Instances when a child actor upstaged his or her more celebrated counterparts

[Bramblethorn]

My immediate pick, the the actress who played Wednesday in the original Addams Family movie.

In perfect deadpan (about girl scout cookies): "Are they made with real girl scouts?"

She even upstaged her director in that movie. The original script had a very different ending to the Fester plot, and several of the actors didn't think it was right for the Addams Family, but it was Christina Ricci who talked Barry Sonnenfeld into changing it.

 

[AchtungNight]

The Home Alone and Problem Child films, but then they had children as protagonists, so the upstaging was a bit planned.

 

[lc69hunter]

Natalie Portman, in Leon: The Professional

 

[NoTalentHack]

This is one of those where it’s a fine point between writing and acting, but Winona Ryder in Beetlejuice. Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin were fine, but Winona Ryder was way, way better in just about every scene they shared. Part of that was that those were the two straight men, but even with that, she was a standout.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

This is one of those where it’s a fine point between writing and acting, but Winona Ryder in Beetlejuice. Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin were fine, but Winona Ryder was way, way better in just about every scene they shared. Part of that was that those were the two straight men, but even with that, she was a standout.

At first I wasn't going to say anything about his and stir the pot, but then remembering that the amazing Michael Keaton was absolutely brilliant in the title role ... uh no, I won't let you get away with this one. Wynona Ryder cannot be mentioned in the same sentence when it comes to acting, been out acted in every role she's ever had (Christian Slater acted circles around her in Heathers ... Cher - and even Christina Ricci 4 years old - in Mermaids same ... EVERYBODY in Reality Bites). She is the same person in every role and is only cast because of her stunning prettiness. She is effectively the female Keanu Reeves.

 

[lc69hunter]

At first I wasn't going to say anything about his and stir the pot, but then remembering that the amazing Michael Keaton was absolutely brilliant in the title role ... uh no, I won't let you get away with this one. Wynona Ryder cannot be mentioned in the same sentence when it comes to acting, been out acted in every role she's ever had (Christian Slater acted circles around her in Heathers ... Cher - and even Christina Ricci 4 years old - in Mermaids same ... EVERYBODY in Reality Bites). She is the same person in every role and is only cast because of her stunning prettiness. She is effectively the female Keanu Reeves.

Got to disagree with both your Winona Ryder opinion, AND, your Keanu Reeves opinion, but then again, that is why they make movies for all different tastes.

 

[NoTalentHack]

At first I wasn't going to say anything about his and stir the pot, but then remembering that the amazing Michael Keaton was absolutely brilliant in the title role ... uh no, I won't let you get away with this one. Wynona Ryder cannot be mentioned in the same sentence when it comes to acting, been out acted in every role she's ever had (Christian Slater acted circles around her in Heathers ... Cher - and even Christina Ricci 4 years old - in Mermaids same ... EVERYBODY in Reality Bites). She is the same person in every role and is only cast because of her stunning prettiness. She is effectively the female Keanu Reeves.

Oh, I didn’t say she outacted Keaton. Or O’Hara or most of the other adults. But she did outperform both of the aforementioned.