20 Best Child Performances

Actor: DAKOTA FANNING

Film: "I Am Sam"

Character: Lucy

Year: 2001

Age: 7

What is she doing now: Fanning is making her move to older roles. She had a bit of a dry spell, but came back strong with her portrayal of 'Jane' in the "Twilight" films and her starring role in "The Runaways", in which she played 'Cherie'.

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20 Best Child Performances

Actor: HALEY JOEL OSMENT

Film: "The Sixth Sense"

Character: Cole

Year: 1999

Age: 11

What is he doing now: After having additional success with starring roles in "Secondhand Lions" and "Pay It Forward", Osment has been laying low for awhile voicing characters in various video games. He recently graduated from NYU: Tisch School of the Arts.

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20 Best Child Performances

Actor: HENRY THOMAS

Film: "ET: The Extra-Terrestrial"

Character: Elliot

Year: 1982

Age: 12

What is he doing now: Thomas has been a steady actor since his breakthrough role in "E.T.", but he has never found that same kind of fame and success. Some of his best films include "Gangs of New York", "Legends of the Fall", and "Dear John".

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20 Best Child Performances

Actor: QUINN CUMMINGS

Film: "The Goodbye Girl"

Character: Lucy

Year: 1977

Age: 10

What is she doing now: After getting a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role in "The Goodbye Girl", it seemed that the parts would be flowing for Quinn Cummings. Unfortunately, she really only did guest spots on various television shows after her initial success. She did get a starring role in the show "Family", which lasted for a couple of years. She left the business in 1991 and now is a mother and the creator of 'The QC Report', which is a blog that "discusses the ironies of modern life from the point of view of a career mom".

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20 Best Child Performances

Actor: JADEN SMITH

Film: "The Pursuit of Happyness"

Character: Christopher

Year: 2006

Age: 8

What is he doing now: It hasn't been that long since his film debut, but Jaden (the son of Will and Jada Smith) has been keeping very busy with films like "The Day the Earth Stood Still" and "The Karate Kid".

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20 Best Child Performances

Actor: CHAUNCEY LEOPARDI

Film: "The Sandlot"

Character: Squints

Year: 1993

Age: 12

What he is doing now: Leopardi worked pretty consistently after "The Sandlot" in films like "Houseguest", "Casper", "The Opposite of Sex", and had a recurring role on the show "Freaks and Geeks". He didn't do much after 2001, but he did reprise his role of 'Squints' in "The Sandlot 3" in 2007 .

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20 Best Child Performances

Actor: ANNA PAQUIN

Film: "The Piano"

Character: Flora

Year: 1993

Age: 11

What she is doing now: Anna won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress and has had major success ever since. Her biggest roles include 'Rogue' in the "X-Men" series and Sookie Stackhouse in the now cult hit "True Blood".

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20 Best Child Performances

Actor: JUSTIN HENRY

Film: "Kramer vs. Kramer"

Character: Billy

Year: 1979

Age: 8

What he is doing now: Henry was another Best Supporting Actor nominee. He has never had the success he had with his breakthrough film debut. He did appear as Molly Ringwald's bratty brother in "Sixteen Candles", but that was all that stands out. He still acts and has appeared most recently in episodes of "ER", "Brothers & Sisters", and "My Own Worst Enemy".

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20 Best Child Performances

Actor: TATUM O'NEAL

Film: "Paper Moon"

Character: Addie

Year: 1973

Age: 10

What she is doing now: After starring roles in "The Bad News Bears" and "Little Darlings", O'Neal became more famous for her marriage to tennis pro John McEnroe followed by her drug abuse scandals. She has had some recent success with a recurring role as 'Maggie' in the FX show "Rescue Me" and also as Carrie's friend in an episode of "Sex and the City".

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20 Best Child Performances

Actor: LINDA BLAIR

Film: "The Exorcist"

Character: Regan

Year: 1973

Age: 14

What she is doing now: Blair has been working since her days as the demon-possessed 'Regan', doing small spots in television and movies. She fills the rest of her time doing work for PETA.

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20 Best Child Performances

Actor: PATTY DUKE

Film: "The Miracle Worker"

Character: Helen Keller

Year: 1962

Age: 16

What she is doing now: After a starring role in "Valley of the Dolls", Duke married actor John Astin and had two sons (Sean and Mackenzie, although Sean is technically from another father). She has since made her living becoming one of the queens of television movies (over 40 to date).

