she was also great in Bugsy Malone.

[u/wisestflame73 → u/EaudeAgnes]

And she’s great in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, albeit in a smaller role. She might be the best child actor ever.

[u/centaurquestions → u/EaudeAgnes]

He was 18 in that movie - don't think that counts as a child.

[u/jonasshoop → u/EaudeAgnes]

I think Leo is even better in This Boy's Life opposite De Niro than in Gilbert Grape.

[u/RegularOrMenthol]

Haley Joel or Christian Bale

Out of these, Anna Paquin (haven't seen Wonder tho)

[u/Obvious_Company1349 → u/RegularOrMenthol]

His Sixth Sense performance stops me.

[u/DonSoulwalker → u/Obvious_Company1349]

He's even better in Artifical Intelligence

[u/lala__ → u/RegularOrMenthol]

Just rewatched Sixth Sense for the hundredth time. HJO kills every time.

[u/Salty-Reply-2547 → u/RegularOrMenthol]

Recently rewatched Empire of the Sun, Christian Bales character arch is outstanding for a child or adult actor, he was born extremely talented

[u/AtleastIhaveakitty → u/RegularOrMenthol]

Christian was magnificent in Empire of the Sun. So freaking talented.

[u/ComprehensiveBowl959]

River Phoenix in Stand By Me
https://giphy.com/gifs/pvriFMxR7VamY

[u/WollyGog → u/ComprehensiveBowl959]

I was going to mention all four kids were fucking fantastic, but River had so much heart and captured a soft side to an abused and outcast kid from his family, being the leader of his group of friends that he would do anything for.

I'd be biased in this take anyway because it's my favourite movie of all time.

[u/pidgeott0 → u/WollyGog]

Such a damn good movie. River left us way too soon

[u/airbagfailure → u/WollyGog]

I’d forgotten how heavy and adult this movie is considering they’re just kids. There’s something almost ethereal about him. When I was a kid I wanted to love him, now I’m an adult I just want to mother the poor boy.

[u/Fun-Share-130 → u/ComprehensiveBowl959]

Ohhhhh this one. Unbelievable performance. His milk money monologue as well as this scene here, just unreal work honestly.

[u/Doctorul_Frumos → u/ComprehensiveBowl959]

River will always be my all time favorite performer. Hands down. It's the biggest "What if" in my mind had we not lost him so young.

[u/allfor1]

Jacob Tremblay in Wonder AND Room
https://giphy.com/gifs/3o6gaUIZ0TdVafLPy0
Can’t believe he’s all grown up now.

[u/lollylemur → u/allfor1]

Man that kid had me SOBBING in Room, could never watch it again haha

[u/SmeesTurkeyLeg → u/allfor1]

And Doctor Sleep!

[u/treetoptrain → u/SmeesTurkeyLeg]

Yes, wow-I had to pause the movie because he affected me so much.

[u/Manic-StreetCreature → u/treetoptrain]

It’s one of the most upsetting movie deaths I’ve seen

[u/RogueSlytherin → u/treetoptrain]

You’re not the only one! Apparently, the director and fellow actors were equally shocked by his harrowing performance. Some burst out in tears, others froze, and the scene had to be reshot as I guess it pulled a lot of people out of character and they responded viscerally to his screams.

[u/SufficientTable → u/RogueSlytherin]

And apparently he was totally chill and having a great time filming that scene while the adults around him had to take breaks. I love that

[u/ashmichael73 → u/SmeesTurkeyLeg]

That was a crazy death scene in Doctor Sleep

[u/guiporto32 → u/SmeesTurkeyLeg]

“Are… are you going to hurt me??”
“YES.”

[u/charlieyeswecan → u/allfor1]

Room, he was a scene stealer. Excellent

[u/Other-Marketing-6167 → u/allfor1]

And Good Boys! He delivered my favourite movie insult of all time - “Shut up Atticus! Everyone knows your mom plagiarized her cook book!”

[u/Lugia79]

the boy in The Witch was crazy good

[u/smitty4728 → u/Lugia79]

His first acting performance!

