20th Youth in Film Awards

The 20th Youth in Film Awards ceremony (now known as the Young Artist Awards), presented by the Youth in Film Association, honored outstanding youth performers under the age of 21 in the fields of film and television for the 1997–1998 season, and took place on March 6, 1999, at the Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City, California. The hosts for the ceremony that evening were Jena Malone, R.J. Arnett, Roland Thomson, Justin Thomsom, Selwyn Ward and Tracy Lynn Cruz.

Established in 1978 by long-standing Hollywood Foreign Press Association member, Maureen Dragone, the Youth in Film 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: Leading Young Actor
★ Miko Hughes – Mercury Rising – Universal
 * Michael Caloz – Little Men – Warner Bros.
 * Joseph Cross – Wide Awake – Miramax
 * Kieran Culkin – The Mighty – Miramax
 * Kyle Gibson – True Friends – 2nd Generation Films
 * Joseph Mazzello – Simon Birch – Hollywood Pictures
 * Eamonn Owens – The Butcher Boy – Warner Bros.
 * Ian Michael Smith – Simon Birch – Hollywood Pictures
 * Gregory Smith – Small Soldiers – DreamWorks
 * Kevin Zegers – Air Bud: Golden Receiver – Keystone Entertainment

Best Performance in a Feature Film: Leading Young Actress
★ (tie) Lindsay Lohan – The Parent Trap – Walt Disney Pictures ★ (tie) Jena Malone – Stepmom – Columbia Pictures
 * Kirsten Dunst – Small Soldiers – DreamWorks
 * Jennifer Love Hewitt – Can't Hardly Wait – Columbia Pictures
 * Scarlett Johansson – The Horse Whisperer – Touchstone Pictures
 * Emily Lipoma – Frog and Wombat – Pigtail Productions
 * Leelee Sobieski – A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries – October Films
 * Katie Stuart – Frog and Wombat – Pigtail Productions

Best Performance in a Feature Film: Supporting Young Actor
★ Michael Welch – Star Trek: Insurrection – Paramount
 * Bryan Burke – True Friends – 2nd Generation Films
 * Kristian De La Osa – Madeline – Tristar
 * Edward Furlong – American History X – New Line Cinema
 * Mason Gamble – Rushmore – Touchstone Pictures
 * Jack Johnson – Lost in Space – New Line Cinema
 * Cody Lightning – Smoke Signals – Miramax
 * Miles Marsico – Rhapsody in Bloom – Becker Films

Best Performance in a Feature Film: Supporting Young Actress
★ Brigid Tierney – Affliction – Lions Gate Films
 * Camilla Belle – Practical Magic – Warner Bros.
 * Lacey Chabert – Lost in Space – New Line Cinema
 * Auriol Evans – Hilary and Jackie – October Films
 * Keeley Flanders – Hilary and Jackie – October Films
 * Kyla Pratt – Dr. Dolittle – 20th Century Fox
 * Michelle Williams – Halloween: H20 – Miramax
 * Evan Rachel Wood – Practical Magic – Warner Bros.

Best Performance in a Feature Film: Young Actor Age Ten or Under
★ Liam Aiken – Stepmom – Columbia Pictures
 * Cameron Finley – Hope Floats – 20th Century Fox
 * Jason Fuchs – Mafia! – Touchstone
 * Darrell Johnston – Dancing at Lughnasa – Sony
 * Robby Seager – Splitsville – Cineville Productions

Best Performance in a Feature Film: Young Actress Age Ten or Under
★ Mae Whitman – Hope Floats – 20th Century Fox
 * Rachel Chamberlain – Faith – Alynne Entertainment
 * Alana De Roma – Amy – Cascade Films
 * Hallie Kate Eisenberg – Paulie – DreamWorks
 * Kulani Hassen – Down in the Delta – Miramax
 * Hatty Jones – Madeline – Tristar

Best Performance in a TV Movie / Pilot / Mini-Series: Leading Young Actor
★ Ryan Merriman – Everything That Rises – TNT
 * Carlo Alban – Thicker Than Blood – TNT
 * Brendan Ryan Barrett – Logan's War: Bound By Honor – ABC
 * Trevor Blumas – Stranger in Town – Showtime
 * Jordan Kiziuk – The Island on Bird Street – Showtime

