YoungStar Award
The YoungStar Awards, presented by The Hollywood Reporter, honored young American actors and actresses from ages 6–18 in their work in film, television, stage and music. Winners were chosen via a poll of 3,500 entertainment industry insiders who read The Hollywood Reporter. The awards ceremony was held from 1995 until 2000; there was no ceremony in 1996.
First Annual YoungStar Awards
These are the winners of the First Annual YoungStar Awards held in 1995.Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Comedy Film
as Roger Bomman, Angels in the OutfieldBest Performance by a Young Actress in a comedy film
as Young Nala, The Lion KingBest Performance by a Young Actress in a Drama Film
as Claudia, Interview with the VampireBest Performance by a Young Actor in a Drama Film
as Erik, The CureBest Young Actor in a Daytime TV Program
as Lucky Spencer, General HospitalBest Young Actress in a Daytime TV Program
as Robin Scorpio, General HospitalSecond Annual YoungStar Awards
The Second Annual YoungStar Awards were held in 1997.Winners are in bold.
Best Young Actor in a Comedy Film
- Alex D. Linz as Sammy, One Fine Day
- Brad Renfro as Huckleberry "Huck" Finn, Tom and Huck
- Jonathan Taylor Thomas as Thomas "Tom" Sawyer, Tom and Huck
- Elijah Wood as Sandy Ricks, Flipper
- Adam Zolotin as Louie Durante, Jack
Best Young Actress in a Comedy Film
- Mara Wilson as Matilda Wormwood, Matilda
- Rachael Leigh Cook as Becky Thatcher, Tom and Huck
- Gaby Hoffmann as Lane Dandridge, Everyone Says I Love You
- Natalie Portman as Laura Dandridge, Everyone Says I Love You
- Mae Whitman as Maggie Taylor, One Fine Day
Best Young Actor in a Comedy TV Series
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tommy Solomon, 3rd Rock from the Sun
- Michael Fishman as D.J. Conner, Roseanne
- Marcus T. Paulk as Myles Mitchell, Moesha
- Benjamin Salisbury as Brighton Sheffield, The Nanny
- Jonathan Taylor Thomas as Randy Taylor, Home Improvement
Best Young Actress in a Comedy TV Series
- Tatyana Ali as Ashley Banks, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
- Kaitlin Cullum as Libby, Grace Under Fire
- Melissa Joan Hart as Sabrina Spellman, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
- Brandy Norwood as Moesha Mitchell, Moesha
- Madeline Zima as Grace Sheffield, The Nanny
Best Young Actor in a Drama Film
- Lucas Black as Frank Wheatley, Sling Blade
- Jonathan Lipnicki as Ray Boyd, Jerry Maguire
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Oliver Laird, The Juror'
- Joseph Perrino as Young Lorenzo "Shakes" Carcaterra, Sleepers
- Brad Renfro as Young Michael Sullivan, Sleepers''
Best Young Actress in a Drama Film
- Claire Danes as Juliet, Romeo + Juliet
- Rae'Ven Larrymore Kelly as Tonya Hailey, A Time to Kill
- Anna Paquin as Amy Alden, Fly Away Home
- Natalie Portman as Lauren Gustafson, Heat
- Liv Tyler as Lucy Harmon, Stealing Beauty
Best Young Actor in a Drama TV Series
- Adam Wylie as Zach, Picket Fences
- Lucas Black as Caleb Temple, American Gothic
- David Gallagher as Simon Camden, 7th Heaven
- Cirroc Lofton as Jake Sisko,
- Ryan Merriman as Young Jarod, The Pretender
- Michael Yarmush as Arthur Read, Arthur
Best Young Actress in a Drama TV Series
