Child actors under too much pressure, says Olivia Williams

Los Angeles, Feb 5 (IANS) Actress Olivia Williams doesn't think children should act in films because there is too much pressure put on them to do a good job.

The 46-year-old star has two daughters, Esme, 10, and seven-year-old Roxana, with fellow actor Rhashan Stone.

"My personal opinion is that I don't think a child should start working until they're 18. If you're an actor of any age, a vast amount of money rests on you turning up and doing your job and I think that's too much responsibility for a child," she told Metro newspaper, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

The "Maps to the Stars" actress, who starred alongside then 11-year-old Haley Joel Osment in 1999 horror film "The Sixth Sense", isn't expecting her children to put themselves under such pressure because she doesn't think they will end up pursuing an acting career.

"They're like any kids. They'll say, 'I want to do that,' but when the time comes to go to their Saturday morning dance lessons they say, 'I don't want to go.'

"We don't haul them off and make them do it. One day they want to do it, the next they want to be astronauts. They're not heading for vastly lucrative Hollywood careers," she added.