Best Performance in a TV Movie / Pilot / Mini-Series: Leading Young Actress
★ Dominique Swain – Lolita – Showtime
 * Kimberly J. Brown – Halloweentown – Disney Channel
 * Kristin Fairlie – The Sweetest Gift – Showtime
 * Kashmir Jones – World Upon Her Shoulder – Lifetime
 * Brittany Murphy – David and Lisa – ABC

Best Performance in a TV Movie / Pilot / Mini-Series: Supporting Young Actor
★ Courtland Mead – Emma's Wish – NBC
 * Cody Jones – Running Wild – Showtime
 * Eric Lloyd – Chameleon – UPN
 * Shawn Pyfrom – A Wing and a Prayer – USA Network
 * Kenny Vadas – Galileo – Family Channel
 * Daniel Williams – Always Outnumbered – HBO

Best Performance in a TV Movie / Pilot / Mini-Series: Supporting Young Actress
★ Haylie Duff – Addams Family Reunion – HBO
 * Courtney Red-Horse Mohl – Naturally Native – Independent Feature / Project West
 * Brooke Nevin – Running Wild – Showtime

Best Performance in a TV Drama or Comedy Series: Leading Young Actor
★ Zachery Ty Bryan – Home Improvement – ABC
 * Thomas Dekker – Honey, I shrunk the Kids – Disney
 * David Lago – Hollywood Safari – Animal Planet Channel
 * Robert Ri'chard – Cousin Skeeter – Nickelodeon
 * Taran Noah Smith – Home Improvement – ABC
 * Shawn Toovey – Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman – CBS
 * Lee Thompson Young – The Famous Jett Jackson – The Disney Channel

Best Performance in a TV Drama or Comedy Series: Leading Young Actress
★ Lacey Chabert – Party of Five – FOX
 * Sarah Michelle Gellar – Buffy the Vampire Slayer – FOX
 * Brandy Norwood – Moesha – UPN
 * Larisa Oleynik – The Secret World of Alex Mack – Nickelodeon

Best Performance in a TV Drama Series: Supporting Young Actor
★ Ryan Merriman – The Pretender – NBC
 * Joseph Ashton – L.A. Doctors – CBS
 * Corey Sevier – Little Men – PAX
 * Myles Jeffrey – Early Edition – CBS
 * Trevor Morgan – ER – NBC
 * Shane Sweet – The Journey of Allen Strange – Nickelodeon
 * Oren Williams – Chicago Hope – CBS

Best Performance in a TV Drama Series: Supporting Young Actress
★ Scarlett Pomers – Star Trek: Voyager – UPN
 * Erica & Vanessa Jimenez-Alvarado – L.A. Doctors – CBS
 * Mae Middleton – Any Day Now – Lifetime
 * Sarah Rayne – Legacy – UPN
 * Shari Dyon Perry – Any Day Now – Lifetime
 * Brittany Tiplady – Millennium – FOX
 * Caitlin Wachs – Profiler – CBS

Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series: Supporting Young Actor
★ Eric Lloyd – Jesse – NBC
 * Justin Berfield – Unhappily Ever After – UPN
 * Justin Cooper – Brother's Keeper – ABC
 * Dee Jay Daniels – The Hughleys – ABC
 * Trevor Einhorn – Brother's Keeper – ABC
 * Maestro Harrell – Guys Like Us – UPN
 * Deon Richmond – Sister, Sister – WB
 * Jeffrey Schoeny – Oh Baby – Lifetime

Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series: Supporting Young Actress
★ Ashley Monique Clark – The Hughleys – ABC
 * Kaitlin Cullum – Grace Under Fire – ABC
 * Brittany & Brianna McConnell – Maggie Winters – CBS
 * Courtney Mun – Guys Like Us – UPN
 * Natasha Slayton – Brother's Keeper – ABC
 * Madylin Sweeten – Everybody Loves Raymond – CBS
 * Karle Warren – DiResta – UPN

