4 Celebs Who Won Oscars at a Young Age – Here’s What They Look Like Now

March 2025 began with the prestigious 97th Academy Awards (Oscars), an event that dates back to its first ceremony on May 16, 1929. At that time, it honored films released between August 1, 1927, and August 1, 1928.

Since then, four significant female Oscar winners have taken home the award at a young age. Here’s who they are and a look at what they look like now.

Margaret O’Brien

Margaret O’Brien, born on January 15, 1937, as Angela Maxine O’Brien, was welcomed into the world in San Diego, California. Unlike other child stars, she wasn’t pushed into acting by her parents. Instead, her path into Hollywood happened by accident.

In a past interview, O’Brien revealed that her mother, Gladys Flores, was widowed just months after her birth. Flores, a well-known Spanish dancer, once starred in a show with Eduardo Cansino. When she needed headshots but didn’t have a babysitter, she took her two-year-old daughter and their family dog along to the photography session.

Renowned photographer Paul Hesse took a liking to their dog and captured images of it for an upcoming cover of the Saturday Evening Post. O’Brien shared how she became involved, stating, “He said, ‘The baby’s not bad either, she’s kind of cute,’ and we made the cover.”

She and the family pet went on to be featured on seven more covers. MGM Studio scouts saw the covers, which led to her debut as a child star. The actress made a brief appearance in the 1941 film “Babes on Broadway,” which earned her a seven-year contract with the studio.

O’Brien rose to fame and became an instant star after being cast in 1942’s “Journey for Margaret.” The film had such an impact on her that she changed her name to “Margaret.” Throughout the 1940s, she remained one of Hollywood’s most prominent child stars.

She delivered a memorable performance as Tootie Smith in 1944’s “Meet Me in St. Louis.” In 1945, her performance earned her the Academy’s special Juvenile Award for Outstanding Child Actress of 1944, making her one of the youngest recipients of an Oscar.

Unlike Shirley Temple, O’Brien never experienced harassment while working in the industry. Temple once recalled in her autobiography that, at age 12, she was allegedly harassed by Arthur Freed, a top producer at MGM.

She reportedly remembered him exposing himself to her during her first visit to the studio, telling her, “I have something made just for you.” O’Brien credited her survival as a child actor in Hollywood to her mother.

In a 2022 interview, she shared that she had only good memories of growing up on the MGM lot. As one of the last surviving stars from Hollywood’s Golden Age, she recalled, “I was very fortunate to have a mother that spoke up to [studio head] Louis B. Mayer.”

She continued, “I think Judy [Garland]’s mother was afraid to speak up and didn’t really speak as she should have for Judy.” The actress clarified, “I’m not saying anything out of turn because Judy mentioned that about her mother.”

Garland, O’Brien’s co-star who played her older sister in “Meet Me in St. Louis,” was reportedly subjected to constant harassment from studio executives. They pressured Garland about her weight, forcing her to take amphetamines and barbiturates while working grueling hours.

O’Brien recalled, “When I came to the studio, that was all taken away.” She continued, “The school teachers were on the lot, there were no pills, no diet pills or anything like that when I came in,” adding, “Unfortunately, just before that, they didn’t know how bad diet pills would be for you.”

In a 1957 newspaper article, a then-20-year-old O’Brien reflected on transitioning out of her child-star image. She confessed, “One of the most difficult things about having been a child actress is trying to convince people that you are no longer a child.”

Fortunately, television helped her transition. “The wonderful thing about TV is that it has given me a chance to get out of the awkward age, something the movies couldn’t do for me,” she explained.

Now 88, O’Brien was honored by the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) Foundation, which acknowledged her contributions to the industry. The foundation recognized her ability to take on roles that required more experience than her years.

She became so beloved and admired by her colleagues and fans that she earned the title “America’s favorite sweetheart.” Fans worldwide continue to collect her dolls, hats, paper dolls, coloring books, and many other memorabilia items.

After watching her interview with Martha Guptill at the 2013 Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention, one fan commented, “She was and STILL is the most adorable child star of all time!”

Another person, after seeing a comparison of her childhood and present-day images on her 2025 birthday, said, “She was a natural! Great child actor and nice to know she’s still with us!”

Tatum O’Neal

Tatum O’Neal is another notable actress who won an Oscar at a very young age. Born on November 5, 1963, she is also an author and producer. Her father, Ryan, was a movie stuntman with a criminal record, while her mother, Joanna Moore, was an aging Hollywood starlet.

Seven months after the couple wed, they welcomed O’Neal and gave her a Southern name after her maternal grandmother. When the future actress was three and her brother was two, her mother divorced Ryan, who married Leigh Taylor-Young on the same day.

Unfortunately, her father lost custody of O’Neal and her brother, partly due to his criminal record and public infidelities. The siblings grew up in a Californian commune with their mother, where they were exposed to conditions no child should experience.

However, in 1970, when O’Neal’s father learned about the horrific conditions—including the actress sharing a bed with a baby who was still wetting themselves—he gained full custody of his children. He arranged for a tutor for O’Neal before she landed her biggest acting role.

When Polly Platt, Paramount director Peter Bogdanovich’s former wife, suggested O’Neal for “Paper Moon,” he visited Ryan O’Neal, who was then working as an actor in TV series like “Peyton Place,” and decided to take a chance on the little girl without even giving her a screen test.

Her father recalled, “I knew Peter made good movies, honest movies, heartfelt movies. This was the first opportunity to try to channel her energy and mind into something constructive, and this movie would give her what she never had enough of—love. For once, she would be able to be real proud of herself.”

