# Best performances by actors under 25 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 5, 2010, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performances-by-actors-under-25/527844 "2010-02-05T20:42:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performances-by-actors-under-25/527844/41 "2010-02-09T02:01:49Z")
I agree on Anna Paquin, that was a compelling performance. I am not so impressed with her on True Blood (I think the actress that plays Tara, especially in the first season, is better) but you can’t look away from her on _The Piano_. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performances-by-actors-under-25/527844/42 "2010-02-09T05:00:33Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > Jeez, people. > > Tatum O’neal in _ **Paper Moon** _. Darn it, I was going to bring up Tatum. I never thought much of her other roles, but she really nailed that one. It was a well deserved Oscar. I will also second Natalie Portman in **Leon** , and Haley Joel Osment in **The Sixth Sense**. They carried those films. There should be a thread for best performances by actors under 13. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performances-by-actors-under-25/527844/43 "2010-02-09T05:06:30Z")
Jodi Foster was pretty good in Taxi Driver. ---
**Author:** ![Sarabellum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarabellum/32/3492_2.png) [@Sarabellum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarabellum)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performances-by-actors-under-25/527844/44 "2010-02-10T04:15:16Z")
Edward Norton in Primal Fear. I’d never seen the guy before that, but it was immediately clear that he was an incredible talent. People were literally walking out of the theater saying, “Who WAS that kid that played Aaron Stampler? He’s going to get an Oscar for that!” He did get nominated, but lost. Not bad for his first movie performance ever. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performances-by-actors-under-25/527844/45 "2010-02-10T12:38:15Z")
Leonardo DiCaprio, _What’s Eating Gilbert Grape_ Judy Garland, _The Wizard of Oz_ James Dean, _East of Eden_ Ronnie Howard, _The Andy Griffith Show_ Patty Duke, _The Miracle Worker_ ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performances-by-actors-under-25/527844/46 "2010-02-10T19:28:18Z")
I have to go with Max Pirkis- 1st role EVER was in “Master & Commander,” followed by a future emperorin HBO’s “Rome” miniseries , before he was (unfairly) replaced by an older actor. ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performances-by-actors-under-25/527844/47 "2010-02-10T19:56:22Z")
Like The Academy, we all tend to equate ‘best performance by an actor’ with drama. But we shouldn’t ignore comedy performances. I think Ronnie Howard is the only funny kid mentioned here so far. But there have been lots that totally stole the show away from their adult costars. Sara Gilbert on Roseanne. Angus Jones on 2 1/2 Men. Heck, Jodi Sweeten was the best comedian on Full House (faint praise, I know) and maybe all of ABC for a few years at the end of the 80s. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performances-by-actors-under-25/527844/48 "2010-02-11T14:39:59Z")
Johnny Galecki on Roseanne. I was so impressed with him that I watched Big Bang from the beginning. I really really owe him for that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-performances-by-actors-under-25/527844.md?page=2)