Quvenzhané Wallis

The youngest actress ever nominated for an Oscar in a leading role, Quvenzhané Wallis made her film debut as Hushpuppy in Benh Zeitlin's 2012 feature Beasts of the Southern Wild. Nine years old by the time she earned the Oscar nomination, Wallis was a mere 5 years old when she auditioned for the role, and 6 years old during the filming. Despite having no acting experience and very little reading experience, Wallis appeared in nearly every scene of the movie (opposite Dwight Henry, another first-time actor who played her father). She wowed audiences and the movie won over critics at Sundance; Beasts of the Southern Wild also got Oscar nominations for writing, directing and best picture.