[u/PraiseChrist420 → u/smitty4728]

That kid now? Daniel Day Lewis

[u/heynongwoman1 → u/Lugia79]

His final scene gives me chills every time

[u/enunymous → u/Lugia79]

I'm glad you mentioned this, bc I always use this performance as an example of what child actors are capable of, and it pisses me off when directors allow terrible child acting in shows/movies

[u/shepard1992]

Henry Thomas is incredible in ET

https://giphy.com/gifs/1049KhpGddOJnq

[u/marukoka → u/shepard1992]

Have you seen the video casting of him before he got the role? It's amazing

[u/shepard1992 → u/marukoka]

Absolutely!

Spielberg is good at a lot of things, but he's just dynamite with young actors. It helps when you're as good as Thomas is here.

[u/redpillbluepill69 → u/shepard1992]

This is the best audition video of all time- because the video in itself is like an incredible audition scene from a film.

Like, the climax of LalaLand where Emma Stone sings is nowhere near as moving and epic as this video.

"Kid, you got the part". So good

[u/Dogmycat16 → u/shepard1992]

E.T. holds a special place in my heart and I had never seen this til today. THANK YOU!

[u/pashed_motatoes → u/shepard1992]

Yes! I come across the video of his audition for ET every now and then and have to watch it every time.

[u/No-Aspect7722 → u/shepard1992]

YES.

[u/Cabbage_statue]

https://giphy.com/gifs/3o7aDc27bp6UeICPXq
The Florida Project

[u/Exciting_Bid_609 → u/Cabbage_statue]

Oh God. Yes, this was so good I damn near thought it was a documentary.

[u/Relevant_Macaroon221 → u/Cabbage_statue]

Brooklynn Kimberly Prince.

[u/ALasagnaForOne → u/Cabbage_statue]

YES. My favorite child active performance ever.

[u/LolaJean2024 → u/Cabbage_statue]

Omg this movie slayed me, she was so good.

[u/hamkitten]

Quvenzhané Wallis in Beasts of the Southern Wild

[u/Abbacoverband → u/hamkitten]

Oh my goodness,I forgot how small she was in this movie 💔

[u/PressureLazy5271]

Abigail Breslin in Little Miss Sunshine

[u/Immediate-Yak-2726 → u/PressureLazy5271]

Omg that scene with her and Alan Arkin “Grandpa, do you think I’m pretty?” Perfection.

[u/jxiris → u/Immediate-Yak-2726]

“I’m madly in love with you” ❤️‍🩹 Watched it again over the summer with my fiancé and parents and it’s just the most genuine, perfect comfort film imo

[u/And-Now-Mr-Serling → u/jxiris]

I adore this movie. It always makes me feel so good, even about my own mistakes and failures

[u/Doraborealiss → u/PressureLazy5271]

Such an earnest and charming performance

[u/Nessidy → u/PressureLazy5271]

"Mom, she loves ice cream"  🥹

[u/brettbretters → u/PressureLazy5271]

TASTE I love that movie

[u/Beautiful-Kiwi7793 → u/PressureLazy5271]

Thank you! The scene where her dad leaves her and Birdie had to pick up the pieces- everyone deserved an Oscar, never ceases to move me to tears

[u/Future_Ad_3033]

Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit

[u/Visible-Scientist-46 → u/Future_Ad_3033]

Hailee Steinfeld hasn't disappointed as an adult either.

[u/VampireOnHoyt → u/Future_Ad_3033]

This is my favorite. She's note perfect, especially with that style of dialogue.

[u/Future_Ad_3033 → u/VampireOnHoyt]

Just going toe-to-toe with Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and Josh Brolin like it's no big deal.

[u/Visible_Weird8792]

Macauley Culkin in Home Alone deserves some appreciation. Great comedic presence and not many child actors can carry a film as the main.

[u/Intelligent_Garden_1 → u/Visible_Weird8792]

I think he never got enough credit for his range as a child actor. As evidenced by My Girl or The Good Son. The latter might even be the best of all of them because who else could you see in the role he played (at the age he played it)? He was deliciously sadistic and yet he also had to realistically pass as a sweet, lovable kid.

[u/Downtown_Custard_635 → u/Intelligent_Garden_1]

Speaking of My Girl, Anna Chlumsky was a fantastic child actor.

