At 13, Keisha Castle-Hughes is the youngest best-actress nominee in Academy Award history, for playing a New Zealand girl who bucks Maori tradition to lead her tribe in “Whale Rider."
If she wins, she’ll be the youngest person to receive a best-actress Oscar, beating Marlee Matlin, who was 21 in 1986 when she won for “Children of a Lesser God.”
In the best actor category, the youngest winner was not so young: 29-year-old Adrien Brody for “The Pianist” in 2002.
Other young stars who have been recognized by Oscar over the years:
JUSTIN HENRY: The youngest nominee ever, Justin was 8 when nominated as best supporting actor for 1979’s “Kramer vs. Kramer.” It proved to be a battle for the ages: He lost to 79-year-old Melvyn Douglas in “Being There.”
TATUM O’NEAL/LINDA BLAIR: At 10, supporting-actress winner Tatum remains the youngest Oscar recipient for 1973’s “Paper Moon.” She beat out Linda, who was 15 when nominated for her role in “The Exorcist.”
MARY BADHAM/PATTY DUKE: In 1962, there was another child actor showdown when 10-year-old Mary, nominated for supporting actress in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” lost to 16-year-old Patty for her role in “The Miracle Worker.”
JACKIE COOPER: One of the first youngsters to be recognized by the Academy. He was 9 when nominated for best actor in “Skippy” (1930-31), but lost to Lionel Barrymore in “A Free Soul.”
ANNA PAQUIN: She was 11 when nominated for the supporting actress Oscar in 1993 for “The Piano.”
HALEY JOEL OSMENT: Another 11 year old. In 1999 Haley was nominated as best supporting actor for “The Sixth Sense,” but lost to Michael Caine in “The Cider House Rules.”