15 Child Actors Who Went On To Win Oscars

Acting is one of the only careers in the world where you can start working as a child and continue well into old age. However, the difficulties of being a child star have been well-documented, and not everyone who begins their career in Hollywood ends it there. For those lucky enough to achieve decades-long success as actors, audiences have the distinct privilege of watching them grow up right before our eyes.

Like the film industry itself, the Academy Awards are in the business of storytelling. Oscar winners join a canon of greats, those who have worked hard and risen to the occasion, often amidst difficult or taxing circumstances. When child actors become Oscar winners, this tells a particularly moving story. In many instances, these actors had been working for decades to finally gain recognition for their work. This excellence sometimes comes with sacrifices — the loss of a “normal” childhood, for example. 

Here are 15 child actors who went on to win Oscars.

One of the most respected actors in the business, Jodie Foster had starred in two Martin Scorsese films by the time she was 12 years old. “Taxi Driver” earned Foster her first Oscar nomination and the admiration of her peers. Unfortunately, it also earned her negative attention in the form of a stalker who attempted to assassinate Ronald Regan in her honor. Foster persevered through this difficult period, winning her first Oscar in 1989, at the age of 26, for “The Accused.” She won her second Oscar just three years later, for “The Silence of the Lambs.”

Though 26 is young for an Oscar-winner, Foster was already an accomplished actress by that age. She began appearing in commercials when she was three years old and starred in an episode of “Mayberry R.F.D” when she was six. Prior to her successful film career, Foster appeared in numerous TV shows, including Rod Sterling’s “The Twilight Zone” and three different episodes of “Gunsmoke.” Though it’s been over 30 years since her last Oscar win, Foster’s standing in the industry hasn’t waned a bit.

Did you know that Leonardo DiCaprio’s feature film debut was in the third entry of a cheesy ’90s horror movie franchise? That’s right, DiCaprio’s first appearance on the big screen was in “Critters 3,” which follows a group of hairy, carnivorous aliens who invade a Los Angeles apartment complex. It wasn’t exactly a hit, and holds a rare 0% on Rotten Tomatoes, but we’re pretty sure DiCaprio’s career has recovered from this early flop.

Before starring in “Critters 3,” DiCaprio appeared in several television shows, the most prominent of which was “Parenthood,” followed by “Growing Pains.” But his career after “Critters” put him on a rocketship to superstardom. He starred alongside Robert De Niro in “This Boy’s Life” in 1993 and “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,” for which DiCaprio earned his first Oscar nomination, came out that same year. DiCaprio began a fruitful collaboration with Martin Scorsese with “Gangs of New York” in 2002, though it never landed him an Oscar, which he finally won for “The Revenant” in 2016.

Believe it or not, Natalie Portman and Britney Spears’ careers overlapped in their early years. When Portman was 10 years old, she was the understudy for a musical called “Ruthless!” which follows a girl willing to murder to star in the school play. Spears was the previous understudy for the role. Portman’s early exposure to (fictional) murder continued in “Léon: The Professional,” in which she played an assassin’s protege at the age of 12.

Portman didn’t have to wait long for his next role, which exposed her to two of our greatest living actors. In Michael Mann’s “Heat,” Portman plays the stepdaughter of Al Pacino’s character, locked in a deadly battle with Robert De Niro’s criminal mastermind. The actress hadn’t even turned 18 yet when she joined one of the most popular movie franchises of all time, playing Queen Amidala in the “Star Wars” prequels. She won an Oscar in 2011 for “Black Swan,” her 28th feature film, which she spent 10 years trying to make a reality.

Regina King knows her way around television. The recipient of four Emmy Awards, King has starred in acclaimed shows like “Watchmen,” “The Leftovers,” and “American Crime.” Television is also where King got her start in the business. She began her career in 1985, at the age of 14, on the NBC sitcom “227.” The show stars Marla Gibbs, best known for playing Florence on “The Jeffersons,” as Mary Jenkins, a gossip-loving housewife in Washington, D.C. King plays her daughter, Brenda.

Following her five-year stint on that show, King went on to star in three John Singleton movies before appearing in the comedy classic “Friday.” King has been working consistently since the mid-80s, and she finally started getting recognized for her reliably excellent work in the mid-2010s. She won her first and only Oscar in 2019, for Barry Jenkins’ sumptuous love story “If Beale Street Could Talk.” When you consider King’s immense talent and work ethic, going from teen sitcom star to Oscar winner doesn’t seem like a very far leap after all.

Joaquin Phoenix’s journey to acting was not a typical one. One of five siblings, the renowned actor was born in Puerto Rico to parents who met while hitchhiking. The family was a part of the religious cult Children of God when Phoenix was born, eventually moving to a commune in Venezuela. After leaving the cult, the family changed their surname to Phoenix.

Phoenix got his start acting at a young age, appearing alongside his siblings, including the late River Phoenix, in the 1980s. His first credited role was in the television series “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.” Phoenix was eight years old and went by the name “Leaf” at the time. He described the experience to The Guardian as “instantaneous joy.” Phoenix continued acting through his teen years, starring in the film “Parenthood,” which would later become a TV series with Leonardo DiCaprio playing Phoenix’s part.

