It Ain't Hemingway

It’s Oscar time! The only night of the year you get to see your favorite stars gather in their best attire and win the biggest award in their industry. Will this be the year Leonardo finally gets a nod? Will Jennifer Lawrence take yet another tumble on the stage stairs? Will we be witnesses to any “Firsts” this year? We are celebrating the 2016 Oscar awards with a little bit of trivia for you to enjoy this Oscar evening. Are you able to list the youngest actors who were ever nominated or who won an Oscar? Check out our list of the youngest winners and nominees in the categories of Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actor.

Best Actress Nominee

Who: Quvenzhané Wallis

What: “Beasts of the Southern Wild”

Age: 9

Year: 2013

Quvenzhané Wallis starred in the movie “Beasts of the Southern Wild” which tells the story of a young girl named Hushpuppy facing devastation from a storm in her New Orleans community. Quvenzhané lives with her demanding father who is in ill health. We follow her as she deals with her father’s disappearance and trying to survive in her devastated community called Bathtub. The story was adapted by Behn Zeitlin and Lucy Alibar from the one-act play “Juicy and Delicious” which was written by Alibar.

Wallis was born in 2003 in Houma, Louisiana. She was also nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance in Annie in 2014.

Best Actor Nominee

Who: Jackie Cooper

What: “Skippy”

Age: 9

Year: 1931

Jackie Cooper is a Hollywood icon and had a strong career well into adulthood. Cooper starred in “Skippy”, a young boy who rebels against his fathers and finds himself trying to save the life of his dog that he loves so much after damaging the wrong person’s car.

Cooper was born in Los Angeles, California in 1922 and died at age 89. He was able to make the difficult transition into Adult acting career and worked until his final film “Surrender” in 1987, starring Sally Field, Michael Caine, and Steve Guttenberg.

Best Actress Winner

Who: Marlee Matlin

What: “Children of a Lesser God”

Age: 21

Year: 1987

Not only was Marlee Matlin the youngest winner of an Academy Award, she was also the only deaf performer to win and award. Matlin’s hearing loss was due to a bout with the roseola virus. It has been suggested she may have a genetically malformed cochlea.

“Children of a Lesser God” was adapted from a Tony award-winning stage play. Matlin played opposite William Hurt as a young deaf girl resisting to speak as William Hurt’s character pressures her to do so.

Hurt and Matlin went on to have a tumultuous relationship that Matlin described as abusive.

Best Actor Winner

Who: Adrien Brody

What: “The Pianist”

Age: 29

When: 2003

“The Pianist”, was co-produced and directed by Roman Polanski. The story is based on an autobiography, by the Polish-Jewish pianist and composer. The story follows Szpilman on his quest for survival in war-torn Warsaw during World War II.

Brody grew up in Queens New York with his Jewish Father and Catholic Mother. He started acting at a young age and was also very interested in magic.

Best Supporting Actor Nominee

Who: Justin Henry

What: “Kramer vs. Kramer”

Age: 8

Year: 1980

The former child actor played Billy Kramer in “Kramer vs. Kramer”, the story of a divorce between a couple living in Manhattan. An out of touch father finds raising a child as a single parent challenging.

Henry was also nominated for two Golden Globe Awards for Best Supporting Actor and for New Actor of the Year.

Best Supporting Actress Nominee

Actress: Tatum O’Neal

What: “Paper Moon”

Age: 10

When: 1974

Actress Tatum O’Neal ended up winning this award. See “Best Supporting Actress Winner” below.

Best Supporting Actor Winner

Who: Timothy Hutton

What: “Ordinary People”

Age: 20

When: 1981

Hutton won the award for playing Conrad Jarrett in “Ordinary People”, which also starred Mary Tyler Moore and Donald Sutherland. The story starts after an accidental death of Hutton’s older brother. The relationship between Hutton’s character and his Mother is strained which has Hutton’s character attempting suicide. The movie earned  six Academy Awards nomination, four of which were won. 

Best Supporting Actress Winner

Who: Tatum O’Neal

What: “Paper Moon”

Age: 10

When: 1974

Paper Moon is about a con man, played by Tatum O’Neals real father, Ryan O’Neal, who is asked to deliver a 10-year-old Addie Loggins, played by Tatum O’Neal, to her aunt’s house after the death of her Mother. It is suspected That the con man may be Addie’s biological father.

Tatum O’Neal was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress, and Ryan O’Neal was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor.