In recent years, several young actors have outshone even the lead stars with their remarkable performances and splendid acting skills.
From lighthearted comedies to gripping mysteries, these child actors prove that age is no barrier to talent.
Whether it’s Ian Armitage stealing hearts as Sheldon Cooper in Young Sheldon, or Owen Cooper captivating fans with his natural charisma as Jamie Miller in Adolescence, their performances have solidified their place as outstanding young artists and earned them many prestigious accolades.
Here’s is a look at 10 recent child stars who carried the entire show on their delicate shoulders.
Owen Cooper (Adolescence)
Owen Cooper recently made headlines for becoming the youngest male ever to win a primetime Emmy Award for his role as Jamie Miller, a schoolboy accused of murdering a classmate, in a limited Netflix series Adolescence.
The 15-year-old actor stunned the fans with his finest acting skills in one-shot drama with no prior acting experience.
"I think tonight proves if you listen, and you focus and you step out your comfort zone, you can achieve anything in life. Who cares if you get embarrassed? Anything can be possible. I was nothing about three years ago, I'm here now," Owen Cooper said in his award acceptance speech at the 2025 Emmy Awards.
Iain Armitage (Young Sheldon)
Iain Armitage first rose to fame as a toddler through his YouTube channel Iain Loves Theatre, where he gave reviews of his favorite plays and musicals.
As the son of theater actor Euan Morton and producer Lee Armitage, Iain landed his breakthrough role as Ziggy in HBO’s Big Little Lies at the age of seven, a series that went on to earn 16 Emmy nominations.
The 17-year-old star got his another leading role in 2017 as a young Sheldon Cooper in The Big Bang Theory spinoff Young Sheldon, where he ruled the fans hearts in all seven seasons.
His other noatbel works include films like Scoob! (2020) and PAW Patrol: The Movie (2021).
Ariana Greenblatt (Avengers: Infinity War and Barbie)
Ariana Greenblatt began her career as a pre-teen in the Disney Channel comedy series Stuck in the Middle.
Before turning 16, she had already appeared in several notable films, including A Bad Moms Christmas, Avengers: Infinity War, In the Heights and Barbie.
The 18-year-old recently appeared in the Disney TV show Ahsoka, Fear Street: Prom Queen and Now You See Me: Now You Don’t.
Ariana also shared screen with Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis and Jack Black in Borderlands.
Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things)
At just 22, Millie Bobby Brown has built a spectacular acting career, launched her own brand, and started a family with her husband Jake Bongiovi and is even now a mother to a baby girl and the reason is that she began working at the young age of nine.
She started her acting journey by appearing in two episodes of the ABC fantasy series Once Upon A Time In Wonderland.
Millie went on to star in shows like Intruders, NCIS and Modern Family before landing the role on Stranger Things that changed her life forever.
Abby Ryder Fortson (Ant-Man films)
Abby Ryder Fortson began her acting career at the age of 5 with a TV show, The Whispers.
Since then, she has taken on numerous TV and film projects, including Transparent, Togetherness, Trolls: The Beat Goes On, DuckTales, The Pitt, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret and, most notably, the two Ant-Man films.
Abby is currently set to star in the independently financed feature dramedy, Rated.