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20 Best Child Performances

Actor: PETER BILLINGSLEY

Film: "A Christmas Story"

Character: Ralphie

Year: 1983

Age: 12

What he is doing now: Billingsley continues to act here and there (Elf, Iron Man, Four Christmases), but it was his friendship with actor Vince Vaughn and actor/director Jon Favreau and his switch to producer (Zathura) and director (Couples Retreat) that have brought him back into the spotlight.

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20 Best Child Performances

Actor: KEISHA CASTLE-HUGHES

Film: "Whale Rider"

Character: Paikea

Year: 2002

Age: 12

What she is doing now: Castle-Hughes starred as 'Mary' in "The Nativity Story" in 2006 and in "Hey Hey, It's Esther Blueberger" in 2008, but it was the 2007 birth of her daughter (Keisha was only 17) that put her back in the news. She continues to act in New Zealand and Australia.

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20 Best Child Performances

Actor: FREDDIE HIGHMORE

Film: "Finding Neverland"

Character: Peter

Year: 2004

Age: 12

What he is doing now: British-born Highmore continues to act and has starred in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", "August Rush", and "The Spiderwick Chronicles".

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20 Best Child Performances

Actor: CHRISTIAN BALE

Film: "Empire of the Sun"

Character: Jim

Year: 1987

Age: 13

What he is doing now: Bale has become a major Hollywood player with starring roles in "Terminator Salvation", the Christopher Nolan "Batman" movies, and "Public Enemies". But it's his turn as Dicky Eklund in "The Fighter" that won him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

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20 Best Child Performances

Actor: ABIGAIL BRESLIN

Film: "Little Miss Sunshine"

Character: Olive

Year: 2006

Age: 10

What she is doing now: Since her Oscar nominated turn, Breslin has had starring roles in "My Sister's Keeper", "Zombieland", and "Nim's Island". Next up, "Janie Jones" and "Rango".

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20 Best Child Performances

Actor: JOSH PECK

Film: "Mean Creek"

Character: George

Year: 2004

Age: 17

What he is doing now: Peck starred in the Nickelodeon show "Drake and Josh" for three seasons (he lost a bunch of weight in the process). He also has starred in "The Wackness" and "Drillbit Taylor".

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20 Best Child Performances

Actor: ANTHONY MICHAEL HALL

Film: "Sixteen Candles"

Character: Ted

Year: 1984

Age: 16

What he is doing now: Using his found fame as the quintessential 'nerd', Hall starred in "Weird Science" and "The Breakfast Club". When he got older, however, he transformed himself physically (he gained weight) in order to break out of the type-casting. He has had roles in "Edward Scissorhands", "The Dark Knight", and he starred in the show "The Dead Zone" for five seasons.

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20 Best Child Performances

Actor: ALISAN PORTER

Film: "Curly Sue"

Character: Susan

Year: 1991

Age: 10

What she is doing now: Porter left Hollywood for awhile and pursued a career on Broadway. She was cast as Urleen in "Footloose" and as 'Bebe' in "A Chorus Line". She currently writes for the 'Movmnt Magazine'.

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20 Best Child Performances

Actor: JACK WILD

Film: "Oliver!"

Character: Dodger

Year: 1968

Age: 15

What he is doing now: Wild starred in the show 'H.R. Pufnstuf' and also made an appearance in "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves". He passed away in 2006 of throat and tongue cancer.

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Honorable Mention:

Martha Plimpton in “The Goonies” (1985)

Margaret O’Brien in “Little Women” (1949)

Alfred Lutter III in “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore” (1974)

Sean Nelson in “Fresh” (1994)

Natalie Portman in “The Professional” (1994)

Patrick Renna in “The Sandlot” (1993)

Drew Barrymore in “ET: The Extra-Terrestrial” (1982)

Jackie Coogan in “The Kid” (1921)

Mark Lester in “Oliver!” (1968)

Noah Hathaway in “The Neverending Story” (1984)

Corey Haim in “Lucas” (1986)

Brad Renfro in “The Client” (1994)

Lukas Haas in “Lady in White” (1988)

Reese Witherspoon in “The Man in the Moon” (1991)

Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz” (1939)