Amazing Child Actor Performances of the Past 100 Years

Ten-year-old Nikolay Spiridonov starred in “The Italian,” about a boy living in an abandoned orphanage in Russia who is adopted by an Italian family. Spiridonov’s other credits include “Twilight,” “Krasota Trebuyet,” and “Liquidation.”

Abigail Breslin had mostly television series on her resume (“What I Like About You,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”) before the 10-year-old captivated audiences as the ambitious and insistent beauty pageant contestant in the farce “Little Miss Sunshine.” The role earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. The now-25-year-old actress already has 52 acting credits, among them: “Ender’s Game,” “Zombieland,” “My Sister’s Keeper,” and “Signs.”

Ivana Baquero was chosen by director Guillermo del Toro from among 1,000 girls to play the role of Ofelia in the fantasy thriller “Pan’s Labyrinth,” It proved to be a big break and she received various awards from Spanish film organizations for her performance. Baquero’s first American role was in the creepfest “The New Daughter ” that starred Kevin Costner.

At 27 years old, Saoirse Ronan has already been nominated for four Academy Awards. Her first nomination was for Best Supporting Actress for the movie “Atonement” when she was 13. She played an aspiring writer who accuses her sister’s lover of a crime he did not commit, altering the lives of those around her. The Irish actress was also Oscar nominated for roles in “Brooklyn,” “Lady Bird,” and “Little Women.”

Australian-born Kodi Smit-McPhee received critical acclaim for “The Road,” about a father and son trying to survive after the apocalypse. He’s added film credits such as “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” and “X-Men: Apocalypse” and “X-Men: Dark Phoenix.” Smit-McPhee received his first Best Supporting Oscar nomination in 2022 for his role in “The Power of the Dog.”