Haley Joel Osment, The Sixth Sense (1999)
Nominated for: Best Supporting Actor
Age: 11 years, 311 days
From the time we heard him utter, "I see dead people," we knew this kid was carrying this movie and our hearts. his performance as Cole, a kid haunted by the other side and determined to help people pass, was nuanced and special.
Anna Paquin, The Piano (1993)
Nominated for: Best Supporting Actress - Won
Age: 11 years, 200 days
One of only two winners on this list, Paquin would go on to have a very long and illustrious career that's still going. But her breakout role showed us just how special of an actress she can be. Here she carries so much emotion and power in every scene.
Patty McCormack, The Bad Seed (1956)
Nominated for: Best Supporting Actress
Age: 11 years, 181 days
Scary kids are one of the tropes of horror, but McCormack had us believing she was a little sociopath after seeing her in this movie.
Abigail Breslin, 'Little Miss Sunshine' (2006)
Nominated for: Best Supporting Actress
Age: 10 years, 284 days
Another actress who has worked consistently since, Breslin is so funny and heartfelt in this movie that she is impossible to forget. The dance scene will go down in history as one of the best comedy reveals of all time.
Quinn Cummings, 'The Goodbye Girl' (1977)
Nominated for: Best Supporting Actress
Age: 10 years, 192 days
This touching movie has a lot of laughs and a lot of heart. Cummings plays a child trying to be there for her mother and also bickering with their new roommate.
Quvenzhané Wallis, 'Beasts of the Southern Wild' (2012)
Nominated for: Best Actress
Age: 9 years, 135 days
I remember sitting down in the Arclight and watching this performance and knowing in my bones Wallis was going to be nominated for an Oscar. She is a powerhouse in this movie and carries the whole narrative, which hinges on her being great.
Mary Badham, 'To Kill a Mockingbird' (1962)
Nominated for: Best Supporting Actress
Age: 10 years, 141 days
Scout Finch is an indelible character who has stood the test of time, and in the movie adaptation, Badham is able to fill those big shoes. She holds her own next to Gregory Peck.
Tatum O'Neal, 'Paper Moon' (1973)
Nominated for: Best Supporting Actress - Won
Age: 10 years, 106 days
Another winner of the Award, Paper Moon is one of those movies that feels impossible. The whole con lies on the back of a ten-year-old who carries the entire feature. We've seen very few performances like this one.
Jackie Cooper, 'Skippy' (1931)
Nominated for: Best Actor
Age: 9 years, 20 days
I have not seen this movie, so it's hard for me to comment on it. It seems absolutely insane that a 9-year-old got a nomination for Best Actor. But as I look a this list of kids barely older, maybe it's not that crazy.
Justin Henry, 'Kramer vs. Kramer' (1979)
Nominated for: Best Supporting Actor
Age: 8 years, 276 days
A movie about divorcing parents is going to require a very strong performance from the kid at the center. and this movie found one of the greatest performances by a child in a movie ever.
Summing Up the Youngest Actors To Be Nominated For Oscars
So, there you have it. Each of these kids delivered some of the best performances of all time. They moved us, made us laugh, and will be something we talk about forever.
Let me know what you think in the comments.
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