- Lacey Chabert as Claudia, Party of Five
- Jessica Bowman as Colleen Cooper, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
- Kirsten Dunst as Charlie Chiemingo, ER
- Ashley Johnson as Katherine 'Kate' Moloney, Moloney
- Jennifer Love Hewitt as Sarah Reeves Merrin, Party of Five
Best Young Actor in a Daytime TV Program
- Jonathan Jackson as Lucky Spencer, General Hospital
- Justin Cooper as Lucas Jones, General Hospital
- Steven Hartman as Rick Forrester, The Bold and the Beautiful
- Tommy J. Michaels as Tim Dillon, All My Children
- Nicholas Pappone as Phillip Chancellor IV, The Young and the Restless
Best Young Actress in a Daytime TV Program
- Kimberly McCullough as Robin Scorpio, General Hospital
- Kimberly J. Brown as Marah Lewis, Guiding Light
- Gina Gallagher as Bianca Montgomery, All My Children
- Erin Torpey as Jessica Buchanan, One Life to Live
- Ashley Williams as Danielle Andropoulos, As the World Turns
Best Young Actor in a Mini-Series/Made for TV Film
- Haley Joel Osment as Davis, Last Stand at Saber River
- Freddie Findlay as Tsarevich Alexei,
- Bug Hall as Eddie Munster, The Munsters' Scary Little Christmas
- Jonathan Jackson as Rudy Gatewick/Oliver Gillis, Prisoner of Zenda, Inc.
- Erik von Detten as Billy Jackson, Christmas Every Day
Best Young Actress in a Mini-Series/Made for TV Film
- Kirsten Dunst as Sara, The Siege at Ruby Ridge
- Hedy Burress as Linda Barrows, If These Walls Could Talk
- Ashley Johnson as Annie Warbucks,
- Jena Malone as Ruth Anne 'Bone' Boatwright, Bastard Out of Carolina
- Nicholle Tom as Amy Dustin, For My Daughter's Honor
Best Young Actor in a Saturday Morning TV Program
- Luke Tarsitano as Fudge, Fudge
- Michael Galeota as Bailey Kipper, Bailey Kipper's P.O.V.
- Ben Gould as Nicky Farina, '
- Richard Lee Jackson as Ryan Parker, '
- Kyle Labine as Evan Ross, Goosebumps
Best Young Actress in a Saturday Morning TV Program
- Megan Parlen as Mary Beth Pepperton, Hang Time
- Samantha Esteban as Maria, '
- Shannon Chandler as Josephine "Jo" McCormick, Big Bad Beetleborgs
- Sarah Lancaster as Rachel Meyers, '
- Elizabeth Lund as Heather, Big Bad Beetleborgs
Best Young Recording Artist
- LeAnn Rimes, Blue
Third Annual YoungStar Awards
Winners are in bold.
Best Young Actor in a Comedy Film
- Cameron Finley as Beaver, Leave it to Beaver
- Jesse James as Spencer, As Good as It Gets
- Alex D. Linz as Alex Pruitt, Home Alone 3
- Gregory Smith as Alan, Small Soldiers
- Kevin Zegers as Josh, Air Bud
Best Young Actress in a Comedy Film
- Hallie Eisenberg as Marie, Paulie
- Hatty Jones as Madeline, Madeline
- Lindsay Lohan as Hallie & Ann, The Parent Trap
- Christina Ricci as Dede Truitt, The Opposite of Sex
- Mara Wilson as Anabel, A Simple Wish
Best Young Actor in a Comedy TV Series
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tommy Solomon, 3rd Rock from the Sun
- Brandon Hammond as Matty, The Gregory Hines Show
- Jonathan Lipnicki as Alex, Meego
- Tahj Mowry as T.J. Henderson, Smart Guy
- Ben Savage as Cory Matthews, Boy Meets World
- Jonathan Taylor Thomas as Randy Taylor, Home Improvement
Best Young Actress in a Comedy TV Series
- Kaitlin Cullum as Libby, Grace Under Fire
- Danielle Fishel as Topanga Lawrence, Boy Meets World
- Larisa Oleynik as Alex, The Secret World of Alex Mack
