Hollywood has never exactly been apolitical- from the legions of celebrities who spoke out in support of Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton this year to a number of black artists boycotting the Academy Awards due to last year’s #OscarsSoWhite controversy, La La Land is as politically charged as it’s ever been.
That’s part of what makes the success of various marginalized communities in Hollywood so special and so important. In an industry catered to white audiences, the success of artists of colour, LGBTQ artists and female artists is something truly worth celebrating.
This year’s Golden Globes were worth the watch for so many reasons- from the well deserved victories of Black artists like Donald Glover, Viola Davis and Tracee Ellis Ross to Meryl Streep’s amazing acceptance speech which reminded us why she’s the queen of literally everything. But it’s also worth noting that a certain under appreciated group of performers were rewarded last night: young actors.
Child stars have been a huge aspect of Hollywood blockbusters since the beginning of film, with starlets like Shirley Temple finding massive success and young actors like Jackie Cooper and Tatum O’Neal earning Oscar nods before even entering their pre-teens.
However, young actors have always gotten a bad rep. Child actors are often praised for “cuteness” rather than talent, and even the most promising young actors struggle to find roles in adulthood (if you’ve ever wanted to know what the kid from The Sixth Sense is doing now, I can assure you that Googling it will just depress you).
Even more alarming is the fact that, while we continue to write young roles, we often don’t protect the actors behind them. Look at Drew Barrymore, who needed rehab at the tender age of thirteen, or Cory Feldman, who claims an older industry professional assaulted him, and the abuse contributed to the death of his friend Corey Haim. What we lack in support for young stars entering a world of fame, we make up for in judgments and TMZ mockery.
Teen and young adult actors don’t have it much better. Roles for high schoolers are almost always given to twenty or even thirty somethings, and the roles they do get are often one dimensional, stereotypical parts written by lazy middle aged writers who don’t understand the experiences of millennials and don’t really want to try. It’s hard to find film or television that values children, teens and young adults as complex and multidimensional characters, rather than plot devices to explain to audiences how disgruntled middle aged protagonists have to deal with sulky high schoolers or to add a sense of cuteness to bland scripts.
But the tables are turning, and slowly, the young actor is becoming valuable again. Not only are they being offered better roles, but stories ABOUT children are finding success among all ages- and the Golden Globes reflect this.
Firstly, we have Stranger Things, the megahit, nostalgia-overload Series of the Summer, which happens to center around children and teens. While the young cast members, including the insanely talented Millie Bobby Brown were snubbed for acting nominations, the show was nominated for Best Drama (which on it’s own is a rarity for sci-fi), and it’s undeniable that the charming cast of kids has won the hearts of audiences everywhere.
Then, there’s Lion. Sunny Pawar wasn’t nominated for his role in the critically acclaimed film, but don’t worry, he’s got time- he’s only eight years old. It’s still impressive to see the movie’s star Dev Patel score a nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture at just 26.
Lily Collins, the starlet and daughter of pop icon Phil Collins was once known for her roles in critically panned films made by adults for teens– and now she’s a Golden Globes nominee for her work in Rules Don’t Apply at just 27. You’ll continue to see her on the big screen via a starring role in the upcoming To The Bone, a comedy about anorexia- yes, you read that right.
Then, there’s Hailee Steinfield. At the mere age of twenty, Hailee’s already earned some major acclaim. At 13, she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars for her role in True Grit. At the time, she was applauded for holding her own in a very adult film- and now she’s being celebrated for starting in Edge of Seventeen. It’s definitely refreshing to see films made for young people being seen as valid, award worthy art rather than just silly fodder for teens to spend their baby-sitting money on.
Finally, we have Captain Fantastic. Lead Viggo Mortenson may have been the only actor to snag a nod for this film about a man and his six children, but the movie still proved that there are wonderful, complex and interesting roles available for young people- and lots of talented children to fill them.
No matter what this year’s Oscar nominees will look like, the 2017 Golden Globes reminded us that young people slay- we always have and we always will.