Best Performance in a TV Drama Series: Guest Starring Young Actor
★ Seth Adkins – The Pretender – NBC
 * Jeremy Foley – Touched by an Angel – CBS
 * Craig Hauer – 7th Heaven – WB
 * Zack Hopkins – Promised Land – CBS
 * Nathan Lawrence – Touched by an Angel – CBS
 * Joey Pardon – High Incident – ABC
 * Billie Thomas – The Practice – ABC

Best Performance in a TV Drama Series: Guest Starring Young Actress
★ Chaz Monet – Any Day Now – Lifetime
 * Camilla Belle – Walker, Texas Ranger – CBS
 * Kimberly Cullum – Nothing Sacred – ABC
 * Olivia Marisco – Hyperion Bay – WB
 * Ashley Peldon – The Pretender – ABC
 * Nicholle Tom – Welcome to Paradox – Sci-Fi Channel
 * Danielle Wiener – Beverly Hills, 90210 – FOX

Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series: Guest Starring Young Actor
★ (tie) Robert Bailey Jr. – Becker – CBS ★ (tie) Bobby Brewer – Suddenly Susan – NBC ★ (tie) Bobby Edner – Step By Step – CBS ★ (tie) Sam Gifaldi – Suddenly Susan – NBC ★ (tie) Jarrett Lennon – Boy Meets World – ABC

Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series: Guest Starring Young Actress
★ (tie) Anna Chlumsky – Cupid – ABC ★ (tie) Ashley & Lindsey Trefger – Home Improvement – ABC
 * Courtney Peldon – Home Improvement – ABC
 * Caitlin Wachs – To Have & to Hold – CBS

Best Performance in a Daytime Serial: Young Performer
★ Adrienne Frantz – The Bold and the Beautiful – CBS
 * Kimberly J. Brown – Guiding Light – CBS
 * Ashley Monique Clark – Sunset Beach – NBC
 * Camryn Grimes – The Young and the Restless – CBS
 * Steven Hartman – The Young and the Restless – CBS
 * Jonathan Jackson – General Hospital – ABC
 * Logan O'Brien – General Hospital – ABC
 * Carly Schroeder – Port Charles – CBS

Best Performance in a TV Movie / Pilot / Mini-Series / Series: Young Actor Age Ten or Under
★ (tie) Paul Robert Langdon – The Spiral Staircase – CBS ★ (tie) Connor Matheus – The Hughleys – ABC
 * Brent Meyer – The Sweetest Gift – Showtime
 * Lowell Raven – Naturally Native – Independent Feature / Project West
 * Jacob Smith – Party of Five – FOX

Best Performance in a TV Movie / Pilot / Mini-Series / Series: Young Actress Age Ten or Under
★ Chaz Monet – Ruby Bridges – ABC
 * Hilary Duff – Casper Meets Wendy – FOX Channel
 * Britt McKillip – In the Dog House – Showtime
 * Carly McKillip – Stranger in Town – Showtime
 * Dara Perlmutter – Scandalous Me: The Jacqueline Susann Story – USA

Best Performance in a Voice-Over in a Feature or TV: Best Young Actor
★ Courtland Mead – Recess – ABC
 * Jonathan Taylor Thomas – The Adventures of Pinocchio – New Line Cinema
 * Miko Hughes – The Rugrats Movie – Paramount
 * Myles Jeffrey – Babe: Pig in the City – Universal
 * Mathew Valencia – The New Batman/Superman Adventures – WB
 * Phillip Van Dyke – Hey Arnold! – Nickelodeon
 * Michael Yarmush – Arthur – PBS

Best Performance in a Voice-Over in a Feature or TV: Best Young Actress
★ Aria Noelle Curzon – The Prince of Egypt – DreamWorks
 * Ashley Johnson – Recess – ABC
 * Julia McIlvaine – KaBlam! – Nickelodeon
 * Hayden Panettiere – A Bug's Life – Walt Disney
 * Sabrina Wiener – The Wild Thornberrys – Nickelodeon

Best Performance in a Feature Film: Young Ensemble
★ Slappy and the Stinkers – Columbia
 * Joseph Ashton, Gary LeRoi Gray, Travis Tedford, Carl Michael Lindner, Scarlett Pomers


