The 34th Young Artist Awards ceremony, presented by the Young Artist Association, honored excellence of young performers between the ages of 5 and 21 in the fields of film, television and theatre for the 2012 calendar year. The 34th annual ceremony also marked the first year the association recognized achievements of young internet performers with the inaugural presentation of the award for "Best Web Performance".
Nominees were announced on Sunday March 31, 2013, and subsequent voting was undertaken by former Youth in Film Award/Young Artist Award winners, from 1979 to 2011. Winners were announced on Sunday, May 5, 2013, at the annual ceremony and banquet luncheon in the Empire Ballroom of the Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City, California.
Live musical entertainment at the ceremony included Indiana based country pop group Jetset Getset and Los Angeles based vocalist Agina Alvarez. Following the death of Young Artist Association president and founder, Maureen Dragone on February 8, 2013, it was announced that the 34th Annual ceremony would also feature a memorial tribute in her honor.
Established in 1978 by long-standing Hollywood Foreign Press Association member, Maureen Dragone, the Young Artist Association was the first organization to establish an awards ceremony specifically set to recognize and award the contributions of performers under the age of 21 in the fields of film, television, theater and music.
Categories ★ Bold indicates the winner in each category.
Best Performance in a Feature Film Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actor ★ Tom Holland – The Impossible – Warner Brothers Jared Gilman – Moonrise Kingdom – Focus Features Zachary Gordon – Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days – Fox 2000 Quinn Lord – Imaginaerum – Nordisk Films Jason Spevack – Jesus Henry Christ – Entertainment One Christian Traeumer – The Child – Stealth Media Group
Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actress ★ (tie) Kathryn Newton – Paranormal Activity 4 – Paramount Pictures ★ (tie) Quvenzhané Wallis – Beasts of the Southern Wild – Fox Searchlight Pictures Tara Lynne Barr – God Bless America – Magnolia Pictures Kara Hayward – Moonrise Kingdom – Focus Features
Best Performance in a Feature Film – Young Actor Ten and Under ★ CJ Adams – The Odd Life of Timothy Green – Walt Disney Pictures Chandler Canterbury – A Bag of Hammers – MPI Riley Thomas Stewart – The Lucky One – Warner Brothers
Best Performance in a Feature Film – Supporting Young Actor ★ (tie) Robert Capron – Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days – Fox 2000 ★ (tie) Austin MacDonald – Jesus Henry Christ – Entertainment One Karan Brar – Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days – Fox 2000 Zach Callison – Rock Jocks – Intelligent Life Media Alex Ferris – In Their Skin – IFC Films Daniel Huttlestone – Les Miserables – Universal Pictures Samuel Joslin – The Impossible – Warner Brothers Gulliver McGrath – Dark Shadows – Warner Brothers
Best Performance in a Feature Film – Supporting Young Actress ★ Savannah Lathem – California Solo – Cherry Sky Films Maude Apatow – This Is 40 – Universal Pictures Mackenzie Foy – The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 – Summit Entertainment Joey King – The Dark Knight Rises – Warner Brothers Laine MacNeil – Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days – Fox 2000 Odeya Rush – The Odd Life of Timothy Green – Walt Disney Pictures
Best Performance in a Feature Film – Supporting Young Actor Ten and Under ★ Sebastian Banes – In the Family – In The Family Productions Kyle Harrison Breitkopf – Parental Guidance – 20th Century Fox Cameron M. Brown – Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter – 20th Century Fox Connor & Owen Fielding – Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days – Fox 2000 Pierce Gagnon – Looper – Sony Pictures Joseph Paul Kennedy – Nature Calls – Magnet Releasing Oaklee Pendergast – The Impossible – Warner Brothers John Paul Ruttan – This Means War – 20th Century Fox Joshua Rush – Parental Guidance – 20th Century Fox
