Hollywood is always looking for fresh faces with the talent and drive to light up the screen. Right now, a new wave of actors is breaking through, landing big roles and earning serious praise from critics and fans alike.
From blockbuster franchises to indie darlings, these rising stars are proving they have what it takes to lead the next generation of films and TV shows. Get ready to meet the 28 emerging talents who are about to change the game.
1. Rachel Zegler
Before she turned 20, Rachel Zegler landed the lead role in Steven Spielberg’s remake of West Side Story — beating out thousands of other hopefuls. That kind of debut doesn’t happen by accident.
Her powerhouse voice and natural acting ability made critics take notice immediately.
She went on to star as Lucy Gray Baird in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Her next major role is the live-action Snow White, cementing her place as a true Hollywood force to watch.
2. Ayo Edebiri
Ask anyone who watches The Bear which character steals every scene, and the answer is almost always Sydney Adamu — played brilliantly by Ayo Edebiri. Her ability to carry emotional weight while keeping things grounded and real is rare for someone so early in her career.
Beyond drama, she’s shown serious range with voice work in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Big Mouth. Her upcoming Marvel role in Thunderbolts signals she’s just getting started.
3. Cailee Spaeny
Playing Priscilla Presley in Sofia Coppola’s biographical film is no small task — but Cailee Spaeny pulled it off so convincingly that she won the Best Actress award at the Venice Film Festival. Critics called her performance one of the most quietly powerful of the year.
She followed that up by leading the cast of Civil War and starring in Alien: Romulus. Spaeny is stacking credits fast, and Hollywood is paying close attention to her every move.
4. Jacob Elordi
Standing at 6’5″, Jacob Elordi was always going to turn heads — but it’s his acting depth that’s made Hollywood truly sit up straight. He went from teen heartthrob in The Kissing Booth to earning serious critical praise in Euphoria and the darkly compelling film Saltburn.
His role in Frankenstein showed he’s not afraid to take bold, unconventional risks. Elordi is actively reshaping what it means to be a leading man in modern Hollywood cinema.
5. Kiernan Shipka
Most kids grow up watching TV — Kiernan Shipka grew up acting on it. She started as Sally Draper on Mad MenChilling Adventures of Sabrina and evolved into a full-fledged lead as the witch Sabrina Spellman in .
That kind of growth on screen is genuinely impressive.
Her roles in Totally Killer and Red One show she can handle both horror-comedy and big holiday blockbusters. Shipka’s versatility makes her one of the most reliable young talents working today.
6. Austin Butler
When Austin Butler was cast as Elvis Presley, skeptics were everywhere. Then the movie came out, and those same skeptics were standing in line to see it again.
His transformation into the King of Rock and Roll was so complete that he reportedly kept the accent for months afterward.
Butler is now one of the most sought-after leading men in Hollywood. With roles in Dune: Part Two and more projects lined up, his trajectory is pointing straight to the top.
7. Florence Pugh
Florence Pugh has a habit of showing up in a film and completely overshadowing everyone else — in the best possible way. From her haunting turn in Midsommar to her Oscar-nominated role in Little Women, she brings a raw intensity that very few actors her age can match.
Her performance in Oppenheimer introduced her to an even wider audience. Pugh is already considered one of the finest actresses of her generation, and she’s still in her twenties.
8. Timothee Chalamet
Few actors generate the kind of buzz that Timothee Chalamet does just by walking into a room. His Oscar-nominated performance in Call Me By Your Name announced him as a generational talent, and he’s only built on that reputation since.
He has an effortless ability to disappear into any role he takes on.
His portrayals of Paul Atreides in Dune and Willy Wonka in Wonka proved he can anchor massive blockbusters. Chalamet is already a superstar.
9. Zendaya
Zendaya started on a Disney Channel sitcom and turned herself into one of the most powerful forces in Hollywood through sheer determination and talent. Her Emmy-winning role in Euphoria shattered expectations, and her performance in Dune added a new layer to her already impressive resume.
Her lead role in Challengers earned widespread critical acclaim and sparked major awards conversation. Zendaya isn’t just rising — she’s already at the top, and she’s still climbing higher.
10. Sydney Sweeney
Sydney Sweeney turned heads in Euphoria and then kept turning them in The White Lotus, proving she wasn’t a one-trick pony. What’s striking about her career choices is how deliberately she avoids being boxed into a single type of role.
She produced and starred in Anyone But You, which became a surprise box office hit. Sweeney is building a career with real staying power — one smart, well-chosen project at a time.
Hollywood is watching her every next step.
11. Paul Mescal
Paul Mescal went from playing Connell in the intimate Irish drama Normal People to earning an Oscar nomination for Aftersun — one of the most emotionally devastating films in recent memory. That kind of leap from TV to prestigious cinema doesn’t happen without extraordinary skill.
He starred in All of Us Strangers and took on the iconic role in Gladiator II. Mescal carries quiet intensity like a superpower, making every performance feel deeply personal and unforgettable.
12. Jenna Ortega
There’s something magnetic about Jenna Ortega on screen — she commands attention without ever seeming to try. Her viral Wednesday Addams dance in Wednesday broke Netflix records, but it was her dramatic chops in Scream and X that proved she’s much more than a social media moment.
Ortega is now one of the most recognized young actresses on the planet. With major projects continuously in development, she’s shaping up to be a defining face of her generation in Hollywood.
13. Barry Keoghan
Barry Keoghan has a gift for making audiences feel deeply uncomfortable — and then making them feel sorry about it. His Oscar-nominated role in The Banshees of Inisherin was a masterclass in quiet, simmering heartbreak.
Then he turned around and delivered a spine-chilling performance in Saltburn.