- Madylin Sweeten as Ally, Everybody Loves Raymond
- Emily Mae Young as Lilly, Step by Step
Best Young Actor in a Drama Film
- Cameron Finley as Travis, Hope Floats
- Brandon Hammond as Ahmad Chadway, Soul Food
- Eamonn Owens as Francie, The Butcher Boy
- Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk as Dalai Lama, Seven Years in Tibet
- Elijah Wood as Leo, Deep Impact
Best Young Actress in a Drama Film
- Meagan Good as Cisely Batiste, Eve's Bayou
- Scarlett Johansson as Grace, The Horse Whisperer
- Christina Ricci as Wendy, The Ice Storm
- Jurnee Smollett as Eve Batiste, Eve's Bayou
- Mae Whitman as Bernice, Hope Floats
Best Young Actor in a Drama TV Series
- Andrew and Steven Cavarno as Owen, Party of Five
- David Gallagher as Simon Camden, 7th Heaven
- George O. Gore II as Gregory "G" Williams, New York Undercover
- Ross Malinger as Roland, Party of Five
- Austin O'Brien as Joshua Greene, Promised Land
- Michael Yarmush as Eric, My Life as a Dog
Best Young Actress in a Drama TV Series
- Jessica Biel as Mary Camden, 7th Heaven
- Lacey Chabert as Claudia, Party of Five
- Erika Christensen as Romy, Nothing Sacred
- Beverley Mitchell as Lucy Camden, 7th Heaven
- Caitlin Wachs as Chloe, Profiler
- Michelle Williams as Jen Lindley, Dawson's Creek
Best Young Actor in a Daytime TV Program
- Jonathan Jackson as Lucky Spencer, General Hospital
- Sean Marquette as Jamie Martin, All My Children
- Nicholas Pappone as Phillip Chancellor IV, The Young and the Restless
- Tyrone Savage as young Isaac Newton, The Inventor Specials: Newton
- Jeffery Wood as Jimmy Harrison, Sunset Beach
Best Young Actress in a Daytime TV Program
- Jessica Alba as Maya Graham, Flipper
- Camryn Grimes as Cassie Newman, The Young and the Restless
- Alexas Manta as Amanda, As the World Turns
- Robyn Richards as Maxie Jones, General Hospital
- Erin Torpey as Jessica Buchanan, One Life to Live
Best Young Actor in a Mini-Series/Made for TV Film
- Seth Adkins as Robbie, ...First Do No Harm
- Zachery Ty Bryan as John Scaduto, Principal Takes a Holiday
- Matthew Lawrence as Jesse, Angels in the Endzone
- Frankie Muniz as young Sammy, What the Deaf Man Heard
- Elijah Wood as the Artful Dodger, Oliver Twist
Best Young Actress in a Mini-Series/Made for TV Film
- Kirsten Dunst as Tina, Fifteen and Pregnant
- Tina Majorino as Avocet Abigail, Before Women Had Wings
- Jena Malone as Lily, Hope
- Chaz Monet as Ruby, Ruby Bridges
Best Young Actor in a Saturday Morning TV Program
- Ben Gould as Nicky Farina,
- Phillip Van Dyke as Ned, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
- Scott Whyte as Chris, City Guys
Best Young Actress in a Saturday Morning TV Program
- Samantha Esteban as Maria, '
- Erica Luttrell as Emilie Robeson, The New Ghostwriter Mysteries
- Lindsey McKeon as Katie Peterson, '
- Megan Parlen as Mary Beth Pepperton, Hang Time
- Charlotte Sullivan as Camella Gorik, The New Ghostwriter Mysteries
Best Young Recording Artist or Musical Group
- Hanson, Middle of Nowhere
- Jonny Lang, Jonny Lang in Concert
- Monica, The Boy Is Mine
- LeAnn Rimes, LeAnn Rimes in Concert
- Usher, Usher
Fourth Annual YoungStar Awards
The show included a musical performance by Renee Olstead.
Winners are in bold.
