Original Article on Los Angeles Times

For a preteen, membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences brings some particularly grown-up perks. The biggest thrill for Anna Paquin, who joined at age 11, wasnt being able to vote on the best picture of the year it was that her membership allowed her to see R-rated movies before she was 17.I remember thinking that was the pretty much the coolest thing that could happen to me, recalled Paquin, now 29. My parents were pretty finicky with ratings, and occasionally Id get away with watching stuff that was a little older than they preferred. Plus, I was living in New Zealand, and once a year Id get sent all of these movies that werent coming out for months where I lived.In 1994, Paquin took home the supporting actress Oscar...(read more)