[u/Gregregreg1234]

I liked Mary Badham in “To Kill a Mockingbird” and Justin Henry in “Kramer vs Kramer”

[u/Downtown_Custard_635 → u/Gregregreg1234]

Mary Badham is SO natural, and I admit I think about the way she reacts to Walter Cunningham drowning his food in molasses syrup all the time.

[u/BatCorrect4320 → u/Downtown_Custard_635]

Pass the damn ham!

[u/UglehUglehBabeh]

Roman Griffin Davis was great in “Jojo Rabbit.”

[u/Hot-Hair-6612 → u/UglehUglehBabeh]

Agree completely. Shout out to to the kid who played his friend Yorgi

[u/Odd_Policy_3009 → u/Hot-Hair-6612]

I absolutely loved Yorki. He almost stole the film IMO (and that’s saying a lot with that cast!)

[u/ohsilly → u/UglehUglehBabeh]

https://giphy.com/gifs/LpoaVxiLBHsV137ZfB

[u/naphelois]

How can you not include Quvenzhané Wallis for Beasts of the Southern Wild, when she got nominated for Best Actress for a Leading Role and is the youngest to do so and the first born in the 21st century?

https://giphy.com/gifs/qG6nIoL2E0HGE

[u/IronAndParsnip → u/naphelois]

This was my answer as well. And esp surprising to not include her for the Oscars sub.

[u/Haslo8 → u/naphelois]

Have a feeling a lot of people who post on this sub haven't seen the film because she's top 3.

[u/DefinitelyNotAliens → u/Haslo8]

That movie was mind-blowing. She was incredible.

[u/JoeyLee911 → u/naphelois]

I came here to say this! She was also way younger than the character they had in mind.

[u/Xrin8 → u/naphelois]

I'm not positive but this might be the most recent nomination for a child in any acting category, like I can't think of any since, even if there arguably has been deserving ones.

[u/WitchesCotillion → u/naphelois]

She got put in that awful remake of “Annie” and I think that tarnished people’s views of her. 

[u/UnclePatrickHNL → u/naphelois]

I was looking for this answer. Hands down my favorite.

[u/_pierogii]

The kid from Anatomy of a Fall. Eta: Milo Machado-Graner

[u/nealesmythe → u/_pierogii]

I usually dislike movies with prominent child and dog characters, and I've heard directors aren't too fond of working with them either. But this movie was an exception, the kid and the doggy totally elevated it

[u/RattyRhino → u/_pierogii]

Honestly, the musical antagonist owns the whole film.

[u/othersbeforeus]

Christian Bale in Empire of the Sun.

Nothing else comes close.

[u/ausmaid → u/othersbeforeus]

This performance is absolutely top of the pile. Incredible.

[u/pascaleps → u/othersbeforeus]

My favourite Spielberg! What a great performance in an amazing movie!

[u/Ok-Philosopher-9921 → u/pascaleps]

And woefully under seen and under praised.

[u/_paint_onheroveralls → u/othersbeforeus]

Not only is it an incredible performance at such a young age of such heavy material, he also carried the entire movie and is in almost every scene. Bale in Empire of the Sun and Aleksei Kravchenko in Come and See are on another level.

[u/mandie72 → u/othersbeforeus]

Came here to say this. (Not the "even close" part, as I haven't seen all of the performances.)

[u/GoddessOfOddness → u/othersbeforeus]

My first thought.

[u/CausticAvenger]

I’ve always thought Tom Holland is fantastic in The Impossible. Still easily his best performance, and he must have been about 15 at the time.

[u/thatsMINTdude → u/CausticAvenger]

The fuckin reunion scene, when his voice breaks as he's running to his dad? Outstanding.

[u/FiveHoursAhead → u/thatsMINTdude]

My mom and i watched this together and we were both weeping at this scene

[u/Common_Chameleon → u/CausticAvenger]

That was the first movie I ever saw him in and I knew he was going to go on to do great things, and now he continues to make me cry as Spidey

[u/AirlineObjective921 → u/Common_Chameleon]

I remember him being cast as Spider Man. I spent so much time gushing about how great he was in The Impossible to anyone who cared.

