Have you ever watched a TV show or movie and looked at the person next to you and said, “Wow this child actor is so good”? Sure, their performance might not compare to the adult stars they’re co-starring with but there’s something extra impressive about seeing a child fully sink into their character.
Take Hailee Steinfeld, for example. The actress, who went on to star in movies like The Edge of Seventeen and Pitch Perfect 2, starred in True Grit at just 13 years old. That year, she was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild, a BAFTA, two Critics Choice Awards and her first Academy Award. Out of all of those nods, she took home the
This year, the category will be a tight race as ever. Among the nominees are Alyla Browne for Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Elliott Heffernan for Blitz, Maisy Stella for My Old Ass, Izaac Wang for Didi, Alisha Weir for Abigail, and Zoe Ziegler for Janet Planet.
But before we find out this year’s winner on Feb. 7, we’ve taken a walk down memory lane to see some of Hollywood’s major stars who won the Best Actor/Actress Award in the past. From Dakota Fanning to Saoirse Ronan, check out the winners who became major stars below!
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Jamie Bell (2001)
Image Credit: Newsmakers / Getty Images Jamie Bell was quite a powerhouse in the title role of Billy Elliot in 2000. And, less than a year later, he won the Best Young Actor Award at just 15 years old.
Among his major projects since are Jumper, Fantastic Four, and All of Us Strangers.
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Dakota Fanning (2002 & 2006)
Image Credit: Vince Bucci/Getty Images Seriously, how adorable did Dakota Fanning look when she won her award? The oldest Fanning sibling won the award in 2001 and 2006 for her roles in I Am Sam and War of the Worlds.
She’s continued acting to this day with roles like The Watchers, The Perfect Couple, Uptown Girls and The Secret Life of Bees.
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Kieran Culkin (2003)
Image Credit: Robert Mora/Getty Images Kieran Culkin took home the Best Young Actor Award at the 8th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards back in 2003. He won for her role as Igby in Igby Goes Down.
He’s since gone on to star in many great movies and TV shows like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Succession, and in 2024, A Real Pain. He has three Critics Choice Awards, one Emmy, and two Golden Globes and is nominated for his first Oscar in 2025.
He’s also nominated for another Critics Choice this year for Supporting Actor in A Real Pain.
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Emmy Rossum (2005)
Image Credit: Vince Bucci/Getty Images While many of us may know Emmy Rossum from her years in Shameless, she rose to critical acclaim early on in her career with The Phantom of the Opera. For her role, she won the Best Young Actor Award at just 19 years old.
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Freddie Highmore (2004 & 2005)
Image Credit: Michael Germana/Everett Collection If you’ve seen Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, chances are you’re a fan of Freddie Highmore. After all, his acting alongside Johnny Depp in the reboot made for a generation-defying movie. He won for his role as Charlie in 2005 and for Finding Neverland in 2004.
Among his projects since are Bates Motel, The Good Doctor and The Art of Getting By.
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Paul Dano (2007)
Image Credit: Michael Germana/Everett Collection In 2007, Paul Dano took home his Best Young Actor Award for his role in Little Miss Sunshine.
He’s been in a series of major titles since like There Will Be Blood, 12 Years a Slave, Love & Money, Dumb Money and The Fabelmans. He’s been nominated to two Primetime Emmy Awards.
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Abigail Breslin (2007)
Image Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images That same year, Dano’s Little Miss Sunshine co-star Abigail Breslin took home the Best Young Actress Award for the movie. She was 11 years old at the time.
She’s gone on to star in movies and TV shows like Scream Queens, The Call and August: Osage County.
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Dev Patel (2009)
Image Credit: Jay Brady/Everett Collection While his co-star Freida Pinto ended up accepting his award on her behalf, actor Dev Patel won the Critics Choice for Best Young Actor for Slumdog Millionaire.
Patel has an extensive resumé after Slumdog including Hotel Mumbai, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The Newsroom, and 2024’s Monkey Man, which he also wrote and directed.
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Saoirse Ronan (2010)
Image Credit: Michael Caulfield/WireImage Irish-born actress Saoirse Ronan was nominated for the award three times and won in 2010 at just 16 yeard old for her role in The Lovely Bones.
Since then, she’s been in countless critically acclaimed roles like Atonement, Brooklyn, Lady Bird and Little Women. She’s also a four-time Oscar nominee.
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Hailee Steinfeld (2011)
Image Credit: Dee Cercone/Everett Collection Hailee Steinfeld’s role in 2010’s True Grit was truly spectacular, so it’s no surprise that she won the award for Best Young Actress. That same year, the 15-year-old went on to be nominated for her first Academy Award.
She’s been in countless movies and TV shows since then including The Edge of Seventeen, Pitch Perfect 2 and 3, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
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