Significant Child Performances

[Stewball]

This was harder to put together than I thought, particularly since I think it needs to be limited to pre-teen actors, and that the industry took so long to start producing non-phony performances regularly, much less with child actors. Natalie Wood was probably the first to come close in Miracle on 34th St. but she could only rise to the ditsy level of the rest of the film.

Anyway, these are what I've come up with, and it doesn't seem like much, though I'm sure I'm overlooking several if not many. Please list any you think are worthy, keeping in mind that anyone suggesting Shirley Timple or her ilk will be taken out behind the chemical sheds and shot:

Ron Howard--breakthrough role in the Music Man, though he had the advantage of being contrasted with Monique Vermont in the expected cutesy mawkish style as Amaryllis.
Mary Badham--To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout (contemporary with Music Man, and probably a better performance, but less substantial).
Haley Joel Osmet--I know, but he was good in 6th Sense.
Freddy Highmore--Finding Neverland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Danny Lloyd--(age 6), The Shining
Peter Billingsley--A Christmas Story
Christina Ricci--Addams Family, Mermaids
Quvenzhane Wallis--Beasts of the Southern Wild
Julian Shatkin--Like Sunday, Like Rain (the inspiration for posting this, being my favorite child performance, and an outstanding performance for any age.)

[Matthew Parkinson]

Isabelle Fuhrman in Orphan.

[MacSwell]

Martin Stephens in The Innocents
Jamie Bell in Billy Elliot
Jason Schwartzman in Rushmore
David Bradley in Kes
Henry Thomas in E.T.
Abigail Breslin in Little Miss Sunshine
Natalie Portman in Léon

[VinegarBob]

Ana Torrent in Cria Cuervos, and Spirit of The Beehive.

[ShogunRua]

We should really spare a few words on each performance, or else it becomes just another meaningless list topic.

Enzo Staiola in Bicycle Thieves (1948). How has this, arguably the greatest performance by a child in one of the best films ever, not been mentioned yet? Perfectly captures every emotion asked of him, no matter how nuanced. (Even his various forms of sadness are subtly different) Also a vital part of many important, difficult scenes, so he is asked to do more than most child actors are.

Craig Warnock in Time Bandits (1981). One of only two roles he had in his entire life, both when he was a kid. And yet, he brings the perfect degree of likability and wonder to the Terry Gilliam fantasy. You might argue there wasn't that much expected of him, but the ending to the movie wouldn't have been nearly as memorable without his performance.

I also believe he arguably outshone Sarah Polley from The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988), which is a much better Gilliam film, and featured a child actress who was already very experienced by then. (And acts to this day)

[Stewball]

Martin Stephens in The Innocents
Jamie Bell in Billy Elliot
Jason Schwartzman in Rushmore
David Bradley in Kes
Henry Thomas in E.T.
Abigail Breslin in Little Miss Sunshine
Natalie Portman in Léon

Three of those first 4 were well into their teens, especially Schwartzman (18) and Bradley (17). Breslin & Portman for me definitely.

[MacSwell]

Three of those first 4 were well into their teens, especially Schwartzman (18) and Bradley (17). Breslin & Portman for me definitely.

Schwartzman was 17 when they filmed it. Bell was only 13. A child is anyone under the age of 18, so I don't see why they shouldn't count.

[Stewball]

[Stewball]

We should really spare a few words on each performance, or else it becomes just another meaningless list topic.

Enzo Staiola in Bicycle Thieves (1948). How has this, arguably the greatest performance by a child in one of the best films ever, not been mentioned yet? Perfectly captures every emotion asked of him, no matter how nuanced. (Even his various forms of sadness are subtly different) Also a vital part of many important, difficult scenes, so he is asked to do more than most child actors are.

I could say the same thing about Like Sunday, Like Rain. Bicycle Thieves sounds interesting but I'm sure it'd be lost on me.

[Midaso]

Can't believe that arguably the most famous child performance in world cinema hasn't been mentioned. What am I thinking of?