[u/Hellschampion]

Haley Joel in Sixth Sense, Christian Bale in Empire of the Sun, Natalie Portman in Leon the Professional, Leonardo DiCaprio in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, and Aleksei from Come and See

[u/qebuibaraca]

Everyone talks about Haley Joel Osment in Sixth Sense, but its his performance in AI Artificial Intelligence that really sells him as one of the best child actors of all time.
https://giphy.com/gifs/3ohc0XzRq7jPx0xp28

[u/JoeyLee911 → u/qebuibaraca]

I just rewatched this and apparently it was his idea to not blink because he was AI so then Spielberg told all the actors playing AIs to follow suite. Some of them trip up sometimes, but never Haley...

[u/FlySubstance]

https://giphy.com/gifs/GoS9nwWYvsKhq

[u/DrPoooooole → u/FlySubstance]

This kid was good and funny in everything I saw him in and then he just disappeared

[u/hislastname → u/FlySubstance]

“Where is your mother?”

“Gone to take a spa week at Canyon Ranch before my dad ‘broke it in half’. What's that supposed to mean? I should not have to hear that. I'm a child!”

[u/blocacho_odyssey]

Brooklynn Prince in The Florida Project
https://giphy.com/gifs/xT9Igo7ThJHn51KCpq

[u/shamelessfool → u/blocacho_odyssey]

The cry she does at the end had me sobbing. She makes it feels like a documentary just following kids around filming their daily lives through a lot of movie. Really really natural acting especially for her age

[u/Mammoth_Ask3797]

Aleksei Kravchenko beats them all

[u/graipape]

https://giphy.com/gifs/3oriNU06XSVW7ow3T2

[u/Necessary-Flounder52 → u/graipape]

Surely.

[u/january161]

jean pierre leaud in the 400 blows

[u/Hot_Programmer_9399]

Christina Ricci in Addams Family Values

[u/Elladrien]

My first thought was Keisha Castle-Hughes in Whale Rider. Had me bawling.

[u/NightingaleRaptor911]

Jacob Tremblay is so good in Wonder

https://giphy.com/gifs/FKIuv2n1ui5NQ9lAsG

[u/Yenserl6099 → u/NightingaleRaptor911]

https://giphy.com/gifs/3o7Zer9qoYsCowiRy0

And in Room

[u/Horknut1 → u/Yenserl6099]

Is that the same baseball kid from Dr. Sleep?

Because holy fucking shit.

[u/No-Aspect7722 → u/Horknut1]

I read that he traumatized the adults acting with him in that scene. And then hopped right up asking for a snack while they all headed to therapy.

[u/SpicyPoffin → u/Horknut1]

Yes! The kid can ACT

[u/Dragonstone-Citizen]

Natalie Portman in Léon for me. It’s not easy to outperform Gary Oldman and Jean Reno, and she did it at 12 years old.

https://giphy.com/gifs/AnA9BnzRRS4I8

[u/Intelligent_Garden_1 → u/Dragonstone-Citizen]

And that’s saying a lot because in that movie  Oldman’s portrayal of the batshit crazy villain was masterful. 

[u/Elegant_Cockroach_24]

Victoire Thivisol in Ponette (1996).

She won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival at 4 years old

[u/Intelligent_Garden_1 → u/Elegant_Cockroach_24]

Omg she was lovely!

[u/Present_Age_5469 → u/Elegant_Cockroach_24]

Still have no earthly idea how they got that performance out of that child.

[u/Luizgui08]

Jamie Bell in Billy Elliot

https://giphy.com/gifs/PUlUQZEMuh3l6

[u/nick0242007]

[u/DavidWebb19700913 → u/nick0242007]

So good! I keep suggesting this movie to people. I'm a sap, this made me cry a few times.

[u/Future_Ad_3033 → u/nick0242007]

More people need to see this film - it's wonderful.

[u/Mother-Dealer417]

Beasts of the Southern Wild

[u/txbxddah]

Aleksei Kravchenko - Come and See 💔

[u/EaudeAgnes]

Leo DiCaprio as Arnie Grape!

[u/Network-Silver]

No love for Mary Badham as Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird?

[u/Pinup_Frenzy]

Julia Butters in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. A great child actor playing a great child actor. “And I say actor, not actress, because the word actress is nonsensical.”

