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Sunday Morning News

Competition is Tough for Child Actors

Aired January 14, 2001 - 8:57 a.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

O'BRIEN: So, do you think your adorable little one has what it takes to be a big star? If so, you're not alone. Plenty of cute kids are vying to be the next child star and CNN's Gloria Hillard went to Hollywood to find out who's up and coming and who's already there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GLORIA HILLARD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's an open call.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: My name is Jayna Phillips (ph) and I'm 5 years old.

HILLARD: Whether it's their dream or their parents' dream, they're here for an acting audition.

UNIDENTIFIED DIRECTOR: Just like a real commercial we're going to have you say something like let's go to Disneyland.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Mom, dad, let's go to Disneyland.

UNIDENTIFIED DIRECTOR: Let's see a nice smile. Let's see a nice smile. There we go.

HILLARD: Eight-year-old Robert wants to be an actor because...

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: You get to see yourself in the movies.

HILLARD: Like these other kids.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Ask anybody, school is hard.

HILLARD: Not since Shirley Temple have dimples and curls so captivated audiences. At eight years old, Hallie Kate Eisenberg is a veteran of movies and commercials.

HALLIE KATE EISENBERG: I like this job.

HILLARD: At the age of four, Hallie accompanied her older brother to an audition. EISENBERG: And they said oh, can we send her out on stuff and the first thing that they sent me out on, I got the part.

HILLARD: It was a similar story for Jonathan Lipnike (ph).

BOB PRESTON, AGENT: Here comes little Jonathan coming in, who just had that spark and that charisma and that personality.

HILLARD: These small big stars are attending premiers and navigating cameras and microphones with the same aplomb as their adult customers.

HALLEY JOEL OSMENT: It was an honor to go to the Oscars and be a part of that great film and I was paid for it. I'm just going to have a great time tonight seeing the effect that the film has on a live audience.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Now you play Cindy Lou Who, right?

TAYLOR MOMSEN: Yes, I do. It was a lot of fun for me just being there every day. I feel very blessed that I got -- and fortunate that I got this role.

HILLARD: As Cindy Lou Who in Dr. Seuss' "How The Grinch Stole Christmas," Bob Preston represents the seven-year-old.

PRESTON: Ever since "The Grinch" came out, the phone has been ringing off the hook.

HILLARD: And how has life changed for Jamie Bell since starring in "Billy Elliot (ph)?"

JAMIE BELL: I'm more concerned about my appearance and things and what I wear and things.

HILLARD: J. Michael Montcrief got the part in "The Legend of Bagger Vance" after answering an ad his aunt saw in the newspaper.

J. MICHAEL MONTCRIEF: So we go to South Carolina. There's like hundreds of boys and I said oh, we might as well just go home because this is not worth it. It's very overwhelming.

HILLARD: It certainly can be, yet it is a dream that is enduring, although sometimes it just doesn't go as you planned.

PRESTON: And they can always come back next year.

HILLARD: Gloria Hillard, CNN Entertainment News, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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