Published By: Puja Sinha

Hollywood's Timeless Child Actor Debuts

Looking back in nostalgia at the finest and dearly cherished cinematic treasures

 

The child actors we cannot help but parse as if they were literary gems.

 

 Emma Watson

Emma Waston made her debut appearance in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001) as Hermoine Granger and instantly garnered a strong and loyal fanbase for her sassy, nerd look; a muggle-born with fierce academic mettle, cheeky attitude and daring spirit. In the wizarding world, Hermoine’s daunting presence and intellect is not merely a sidekick or foil to the famous Harry Potter around whom the franchise had fortified quite a castle of charisma and mystery. Indeed, Hermoine had been a beautiful amalgamation of extreme, friendly yet an intellectual snob, saviour yet a know-it-all; a bookworm with practical knowledge of the world and, most importantly, born to a dentist couple yet one of the finest wizards chronicled in the annals of Hogwarts. 

 

Natalie Portman 

 

Léon, The Professional, released in 1994 storming theatres and atriums of film critics with Natalie Portman’s performance. Léon has been critically slammed for being problematic in its story contrivances and portraying Mathilda (Natalie) in the avatar of Nabokov’s Lolita and letting her have an almost romantic relationship with Léon played by Jean Reno, yet Natalie shines in all her glorious innocence and troubling sexuality. The film is the epitome of innocence and brutality, and Portman’s impeccable acting has given it the popularity of a classic.

 

Isabelle Fuhrman

 

The spine-chilling and jaw-clenching psychological thriller was released in 2009 with Isabelle Fuhrman as its protagonist—an eerily different 33-year-old stunted woman suffering from hypopituitarism and seeking shelter with the Colemans, who later weaves a cascade of horrific crimes.

 

Macaulay Culkin 

Culkin’s first breakthrough came in 1990 with the cult classic Home Alone, and audiences cannot still stop going gaga over the many tidbits and trivia of the franchise. Kevin McCallister, a character abundant in mischievous childishness, is played by Culkin and adored worldwide. He is still memorable for the deadly traps he creates to befuddle the thieves. The films are entirely shouldered by this child protagonist who has since become the face of all fuzzy and glittery holiday seasons. 

 

 Tatum O’Neal

Paper Moon released in 1973, O’Neal’s performance is cemented in the history of critically acclaimed films every cinephile should watch. In this dramedy , set against the depravity and tragedy of the Great Depression, O’Neal plays Addie Loggins—an orphan trapped in the net of devious schemes and malice of brazen adults, wise and bohemian in spirit. Decades later, we are yet to find a more naturally talented con artist than this 9 YO Loggins.