Oscar season is always full of surprises but this year there's extra buzz around one particular category: Best Actor. Why? Because Timothée Chalamet is nominated for "A Complete Unknown" and if he wins he could actually become the YOUNGEST actor ever to snag that award ! Talk about a potential history-making moment! Let's dive into the drama the records and take a look back at some other seriously talented young Oscar nominees and winners.

The Youngest Best Actor Record is in Jeopardy! Timothée Chalamet Eyes Adrien Brody's Title

Right now the record for Youngest Best Actor winner belongs to Adrien Brody . He won back in 2003 for his incredible performance in "The Pianist". Brody was just a few weeks shy of his 30th birthday when he took home the statue. Now comes Timothée Chalamet nominated for playing Bob Dylan in "A Complete Unknown". Chalamet turned 29 back in December. So yeah if he wins he will officially be the new youngest Best Actor champ! It's going to be a close race and a majorly exciting moment to watch.

Cynthia Erivo Could Make EGOT History (and be Super Young Doing It!)

Oscar History Watch: Is Timothée Chalamet About to Steal the

But Timothée is not the only one making potential history this year. Cynthia Erivo is nominated for Best Leading Actress for "Wicked". Even if she doesn't break the youngest Best Actress winner record (that one is safe for now) she could achieve something even rarer: the EGOT! That's winning an Emmy Grammy Oscar and Tony Award. If Erivo wins the Oscar she would become the YOUNGEST person EVER to complete the EGOT. Talk about impressive!

From Tatum O'Neal to Quvenzhané Wallis: A Look Back at Other Amazingly Young Oscar Winners and Nominees

While we are watching to see if records fall this year let's take a moment to appreciate all the amazing young talent that has been recognized by the Academy over the years. Age really is just a number when it comes to acting skill and these folks prove it. Here are some of the youngest actors to ever be nominated or win an Oscar:

  1. Justin Henry - Youngest Nominee EVER (Best Supporting Actor for "Kramer vs. Kramer" 1979) - He was only 8 years old!
  2. Quvenzhané Wallis - Youngest Best Actress Nominee (for "Beasts of the Southern Wild" 2012) - Nominated at just 9 years old.
  3. Tatum O'Neal - Youngest Winner EVER (Best Supporting Actress for "Paper Moon" 1973) - Won at age 10!
  4. Mary Badham - Best Supporting Actress Nominee (for "To Kill a Mockingbird" 1962) - Nominated at 10 years old for her debut role as Scout Finch.
  5. Quinn Cummings - Best Supporting Actress Nominee (for "The Goodbye Girl" 1977) - Nominated for her first film role.
  6. Abigail Breslin - Best Supporting Actress Nominee (for "Little Miss Sunshine" 2006) - Became a household name at 10.
  7. Anna Paquin - Best Supporting Actress WINNER (for "The Piano" 1993) - Won at 11 years old for her debut role.
  8. Haley Joel Osment - Best Supporting Actor Nominee (for "The Sixth Sense" 1999) - Nominated at 11 for "I see dead people".
  9. Linda Blair - Best Supporting Actress Nominee (for "The Exorcist" 1973) - Nominated at 13 for the iconic horror film.
  10. Keisha Castle-Hughes - Best Actress Nominee (for "Whale Rider" 2002) - Nominated at 13 for her debut role and made history as the youngest in her category at the time.
  11. Saoirse Ronan - Best Supporting Actress Nominee (for "Atonement" 2007) - First nomination at 13 and already a four-time nominee by 25!
  12. Jodie Foster - Best Supporting Actress Nominee (for "Taxi Driver" 1976) - Nominated at 14 for the star-turning role.
  13. Hailee Steinfeld - Best Supporting Actress Nominee (for "True Grit" 2010) - Nominated at 14 for her film debut in a leading role.
  14. River Phoenix - Best Supporting Actor Nominee (for "Running on Empty" 1988) - First nomination as a teen for a powerful role.
  15. Leonardo DiCaprio - Best Supporting Actor Nominee (for "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" 1993) - First of his many nominations came at a young age.
  16. Timothy Hutton - Best Supporting Actor WINNER (for "Ordinary People" 1980) - Youngest winner in this category at 20 years old.
  17. Keira Knightley - Best Actress Nominee (for "Pride & Prejudice" 2005) - Earned her first nod in her early twenties.
  18. Elliot Page - Best Actress Nominee (for "Juno" 2007) - Nominated at 20 for the titular role.
  19. Jennifer Lawrence - Best Actress Nominee (for "Winter's Bone" 2011) - First nomination at 20 and youngest to get four nominations by 25.
  20. Lucas Hedges - Best Supporting Actor Nominee (for "Manchester by the Sea" 2016) - Nominated at 20 for a deeply emotional role.

Age is Just a Number: Why Young Performers Shine at the Oscars

From child actors making their debuts to seasoned young stars breaking records the Oscars have a history of recognizing incredible talent at all ages. These youngest nominees and winners prove that powerful performances can come from anyone regardless of how long they have been in the business. Whether Timothée Chalamet breaks the Best Actor record or Cynthia Erivo achieves EGOT status one thing is certain: the future of acting is bright and filled with amazing young artists!