3. River Phoenix - Stand By Me
Every once in a while, you'll come across a young actor who seems to intuitively grasp all of the intricacies of acting, and you'll stand in awe of their ability to master something that adults struggle with for years. River Phoenix is the perfect example of that rare creature: the genuinely talented child actor. His performance in Stand By Me is note perfect. Phoenix is natural and completely at home in front of the camera, but also extremely effective at portraying the subtle emotions of troubled Chris Chambers. He creates a complicated and nuanced character who feels like a real kid. What we see from Phoenix in this film is all the more poignant, knowing that he would die within seven years of filming Stand By Me, and we'd never get to see what he would have accomplished as an adult actor.