22 Movie Kids: Act Your Age!

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Adam and Jacob Worton

Everett Collection

Film: Baby’s Day Out (1994)
Age: 18 months
Baby, You’re a Star! The twins played a kidnapped baby in this genre romp(er). —Josh Rottenberg

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Victoire Thivisol

Everett Collection

Film: Ponette (1996)
Age: 4
Baby, You’re a Star! French tot Thivisol played a girl grieving for her dead mother, delivering a performance that won her the Best Actress prize at the Venice Film Festival. —Josh Rottenberg

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Quvenzhané Wallis

Jess Pinkham/Fox Searchlight

Film: Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)
Age: 6
Baby, You’re a Star! Wallis, a non-professional actor, was just 6 when she shot Beasts. She was later one of the breakout stars of the Sundance Festival when the film won the Grand Jury Prize — Dramatic.—Josh Rottenberg

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Jonathan Lipnicki

Film: Jerry Maguire (1996)
Age: 6
Baby, You’re a Star! Did you know the human head weighs 8 pounds? Because everyone did after this adorable tyke starred opposite Tom Cruise in Cameron Crowe’s Oscar winner. —Erin Strecker

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Shirley Temple

Everett Collection

Film: Bright Eyes (1934)
Age: 6
Baby, You’re a Star! Singing ”On the Good Ship Lollipop,” Temple became America’s sweetheart. —Josh Rottenberg

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Mickey Rooney

Everett Collection

Film: The Mickey McGuire films
Age: 7
Baby, You’re a Star! Although he gained fame for the Andy Hardy series, the prolific actor actually got his big break as the star of this series, which started filming in 1927. —Erin Strecker

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Justin Henry

Everett Collection

Film: Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
Age: 7
Baby, You’re a Star! Henry scored a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination as a kid caught in an ugly divorce. —Josh Rottenberg

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Judy Garland

Everett Collection

Act: The Big Revue (1929)
Age: 7
Baby, You’re a Star! It certainly wasn’t her starmaking turn — that honor goes to her journey down the yellow brick road in The Wizard of Oz, which earned Garland a juvenile Oscar in 1940 — but the dynamite-voiced youngster born Frances Ethel Gumm got her start as part of The Gumm Sisters, performing songs at her father’s theater. —Erin Strecker

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Dakota Fanning

Film: I Am Sam (2001)
Age: 7
Baby, You’re a Star! Fanning broke out as the daughter of a mentally challenged Sean Penn. —Josh Rottenberg

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Drew Barrymore

Everett Collection

Film: Firestarter (1984)
Age: 8
Baby, You’re a Star! Barrymore had her first lead role as a kid with pyrokinesis in this Stephen King adaptation. —Josh Rottenberg

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Jaden Smith

Columbia Pictures

Film: The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Age: 8
Baby, You’re a Star! Jaden starred with dad Will in the feel-good drama. —Josh Rottenberg

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Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen

Everett Collection

Film: It Takes Two (1995)
Age: 9
Baby, You’re a Star! For their first big screen adventure, the twins played girls who weren’t actually related — they just looked similar. The film paved the way for the duo’s huge success in direct-to-video movie adventures, clothing lines, and business ventures we probably don’t even know about. They’re that rich. —Erin Strecker

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Macaulay Culkin

Everett Collection

Film: Home Alone (1990)
Age: 9
Baby, You’re a Star! The hit comedy propelled Culkin to overnight stardom. —Josh Rottenberg

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Mary Badham

Everett Collection

Film: To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Age: 9
Baby, You’re a Star! As the tough, proud Scout, Badham earned a Best Supporting Actress nod. —Josh Rottenberg

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Tatum O'Neal

Everett Collection

Film: Paper Moon (1973)
Age: 9
Baby, You’re a Star! Acting opposite dad Ryan, O’Neal became the youngest Oscar winner ever. —Josh Rottenberg

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Anna Paquin

Everett Collection

Film: The Piano (1993)
Age: 10
Baby, You’re a Star! Paquin learned sign language for the role and won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. —Josh Rottenberg

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Jurnee Smollett

Everett Collection

Film: Eve’s Bayou (1997)
Age: 10
Baby, You’re a Star! Smollett garnered raves as the daughter in a dysfunctional Louisiana family. —Josh Rottenberg

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Haley Joel Osment

Everett Collection

Film: The Sixth Sense (1999)
Age: 11
Baby, You’re a Star! You couldn’t turn on the television — or even have a conversation — during the summer of 1999 without hearing Osment’s unintentional catchphrase ”I see dead people.” With that line, and an incredible Oscar-nominated performance, 10-year-old Osment cemented his place in movie history. —Erin Strecker

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Elizabeth Taylor

Everett Collection

Film: National Velvet (1944)
Age: 12
Baby, You’re a Star! The two-time Oscar winner was one of the great stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Her first role came in 1942’s There’s One Born Every Minute, but America truly fell in love with the raven-haired, violet-eyed beauty in her breakout role in National Velvet. —Erin Strecker

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Kirsten Dunst

Francois Duhamel/Warner Bros.

Film: Interview With the Vampire (1994)
Age: 12
Baby, You’re a Star! Dunst played an ageless vampire — and kissed Brad Pitt. —Josh Rottenberg

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Chloë Grace Moretz

Lionsgate

Film: Kick-Ass (2010)
Age: 12
Baby, You’re a Star! By the time Moretz hit the ripe old age of 13, she had already built up quite a resume, with roles in The Amityville Horror, (500) Days of Summer, and the show Dirty Sexy Money. But it was her wallop of a performance as Hit-Girl in 2010’s Kick-Ass that made Hollywood — and audiences — take notice. —Erin Strecker

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Jodie Foster

Everett Collection

Film: Taxi Driver (1976)
Age: 12
Baby, You’re a Star! Foster courted controversy — and picked up Best Supporting Actress nom — with her turn as a prostitute. —Josh Rottenberg

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22 Movie Kids: Act Your Age!

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Adam and Jacob Worton

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Victoire Thivisol

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Quvenzhané Wallis

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Jonathan Lipnicki

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Shirley Temple

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Mickey Rooney

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Justin Henry

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Judy Garland

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Dakota Fanning

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Drew Barrymore

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Jaden Smith

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Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen

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Macaulay Culkin

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Mary Badham

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Tatum O'Neal

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Anna Paquin

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Jurnee Smollett

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Haley Joel Osment

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Elizabeth Taylor

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Kirsten Dunst

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Chloë Grace Moretz

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Jodie Foster

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