Justin Henry

Last updated
Justin Henry
Born
Justin Henry

(1971-05-25) May 25, 1971 (age 54)
Rye, New York, U.S.
Occupation(s)Businessman, actor
Years active1978–present
Known forBilly Kramer in Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

Justin Henry (born May 25, 1971) is an American actor and businessman, known for playing Billy Kramer in the 1979 film Kramer vs. Kramer , a debut role which earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor nomination at just eight years old. As of 2025, he remains the youngest Oscar nominee in any category. The performance later earned him a spot (No. 80) on VH1's list of 100 Greatest Kid Stars. Most of his film and television credits came as a child or teenager, although he has continued acting as an adult. [1]

Contents

Early life and education

Justin Henry was born in Rye, New York, the son of Michele (née Andrews), a real estate agent, and Clifford Henry, an investment adviser. [2] He was educated at Brunswick School, an all-boys college-preparatory private day school located in Greenwich, Connecticut, followed by Skidmore College, a private liberal arts college in Saratoga Springs, New York, where he earned a B.A. in psychology in 1993. [3]

Career

Acting career

Henry began his acting career in Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), which was released to widespread praise and won the Academy Award for Best Picture. [4] For his performance as Billy Kramer, a young boy dealing with his parents' separation, he was nominated for the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor [4] [5] (making him the youngest person to ever be nominated for an Academy Award or Golden Globe) and won the Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actor in a Feature Film. [6]

His next role was in a 1983 episode of the American television series Fantasy Island . [7] On the big screen, Henry appeared in the Brat Pack film Sixteen Candles (1984), as Mike, one of main character Samantha's siblings.[ citation needed ] Henry also played the son of a married couple played by Don Johnson and Susan Sarandon in the film Sweet Hearts Dance (1988). In this role, critic Janet Maslin called him a "large and amusingly sullen teenager". [8]

After graduation, Henry's next widely seen performance was in 1997, as a medical student in a two-episode role during the fourth season of ER . [7] He starred opposite Ally Sheedy, Jason David Frank and Brian O'Halloran in the mockumentary The Junior Defenders , which was filmed that same year but released direct-to-video in 2007. [9]

Business career

Henry co-founded the Slamdunk Film Festival in 1998. [10] He continues to make occasional appearances in film and television. [7]

Filmography

Film
YearTitleRoleNotes
1979 Kramer vs. Kramer Billy Kramer
1983 Tiger Town Alex
1984 Sixteen Candles Mike Baker
1985 Martin's Day Martin
Double Negative
1988 Sweet Hearts Dance Kyle Boon
1996 Andersonville Tyce
1997 ER Med Student James SasserSeason 4 Episodes 4 and 5
2003 My Dinner with Jimi Howard Kaylan
Finding Home Prescott
2004 Lost Chester Gould
2007 The Junior Defenders Jimmy Fletcher
2008 My Own Worst Enemy Dr. Rafe CastleSeason 1 Episode 2
2010 Brothers & Sisters Dr. LewisSeason 4 Episode 21
2014 Reaper Caine
2019 On Cinema Himself"The New On Cinema Oscar Special" special

Awards and nominations

YearOrganizationWorkCategoryResultRef.
1980 52nd Academy Awards Kramer vs. Kramer Best Supporting Actor Nominated [4]
David di Donatello Awards Special David Won [11]
37th Golden Globe Awards Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture Nominated [5]
New Star of the Year – Actor Nominated
2nd Young Artist Awards Best Leading Young Actor in a Feature Film Won [6]

References

  1. ↑ "VH1 Names Gary Coleman the top of the 100 Great Kid TV Stars". Entertainment Magazine. August 6, 2009. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved 2010-07-27.
  2. ↑ "Justin Henry Biography (1971-)". Film Reference.
  3. ↑ Jason Buchanan (2012). "Justin Henry Biography". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times . Archived from the original on 2012-10-20. Retrieved 2009-02-14.
  4. 1 2 3 "The 52nd Academy Awards | 1980". www.oscars.org. 2022-03-01. Retrieved 2025-04-07.
  5. 1 2 "Kramer vs. Kramer". Golden Globes. Retrieved 2025-04-07.
  6. 1 2 "2nd Annual Awards". 2015-09-10. Archived from the original on 10 September 2015. Retrieved 2025-04-07.
  7. 1 2 3 Justin Henry at IMDb
  8. ↑ Maslin, Janet (September 23, 1988). "Love and Unhappiness in Sweet Hearts Dance". The New York Times . Retrieved 2020-02-02.
  9. ↑ McCarthy, Mike (February 2, 2020). "Interview with Brian O'Halloran". View Askew . Retrieved 2009-02-14.
  10. ↑ "CANNES 2001: Attention-Getting? Slamdunk, Slamdance, Streaking, and a Sandwich Board". IndieWire. May 15, 2001. Retrieved 2020-02-02.
  11. ↑ "Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) Awards & Festivals". mubi.com. Retrieved 2025-04-07.

Bibliography

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