# Non-annoying child actors **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 10, 2014, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-annoying-child-actors/690481 "2014-06-10T16:13:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2014, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-annoying-child-actors/690481/41 "2014-06-11T14:47:45Z")
The greatness of _The Cosby Show_ in its early years is due in no small part to Keshia Knight-Pulliam. And it’s crappiness in later years to Raven-Symone. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2014, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-annoying-child-actors/690481/42 "2014-06-11T16:55:47Z")
> [@xizor](#): > > Sara Gilbert played a smart ass kid on _Roseanne_ and did it without being annoying… Agreed! She was very good. > [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Maisie Williams. She’s simply amazing. Definitely - glad you mentioned her. And playing Arya on _Game of Thrones_ is her first role! ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2014, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-annoying-child-actors/690481/43 "2014-06-11T17:12:42Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > The little girl in Baron Munchausen. Yeah, she screamed a little too often – but, damn, she had every right! She was face-to-face with the Angel of Death! I thought she was more likeable than most child actors, and I admired her performance. > > (Looked it up; unless I misread the entry, the character was Sally Salt, and the actress was Sarah Polley.) Yes, it was [Sarah Polley](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Polley), who grew up to be a very cool actress, director and political activist. I disagree with many of the choices listed in this thread (although I did think about including Fred Savage in my post). I guess annoying child acting is in the eyes and ears of the beholder. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2014, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-annoying-child-actors/690481/44 "2014-06-11T17:22:58Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > Wil Wheaton was great on Star Trek. Some men just want to watch the world burn. ---
**Author:** ![CheshireKat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheshirekat/32/1207_2.png) [@CheshireKat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheshireKat)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2014, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-annoying-child-actors/690481/45 "2014-06-11T17:23:51Z")
My all-time favorite performance by a child is Patty McCormack in _The Bad Seed_. I don’t consider her annoying, since that was part of the character she portrayed. I haven’t seen the movie in a long time, but I vividly remember how evil she was in that role. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2014, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-annoying-child-actors/690481/46 "2014-06-11T17:31:05Z")
I think every kid in season 4 of The Wire was sensational and not at all annoying. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2014, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-annoying-child-actors/690481/47 "2014-06-11T18:13:19Z")
I first ran across Freddie Highmore in _Charlie and the Chocolate Factory_ and thought he was quite charming in what is a pretty thankless, goodie-goodie role. Which makes it all the more creepy to see him playing young Master Bates. ---
**Author:** ![bryanmaguire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d07c76/32.png) [@bryanmaguire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bryanmaguire)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2014, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-annoying-child-actors/690481/48 "2014-06-11T20:29:20Z")
46 replies and nobody has mentioned Jodie Foster? ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2014, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-annoying-child-actors/690481/49 "2014-06-11T22:04:53Z")
> [@bryanmaguire](#): > > 46 replies and nobody has mentioned Jodie Foster? Pssst! Post #10. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2014, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-annoying-child-actors/690481/50 "2014-06-11T22:19:28Z")
I think we’re kind of all over the place in terms of what qualifies as a child actor. Jodie Foster in _Taxi Driver_ and _Wil Wheaton_ in Stand By Me, which I think of as their respective big breaks, were both 13. They’re practically guaranteed to be less annoying than an eight year old Shirley Temple singing about animal crackers in her soup. ---
**Author:** ![bryanmaguire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d07c76/32.png) [@bryanmaguire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bryanmaguire)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2014, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-annoying-child-actors/690481/51 "2014-06-11T23:01:29Z")
> [@kath94](#): > > Pssst! Post #10. oops ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-annoying-child-actors/690481/52 "2014-06-12T15:25:49Z")
I’ll be the first to say that Drew Barrymore as Gert in _E.T._, and later in _Irreconcilable Differences_ was not annoying at all. She even managed to fail to annoy in _Firestarter_. ---
**Author:** ![bmasters1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5e925/32.png) [@bmasters1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bmasters1)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-annoying-child-actors/690481/53 "2014-06-12T16:02:50Z")
Joey King is someone who is not annoying, at least to me. Her top-flight performances as Ramona Quimby in _Ramona and Beezus_ and as Emily Cale in _White House Down_ have proven that in my opinion. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-annoying-child-actors/690481.md?page=2)