Best Young Actor in a Comedy Film
- Dylan and Cole Sprouse as Julian, Big Daddy
- Eli Marienthal as Ricky Abramowitz, Slums of Beverly Hills
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Cameron, 10 Things I Hate About You
- Jason Schwartzman as Max Fisher, Rushmore
- Mason Gamble as Dirk, Rushmore
Best Young Actress in a Comedy Film
- Rachael Leigh Cook as Laney Boggs, She's All That
- Jessica Campbell as Tammy Metzler, Election
- Larisa Oleynik as Bianca Stratford, 10 Things I Hate About You
- Julia Stiles as Katarina, 10 Things I Hate About You
- Leelee Sobieski as Aldys, Never Been Kissed
Best Young Actor in a Comedy TV Series
- Zachery Ty Bryan as Brad Taylor, Home Improvement
- Benjamin Salisbury as Brighton Sheffield, The Nanny
- Michael Galeota as Nick, The Jersey
- Eric Lloyd as Little John, Jesse
- Justin Berfield as Ross, Unhappily Ever After
Best Young Actress in a Comedy TV Series
- Madeline Zima as Grace Sheffield, The Nanny
- Madylin Sweeten as Ally, Everybody Loves Raymond
- Larisa Oleynik as Alissa Strudwick, 3rd Rock from the Sun
- Mila Kunis as Jackie Burkhart, That '70s Show
- Azura Skye as Jane, Zoe, Duncan, Jack and Jane
Best Young Actor in a Drama Film
- Jonathan Jackson as Vincent, The Deep End of the Ocean
- Joseph Mazzello as John, Simon Birch
- Jake Gyllenhaal as Homer Hickman, October Sky
- Chris Owen as Quentin, October Sky
- Jake Lloyd as Anakin Skywalker,
- Ryan Merriman as Sam, The Deep End of the Ocean
Best Young Actress in a Drama Film
- Jena Malone as Anna, Stepmom
- Natalie Portman as Queen Amidala,
- Anna Paquin as Alison, A Walk on the Moon
- Heather Matarazzo as Grace O'Shea, 54
- Mika Boorem as Natalie, Jack Frost
Best Young Actor in a Drama TV Series
- Austin O'Brien as Joshua Greene, Promised Land
- Robert Iler as Anthony Soprano, Jr., The Sopranos
- Ryan Merriman as Young Jarod, The Pretender
- Marcus T. Paulk as Myles Mitchell, Moesha
- David Gallagher as Simon Camden, 7th Heaven
Best Young Actress in a Drama TV Series
- Mae Whitman as Sara, Chicago Hope
- Lacey Chabert as Claudia, Party of Five
- Jamie Lynn Sigler as Meadow Soprano, The Sopranos
- Sarah Rayne as Lexy Logan, Legacy
- Michelle Williams as Jen Lindley, Dawson's Creek
Best Young Actor in a Daytime TV Program
- Jonathan Jackson as Lucky Spencer, General Hospital
- Logan O'Brien as Lucas Jones, General Hospital
- Nicholas Pappone as Phillip Chancellor IV, The Young and the Restless
- Craig Lawlor as Adam Hughes, As the World Turns
- Joseph Cross as Casey Hughes, As the World Turns
Best Young Actress in a Daytime TV Program
- Amber Tamblyn as Emily Quartermaine, General Hospital
- Carly Schroeder as Serena Baldwin, Port Charles
- Erin Torpey as Jessica Buchanan, One Life to Live
- Ashley Cafagna as Kimberly Fairchild, The Bold and the Beautiful
Best Young Actor in a Mini-Series/Made for TV Film
- Adam Wylie as Jack, Michael Landon, the Father I Knew
- Adam Wylie as Charles, Balloon Farm
- Haley Joel Osment as Bobby, Cab to Canada
- Andrew Ducote as Brandon, Judgement Day: The Ellie Nesler Story
- Phillip Van Dyke as Luke, Halloweentown
