Top 10 Times the Child Actor Stole the Show

Sometimes, the best performers are the most inexperienced! For this list, we’ll be looking at the greatest scene-stealing performances by child actors in films that weren’t made for kids. Our countdown includes Abigail Breslin, Alex Hibbert, Saoirse Ronan and more! Did we miss any of your favorite young stars? Let us know in the comments.
Check out these other child actor videos:
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Top 10 Childhood Stars You Forgot About: • Top 10 Childhood Stars...
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MsMojo is a leading producer of reference online video content of Top 10 Lists, Origins, Biographies, Commentary and more on Pop Culture, Celebrity, Movies, Music, TV, Film, Video Games, Politics, News, Comics, Superheroes. Your trusted authority on ranking Pop Culture.
#children #actors #movies #childactors #exorcist #moonlight #young

[@trinaq]

Anna Paquin showed so much maturity and talent beyond her years in "The Piano", deservedly scooping up an Oscar win for her incredible performance! 💕

[@mattperiolat]

You can honestly make an argument that between 1993 and 1995, the best supporting actress Oscar could have gone to someone under fifteen every year: Anna Paquin did win for The Piano, Kirsten Dunst should at least have been nominated for Interview With the Vampire and Natalie Portman should have been nominated for Leon: The Professional.

[@carlosio5]

@@mattperiolat Exactly! Agreed, especially about Kirsten Dunst & the marvelous Natalie Portman performances...❣

[@HanginWitLucid]

Lindsay Lohan, Parent Trap. It was her first role ever and not only did she steal the entire movie and stand out amazingly among a talented cast, but she played two separate roles convincingly, used a different accent very well for one of them and managed to do all this before she even turn 12.

[@anniegenovese]

Kirsten Dunst, Interview with the Vampire

[@jackinthebox3474]

Also Drew Barrymore in IT and Lindsay Lohan in Parents Trap

[@emorimatalau6955]

Kirsten in any of her younger roles, I mean Little Women and even Jumanji

[@sarahkimberley9375]

Chloe Grace Moretz will always be my favourite child actor. She's just brilliant. She stole all the scenes from the very famous adults in 30 Rock

[@NickCC23]

Chloe also stole scenes as the wise beyond her years/wiseass kid relative romcom trope in (500) Days of Summer

[@chelseacanales8763]

I knew it that Tatum O Neal was going to be on this list! She did a great job in Paper Moon.

[@Iambriangregory]

She was outstanding your right!

[@charlotter7261]

Dakota Fanning deserved to be in the top 10!

[@tziporahweider2770]

thats what i was thinking

[@NWCountryGirl17]

DAFNE KEENE in Logan Not even talking for 2/3 of the entire movie she still holds her own in a REAL Dark Superhero legacy movie with Hugh Jackman and Sir Patrick Stuart

[@kali3665]

Christina Ricci in Beaches and The Addams Family films. Everyone remembers her in those films than anyone else, really....

[@mattperiolat]

Ricci was in Mermaids, that was Mayiam Bialik in Beaches.

[@kali3665]

@@mattperiolat Right. Thanks for the correction.

[@NixBurkett1984]

Kirsten Dunst - Interview with a Vampire Jaden Smith - The Pursuit of Happiness Justin Henry - Kramer vs Kramer Leonardo Dicaprio - This Boys Life & What's Eating Gilbert Grape Christina Ricci - Mermaids should have been on this list

[@carlosio5]

Leonardo Dicaprio was an absolutely amazing, subtle and super talented actor as a kid... and remains so even now🟥Most definitely🔥

[@SupergirlUK]

Dekota fanning was a force to be reckoned with as a child actor!

[@sallyannchappell5671]

So many to choose from, Mary Badham as Scout in To Kill, Keisha winning an Oscar in Whale Rider, Judy Garland, Natalie Wood…all fabulous performances demanding attention.

[@raymondhopwood9393]

Not to mention Shirley Temple.

[@gfear24]

The most astonishing thing about Paquin's performance was that she was able to nail that New Zealand accent. Not just because of her age. But because she's Canadian, and that was her first performance on screen. It's no wonder she won an Oscar off that performance.

[@kimb884]

Yes but her mother was from New Zealand.

[@Jimmersaunt]

Glad you mentioned Ricky Schroeder in The Champ-you can’t get through that movie without crying your eyes out and it’s because of Ricky’s performance.