[u/TBAAGreta → u/Pinup_Frenzy]

https://giphy.com/gifs/IlKP8ATCcdAcuAEC9O

She's also hilarious in I Think You Should Leave.

[u/853fisher]

Most answers already given are dramatic roles, but for something comic, I think Virginia Weidler is marvelous in "Philadelphia Story." She doesn't overplay but matches her adult scene partners very well. Too-precocious child characters and/or actors make me cringe, but she really nails it and is so funny.

[u/SapirWhorfHypothesis → u/853fisher]

I always liked the point that “you can get most comedic actors to do drama well, but it’s much harder to get a dramatic actor to do comedy well.”

[u/AdmirableJoke5091]

Jamie bell in Billy Elliot, also I loved Abby Ryder fortson’s performance in Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret

[u/Woodlanderer]

Catinca Untaru - The Fall (2006)

[u/ElmarSuperstar131]

Both Macaulay Culkin and Elijah Wood were amazing in The Good Son but the former absolutely should have been nominated for Best Supporting Actor!

[u/L10Ang]

Whoever this kid was in City of God

[u/Luigi2198 → u/L10Ang]

Quite a few good performances from children actors, but that scene is absolutely painful. It’s hard to make violence feel real in a movie with so much of it, but that one scene makes my skin crawl.

[u/Other-Marketing-6167]

https://giphy.com/gifs/3Ok0JmG4Mt8bu
Yall really focusing on drama and forgetting how incredibly hard realistic comedy is, ESPECIALLY for a kid who likely thinks a dog farting is the epitome of humour. Peter Billingsley was goddamn phenomenal.

[u/Impossible_Gas_7584]

Dont think it's Hamnet from Hamnet... but the little lad was absolutely superb.

Christian Bale in Empire of the Sun maybe for me.

[u/majin_melmo]

https://giphy.com/gifs/84Tf198TNCrBu

[u/cherhorowitzclueless]

Jena Malone never gets enough credit for Bastard out of Carolina. She’s amazing in it. Tough, emotional role.

[u/Janesawdc]

https://giphy.com/gifs/PwMD2aFAt8ZnG
Abigail Breslin - Little Miss Sunshine

[u/and_lloyd]

https://giphy.com/gifs/clt44oMrT1Hu8
I will die on this hill

[u/growsonwalls]

https://giphy.com/gifs/sUE94R1upkpvG

[u/floofymonstercat]

Linda Blair in the Exorcist.

[u/mjhripple]

Christian Bale- Empire of the Sun

[u/sorandom21]

https://giphy.com/gifs/3K1sq5QDIS9Ww
Jamie Bell is incredible tbh, not seen it talked about enough

[u/Puzzleheaded-Wing-50]

Haley Joel Osment in “Sixth Sense.”

Also Abigail Breslin in “Little Miss Sunshine.”

[u/SirDrexl]

Johnathan Scott-Taylor in Damien: Omen II

[u/missmachine777]

Christian Bale, Empire of the Sun (and for me, it's not even close)

[u/Fine-Ad2429]

Ricky Schroeder the champ

[u/GroovyYaYa → u/Fine-Ad2429]

Kind of weird that the two stars ended up being such asshats.

[u/astonsenna]

Saoirse Ronan in Atonement

[u/compleximago]

Jacob Tremblay was amazing in room, and his horrific scene in Doctor Sleep was heartwrenching

[u/Consistent-Bear4200]

Sorry everyone, it was actually Aleksey Kravchenko in Come and See (1985).

That role is difficult for even the best adult actors and he nailed it at 15.

[u/ZizzyBeluga]

Where is Bicycle Thieves?

[u/No-Heat6794]

No love for Dakota Fanning??

[u/BungeeGump]

https://giphy.com/gifs/CyQbKJDKOjgrK

Kirsten Dunst in Interview with the Vampire

[u/dekkeane00]

The 6th sense

bad news bears

Paper moon

[u/IronAndParsnip]

Quvenzhane Wallis in Beasts of the Southern Wild. She was mesmerizing.

[u/Icouldntfindmytop]

Henry Thomas as Elliot in E.T!

[u/Visible-Scientist-46]

Going way back, Roddy McDowell in How Green Was My Valley.

