The Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer (Actor/Actress) is one of the awards given to people working in the film industry by the Critics Choice Association (CCA), formerly Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA). It has been awarded since the 2nd Critics' Choice Awards to an actor or actress for a performance in any role, lead or supporting, in a film released that year.
The Best Young Performer award has been presented a total of 33 times, to 31 performers, with Dakota Fanning and Freddie Highmore receiving the award the most, with two wins each. Fanning also holds the distinction of the most-nominated individual in the category, with five. Daniel Radcliffe, with four nominations, is the most-nominated individual without a win. Eight performancesby Abigail Breslin, Keisha Castle-Hughes, Lucas Hedges, Jennifer Lawrence, Haley Joel Osment, Saoirse Ronan, Hailee Steinfeld, and Quvenzhané Wallisnominated in this category are also among the youngest to be recognized with nominations at the Academy Awards, though none have won prizes there.
The first recipient of the award was Jonathan Lipnicki for his performance in Jerry Maguire (1996); the most recent winner is Miles Caton for his role in Sinners (2025).
The following is a full list of the nominees and winners in this category. Performances that also earned a nomination at the Academy Awards are indicated with an asterisk (*).