- Ryan Merriman as Ben, Smart House
Best Young Actress in a Mini-Series/Made for TV Film
- Leelee Sobieski as Joan of Arc, Joan of Arc
- Evan Rachel Wood as Robin Garr, Down Will Come Baby
- Raven-Symoné as Nebula,
- Tina Majorino as Alice, Alice in Wonderland
- Dominique Swain as Lolita, Lolita
Best Young Actor in a Saturday Morning TV Program
- Brandon Baker as Cray Blake, One World
- Tom Wade Huntington as Tony,
Best Young Actress in a Saturday Morning TV Program
- Alisa Reyes as Marci Blake, One World
- Ashley Cafagna as Liz Miller, '
- Lindsey McKeon as Katie Peterson, '
- Megan Parlen as Mary Beth Pepperton, Hang Time
Best Young Recording Artist or Musical Group
- Hanson, Live from Albertane
- Britney Spears, ...Baby One More Time
- Christina Aguilera, Christina Aguilera
- Jonny Lang, Wander This World
Best Performance in a Voice Over Talent
- Rickey D'Shon Collins, voice of Vince, Recess
- Mae Whitman, voice of Little Susie, Johnny Bravo
- Adam Wylie, voice of Louis, The King and I
- Sam Gifaldi, various voices, Hey Arnold!
- Myles Jeffrey, voice of Easy, '
- Michael Yarmush, the original voice of Arthur Read'''
Fifth Annual YoungStar Awards
Winners are listed in bold.
Best Young Actor in a Comedy Film
- Jonathan Lipnicki as George Little, Stuart Little
- Spencer Breslin as Rusty Duritz, Disney's The Kid
- Sam Huntington as Jeremiah 'Jam' Bruce, Detroit Rock City
- Malcolm Stumpf as Sam, The Next Best Thing
- Mark Webber as Hal Brandston, Snow Day
Best Young Actress in a Comedy Film
- Kirsten Dunst as Betsy Jobs, Dick
- Natalie Portman as Novalee Nation, Where the Heart Is
- Hallie Eisenberg as Young Little Miss Amanda Martin, Bicentennial Man
- Michelle Trachtenberg as Penny, Inspector Gadget
- Mara Wilson as Lily Stone, Thomas and the Magic Railroad
Best Young Actor in a Comedy TV Series
- Frankie Muniz as Malcolm, Malcolm in the Middle
- John Francis Daley as Sam Weir, Freaks and Geeks
- Shia LaBeouf as Louis Anthony Stevens, Even Stevens
- Eric Lloyd as Little John, Jesse
- Arjay Smith as Allen Strange, The Journey of Allen Strange
Best Young Actress in a Comedy TV Series
- Amanda Bynes, The Amanda Show
- Mila Kunis as Jackie Burkhart, That '70s Show
- Danielle Fishel as Topanga Lawrence, Boy Meets World
- Sarah Hagan as Millie Kentner, Freaks and Geeks
- Alexa Vega as Wendy Stiles, Ladies Man
Best Young Actor in a Drama Film
- Frankie Muniz as Willie Morris, My Dog Skip
- Haley Joel Osment as Cole Sear, The Sixth Sense
- Michael Angarano as Nick, Music of the Heart
- Lucas Black as Peter Joseph Bullis, Crazy in Alabama
- Trevor Morgan as Nathan Martin, The Patriot
Best Young Actress in a Drama Film
- Kirsten Dunst as Lux Lisbon, The Virgin Suicides
- Thora Birch as Jane Burnham, American Beauty
- Kimberly J. Brown as Ava Walker, Tumbleweeds
- Jena Malone as Heather Aubrey, For Love of the Game
- Anne Suzuki as Young Hatsue Imada, Snow Falling on Cedars
Best Young Actor in a Drama TV Series
- Robert Iler as Anthony Soprano, Jr., The Sopranos
- Vincent Berry as Atticus Finch Henderson, Manhattan, AZ
- David Gallagher as Simon Camden, 7th Heaven
- Eric Lively as Carey Bell, So Weird
