Top 10 Youngest Award Show Winners
#10: Claire Danes 15 Years Old
She was Juliet to Leo’s Romeo and she protected the U.S. as Carrie Mathison in “Homeland.” But to some of us, Claire Danes will always be Angela Chase from “My So-Called Life.” The show only aired for one season before being canceled. But that was all it needed to gain a passionate cult following and earn its talented teen star a Golden Globe award for Best Actress in a Drama Series. Danes was only 15 years old at the time and would also find herself nominated for an Emmy later that year.
#9: Kristy McNichol 15 & 16 Years Old
These days, Kristy McNichol might not be a name that many people know. She was last seen on screen in the 1995 “Empty Nest” series finale and officially retired from acting in 2001. However, back in the 70s, McNichol was a popular teen star and made a very impressive name for herself with her role as Letitia "Buddy" Lawrence in the TV series “Family.” McNichol was nominated for an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for three straight years between 1977 and 1979. Not only did she win her first Emmy when she was just 15 years old, she took home a second two years later, days before turning 17. She’s the only person to win two Emmy’s before turning 18.
#8: Luis Miguel 14 Years Old
Some of you might not be as familiar with Miguel given that, unlike the other Latin singers of his generation, he never crossed over into the English market. But that sure didn’t hold back his success, as he was the best-selling Latin singer of the 90s. In fact, he continues to hold the record as the highest-grossing Latin touring artist. For this list, though, we have to go all the way back to 1985 when a 14-year-old Miguel took home the Grammy for Best Mexican-American Performance. Both he and Sheena Easton took home the golden gramophone for their duet, “Me Gustas Tal Como Eres.”
#7: Trent Kowalik & David Alvarez & Kiril Kulish 14 & 15 & 15 Years Old
14-year-old Trent Kowalik, 15-year-old David Alvarez, and 15-year-old Kiril Kulish made a whole lot of Tony Awards history back in 2009. It had nothing to do with their young ages, though. You see, all three boys shared lead actor duty in the Broadway production of “Billy Elliot the Musical.” Their nomination was the first time the Tony’s had ever nominated three actors as one performance. And just to make it all even that much more impressive, the role was each of the boys’ Broadway debuts!
#6: LeAnn Rimes 14 Years Old
LeAnn Rimes was singing at talent shows when she was 5, she was on “Star Search” at 8, and by 9 years old, she was a more experienced singer than many people twice her age. Then at 14, she did something that no one her age had ever done before. Rimes released her first studio album, “Blue” at the age of 13. When the Grammy’s came around the following year, a 14-year-old Rimes became the youngest Grammy winner at the time. And she did it twice, winning for Best New Artist and Best Female Country Vocal Performance.
#5: Daisy Eagan 11 Years Old
The next time someone bets you $10 that you can’t name the youngest female to ever win a Tony Award, you go ahead and take that bet. There are those who might be familiar with Daisy Eagan from her portrayal of Joey Riverton in the first two seasons of “Good Trouble” on Freeform. But Broadway buffs know she was showing her star power way earlier. Back in 1991 as just an 11-year-old girl, Eagan turned heads for her performance in the musical adaptation of “The Secret Garden.” She would eventually take home a Tony for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance in “The Secret Garden.” Enjoy your ten bucks.
#4: Anna Paquin 11 Years Old
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Canadian-born Anna Paquin is recognizable to many for her portrayal of Sookie Stackhouse in the HBO series “True Blood.” She even won a Golden Globe for the role at the age of 26. While most actors don’t even win their first major award by 26 years old, Paquin was an old pro by then, having taken home her first award 15 years earlier. Not only was it her first award, it was her first acting gig as well. Director Jane Campion chose Paquin out of 5,000 young girls who auditioned to play Flora McGrath in “The Piano” and she didn’t disappoint. 11-year-old Paquin became the second youngest Oscar winner ever, when she won Best Supporting Actress at the 66th Academy Awards.
#3: Frankie Michaels 11 Years Old
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They say that records are made to be broken, but Frankie Michaels set a record all the way back in 1966 that, as we enter the third decade of the 21st century, is still standing strong. Michaels was starring opposite Angela Lansbury and Bea Arthur in the original Broadway production of “Mame.” Both Lansbury and Arthur took home Tony Awards for their performances. Not to be outdone, so did Michaels. He was just 11 years old and he made history as the youngest person to ever win a competitive Tony. But wait, wasn’t Daisy Eagan also 11 when she won hers in 1991? Yes, but Michaels had only turned 11 a little over a month prior to his win, so his record still stands.
#2: Tatum O'Neal 10-Years-Old
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In the late 70s, Tatum O’Neal dated Michael Jackson, in the 80s, she married John McEnroe, and in the 2000s, she shoe-shamed Carrie Bradshaw in “Sex and the City.” O’Neal has given people a lot to talk about over the years, but maybe nothing had people talking more than when she became the youngest person to ever win an Academy Award. O’Neal was eight years old when she started filming “Paper Moon,” she turned nine during the production. A few months after turning 10, she won Best Supporting Actress at the 1974 Academy Awards. That same year she also took home the Golden Globe for ‘New Star of the Year – Actress.’ Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Patty Duke, 16 Years Old In 1963, Duke’s Supporting Actress Oscar Made Her the Youngest Winner Ever at the Time Roxana Zal, 14 Years Old 14-Year-Old Roxana Zal Is the Youngest Primetime Emmy Winner Ever Roxana Zal = zall https://youtu.be/qGHJEUwJlqM?t=106 Blue Ivy Carter, 9 Years Old The Daughter of Beyoncé & Jay-Z Is Now the Second Youngest Grammy Winner Ever Leah Peasall, 8 Years Old 8-Year-Old Peasall Won a Grammy for Work on the “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” Soundtrack Leah Peasall = LEE-uh PEE-saul https://youtu.be/Zf-kYFaPpJE?t=6
#1: Ricky Schroder 9 Years Old
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Before he was the grownup actor Rick Schroder starring in “Lonesome Dove” and “NYPD Blue,” he was child star Ricky Schroder starring in the 80s sitcom “Silver Spoons.” But even before that, he was little Ricky Schroder making his film debut in the 1979 movie, “The Champ.” While the film wasn’t very well reviewed by critics, it was a financial success and it put Shroder in the spotlight, earning him a Golden Globe award for Best New Male Star in a Motion Picture. He was only 9-years-old when he won, and he remains the youngest person to ever win a Golden Globe.