Phoenix’s work in the 2000s garnered him awards acclaim, including a Grammy, a Golden Globe, and an Oscar nomination for the Johnny Cash biopic “Walk the Line.” After three nominations, Phoenix won his first Oscar for the controversial Todd Phillips film “Joker,” nearly 40 years after his first appearance on screen.

A well-respected leading man, Jeff Bridges’ foray into acting was predestined. Born into a family of actors, Bridges’ father was Lloyd Bridges, a movie actor who also starred in the television series “Sea Hunt” and his anthology series “The Lloyd Bridges Show.” Jeff Bridges’ first credited appearances on screen were in several episodes of his father’s shows, alongside his older brother, Beau.

Bridges received his first Oscar nomination for Peter Bogdanovich’s “The Last Picture Show,” only his second role in a film. Fondly remembered for playing The Dude in “The Big Lebowski,” Bridges is equally at home in Westerns, science fiction films, and comedies. He’s also a talented musician with three albums to his name. After more than 50 years in the business, Bridges won his first Oscar for “Crazy Heart,” putting his musical skills to good use and channelling “Heaven’s Gate” co-star Kris Kristofferson. The following year, Bridges was nominated for another Oscar for the Western “True Grit,” but lost out ot Colin Firth in “The King’s Speech.”

Though Christian Bale doesn’t come from a moviemaking family, he does have performing in his blood. His mother was a circus performer whose job sometimes involved riding elephants. One of his grandfathers was a children’s entertainer, and the other once worked as a stunt double for John Wayne. But it was Bale’s sister who introduced him to acting. When she was cast in a play in the West End, it piqued his interest in the profession.

This led Bale to appear in the TV film “Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna,” which also featured Hollywood greats Olivia de Havilland and Rex Harrison, in his final role. Amy Irving was the lead in the film, and Bale has her to thank for his Hollywood leg-up. Irving was married to Steven Spielberg at the time, and when he was casting the lead role for his film “Empire of the Sun,” she suggested Bale, who was 13 at the time.

As an adult, Bale was critically lauded for many of his films, including “American Psycho” and “The Machinist.” But he won his first and only Oscar in 2011 for David O. Russell’s film “The Fighter.”

Brie Larson was never the kind of child actor you’d know by name, but she began working in Hollywood at a young age. She got her start on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” in 1998, starring in a skit called “Roadkill Easy Bake Oven.” Her early career continued on television, and she starred in the sitcom “Raising Dad,” with Bob Saget as her father and Kat Dennings as her sister.

Larson also dipped her toes into the Disney Channel Original Movie cinematic universe, starring in the racing movie “Right on Track” two decades before her appearance in “Fast X.” Millennials might recognize her from “13 Going on 30,” where she plays a (mostly silent) member of the Six Chicks. Larson’s rise to fame began with her role in the indie film “Short Term 12,” and she didn’t have to wait long for the biggest award of them all. In 2015, she won Best Actress for the film “Room,” in which she starred alongside child actor Jacob Tremblay.

In the 1990s, Helen Hunt became one of the biggest names in business before disappearing from Hollywood, but her career began long before that. Hunt’s father was a stage director and acting coach, and her grandmother was a vocal coach, though her career began on screen. Her first role was in the 1973 TV movie “Pioneer Woman,” and she continued to appear on television, including a regular role on “Swiss Family Robinson” and a guest role on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

As a teen and young adult, Hunt appeared in films like “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” alongside Sarah Jessica Parker and Shannen Doherty, and in Francis Ford Coppola’s “Peggy Sue Got Married.” After starring in “Project X” with Matthew Broderick, Hunt left Hollywood for New York to do theatre. After returning to Los Angeles, she secured her biggest role yet, in the sitcom “Mad About You,” for which she won four Emmy Awards. The year after starring in the beloved film “Twister,” Hunt appeared in “As Good as It Gets” alongside Jack Nicholson, for which she won her first and only Oscar.

Ke Huy Quan’s decades-long journey to the Oscars stage sounds like something dreamed up by a Hollywood screenwriter. Born in Vietnam, Quan’s family left their home for Hong Kong, eventually immigrating to the United States. Quan has said that it was difficult being a refugee in America, as his peers often made fun of him. When he was 12 years old, his life changed forever. He accompanied his brother to an audition for Steven Spielberg’s “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” and when he was encouraged to audition as well, he got the part of Indy’s sidekick, Short Round. Quan was cast in “The Goonies,” produced by Spielberg, the following year.

Despite starring in two popular movies, the roles for Quan started drying up in the 1990s, and the ones he did receive were stereotypical. Giving up his acting dreams but remaining in the industry, Quan began working as a stunt co-ordinator and assistant director. It wasn’t until “Crazy Rich Asians” came out in 2018 that he decided to give acting another go. Two weeks after getting an agent, Quan got a call about “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” with “Crazy Rich Asians” star Michelle Yeoh already attached. Then, 35 years after retiring from acting, Quan was up on stage accepting his first Oscar for that film.