- Ryan Merriman as Young Jarod, The Pretender
Best Young Actress in a Drama TV Series
- Heather Matarazzo as Heather Wiseman, Now and Again
- Jamie Lynn Sigler as Meadow Soprano, The Sopranos
- Lacey Chabert as Claudia, Party of Five
- Cara DeLizia as Fiona 'Fi' Phillips, So Weird
- Evan Rachel Wood as Jessie Sammler, Once and Again
Best Young Actor in a Daytime TV Program
- Josh Ryan Evans as Timmy Lenox, Passions
- Jonathan Jackson as Lucky Spencer, General Hospital
- Billy Kay as Shayne Lewis, Guiding Light
- Justin Torkildsen as Rick Forrester, The Bold and the Beautiful
- Paul Wesley as Max Nickerson, Guiding Light
Best Young Actress in a Daytime TV Program
- Amber Tamblyn as Emily Quartermaine, General Hospital
- Ashley Tesoro as Kimberly Fairchild, The Bold and the Beautiful
- Camryn Grimes as Cassie Newman, The Young and the Restless
- Hayden Panettiere as Lizzie Spaulding, Guiding Light
- Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Jessica Bennett, Passions
Best Young Actor in a Mini-Series/Made for TV Film
- Seth Adkins as Pinocchio, Geppetto
- Blake Heron as Matt Kur, Cheaters
- Shawn Pyfrom as Danny Bonaduce, '
- Will Rothhaar as Kip, An American Daughter
- Michal Suchánek as Danny Thorell, '
Best Young Actress in a Mini-Series/Made for TV Film
- Alicia Morton as Annie, Annie
- Kaitlin Cullum as Eve Plumb, Growing Up Brady
- Kaley Cuoco as Maureen McCormick, Growing Up Brady
- Rae'Ven Larrymore Kelly as Dora Charles, Freedom Song
- Emily Mae Young, Santa and Pete
Best Young Actor in a Saturday Morning TV Program
- Ben Gould as Nicky Farina,
- Brandon Baker as Cray Blake, One World
- Jon Lee, Miami 7
Best Young Actress in a Saturday Morning TV Program
- Alisa Reyes as Marci Blake, One World
- Lindsey McKeon as Katie Peterson, '
- Ashley Tesoro as Liz Miller, '
Best Young Recording Artist or Musical Group
- Charlotte Church, Voice of an Angel
- Billy Gilman, One Voice
- Hoku, Hoku
- Rachael Lampa, Live For You
- Mandy Moore, I Wanna Be With You
Best Performance in a Voice Over Talent
- Eli Marienthal, voice of Hogarth Hughes, The Iron Giant
- Lacey Chabert, voice of Eliza Thornberry, The Wild Thornberrys
- Spencer Klein, voice of Arnold, Hey Arnold!
- Hayden Panettiere, voice of Suri, Dinosaur
- Francesca Smith, voice of Helga Pataki, Hey Arnold!
Best Television Ensemble Cast
- Frankie Muniz, Justin Berfield, Erik Per Sullivan, Christopher Masterson and Craig Lamar Traylor, Malcolm in the Middle
- David Gallagher, Jessica Biel, Beverley Mitchell and Mackenzie Rosman, 7th Heaven
- Patrick Levis, Eric Lively, Cara DeLizia and Erik von Detten, So Weird
- Cameron Richardson, Antoinette Picatto and Michael Angarano, Cover Me
- John Francis Daley, Samm Levine, Martin Starr, Natasha Melnick and Sarah Hagan, Freaks and Geeks
Best Stage Performance by a Young Actor
- Bix Bettwy as Boy in Shakespeare's Henry V at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre
Best Stage Performance by a Young Actress
- Emily Hong as multiple roles in Broken Hearts at Los Angeles' Cornerstone Theater
YoungStar Starlight Award
- Christina Aguilera