 * 3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain – Tristar
 * Mathew Botuchis, Michael J. O'Laskey II, J.P. Roeske II


 * The Borrowers – Polygram
 * Bradley Pierce, Hugh Laurie, Mark Williams, Flora Newbigin

Best Performance in a TV Movie / Pilot / Made-for-Video: Young Ensemble
★ The Sweetest Gift – Showtime
 * Kristin Fairlie, Dylon Provencher, Marc Donato


 * Ruby Bridges – ABC
 * Chaz Monet, Kiara Tucker, Whitney Tucker, Christopher Stokes


 * The Echo of Thunder – CBS
 * Lauren Hewett, Emily Jane Browning, Chelsea Yates, Ben Hanson


 * Bus 9 – Nickelodeon
 * Jessica DiCicco, Keith Franklin, Peter Tombaki, Julianne Michelle

Best Performance in a TV Series: Young Ensemble
★ Promised Land – CBS
 * Austin O'Brien, Eddie Karr, Sarah Schaub


 * 7th Heaven – WB
 * Beverley Mitchell, Barry Watson, Jessica Biel, David Gallagher, Mackenzie Rosman


 * That '70s Show – FOX
 * Topher Grace, Laura Prepon, Mila Kunis, Wilmer Valderrama, Danny Masterson, Ashton Kutcher


 * Hiller and Diller – ABC
 * Kyle Sabihy, Faryn Einhorn, Jillian Berard, Jonathan Osser

Best Family TV Movie / Pilot / Mini-Series
★ Sabrina Goes to Rome – ABC
 * The Sweetest Gift – Showtime
 * In the Dog House – Showtime
 * The Echo of Thunder – CBS
 * Nicholas' Gift – CBS
 * Merlin – NBC
 * Everything that Rises – TNT

Best Family TV Drama Series
★ Promised Land – CBS
 * Touched by an Angel – CBS
 * 7th Heaven – Warner Bros.
 * The Journey of Allen Strange – Nickelodeon
 * Little Men – PAX

Best Family TV Comedy Series
★ The Hughleys – ABC
 * Sabrina, the Teenage Witch – ABC
 * Two of a Kind – ABC
 * Smart Guy – Warner Bros.
 * Flipper: The New Adventures – PAX

Best Educational TV Show or Series
★ From the Earth to the Moon – HBO
 * Wishbone – PBS
 * Bear in the Big Blue House – Disney Channel
 * Blue's Clues – Nickelodeon
 * Wild About Animals – ABC

Best Family Feature Film: Animated
★ The Prince of Egypt – DreamWorks
 * A Bug's Life – Walt Disney Pictures
 * Babe: Pig in the City – Universal
 * Mulan – Walt Disney Pictures
 * Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie – Goodtimes Entertainment
 * The Rugrats Movie – Paramount

Best Family Feature Film: Comedy
★ The Mask of Zorro – Tristar
 * The Borrowers – Polygram
 * The Parent Trap – Walt Disney Pictures
 * Madeline – Tristar
 * Paulie – DreamWorks
 * Patch Adams – Universal

Best Family Feature Film: Drama
★ Stepmom – Columbia
 * The Mighty – Miramax
 * Wide Awake – Miramax
 * Simon Birch – Hollywood Pictures
 * The Truman Show – Paramount
 * Star Trek: Insurrection – Paramount
 * Lost in Space – New Line Cinema

Outstanding Contribution to Youth Through Motion Pictures
★ '''Miramax Films – For having brought to the American audience so many outstanding domestic and foreign films featuring young performers. Their precedent lives on with the Italian film: Life Is Beautiful – starring the young Giorgio Cantarini.'''

Outstanding Contribution to Youth Through Television
★ CBS Television Network – For its family value shows, with particular mention of Touched by an Angel.

The Former Child Star Lifetime Achievement Awards
★ Drew Barrymore ★ Johnny Whitaker

The Outstanding Young Performer in a Television Commercial Award
★ Gary LeRoi Gray – For "I.H.O.P."

The Community Service Award
★ Julianne Michelle – For her magnificent achievements in raising funds for charities.