There are certain expectations that are put on you as a child

Hear the candid words of Naomie Harris, who, reflecting on her earliest days, declared: “There are certain expectations that are put on you as a child actor, but mainly it’s just turn up and say your lines with a lot of energy and a cute smile.” At first, her words appear light, almost playful, yet beneath them rests a profound truth about the burden of expectation, the shaping of identity, and the long journey from innocence to mastery. For here she unveils not only the joys of childhood performance, but also the unseen weight placed upon the young when they are thrust into the gaze of the world.

The child actor is called to a strange and paradoxical role. They are celebrated for their presence, admired for their charm, and yet often valued less for their inner being than for their ability to recite, to entertain, to project a certain light. They are told, as Harris recalls, to arrive with energy and to wear a smile, as though their worth lay not in their soul, but in their performance. It is a lesson in how society shapes and sometimes distorts the young: by praising what they give outwardly, while overlooking the depths of their inward growth.

The ancients themselves knew the dangers of such expectations. They told stories of child prodigies who dazzled courts with poetry or song, yet often struggled under the weight of early fame. Think of Mozart, paraded before kings as a wonder of music, required to charm with his gifts when he was scarcely more than a boy. His genius endured, but the pressure of being treated as spectacle carved deep wounds in his spirit. Thus Harris’s words echo across centuries: the child who is praised for their “cute smile” may find it difficult to discover who they are when the smile fades.

Yet in this truth, there is also strength. To meet expectations, even shallow ones, requires resilience. To show up, to give one’s lines with vitality, to embody joy even when it is demanded rather than freely offered—these are small forms of discipline. And often, it is through such beginnings, however confining, that greater strength is forged. For Harris herself grew beyond those early roles, breaking the mold of the child performer and becoming a woman of depth, craft, and power. The seed planted in the soil of expectation bore fruit when nurtured with persistence.

The smile in her memory is symbolic. At once it is a tool of performance, a demand of others, but it is also the enduring image of innocence. A child’s smile, though sometimes demanded, can still carry truth, warmth, and light. The danger is when that smile is forced until it becomes a mask, concealing the true self. Harris’s reflection warns us against such masks, urging us to see beyond appearances, to recognize that behind the energy and brightness of the young lies a soul that must be nurtured with care, not merely consumed as entertainment.

Consider the story of Shirley Temple, whose dancing, charm, and dazzling smile lifted spirits in the Great Depression. She brought joy to millions, yet later in life she admitted that the pressure of always being “the cute one” left scars of its own. Yet she too found strength, remaking herself not only as an actress, but as a diplomat and public servant. This is the path of the child star who rises beyond expectation: to turn the forced smile of youth into the chosen smile of wisdom and contribution.

Therefore, O listener, take this lesson to heart: beware of reducing others, especially children, to the masks they wear for us. Value not only the performance, but the person. Encourage not only the energy that pleases, but the truth that endures. And for yourself, if ever you feel trapped by expectations—whether to smile, to perform, or to conform—remember that these things need not define you forever. Like Harris, you may grow beyond them, carrying what was useful but leaving behind what was false.

Thus, her words, though spoken of child acting, rise into eternal teaching: that life will place upon us many expectations, some shallow, some heavy. We must meet them with courage, but never let them imprison the soul. Keep your smile when it is true, keep your energy when it flows from within, but above all, seek to become more than what the world demands of you. In this way, you will transform the stage of life from a cage into a place of freedom, where your true self may shine.