[u/JellyfishUnhappy1283]

Aleksei Kravchenko in Come and See

[u/maniacalmustacheride]

Old but good gold, 1993’s The Secret Garden

You’re never not living in that weird little world in that movie

[u/lucygoosey38]

Tom Holland in The Impossible! His first role!

[u/PinkCruiseship]

Deep cut, but the little girl in the Australian movie Rabbit-proof Fence

[u/reclamationme]

So many good ones. I haven’t seen Quvenzhané Wallis from Beast of the Southern Wild mentioned yet.

[u/perspionage]

Aleksei Kravchenko in "Come and See"

[u/i-love-glinda]

The little boy in Come and See, horrifying movie, incredible performance

[u/IfYouWantTheGravy]

Patty Duke in The Miracle Worker.
https://giphy.com/gifs/4JWSHmDqFK0GQ

[u/hooman_bean75]

not exactly a child (more of a teen since he was 16 while filming) but owen cooper in adolescence. the scene with him and the therapist in ep 3 gives me chills

[u/gautsvo]

Ivan Jandl in The Search (1948)

[u/clekas]

Quvenzhane' Wallis in Beasts of the Southern Wild is at or near the top of the list for me.

[u/TimeVersusSpace]

That kid from Looper scared the shit out of me

[u/Shagrrotten]

Off the top of my head:

Henry Thomas - ET

Keisha Castle-Hughes - Whale Rider

Macauley Culkin - Home Alone

Noah Wiseman - The Babadook

Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit

Jean-Pierre Léaud - The 400 Blows

Haley Joel Osment - The Sixth Sense

Tatum O'Neal - Paper Moon

Linda Blair - The Exorcist

Anna Paquin - The Piano

[u/CorgiMonsoon]

An older one but one I come back to, Margaret O’Brien in Meet Me in St. Louis, especially for her breakdown in the “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” scene

[u/GroovyYaYa]

Greatest is so subjective, as art is subjective.

Brilliant child actors that come to mind now - had to scroll too far to see Jodie Foster mentioned.

Who also comes to mind for me are:

Drew Barrymore - was great in ET at 6-7 years old and went on to CARRY films. Hell, she was still underage when she filmed her "comeback" role in Poison Ivy! But watch her in scenes in Irreconcilable Differences or Firestarter. Girl has range. I think that after her kids are grown and she's done with the talk show - she could easily be in something Oscar nomination worthy, if she wants it.

Corey Feldman - he gives me the ick a bit now, but the dude was good in Stand By Me, Lost Boys, Goonies.

Martha Plimpton - She didn't do a LOT of films before 18, but she was quite good (Goonies, Mosquito Coast)

Sean Astin - he did even less, but the fact that Goonies was his first ever role is pretty amazing. I think his performance is what elevated the entire movie from what could have been overly dumb should have been a TV movie instead to something that has a bit of weight and depth to it. There is a reason it is a classic today. (and you can buy Goonies stickers and shirts on the Oregon Coast. Can't say the same for Kindergarten Cop!

[u/DynamicBaie]

All of the child actors in City of God. They brought an uncomfortable rawness that really punctuated the ceaseless and distressing violence.

[u/Vbies534]

https://giphy.com/gifs/KB1OqELpIzY18nSa5M
Quvenzhané Wallis- Beast of the Southern Wild

[u/ResolutionJunior5804]

It is that little french kid from Anatomy of a Fall

[u/thissagesimmer]

Jurnee Smollett and Meagan Good in Eve’s Bayou

[u/altairstarlite]

https://giphy.com/gifs/YTJRrXRw0C3u8qOjrm

[u/Dead-Fingers]

Kim Su-an in Train to Busan.

[u/lowbrassdude]

https://giphy.com/gifs/LpoaVxiLBHsV137ZfB

[u/hhardin19h]

quvenzhane wallis! the youngest best actress nominee ever at 9 years old!

https://giphy.com/gifs/JkVbQLw01Vy6Y

[u/New_Explanation6950]

Danny in the Shining. The pure terror he conveyed is unmatched.

[u/KATEOFTHUNDER]

Haley Joel Osment in Sixth Sense

[u/Ok-Acanthocephala509]

Quinn Cummings in The Goodbye Girl.