CHILD ACTOR CHALLENGES
Talking all about the ethics of child actors. Plus a RELEASE RADAR for November. Finally, an Italiano streaming recommendation!
I’ve been slowly rewatching the Harry Potter movies and I’m stricken by just how young these actors are. Sure, there are moments aplenty where it’s clear you’re watching an 11 year old act. But there are some powerful performances throughout the first few and it’s stunning to see how the kids improve movie after movie.
Elementary Ethics
When child actors are effective, they have some of the most revered performances and are incredible facets of storytelling. However, we’ve heard the stories of how the entertainment industry affects young children who grow up in it. The rapid onset of popularity, the platform, the access to wealth. Or on the flip side, the exploitative nature of the industry. Opportunistic parents and studio contracts, abusive and exploitative relationships with mentor figures, even sexual assault.
Some even go as far as to say it is fully unethical for anyone under the age of 18 to be in a commercial performance. Why is this?
Legalities
There simply are not enough protections for child actors. Child entertainers are exempt from the federal labor laws created by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which means that they are completely dependent on state law to protect them. The industry has still come a long way from the contract law perspective. The Jackie Coogan Law in California ensures the financial wellbeing of child actors by mandating that their employer set aside 15% of the child actor's gross earnings. This account can be monitored – but not withdrawn – by a guardian until the child is legal.
Many states have emulated these laws, but 17 states still have no specific laws for child entertainers, meaning child actors are protected only by general labor law. There are still other major gaps remaining, especially with regards to child self-advocacy in contract negotiations.
But there are plenty of positive stories of child actors. Some of today’s greatest actors made it big as children. Christian Bale, for example, had his big break at the age of 13 in Spielberg’s 1987 Empire of the Sun. Natalie Portman makes it big at 11 in 1994’s Léon: The Professional. Some of these performers are extraordinarily talented and their success today hinged on these formative years as actors.
Sometimes the children grow up with their productions. The Harry Potter series is a phenomenal example of this, as is a show like Stranger Things. On extended productions like these, theres’s an element of camaraderie, growth, and family that I think further protects child actors.
Growing up?
What’s the model for the future? I don’t see a version of the industry where child actors are totally stripped out. They’re too commercially important for pulling audiences, as well as too important for storytelling purposes. But there need to be stronger protections for child actors, a slate of protections above just the standard child performer laws. There need to be stringent restrictions on their managers, including (and especially) when their managers are their parents. Children also need to be afforded more opportunity when backing out of and renegotiating contracts.
RELEASE RADAR
Wow, right now is a great time at the movie theaters. Haven’t done this segment in a while so I wanted to list out a few great things to catch in theaters right now/soon (a few of which I’ve gotten to see):
TÁR (already out): Set in the international world of Western classical music, the film centers on Lydia Tár, widely considered one of the greatest living composer-conductors of all time. This is easily one of my favorites of 2022. Cate Blanchett is a force of nature in this and her character is one of the best I’ve ever seen on screen. 9/10
Triangle of Sadness (already out): A cruise for the super-rich sinks, leaving survivors, including a fashion model celebrity couple, trapped on an island. This movie won the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, and for good reason. This movie is laugh-out-loud funny and offers cutting commentary that never felt pedantic to me. 8.5/10
Ticket to Paradise (already out): A divorced couple teams up and travels to Bali to stop their daughter from making the same mistake they think they made 25 years ago. The Rom-Com is back! This George Clooney - Julia Roberts mid-budget team-up is cleaning up at the box office.
Decision to Leave (out in select theaters): A detective investigating a man's death in the mountains ends up meeting and developing feelings for the dead man's mysterious wife in the course of his dogged sleuthing. Park Chan-wook is one of the greatest directors in film history. If you’re lucky enough to be near a theater showing this, you need to check it out.
Armageddon Time (Nov 4th): A deeply personal coming-of-age story about the strength of family and the generational pursuit of the American Dream. An all-star cast and a deeply moving story. This movie will be a huge Oscars contender – I’ll definitely be watching.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Nov 11th): The nation of Wakanda is pitted against intervening world powers as they mourn the loss of their king T'Challa. Need I say more?
Bones and All (Nov 23rd): Maren, a young woman, learns how to survive on the margins of society. Featuring a stunning (and cannibalistic) performance by Timothee Chalamet, this movie also got loads of excitement on the festival circuit.
WEEKEND STREAMING RECOMMENDATION
The Hand of God (2021) dir. Paolo Sorrentino. Available on Netflix
In 1980s Naples, Italy, an awkward Italian teen struggling to find his place experiences heartbreak and liberation after he's inadvertently saved from a freak accident by football legend Diego Maradona. Shout out Ted for putting me on because this movie is absolutely beautiful. This is a gorgeous coming of age story that is funny and heartbreaking all at the same time. Couple that with 80s Italian scenery throughout and it’s perfect. It’s striking how personal this story is for director Sorrentino. Check it out on Netflix!
See you all again next week. Until then, please get in touch if you have any thoughts or suggestions you’d like to share. If you want to keep up with what I’m watching, follow me on Letterboxd @atharv_gupta.
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