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.

Fanning's younger sister Elle, with three nominations, is the most-nominated individual without a win.

Eight performances—by Abigail Breslin, Keisha Castle-Hughes, Lucas Hedges, Jennifer Lawrence, Haley Joel Osment, Saoirse Ronan, Hailee Steinfeld, and Quvenzhané Wallis—nominated 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 Maisy Stella for her role in My Old Ass (2024).