Haley Joel Osment Is Not Your Typical Former Child Star

Oct 22, 2024

Haley Joel Osment, the talented actor best known for The Sixth Sense, reflects on his unique journey as a child star. Despite early fame, he delves into how he navigated Hollywood's pitfalls with resilience. Osment shares insights on balancing personal identity with public recognition, revealing the importance of supportive environments for young actors. He also discusses financial independence post-childhood fame, the challenges of adapting to a changing industry, and the value of emotional awareness in his acting career.

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INSIGHT

Balanced Perspective on Fame

Haley's parents taught him not to let praise or criticism define his self-image.
This balanced perspective helped prevent fame from inflating his ego or bringing him down.

ADVICE

Understand Scene Emotional Beats

Learn beat shifts and emotional subtext in scenes to deepen character portrayal.
Recognize when a character's feelings change mid-scene or when emotions are hidden from others.

INSIGHT

Imagination Powers Child Acting

Child actors use a blend of memory and imagination to portray experiences they’ve never lived.
This process stretches their creativity to authentically inhabit complex characters.

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When he was 11 years old, actor Haley Joel Osment was nominated for an Oscar. His resume was already long and impressive, but his role as Cole Sear in M. Night Shyamalan’s psychological thriller The Sixth Sense cemented him as an acting prodigy and a big star. Money, fame, and accolades rapidly flew in his direction.

But Osment managed to avoid a lot of the common hurdles that early fame can bring. This week, he talks to Anna Sale about the many factors that led to his relatively smooth child star experience and his continued positive outlook in an industry that can be cruel and unpredictable.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

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