Girls into Women

First spotted in the BBC TV version of The Railway Children (even before the Lionel Jeffries movie version), Miss Agutter, who is very nearly exactly the same age as me, became an eclectic actress. I have enjoyed following her career.

Miss Ricci made an impression as a child performer in the Addams Family films and Casper. As an adult performer, she is courageous and takes no prisoners.

Miss Bennett single-handedly lifted the Wesley Snipes vehicle The Contractor out of mediocity, and added a needed element of touching vulnerability to Inkheart. Her adult career so far has been disappointing: one hopes she will find vehicles to enable her to shine.

I include Miss Nélisse having seen her in a single film, The Book Thief. On the basis of her performance in that film, I am confident that she will move gracefully into adulthood, and will provide us with some powerful performances on the way.

She was an engaging child performer, but I doubt anyone expected Miss Johansson's career to take the path it has. It would have been so easy for her to continue to take bimbo parts: to her credit, she has made some interesting and off-the-wall choices. I also don't think that the skin-tight black leather of the Black Widow has done her any harm at all.

After several minor parts, the lead in Labyrinth brought Miss Connelly to public attention at age 15. Her career has been wildly varied, the one consistent element being how good she has been in all of it.

At the time of writing, Miss Breslin is sitting right on the border where childhood meets adulthood. Having demonstrated that she is an accomplished child actor, she has already served notice that she won't be making compromises as her career moves towards stronger material.

Miss Watson was truly horrible in the first Harry Potter film: by the third, she had become so magnetic on screen that you couldn't take your eyes off her. Her career as an adult has been a little hesitant so far, but she is good and will continue to demonstrate this.

Miss Franklin, a successful child actress, attracted attention with a strong performance in The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie at age 18. She also attracted me, at age 17. After a handful of varied movies, she had a successful TV career before retiring in the 1980s.

One of a handful of people who almost define the very concept of child actors becoming successful adult actors, she commanded the screen as a child, and has had a powerfully successful and respected career as an adult.

Miss Balk made a mark at age 11 as Dorothy in Disney's Return To Oz. Her adult career has been somewhat sporadic, but always interesting.

The ridiculously talented Miss Ronan, leaping to prominence in Atonement at the age of 13, has continued to impress with a series of performances, all entirely right for her age at the time she made them. It is only a matter of time before she collects her first Oscar.

Miss Robb both filled and broke my heart in Bridge To Terabithia. I can't say that her career since has excited me, but there is still plenty of time.

After starting with a couple of films which are almost calculated to appeal to those with an interest in underage girls, Miss Shields moved on to a career as an adult which has been successful if unexciting.

I first spotted her in Thunderbirds, looking younger than her 15 years, and was very taken by her smile. Her career since then has been interesting and varied, to say the least, with some very high highs and some very low lows.

As a child, she delivered some powerful performances both on TV and in movies (and often came over in interviews in a scarily un-childlike way). I get the impression that the path to adult work has not been easy for her, but she will get there. Her talent is huge.

Her performance, at age 11, in Interview With The Vampire was enormously self-assured, and she made a smooth transition through her teens into her adult career. She perhaps needs to exercise care concerning her choices both on and off screen, but I think her best is yet to come.

I add Miss Lohan with a degree of trepidation. Her films as a child actress showed a precocious talent and a very likeable screen presence. Her adult career has, to date, been polluted by her toxic personal life. I remain hopeful that she will be able to conquer her demons and once again fire up the talent she showed as a child.

Miss Moretz delivered an eye- (and ear-) watering performance in Kick-Ass, and I am delighted to have observed the series of excellent performances she has delivered since. Not all choices have been great, but Miss M has always given the best one could expect, and more.

Having started with some typical British teen parts, Miss Temple has moved on to forgettable parts in blockbusters, at least one dire comedy and, oh, a succession of shockingly good performances in challenging indie movies. She appears to have no fear.

I have only seen Miss Baquero in Pan's Labyrinth where, at the age of 12, she absolutely entranced me. The central character of Ofelia sits squarely on the boundary of real life and fantasy (both of which are incredibly dangerous), and Miss Baquero treads this difficult line with total assurance.

Miss Thorne plays Adam Sandler's oldest daughter in the romcom Blended: the role of ugly duckling into swan is a trope, but Miss Swan plays it with humour and grace: she is funny and lovely.

Miss Fuhrmann plays Adam Sandler's middle daughter in the romcom Blended: she is genuinely touching as a daughter having trouble coping with bereavement.

Miss Lind plays Adam Sandler's youngest daughter in the romcom blended: her performance nicely blends quirky, funny and cute. As with her two screen sisters, her potential is obvious.

Miss Woodley has cemented her breakthrough role in the Descendants with a number of roles which are plotting an intelligent path between blockbusters and indies on the road from adolescence to adulthood.

Miss Fuhrmann, having made a chilling (and convincing) mark in Orphan, and having followed up with what was little more than a namecheck in the first Hunger Games movie, has yet to make much of a mark as an adult. I am confident that she will do so.

I failed to pick her up in Snow White And The Huntsman or Dark Shadows, but she can't be ignored in Tomorrowland: A World Beyond. Terrific stuff.

Her featured performance as ADHD child Hope in Danny Collins is both adorable without being obnoxious, and also very believable. A career to watch with interest.

Too young to have her age on IMDB yet, Miss Rosinsky gives a nuanced performance as surviving child Lucy in The Other Side Of The Door. This kid has got it.

Playing Ryan Gosling's 13-year old daughter in The Nice Guys, Miss Rice shines every moment she is on screen. It is an accomplished performance of drama, heart, and humour. I look forward to seeing more of her in the years to come.

Playing the daughter of Big Name Star is a risky thing to do - you run the risk of being just a body to fill a hole in the script. Miss Estrella delivers rather more than just Dwayne Johnson's daughter in F&F 7 and 8, using her small amount of screen time to give us a charming daughter full of character.

As Mary in Gifted, she gives a performance which many an adult actress would be proud of. And at the age of 9. This kid is going places.

A small but key role in Home Again shows this young lady to be a very able young actress. I look forward to more of her work as she steps into adulthood.

Storm carries a big budget FX-heavy movie effortlessly. Shame the fim didn't quite work.

A remarkable young lady with great rangle and the ability to deliver a perforamce well above the level of the film it belongs to.

Her performance as an adult in a 12 year old body is utterly convincing.