No doubt about it, 2015 was a great year at the movies. With too many great performances to count, some of the year’s best came from stars under the age of 18. Here are six amazing film performances from child stars this past year.
Jacob Tremblay
This unbelievably talented 9-year-old stole hearts with “Room,” winning numerous awards despite his young age. Tremblay plays isolated 5-year-old Jack in the 2015 drama centered on a Mother (Brie Larson) and son being held captive by a mysterious man for the first years of the boy’s life. The gripping story is told through Jack’s young eyes, and Tremblay perfectly captures his character’s moldable innocence.
Abraham Attah
This adolescent actor made his film debut with the 2015 Netflix epic “Beasts of No Nation,” impressing audiences worldwide. The young talent hails from Ghana (where the film was shot), but is making the rounds in Hollywood with numerous award nominations and wins, and an upcoming role in the feature “The Modern Ocean.” Attah plays the young boy-turned-child-soldier at the heart of “Beasts,” an emotionally gripping role and one of the most powerful performances of the year.
Noah Wiseman
Anyone brave enough to watch Wiseman’s performance in the 2014 thriller “The Babadook” will not soon forget the child actor’s intensity. The young Australian star plays Samuel in the film, an imaginative young boy whose fear of monsters may (or may not) be based in reality. Up next for the award-winning talent was a role in 2015 Australian short “Spaghetti.”
Isabella Crovetti-Cramp
A working actor for many years, the 11-year-old Crovetti-Cramp broke out with film critics as Young Joy in 2015’s “Joy.” She has also appeared on over 15 television shows including “Colony” and “The Neighbors.” As a young version of Jennifer Lawrence’s acclaimed character in “Joy,” Crovetti-Cramp’s youthful talent shines.
Isaiah Tootoosis
Born and raised in the Poundmaker Cree Nation in Saskatchewan, Canada, the 8-year-old Tootoosis made his feature film premiere playing a young version of Leonardo DiCaprio’s son in “The Revenant.” Tootoosis is the great-grandson of film and TV actor Gordon Tootoosis. Talent clearly runs in the family.
Abby Ryder Fortson
This 7-year-old film and TV star proves that big things come in small packages. Fortson played Ant-Man’s (adorable) daughter Cassie in the 2015 action film, and has appeared on “The Mindy Project” and “Transparent,” along with last year’s “The Whispers” and “Togetherness.” With so much under her belt with only a few years in the business, we look forward to many more great performances from the tiny actor.
Have a child actor in your life? Check out these tips: