New child discovery shows the way

JACOB Tremblay. AP

Filipino child actors should take their cue from the career development curve of the juvenile star discovery of 2015-2016, Jacob Tremblay.

He’s the young protagonist of the acclaimed dramatic film, “Room,” which has also made a new star of its young-adult female lead, Brie Larson (winner of the best actress award at the recent Golden Globes).

The film by Lenny

Abrahamson has been a breakthrough stellar vehicle for Larson and Tremblay, because it casts them in the hugely challenging roles of a woman and her young son who are kept prisoners for years by a very troubled man.

They eventually manage to escape and the boy finally has to contend with a complex, new world he knows nothing about.

It’s a dream film assignment for any actor because its psychological challenges are immense.

The fact that Tremblay has reaped raves for his portrayal of an exceedingly difficult role, despite his youth, indicates to other filmmakers that he can be relied on to similarly do full justice to child characters in their own projects.

When a kid gets that kind of reputation and trust, he can expect to keep getting major roles in new films—for years on end!

So, our own homegrown child actors and their mentors and handlers should do their best to also line up challenging acting showcases to bring out the best in them.

Since film production in this age of “indies” has become quite affordable, juvenile talents no longer have to wait for fat-cat producers to give them their big break.

The time to come up with an attention-calling showcase for a promising juvenile talent is now—before he or she becomes too old to still be regarded as a child player!

More details on young Jacob Tremblay’s ascent to child stardom: His acting career began only in 2013, when he played Blue Winslow in “The Smurfs 2.”

How did he get his foot in show biz’s door? His older sisters were also performers, so they used their connections to get him an audition—where he immediately stood out and clinched his first assignment.

After that, he got a good role in a horror film, playing Cody in “Before I Wake Up”—which was immediately followed by his plum, star-making role as Jack in “Room”!

The point is, Jacob was ready for his big breaks. In the first place, if he didn’t make his first directors confident that he could give them what they needed, he wouldn’t have gotten these breakthrough parts.

So, new child talents can’t just be eager and willing, they’ve also got to be able to play a coveted role—better than anybody else!

Now that Jacob has “broken through” on the US film scene, he hasn’t been resting on his laurels and is working on film after film: He’s in a number of 2016 releases, like “Shut In,” “Burn Your Maps” and “Book of Henry.”

Now 9 years “old,” he has a few more years of creative work before nature and adolescence take their inexorable course.

That’s another lesson for other child actors’ mentors and “momagers” to learn: If your juvenile talent has what it takes, don’t wait or hesitate, launch his or her stellar bid now!