Best Performance in a Feature Film – Supporting Young Actress Ten and Under ★ Isabelle Allen – Les Miserables – Universal Pictures Dalila Bela – Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days – Fox 2000 Lexi Cowan – Promised Land – Focus Features Raevan Lee Hanan – Cloud Atlas – Warner Brothers Emma Rayne Lyle – Why Stop Now – BCDF Pictures
Best Performance in a Feature Film – Young Ensemble Cast ★ Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days – Fox 2000Zachary Gordon, Robert Capron, Peyton List, Karan Brar, Laine MacNeil, Connor & Owen Fielding, Devon Bostick, Grayson RussellParental Guidance – 20th Century Fox Bailee Madison, Joshua Rush, Kyle Harrison Breitkopf
Best Performance in an International Feature Film Best Performance in an International Feature Film – Young Actor ★ Antoine Olivier Pilon – Les Pee-Wee 3D – CanadaMahmoud Asfa – When I Saw You ( لما شفتك ) – Palestine Teo Gutierrez Romero – Infancia Clandestina (Clandestine Childhood) – Argentina Rick Lens – Kauwboy (Jackdaw Boy) – Netherlands Emilien Neron – Monsieur Lazhar (Mister Lazhar) – Canada
Best Performance in an International Feature Film – Young Actress ★ Alice Morel-Michaud – Les Pee-Wee 3D – CanadaFátima Buntinx – Las Malas Intenciones (The Bad Intentions) – Peru Tessa la González – Después de Lucía (After Lucia) – Mexico Sophie Nélisse – Monsieur Lazhar (Mister Lazhar) – Canada
Best Performance in a Short Film Best Performance in a Short Film – Young Actor ★ Connor Beardmore – When I Grow Up, I Want To Be A Dinosaur – Capilano UniversityDakota Bales – A.B.S. – Phish Tank Philms Joshua Bales – A.B.S. – Phish Tank Philms Mark D'Sol – A.B.S. – Phish Tank Philms Jonathon Tyler Ford – No Hitter – Independent Andy Scott Harris – The Stone on the Shore – Chapman University Joey Luthman – Tough Guy – Powder Films Caon Mortenson – A.B.S. – Phish Tank Philms Matthew Nardozzi – May – Independent Brandon Tyler Russell – Transcendence – Shipman Media
Best Performance in a Short Film – Young Actress ★ Jolie Vanier – Hello, My Name is Abigail – BFA Film ProductionsBrighid Fleming – A.B.S. – Phish Tank Philms Carol Huska – Breaking Over Me – York University Leeah D. Jackson – A Mother's Choice: The Ultimatum – Star Trac Productions Chanel Marriott – Bombay Beach – Screen Australia Brea Renee – A Mother's Choice: The Ultimatum – Star Trac Productions Kiana Lyz Rivera – The Supplement – Cat Eye Productions Courtney Robinson – A.B.S. – Phish Tank Philms Jordan Van Vranken – Detention – Independent
Best Performance in a Short Film – Young Actor 11 and 12 ★ (tie) Dawson Dunbar – A Strange Day in July – Independent★ (tie) Christian Traeumer – Bolero – Wildflower FilmsBrady Bryson – Under the Big Top – Independent Samuel Caruana – Kickstart Theft – BandPro Films Joshua Costea – Lucid – Team Jugular Knott Josh Feldman – The Sleepover – Independent Tanner Saunders – Say Lovey – Capilano University Tai Urban – Hiding Game – Urban Media Group
Best Performance in a Short Film – Young Actress 11 and 12 ★ Paris Smith – Scouted – IndependentAva Allan – Billie Speare – Tramline Entertainment Jade Aspros – Life Doesn't Frighten Me – LDFM Films Tara-Nicole Azarian – ROTFL – Front Porch Films Laci Kay – Olivia – Colirio Films Ashley Lonardo – Clear Revenge – Lonardo Productions Elise Luthman – More Than Words – AFI Ashley Lynn Switzer – Handbag – Barefoot Girl Productions
Best Performance in a Short Film – Young Actor Ten and Under ★ Nicolas Neve – A Sunflower – TASA ProductionsAlexander Almaguer – The Best Man – Columbia College Chicago Peter Bundic – Man of the House – Independent Richard Davis – The Comeback Kid – Ryerson Short Jack Fulton – Night Light – CFC Edward Sass III – The Cure – Densely Hollow Films
