Titantic and Aviator are a good start.
Heck, if we’re going back as far as Leo, I nominate Jennifer Connelly. She’s not done any behind the camera work as far as I know, but she’s come a long way from her wooden (albeit beautiful) role as Sarah in Labyrinth.
I thought about suggesting Reese myself. Then I remembered Sweet Home Alabama and Legally Blonde 2. 
Oh, that’s the kid from I Am Sam and Taken, right?
Yeah, I can see her as the next Jodie Foster. Easily.
I’ve also heard nasty stories about Portman being… uh, let’s say “less than gracious” when approached by fans.
I’m sure it totally sucks to have people intrude on you all the time. When you’re not on the clock, you shouldn’t have to play the Good Celebrity, but still. Be polite.
Anyone who actually pays attention to his career as a whole instead of focusing in on his teen heartthrob phase from almost a decade ago.
Finally! Someone else that’s seen “The Little Girl Who Lives Down The Lane!” Great movie and she was fabulous in it. That’s where I learned that cyanide smelled like almonds.
Anna Paquin-only if she starts getting leading roles shortly…
I’m going to second Dakota Fanning - especially since I had this exact same thought this weekend.
She’s now co-starred aside Sean Penn, Denzel Washington, Robert DiNiro, Tom Cruise (the upcoming War of the Worlds), Tim Robbins (same), and Charlize Theron.
Um, have you ever waited in line for one of the Star Wars movies on opening weekends, or gone to a sci-fi convention? I’m sure Ms Portman is sick to death of being accosted by stereotypical Star Wars fanboys, and having starred in such a franchise as Star Wars, I’m sure she has to deal with the geeks and freaks much more than other actresses do.
It probably doesn’t have much to do with Star Wars. After she did the Professional (at the age of 12 or 13), she evidently drew a lot of attention from pedophiles and she and her family had to work very hard to maintain her privacy. I’m sure being approached by a stranger isn’t easy to deal with given some of the creeps who’ve tried to get close to her.
Nuh-uh.
Elijah Wood
Sorry, I meant to quote the post about DiCaprio and hit the quick reply instead.
That is, Elijah Wood beats Leo hands down as child-star-becomes-serious-actor. If we’re going to expand the discussion to boys.
Oh, and I loved The Little Girl Who Lived Down The Lane. Howcome TBS doesn’t get hold of that and play it to death. The book was awesome too!
Best Natalie Portman story I’ve heard is the one from Newsweek about Closer, that said when filming started she wanted to make friends with Julia Roberts. So she had a necklace made that spelled “C**T” (without the asterisks) and gave it to her.
And that’s someone she liked.
We’ll have to see what he does when he gets older, but what about Haley Joel Osment?
Actually, DiCaprio’s not a bad pick. He was amazing very young in This Boy’s Life and in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?. Far better choices than Jodie at that same stage of her career (see Bugsy Malone and Candleshoe). He did the crappy sitcom route for a bit (Growing Pains) but then, Foster did The Partridge Family, so you can’t say they both haven’t taken jobs just for the paycheck. People are pretty quick to jump on DiCaprio for his role in Titanic, but that movie was HUGE - someone must have liked it. Foster has taken roles that were critically slammed, as has DiCaprio, and both have been very successful in comebacks after disasters.
Interesting sidenote: both “broke through” in roles opposite Robert DeNiro. And now little Dakota Fanning is co-starring with him in Hide & Seek.