As she is today, a young Elizabeth Taylor was often noticed for her striking eyes, which often appeared violet rather than blue. (She also had a genetic mutation that resulted in having double rows of eyelashes.) After being encouraged by her parents’ friends to audition for parts, Taylor’s first film appearance was at the age of 10, in “There’s One Born Every Minute.” Though offered a contract with Universal, the studio ended it after a year because “she doesn’t have the face of a child,” according to a casting director.

Her breakthrough role came at the age of 12, when she was chosen to star in “National Velvet.” The role required a child with an English accent and horse riding skills, which was perfect for Taylor, who was born in England, where she learned to ride. Though too short for the role, legend says she stretched herself three inches to get the job. She began playing adult roles in the 1950s, and “A Place in the Sun,” in which she starred opposite Montgomery Clift, turned the 19-year-old into a major star. Taylor’s first Oscar win came in 1961, for “Butterfield 8,” when Taylor was 29 years old. She won her second Oscar in 1967, for an unvarnished performance in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”

Before becoming a big Hollywood director, Ron Howard was a child actor — and a very successful one at that. He began his career as a young kid on television, appearing in episodes of “Playhouse 90” and “The Twilight Zone.” His big break came in 1960, when he was cast as Opie, the son of Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith) in “The Andy Griffith Show.” After eight seasons on that show, Howard continued his acting career as a teenager, starring in George Lucas’ “American Graffiti” and the sitcom “Happy Days.”

In the end, his heart wasn’t in it, and Howard stopped acting when he realized he didn’t have what it takes to cut it in the rapidly transforming industry. Instead, Howard turned to directing, which seems to have been the right choice. His directorial debut was “Grand Theft Auto,” in which Howard starred and co-wrote with his father, Rance Howard. In the 1980s, he had success with “Night Shift” and the mermaid film “Splash.” But 20 years and a dozen films later, Howard was awarded two Oscars for “A Beautiful Mind,” and he’s been making acclaimed films for decades.

When he was a kid, Casey Affleck thought of acting as a way to get out of going to school for a day. His mom was friends with a casting director, and when movies were filming in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where Affleck grew up, he and his friends would work as extras for a day. His first credited role was “Lemon Sky,” directed by the husband of his mother’s friend, in which he played Kevin Bacon’s brother. Next, he played a young Robert F. Kennedy in the miniseries “The Kennedys of Massachusetts.”

After moving to Los Angeles with his brother, Ben Affleck and his friend Matt Damon, Affleck’s first film role was in “To Die For” alongside a young Joaquin Phoenix. Affleck worked with Gus Van Sant a second time on his brother’s film “Good Will Hunting,” and also appeared in “Chasing Amy” with the older Affleck. His career took a downturn with the release of the controversial Joaquin Phoenix documentary “I’m Still Here,” but he recovered by 2016, when he starred in “Manchester by the Sea” and won his first Oscar.

Jennifer Connelly began her adolescent career as a model at age 10, though she had no dreams of becoming an actor. With her parents’ support, she was cast in her first film at 11. She played a supporting role in Sergio Leone’s “Once Upon a Time in America.” A few years later, she starred in giallo master Dario Argento’s film “Phenomena,” in which she plays a young woman who communicates with insects to stop a serial killer targeting students at her school. She became more well-known following her appearance in “Labyrinth,” starring opposite David Bowie.

After a series of box office flops, including “Dark City,” an ambitious science fiction film beloved by critics, Connelly was celebrated for her performance in Darren Aronofsky’s “Requiem for a Dream.” In 2001, Connelly was handed the biggest role of her career with “A Beautiful Mind,” directed by former child actor Ron Howard. Connelly won Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars for portraying mathematician John Nash’s (Russell Crowe) wife.

Macaulay Culkin isn’t the only member of the Culkin family in the holiday classic “Home Alone.” One of seven children, Kieran Culkin began acting at the ripe age of two, appearing in several off-Broadway productions. At seven years old, he appeared as Fuller McCallister in “Home Alone,” the cousin of protagonist Kevin, played by his older brother, Macaulay. Culkin revealed that while filming the movie, he had no idea what it was about, and Devin Ratray, who played Buzz, convinced Culkin that the movie was about his character.

Culkin continued acting throughout the 1990s, appearing in films like “Father of the Bride” and “Music of the Heart,” in which he played Meryl Streep’s son. In 2002, Culkin starred in “Igby Goes Down,” which he told The Hollywood Reporter was one of the projects that has “defined (his) life.” He received his first Golden Globe nomination for the role of a moody teenager in that movie. Culkin then gained widespread acclaim for his portrayal of Roman Roy on “Succession,” for which he won an Emmy in 2023. The 2020s have continued to be a good decade for Culkin, as he won his first Oscar for “A Real Pain” in 2025.