At just 10 years old, O’Neal won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Addie Loggins in 1973’s “Paper Moon,” making her the youngest person ever to win a competitive Academy Award, a record she still holds. She starred alongside her father in the film.

Her career progressed with roles such as Amanda Wurlitzer in 1976’s “The Bad News Bears,” “Nickelodeon,” and “Little Darlings” in 1980. She later made guest appearances in shows like “Sex and the City,” “8 Simple Rules,” and “Law & Order: Criminal Intent.”

Unfortunately, fame also came with a highly scrutinized personal life. As a teenager, she transitioned from movie stardom to a media presence often characterized as a “wild child.” At 21, she began dating tennis player John McEnroe, leading to a tabloid frenzy. The couple was constantly followed by the paparazzi.

The media attention strained their relationship, and over time, O’Neal became known for her struggles with addiction. Substance abuse led to her temporarily losing custody of the three children she shared with McEnroe.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, O’Neal battled chronic pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis. A doctor, either unaware of or indifferent to her history of addiction, prescribed her morphine. In a 2025 interview, she admitted that during that period, she no longer wished to be around, even for her children.

O’Neal recalled, “I love them so much, but I’d already given so much.” However, she admitted, “Part of me just didn’t want to make it, you know?” In May 2020, she nearly ended her life after overdosing on pills in her Century City apartment, which caused a severe stroke.

She fell into a coma that lasted six weeks. When she awoke, she was unable to walk, talk, or see. Although her recovery has been long and difficult, she continues to make slow but steady progress in relearning basic functions.

Since the incident, Tatum O’Neal’s outlook has changed. She stated, “Now I don’t want to hurt myself,” adding, “Now I don’t want to [expletive] take drugs again — I really don’t.”

Anna Paquin

Anna Paquin was born on July 24, 1982, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Her mother, Mary Brophy, is an English teacher from Wellington, New Zealand, while her father, Brian, is a Canadian physical education teacher.

At the age of four, she moved to her mother’s native country. By the time she was nine, she had landed her first acting role in 1993’s “The Piano.” The following year, her performance earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Paquin became the first millennial to be nominated for an Oscar for acting, and the first to win. She beat out seasoned actresses Holly Hunter in “The Firm,” Rosie Perez in “Fearless,” Winona Ryder in “The Age of Innocence,” and Emma Thompson in “The Name of the Father.”

A video capturing the moment when Gene Hackman announced Paquin as the winner at the 66th Academy Awards showed the young actress looking around in shock. The audience chuckled as she struggled to contain her emotions before delivering her acceptance speech.

In her speech, the young actress thanked the Academy and acknowledged those who made “this all possible,” including Eddie Campbell, Pat Quirk, and Beanie, who took good care of her during filming. At 16, she moved to Los Angeles, where she completed her last two years of high school, graduating in 2000.

She later relocated to New York to attend Columbia University for a year. Between 2001 and 2004, she performed on stage in New York and London before landing a lead role in 2008’s “True Blood.” Paquin starred in the hit series until its conclusion in 2014.

In 2024, she made headlines when she attended the “A Bit of Light” premiere using a cane. The then-41-year-old actress, accompanied by her husband, Stephen Moyer, admitted that the past two years had been “difficult” due to undisclosed health issues affecting her mobility.

Despite also experiencing speech difficulties, Paquin said, “It hasn’t been easy.” However, a source later clarified that she is expected to make a full recovery. By 2025, she remains active in the industry and will celebrate her 43rd birthday in July.

Hayley Mills

Hayley Mills was born on April 18, 1946, in Marylebone, London, England. Her father, Sir John, was an actor, while her mother, Mary Hayley Bell, was a well-known novelist and playwright. Her sister, Juliet, also became an actress.

As a child, Mills was funny, outgoing, and intelligent, having spent much of her time around her parents and their friends. However, when she was nine, she was sent to boarding school, where she became more reserved among her peers. She found comfort in participating in school theater productions.

In 1958, director J. Lee Thompson spotted her talent while she was playing at home. He immediately cast her in “Tiger Bay” (1959), where she starred alongside her father. Her performance earned critical acclaim, including an award at the Berlin Film Festival.

This recognition caught the attention of Hollywood, and Walt Disney signed her to a five-year contract. Her first Disney film, “Pollyanna” (1960), became a box-office success and earned her the special Juvenile Academy Award at age 14.

Mills later revealed that she was unaware she had won the Oscar until it arrived at her doorstep. At the time, she was in boarding school in England and had missed the 1961 ceremony because she didn’t even know about it.

Reflecting on the moment, she admitted, “I didn’t know very much about the Oscars.” She added, “I didn’t know very much about anything, really. So it was all a big surprise.”

Mills recalled her reaction to the accolade being something like, “Oh, that’s sweet. What’s that?” It took a few years before she started appreciating what she had. The actress luckily has fond memories of her time as a child actor.

She recalled, “I worked with wonderful, experienced actors and actresses and excellent directors. If you can’t turn in a halfway decent performance with that kind of support around you, obviously you aren’t supposed to be doing it. I started acting at a time when children were younger.”

By her 70s, Hayley Mills had written about her Hollywood experiences in her 2021 memoir, “Forever Young.” In it, she reflected on her early career and the lessons she had learned. She opened up about “sleepwalking” through her early career.

Only now is she taking her “first real chance to understand and take ownership of the strange and remarkable things that happened to me.”

The Academy Awards remain one of the biggest nights in Hollywood, and on March 2, 2025, celebrities gathered at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood to honor films released in 2024.