# How to reference a child actor

**URL:** <https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/how-to-reference-a-child-actor/444511>\
**Category:** Rendering\
**Tags:** child, unreal-engine, Blueprint, question\
**Created:** [March 3, 2019, 12:44pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/how-to-reference-a-child-actor/444511 "2019-03-03T12:44:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![anonymous\_user\_2886778a](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@anonymous\_user\_2886778a](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/anonymous_user_2886778a)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2019, 12:44pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/how-to-reference-a-child-actor/444511/1 "2019-03-03T12:44:43Z")

</div>

In the construction script of a histogram chart, I’m able to set up a few simple cubes, but I can’t see how to get a reference to the final child object so that I can set a material or other parameter.

 ![270138-screenshot.png](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/f/e/c/fec4ff8a91e812e8bbd91f87310206bde09a3130.png)

Am I approaching this the right way?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Everynone](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/everynone/32/1135017_2.png) [@Everynone](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Everynone)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2019, 12:52pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/how-to-reference-a-child-actor/444511/2 "2019-03-03T12:52:08Z")

</div>

Looks fine, the _Add Child Actor Component_ node returns a reference to the component whose child actor’s class you Set. Once it’s set, the object will be instantiated.

* * *

Get _Child Actor_ from _Return Value_ **after** setting the class - this will get you the actor reference. At this point you will need to cast it.