Best Performance in a Short Film – Young Actress Ten and Under ★ (tie) Katelyn Mager – When I Grow Up, I Want To Be A Dinosaur – Capilano University★ (tie) Hannah Swain – Geronimo – APASI ProductionsEliana Calogiros – By My Side – Blackspear Productions Genea Charpentier – The Old Woman in the Woods – Independent Megan Charpentier – The Old Woman in the Woods – Independent Kaitlin Cheung – Frank – Capilano University Maia Costea – Maia – Kinoeye Productions Bianca D'Ambrosio – Voodoo the Right Thing – Mansfield Productions Chiara D'Ambrosio – Voodoo the Right Thing – Mansfield Productions Jada Facer – Nina Del Tango – Lens Flare Films Eliza Faria – A Strange Day in July – Independent Bridget Jeske – Rumpelstiltskin – Celluloid Social Club Peyton Kennedy – The Offering – CFC Productions Ariyena Koh – Little Mao – CAA Media Veronica McFarlane – Nobody's Victim- AFI Savannah McReynolds – Transcendence – Shipman Media Alisha Newton – No Place Like Home – Independent Alisha-Jo Penney – Like Smoke – Sakaria Film Marlowe Peyton – How To Get To Candybar – White Eagle Productions
Best Performance in a TV Movie, Miniseries, Special or Pilot Best Performance in a TV Movie, Miniseries, Special or Pilot – Leading Young Actor ★ (tie) Josh Feldman – Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups – Disney★ (tie) Sean Michael Kyer – Anything But Christmas – ION Television Tucker Albrizzi – Shmagreggie Saves the World – Disney XD Dylan Everett – Frenemies – Disney Channel Trevor Jackson – Let It Shine – Disney Channel Joey Luthman – The Joey and Elise Show – DATV
Best Performance in a TV Movie, Miniseries, Special or Pilot – Leading Young Actress ★ Kyla Kennedy – Raising Izzie – GMC-TVLeah Lewis – Fred 3: Camp Fred – Nickelodeon Elise Luthman – The Joey and Elise Show – DATV Bella Thorne – Frenemies – Disney Channel Zendaya – Frenemies – Disney Channel
Best Performance in a TV Movie, Miniseries, Special or Pilot – Supporting Young Actor ★ Valin Shinyei – Christmas Miracle – Vivendi EntertainmentEmjay Anthony – Applebaum – CBS Darien Provost – The Christmas Consultant – Lifetime
Best Performance in a TV Movie, Miniseries, Special or Pilot – Supporting Young Actress ★ Eliza Faria – The Christmas Consultant – LifetimeElla Ballentine – Baby's 1st Christmas – Hallmark Dalila Bela – A Fairly Odd Christmas – Nickelodeon Olivia Steele Falconer – A Fairly Odd Christmas – Nickelodeon Danielle Parker – The Seven Year Hitch – Hallmark Marlowe Peyton – Applebaum – CBS Bobbie Prewitt – Animal Practice – NBC Rowan Rycroft – Duke – Hallmark Siobhan Williams – Christmas Miracle – Vivendi Entertainment
Best Performance in a TV Series Best Performance in a TV Series – Leading Young Actor ★ Blake Michael – Dog with a Blog – Disney Channel Jared Gilmore – Once Upon a Time – ABC Patrick Johnson – Necessary Roughness – USA Network David Mazouz – Touch – FOX Chandler Riggs – The Walking Dead – AMC
Best Performance in a TV Series – Leading Young Actress ★ (tie) Savannah Paige Rae – Parenthood – NBC★ (tie) Torri Webster – Life with Boys – NickelodeonLayla Crawford – The First Family – Entertainment Studios Christine Prosperi – Degrassi: The Next Generation – CTV Olivia Scriven – Degrassi: The Next Generation – CTV Victory Van Tuyl -Marvin Marvin – Nickelodeon
Best Performance in a TV Series – Supporting Young Actor ★ Tyree Brown – Parenthood – NBC Karan Brar – Jessie – Disney Channel Max Charles – The Neighbors – ABC Seth Isaac Johnson – The Killing – AMC Maxim Knight – Falling Skies – TNT Austin MacDonald – Debra! – Family Channel Ian Patrick – The Neighbors – ABC Isaac Hempstead Wright – Game of Thrones – HBO
Best Performance in a TV Series – Supporting Young Actress ★ Alisha Newton – Heartland – CBCTaylor Blackwell – Magic City – Starz Network Isabella Cramp – The Neighbors – ABC Madison Lintz – The Walking Dead – AMC Sophie Turner – Game of Thrones – HBO Maisie Williams – Game of Thrones – HBO
Best Performance in a TV Series – Guest Starring Young Actor 14–21 ★ (tie) Shak Ghacha – Touch – FOX★ (tie) Joey Luthman – Kickin' It – Disney XDConnor Beardmore – Fringe – Warner Brothers LJ Benet – Bones – FOX Harrison Thomas Boxley – Kickin' It – Disney XD Michael Chey – New Girl – FOX Donnie MacNeil – R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour – The Hub Network Daniel Polo – Touch – FOX