Child actor who still gets paid for starring in Titanic shares exactly how much he's made 27 years on

While plenty of prominent child stars can often go astray, there are some who continue to benefit from their roles in successful blockbusters.

Remember the young boy who gets eaten by the shark in Jaws? He's made a living out of sending cameos to Spielberg fans across the globe and showing visitors around the waters where his character met a gruesome end.

The youngster who portrayed Charlie in the original Roald Dahl classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory pursued a different career as a vet after his singular acting appearance, presumably because a career as a dentist was off the cards.

Although he might not be as recognisable a character, it turns out that the little lad from Titanic, who tragically dies alongside his family in the James Cameron classic, is still benefitting from tugging on the audience's heartstrings before the rest of us were wondering why Kate didn't just let Leo on her raft.

Reece Thompson appeared in the 1997 Hollywood movie when he was just five but he very nearly appeared in a petrol station ad instead of the Oscar-winning film. Who knows, perhaps that would have gone on to have similar success?

Fortunately, after his talent agent offered his mother the two options, she opted for Titanic and it certainly paid off, as he's still earning royalty cheques from the film nearly three decades on, sometimes as much as $250.

While that might only get you a six-pack of eggs in the US these days, it's still a welcome boost for something he may not even remember all that clearly, given he did it at such a young age.

Reece told Business Insider back in 2018: "It turned out to be one of the highest-grossing films in history, so it's pretty bizarre in retrospect.

"My mum was like: 'Let's just do it. It'll be cool. Even if the movie sucks, we'll see it.'

"Obviously, it ended up exploding, so that wasn't a bad decision on her part, that's for sure."

Reece Thompson was just five when he starred in the movie (Paramount Pictures)

The cheques that arrive each year add up to more than you might expect for such a minor part.

"It's weird because it's not present in my mind anymore," Reece said. "It's not like, 'Oh, when am I going to get a new Titanic check?'

"When it happens, it's like, 'Oh, cool, an extra $100.'

"There have been a couple of times where it's been like: 'Oh, wow, that's a $250 check.'

"But hopefully, they keep playing it a lot because that means more money for me."

So, if you're ever offered a choice between appearing in a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet or a local petrol station ad, this might be your sign to opt for the film.