[@joecrammond6221]

the only actress on the list i recognize for the role mentioned is Ivana Baquero in Pan's Labyrinth, she did a great job playing Ofelia, although she never won an award for her performance, i do feel that isabelle fuhrman was great in Orphan (2009)

[@dee_dee_dior]

Kristen Dunst in "Interview With A Vampire"

[@carlosio5]

That was definitely an Academy Award performance by Kristen...unfortunately, kids tend to get overlooked... or not promoted for the award as forcefully as the adult actors are..🟥

[@deaditeera]

Hell yeah Saoirse Ronan!! ❤❤

[@Slime_Lord2232]

genuinely surprised Sennia Nanua isn't on here for her performance in the girl with all the gifts she was amazing.

[@GrainneMhaol]

Catherine Clinch in The Quiet Girl. Hopefully more people will see this movie.

[@ciravieira6650]

Heather O'Rourke in Poltergeist

[@Icarus_Dee]

Dakota Fanning should have been #1, #2 or #3. Anna Paquin is great, of course. But Fanning was SIX and not only had great emotional depth but was able to ad lib when Sean Penn went or script. One of the most talented child actors of all time.

[@virlinehonore9767]

I haven’t seen the sixth sense in a while but Haley did an amazing job with it

[@twangkz]

Where is Jamie Bell in Billy Elliot???

[@michellescott1211]

Henry Thomas as Elliot in AT really should be on this list!

[@virlinehonore9767]

How do u have Chloe as the thumbnail and give her an honorable mention

[@eddiejoewalt7746]

YOU HAVE HIT- GIRL AS A THUMBNAIL AND YOU PUT HER AS A HONORABLE MENTION?😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱

[@jimbo9208]

so, who cares

[@eddiejoewalt7746]

@@jimbo9208 who cares? gen-z moron= it clickbait it like putting a great actress like Regina King as the thumbnail only to discover she get a honorable mention and a half baked person like Kim Kardashian made on the top 10!

[@TB-om4dd]

Brad Renfro in The Client (1994)

[@SemanadePapel]

I love The Sixth Sense (one of my favorite movies ever) and Haley Joel Osment’s performance in it but he was even better in Steven Spielberg’s A.I. That one was of the best performances I’ve ever seen!

[@lordfarquaad8267]

Agree. That movie effed me up.

[@raymondhopwood9393]

She forgot to mention that Haley scored a Best Supporting Actor nomination for "The Sixth Sense". Unfortunately, he lost.

[@marshaloiscamillephilpotts5718]

I love this video it is good, interesting and informative and it is fact that eight of the ten people on the list were nominated for an Academy Award and it is a fact that Tatum O'Neal and Anna Paquin won the award for Best Supporting Actress and both of them deserves the awards.

[@PerfectlyImperfect93]

The fact y’all didn’t even include Kirsten Dunst for Interview With the Vampire wtf 🤦🏽‍♀️ should’ve been a top 20 list.

[@pamelamays4186]

Jodie Foster played Addie Pray in the Paper Moon TV series.

[@carlosio5]

And a long way before any of those, as the little neighbor in the TV show, *"The Courtship of Eddy's Father"* , Jodie Foster always impressed by her gravity and blazing obvious intelligence in what was supposed to be regular TV fare...the couple of times she appeared it was always like, 'who's that girl??'😏

[@Chantara27]

Anna Paquin was amazing in The Piano she definitely deserved to be first in this countdown.

[@bostonphotographer20]

Toni Collette seems to be a factor in some of these

[@setaside2]

Kirsten Dunst in Interview With a Vampire was a major oversight; though this list was excellent, otherwise.

[@radicalpinkys]

Kirsten Dunst should be on this list, she stole the show in both Interview with the Vampire and Little Women

[@gabytuca2]

Yuya Yagira in Nobody Knows (2004) astounding performance.

[@Anthonycheesman33]

Kickass would never be made today and that makes me fucking sad .

[@classysubliminals4121]

Same

[@MajesticalHonky]

There are movies from every decade that would not be made today.

[@carlosio5]

I was thinking exactly that! My mouth was hanging open in amazement looking at it recently, she was sooo bad-ass ...and DEADLY! 🔲😆LoL🔷

[@neotheboxer]

Why? It was made already and still enjoyed by many.

