Filmmaker Chats With His Hyper 12-Year-Old Self

If you could talk to yourself as a child, what would you say? A 32-year-old filmmaker named Jeremiah McDonald does this very thing in a funny and nostalgic video called ‘A Conversation with My 12 Year Old Self: 20th Anniversary Edition.’

The video is actually a cleverly-edited creation that splices current footage of McDonald with vintage clips where he was only 12-years-old. It begins innocently enough, as McDonald’s younger self pokes fun at his older counterpart’s appearance, asks about the fate of beloved pets and professes a love for ‘Star Wars.’

But then, things turn poignant as the 12-year-old reminds McDonald of his love for drawing, something that he abandoned later in life due to laziness and a desire to pursue filmmaking instead.

Surprisingly, some critics have questioned whether the video, which has more than 5 million views on YouTube, is genuine, arguing that McDonald hired a child actor to play himself. What do you think? Is this video on the level or just a well-made fabrication?