NEW YORK -- Liam Aiken is only 10 years old, but he's already learned some of the pitfalls of fame.

The big-eyed cutie can be seen playing the younger son of Kim Basinger's character in the beautiful drama I Dreamed of Africa, now in theatres.

He's also been mothered on screen by Susan Sarandon and Julia Roberts in Stepmom, and Parker Posey in Henry Fool.

His impressive list of credits include The Object Of My Affection with Jennifer Aniston and TV's Law & Order.

While filming Stepmom, some boys asked Liam to get them autographs. One boy got particularly friendly and called him at home constantly to talk about movies.

"I told him I'm not comfortable with being called a movie star and I don't want to talk about movies all the time," says Liam.

The boy never called again.

Though Liam loved shooting I Dreamed of Africa in South Africa -- he plans to return to Africa for a vacation in Kenya this summer -- he had trouble with the menu.

"There wasn't too much I liked there. We shipped tons and tons of Cheerios over there. I wouldn't eat dinner, so I'd have bowls of Cheerios.

"I tried ostrich once, but I didn't like that. We found Pringles there, that was good."

Liam hopes to be a director one day and already has some opinions on the acting research of his leading ladies.

The biggest praise goes to Sarandon.

"Susan ... invited me over to her house to get to know her and her kids," says Liam, who found this approach very helpful for him to portray her son.

As for Basinger, he'd never heard of her before getting this role. He thought she was a little shy, but "she was nice and caring and kind."

Basinger shouldn't be offended by the lack of recognition from this preteen, because she's in good company.

"Julia wasn't as shy. The first day I met Julia, I thought she was nice, but I told my mom 'I don't think she's done anything,' "

he says as his mother giggles behind him.

Aside from the Kenyan vacation, there's not much rest ahead for this youngster.

He already has his next project lined up.

He's starring with Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron in Sweet November.

"Keanu plays a guy who is a workaholic and she's a woman who tries to show him it's not all about work," says Liam. "I'm the neighbour who pops by."


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