[@Anthonycheesman33]

@@neotheboxer that’s not the point lol.

[@Mezzotenor]

Excellent work from all these young performers - great thanks from me and other movie lovers.

[@herodaresfire4512]

Kirsten Dunst Interview with the Vampire.

[@netgnostic1627]

Dakota Fanning in The War of the Worlds. When she and Tom Cruise are trying to make their way and survive, she steals scene after scene away from Cruise.

[@zedlavb]

Justin Henry from Kramer vs Kramer is a massive miss here - to this day, the youngest Oscar nominee of all time, and his performance stole the film

[@drivingfailsofsacramento]

Kirsten Dunst in Interview with a Vampire

[@kathiheckenlively3974]

What about Justin Henry, who was the youngest nominee for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Kramer vs Kramer?

[@deathybrs]

The video thumbnail showed Hit Girl, and then all she gets is Honorable Mention? If you're going to give a sales pitch, you should be selling that.

[@CassandrashadowcassMorrison]

No. You left out too many. For example: Patty McCormack as Penmark in 1956's THE BAD SEED. Karen Balkin as Mary Tilford in THE CHILDREN'S HOUR (1961) Jackie Cooper as Jim Hawkins in TREASURE ISLAND (1934) Freddie Bartholomew as Harvey Cheyne in Captains Courageous (1937) Martin Stephens as David Zellaby in VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED (1960) Claude Jarman, Jr as Jody in THE YEARLING (1946) Mary Badham as Scout in TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962) And this PARTIAL list of further proof that children should NOT be allowed to grade movies. THEY HAVEN'T SEEN ENOUGH OF THEM!!!!

[@valgoesoutdoors1505]

Also, Drew Barrymore in ET and Reese Witherspoon in The Man in the Moon should've been mentioned.

[@StijnHommes]

Osment also received an Oscar nomination for the mentioned role. Truly some amazing kids on this list.

[@maddog6620]

Super amazing video

[@envymordecai4429]

Isabelle Fuhrman’s performance in Orphan is something I will never not be in awe of. The 12 year old plays a middle aged woman so genuinely it’s kind of terrifying

[@vetarlittorf1807]

Dafne Keen in Logan?

[@neotheboxer]

That kid in Moonlight was phenomenal. As others have said, there are so many other kids who stole the scenes... perhaps a top 20 would allow more room for those roles

[@mrschaffee3]

Jurnee Smollett in Eve's Bayou

[@maddog6620]

Awesome 😎

[@b_rad5651]

Thought Chloe would've made top 10. Kick Ass was meh until Hit Girl showed up. She stole the show and carried the movie!

[@chiara1194]

Evan Rachel Wood and Nicki Reed were phenomenal in “Thirteen”

[@shawnwashington3233]

@Ms Mojo, Surprisingly, the most iconic and influential child actor, in movie history, Shirley Temple, is absent from this list.

[@blugreen123]

I think it's because this list focuses on movies that weren't meant for kids. A lot of Shirley Temple's films were.

[@itsrectimemedia]

I would say the kid that played Spider in Avatar the Way of Water, did quite well.

[@markkuijpers3818]

I don't mean to be contrary, but I think that was just because he was the only actually interesting character in that movie. It's not hard to stand out without competition (to me, it feels obvious the story should have focused primarily on him, rather than the decent but predictable developments that were highlighted instead)

[@maryklein7131]

You forgot Margaret Obrein in Meet me in St Louis

[@Demaad]

What about Dafne Keen in Logan?

[@What_Makes_Climate_Tick]

Although a little older than some of these, I would like to have seen mention of River Phoenix in The Mosquito Coast. Harrison Ford is always charismatic, and in this movie he is a little crazy. Phoenix, as his son, manages to disabuse him of some of his most dangerous fantasies.

[@JustGina724]

I knew Anna Paquin was going to be #1!

[@matthewbaduria]

Kristy Mcnichol is amazing as she got better over time as a teen and as an adult,Jodie foster is second.but Claire Danes is third on my list but Kirsten Dunst tops them all.

[@freddiemolinajr.8397]

Good video

[@natb6684]

Haley Joel Osment should have been higher up

[@michaelmonthey5974]

Hailee Steinfeld was the true star of True Grit because she played the lead character and it was her story that she was telling. The acting legends in the movie were merely playing supporting characters in HER story. One of the best child star castings in cinematic history.

