Best Child Actor Ever

Alfred Lutter, duh

Not Tatum O'Neal. Eww.

NONE of these.

i would vote for Victoire Thivisol, who played the title role in "Ponette."

Billy Mumy

Pamelyn Ferdin

Henry Thomas in E.T.

Quinn Cummings

Also, the kid from Big Little Lies. He was incredible.

R3 But she wasn’t that great in Chocolat.

What about Bonnie Blue from GWTW? What about Cousin Oliver from Brady Brunch? What about Pia Zadora in Santa Claus Conquers the Martians?

What about the Culkins? What about Jacob Tremblay?

Kim Fields

Haley Joel Eisenberg

Kim Richards

I was gonna ask about Elizabeth Taylor, who is obviously the greatest, but then I started thinking about Linda Blair ramming a crucifix into her va-jayjay and being raped by a broom handle in a TV movie so I voted for her.

^she was also convincing as a teen alkie. And later convincing on roller skates.

Baby Vance

I recently rewatched "The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane" (a movie that could NEVER be made today) and Jodie Foster turned in a completely formed adult performance and matched Alexis Smith line for line. Scott Jacoby, never a great actor, really suffered in comparison to Jodie.

Ana Torrent

Bobs Watson - The Story of Alexander Graham Bell 53:00-56:05

Honorable mention: Danny Lloyd: The Shining Henry Thomas: Raggedy Man & ET Tyler Hoechlin: The Road to Perdition

there's only one true choice

Dean Stockwell

Christian Bale

Elijah Wood

Kristen Stewart

Ricky Schroeder

Where the fuck is Nicholas Hoult? He's such a rare gem among boy actors.

Freddie Bartholomew

Christian Bale, Empire of the Sun

R25 Because he was only good when he was little?

Asa Butterfield?

R25, oh, please. Now that we know you don't have any streaming subscriptions.

Jodie shits all over all others.

The little girl in "Annette" was amazing. Stole the movie.

The Fanning horrors are by far the worst.

Natalie Portman in Leon The Professional. She was funny, believable and not irritating.

The children in Moonlight and The Florida Project were natural and believable. Most child actors make me want to vomit.

Hands down, Sydney Lucas in her performance of Fun Home, this song portrays the impressive range that she has, but she sustained this level throughout the whole show. She was breathtaking to watch and listen too and she did it all effortlessly.

Any one of these are better than the ones listed:

Matthew Stymie Beard

Virginia Weidler

Spanky McFarland

Alfalfa Schweitzer

Mickey Rooney

Judy Garland

Natalie Wood - Miracle on 34th Street. Her performance propelled the entire story.

Jodie Foster is great.

But a poll that does not include the inimitable Hayley Mills and Patty Duke is meaningless. Personal favorite, more of a teen actor, Elinor Donahue.

Kirsten Dunst

Mickey Rooney

Hayley Mills

To name three who should be on the list.

And Roddy Macdowell, whose beautiful young performances on films like How Green Was My Valley are often forgotten.

How can you even call this a list without Buck Mother Fucking Wheat?

Billie Thomas, AKA Buckwheat!

"Best Child Actor Ever"

The ones who say, "Yes", to a pool party invitation.

Ronnie Howard best

Larry Matthews worst

Thora Birch. She was the little girl in Patriot Games and the skeptical girl in the Miracle on 34th Street remake. She was in a film with Elijah Wood called "Paradise." Great little film.

r45 Mara Wilson was in Miracle on 34th Street. Thora Birch was in a non-classic called All I want for Christmas.

Though as far as I know she only ever made one film as a child Mary Badham in To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the greats.

Drew Barrymore.

Lindsey Lohan

The Bitch played twins when she was only 11!

^^^^^ Lindsay Lohan

Single performance, Patty McCormack in 'The Bad Seed"

Virginia Weidler. Mara Wilson.

Mara Wilson was the best part of the remake but the movie itself was poor.

I'm thinking Jodie Foster, but I'm also glad someone mentioned Elijah Wood and Patty Duke.