The 5 Youngest Academy Award Winners And Nominees Who Shocked Hollywood
The question of who holds the record for the youngest Academy Award winner is one of Hollywood's most enduring trivia questions, and the answer depends on how you define "win." As of the current date in December 2025, the undisputed record holder for the youngest person to ever receive an Oscar is Shirley Temple, who was just six years old. However, the record for the youngest person to win a competitive, voted-on award in a major category belongs to Tatum O'Neal, who was only 10 when she took home the coveted statuette.
This article dives deep into the stories of these record-breaking child stars, exploring the specific circumstances of their wins and the incredible legacy they left on the history of the Academy Awards. From the controversial Honorary Juvenile Award to the youngest Best Actor winner, we uncover the full list of the youngest talents to ever grace the Oscar stage.
Tatum O'Neal: The Youngest Competitive Oscar Winner Ever
Tatum O'Neal's win at the 46th Academy Awards remains one of the most remarkable moments in Oscar history, a record that has stood for over five decades. Her victory was a watershed moment for child actors, proving that talent knows no age.
Biography and Profile
- Full Name: Tatum Beatrice O'Neal
- Born: November 5, 1963, in Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- Age at Win: 10 years and 148 days old
- Award Won: Best Supporting Actress
- Film: Paper Moon (1973)
- Co-star: Her father, Ryan O'Neal
- Notable Works: Paper Moon, The Bad News Bears, Little Darlings, Rescue Me
- Current Status: Continues to act in film and television, and is an author.
The Historic Win for Paper Moon
Tatum O'Neal won the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award on April 2, 1974, for her debut role as Addie Loggins in the film Paper Moon. The film, directed by Peter Bogdanovich, saw her star opposite her real-life father, Ryan O'Neal, as a con artist and an orphan traveling through the American Midwest during the Great Depression.
Her performance was praised by critics for its maturity, wit, and emotional depth, particularly her natural chemistry with her father.
At just 10 years old, she beat out seasoned adult actresses like Linda Blair (for The Exorcist), Ellen Burstyn (for The Exorcist), Madeline Kahn (for Paper Moon), and Sylvia Sidney (for Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams). This victory solidified her place in cinematic history as the youngest person to win a competitive Academy Award in any category.
The Absolute Youngest: Honorary vs. Competitive Awards
To fully understand the record, it is crucial to distinguish between the two types of Academy Awards given to young performers.
1. Shirley Temple: The Youngest Overall Winner (Age 6)
The true youngest recipient of a golden statuette is the legendary child star, Shirley Temple.
- Age at Win: 6 years old
- Award Received: The Juvenile Academy Award (also known as the Miniature Oscar or Honorary Juvenile Award)
- Year: 1935 (7th Academy Awards)
This special, smaller Oscar was given for her outstanding contribution to screen entertainment during the year 1934. The Juvenile Award was a non-competitive, discretionary award given by the Academy's Board of Governors to recognize child performers whose work was deemed exceptional. Because it was an honorary award and not a result of a competitive vote in a major category, Tatum O'Neal retains the record for the youngest competitive winner, while Shirley Temple holds the overall youngest record.
2. Anna Paquin: The Second Youngest Competitive Winner (Age 11)
Following closely behind Tatum O'Neal is Anna Paquin, who became the second youngest competitive winner.
- Age at Win: 11 years old
- Award Won: Best Supporting Actress
- Film: The Piano (1993)
Paquin's win was another stunning upset, as she was nominated for her first-ever film role. Her emotional, unscripted acceptance speech is one of the most memorable moments of the 66th Academy Awards.
The Youngest Nominees Who Nearly Broke the Record
While winning is the ultimate goal, a nomination at a young age is a monumental achievement in itself. Several child actors have come close to breaking the competitive record, establishing their own records for youngest nominees.
The Youngest Nominee in History: Justin Henry
The record for the youngest nominee in any competitive category belongs to Justin Henry.
- Age at Nomination: 8 years old
- Category: Best Supporting Actor
- Film: Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
Henry's nomination for playing Billy Kramer, the son of Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep's characters, set a record that has stood for over four decades. His performance was widely praised for its raw, authentic portrayal of a child caught in the middle of a divorce.
The Youngest Best Actress Nominee: Quvenzhané Wallis
In a more recent record-breaking moment, Quvenzhané Wallis became the youngest person ever nominated for the Best Actress award.
- Age at Nomination: 9 years old
- Category: Best Actress
- Film: Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)
Wallis's powerful and captivating performance as Hushpuppy earned her the nomination, making her a global sensation and a symbol of youthful talent in cinema. She was the first person born in the 21st century to receive an Oscar nomination.
The Youngest Best Actor Winner: Adrien Brody
The Best Actor category has a significantly older record holder, highlighting the Academy's historical preference for older male leads.
- Age at Win: 29 years old
- Award Won: Best Actor
- Film: The Pianist (2002)
Adrien Brody’s win for his intense and transformative role as Władysław Szpilman in Roman Polanski’s Holocaust drama remains a remarkable achievement. He is the only person to win the Best Actor award before the age of 30, a testament to his dedication and commitment to the role.
A Detailed List of Young Competitive Academy Award Winners (Under 20)
The following list highlights the select few who have managed to win a competitive Academy Award before reaching their 20th birthday, showcasing the pinnacle of early-career success in Hollywood. The competitive Oscar winners list demonstrates the rarity of such a feat.
Competitive Oscar Winners Under 20:
- Tatum O'Neal: 10 years old, Best Supporting Actress for Paper Moon (1974 ceremony).
- Anna Paquin: 11 years old, Best Supporting Actress for The Piano (1994 ceremony).
- Patty Duke: 16 years old, Best Supporting Actress for The Miracle Worker (1963 ceremony).
- Timothy Hutton: 20 years old (just shy of 20 at the time of the win), Best Supporting Actor for Ordinary People (1981 ceremony).
- Jennifer Lawrence: 22 years old, Best Actress for Silver Linings Playbook (2013 ceremony). While not under 20, she is one of the youngest Best Actress winners in history, highlighting the difficulty of winning in the lead categories at a young age.
The fact that only three individuals have won a competitive acting Oscar under the age of 17 underscores the exceptional nature of these achievements. The Academy Awards, often seen as the ultimate recognition of a career, rarely bestow such honors on performers who are just beginning their professional lives.
The Legacy and Topical Authority of Young Oscar Winners
The stories of these young Oscar winners—Tatum O'Neal, Shirley Temple, and Anna Paquin—are not just footnotes in history; they are deeply woven into the topical authority of the Academy Awards. They represent a unique intersection of childhood innocence and professional excellence, a blend that often generates significant public fascination and media attention.
The debate over the "youngest winner" (competitive vs. honorary) ensures that the names of both Tatum O'Neal and Shirley Temple are continually brought up in discussions about Oscar records. Furthermore, the careers of the youngest nominees, such as Justin Henry and Quvenzhané Wallis, serve as a benchmark for every subsequent child actor who delivers a performance with Oscar potential.
Ultimately, while the competitive record held by Tatum O'Neal remains one of the most unbreakable in Hollywood, the full history of the Academy Awards youngest winners is a compelling narrative of talent, controversy, and the fleeting nature of childhood stardom.
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