[@shaldana]

Where is Mara Wilson in Matilda???? Talk about scene-stealing with big actors, and absolutely missing from this list. It shouldn't be.

[@jean-pierrethompson3193]

Dakota Fanning in literally every movie she's been in

[@rockero1313]

not even an honorable mention for Dafne Keen????? come on, she CARRIED Logan

[@carlosio5]

Yup💥🔥💥

[@simonashtear2739]

It might be the giant robots talking, but the kid from Real Steel was one of the first child actors that didn't annoy the heck out of me. He seemed genuinely AS interested in all the giant robots as I was. And he had great chemistry with Hugh Jackman. I wish we could've seen more of him before he grew up. I wonder why more "child bonds with creature" movies weren't on this list.

[@cristianflores8913]

Ahh the ol child actors

[@kc9602]

Lena Leandersson from "Let the Right One In".

[@zeokingsilver]

For them it was child’s play

[@bostonphotographer20]

HA!!! Nice.

[@horrorchick793]

Great list, but I think "Heavenly Creatures" and "My Girl" should have been on the list.

[@lausiemoo]

Can't comprehend how Dakota Fanning in Man on Fire isn't number one, let alone not on the list at all

[@SConArt87]

How about Drew Barrymore in ET?

[@yvngogmj4134]

Did I miss Jonathan lipnicki

[@jimbo9208]

what movie

[@kaylheecarroll3186]

@@jimbo9208 Jerry Maguire

[@marisa.d.2932]

And if we talk about tv shows ... I just watch hauntings of Bly manor... That little girl with British accent 💜💜

[@marisa.d.2932]

And the Lily from modern family

[@GamerFunOriginallyAarush]

Oh wow!

[@scotthayes1346]

Did we miss Will Smith's son in Pursuit of Happyness??

[@raymondhopwood9393]

Kim Darby in the original "True Grit". Linda Blair only got an Honorable Mention?! She should have been in the top three! Top Ten Black and White Movies That Wouldn't Have Worked in Color.

[@kennethzinke9168]

Has Chloe Grace Moretz been caught red-handed by playing dirty in the original Kick-Ass movie in 2010?

[@virlinehonore9767]

I love Hailee in everything she’s been in, but I haven’t seen true grit

[@rhettashead8015]

Drew Barrymore in ET.

[@bheast86]

Margaret O'Brien MEET ME IN ST LOUIS; Martin Stephens VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED; Brigitte Fossey LES JEUX INTERDITS

[@futurecanadian]

where was Victoire Thivisol in Ponette?

[@adamantanarchist]

Ross Malinger - Sleepless In Seattle

[@gidgemo1869]

Little Miss Sunshine is such a brilliant movie.

[@neomp5]

no whale rider? really?

[@jenniferk9242]

One of my all time favorite movies! I've lost count of how many times I've seen it. That scene when she's giving her speech dedicated to her grandfather- kills me every time.

[@fredricclack7137]

Girl in Out of the Blue 💙 believe Dennis Hopper dad, may hv bn mentioned; low budget yet 👍

[@DaddyBoo69]

No Makaulay Culkin for Home alone?

[@Davidjimv]

jodie foter looked thirty in that movie

[@mariehernandez5878]

I was looking for Christina Ricci for Addams Family. So disappointed!

[@adriangarcia543]

I hope my idea suggest in Msmojo

[@jimbo9208]

and what is that

[@Jeremiah_Rivers76]

@@jimbo9208If I’m not mistaken, it’s something along the lines of girls we want to see transform into giantesses.

[@carlosio5]

@@Jeremiah_Rivers76 LOL😆

[@ambushfromdoors56]

2 video one day damn

[@jimbo9208]

you must be new here

[@angelenewisk1366]

What about Drew Barrymore

[@lovefromwonderland]

You should have at least MENTIONED Isabelle Fuhrman from Orphan.

[@suradit7658]

I think there were a total of 14 or 15 actors mentioned, only 4 of them boys. Does “stealing the show” measure talent or the usual prejudices at work?

[@natasaaquarius4857]

What about Christian Bale in the Empire of the Sun ?

[@stephjean8638]

Leonardo Dicaprio did good too and Angelina Jolie

[@scottfreckle237]

Steinfeld was robbed

[@blugreen123]

Mayim Bialik in Beaches!