His role as Joker in The Batman is already the stuff of fan legend. Keoghan is one of the most genuinely unpredictable and exciting actors working anywhere in the world right now.
14. Mia Goth
Horror fans know Mia Goth as the queen of the genre — and for good reason. Her dual performance in Ti West’s X was so startling and layered that it became one of the most talked-about acting achievements of recent years.
She’s not afraid to go to dark, uncomfortable places for a role.
Her follow-up films Pearl and MaXXXine cemented her status as a unique creative force. Goth is redefining what it means to be a horror leading lady.
15. Dominic Sessa
Dominic Sessa had never appeared in a professional film before Alexander Payne cast him in The Holdovers — and he responded by delivering one of the most natural and affecting debut performances in years. Acting opposite Paul Giamatti, he held his own scene after scene without flinching.
Critics immediately flagged him as one to watch, and award nominations followed. Sessa is proof that sometimes the most exciting Hollywood talent comes from the most unexpected places and circumstances.
16. Priya Kansara
Priya Kansara burst onto the scene with Polite Society, a wildly fun British action-comedy that let her show off both her physical comedy skills and genuine dramatic depth. Her performance felt completely fresh — the kind of debut that makes you instantly want to see what she does next.
She brings a charisma and cultural authenticity to her roles that feels genuinely needed in modern Hollywood storytelling. Keep an eye on Kansara — she’s building momentum fast and shows no signs of slowing down.
17. Sasha Calle
Making history is not a small thing, and Sasha Calle did exactly that when she became the first Latina actress to play Supergirl in a major Hollywood film. Her performance in The Flash was widely praised as one of the film’s strongest elements, showcasing both physical presence and emotional resonance.
She’s now a recognizable name in blockbuster circles, and her career is still very much in its early stages. Calle represents a new and exciting chapter for superhero storytelling in Hollywood.
18. Xochitl Gomez
At just 16 years old, Xochitl Gomez walked into the Marvel Cinematic Universe as America Chavez in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness — and she walked out as a bona fide fan favorite. Her energy on screen is infectious, and her character’s emotional arc gave her plenty to work with.
She’s the first openly LGBTQ+ Latina superhero in the MCU, which makes her role culturally significant beyond just the entertainment value. Gomez is a rising star with real purpose behind her work.
19. Callum Turner
Callum Turner has been quietly building one of the most interesting careers in Hollywood for the past several years. He impressed fantasy fans in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, but it was his emotionally complex role in the Apple TV+ series Masters of the Air that really turned heads in 2024.
His performance earned widespread critical praise and significantly raised his profile stateside. Turner has the old-school movie star charisma that Hollywood rarely manufactures — it either exists or it doesn’t.
20. Isabela Merced
Isabela Merced has been putting in the work for years — from her role in Dora and the Lost City of Gold to a memorable appearance in Sicario: Day of the Soldado. But 2024 was when everything clicked into place for her in a major way.
She played Hawkgirl in Superman and starred in the Netflix survival thriller Twisters, both of which showcased her ability to anchor big-budget productions. Merced is stepping fully into leading-lady territory, and she’s more than ready for it.
21. David Jonsson
David Jonsson’s breakout moment came in Alien: Romulus, where he played the android Andy with a quiet complexity that stole the entire film. Balancing warmth and menace in the same character is genuinely difficult — Jonsson made it look effortless, which is the mark of a truly special performer.
Before that, he impressed critics in Alien: Romulus and the thriller Saltburn. His ability to disappear into morally ambiguous characters makes him one of the most intriguing young actors currently working in Hollywood.
22. Maleah Joi Moon
Sometimes a debut performance is so good it rewrites the entire conversation around a film. That’s exactly what Maleah Joi Moon did in The Color Purple musical adaptation, playing young Celie with a heartbreaking authenticity that left audiences stunned.
For a first major film role, the depth she brought was extraordinary.
She held her own alongside a cast packed with established legends, which speaks volumes about her instincts as a performer. Moon is a name you’ll want to remember — her future in Hollywood looks genuinely bright.
23. Archie Renaux
British actor Archie Renaux made a strong impression as Mal Oretsev in Netflix’s Shadow and Bone, bringing brooding loyalty and emotional nuance to a role that could have easily been flat. He anchored the romantic storyline of the show in a way that resonated deeply with fans of the source material.
His career is expanding steadily, with more projects expected to follow. Renaux has the look and the skills of a classic leading man — the kind Hollywood tends to hold onto for the long haul.
24. Havana Rose Liu
Havana Rose Liu had almost no acting credits to her name when she was cast as the lead in Bottoms — and then she went ahead and delivered a performance so effortlessly funny and charming that critics couldn’t stop talking about her. That kind of natural screen presence is incredibly rare.
She’s already generating serious Hollywood buzz for upcoming projects. Liu represents a fresh, culturally nuanced voice in American comedy, and the industry is clearly eager to find out what she’ll do next.
25. Phoebe Dynevor
Phoebe Dynevor became a household name almost overnight when Bridgerton premiered on Netflix and immediately became a global phenomenon. Her portrayal of Daphne Bridgerton was warm, spirited, and emotionally grounded — exactly what the show needed to hook millions of viewers worldwide.
Since stepping back from Bridgerton, she’s been selective and deliberate about her next moves, which suggests a long-term career strategy rather than chasing quick fame. Dynevor has the poise and talent to transition seamlessly into major film work.
26. Kingsley Ben-Adir
Playing Bob Marley in a major biopic is the kind of role that can define — or derail — a career. Kingsley Ben-Adir took on that enormous challenge in Bob Marley: One Love and delivered a performance full of warmth, rhythm, and genuine soul.
Critics praised his physical and emotional transformation.
He also appeared as the villain Gravik in Marvel’s Secret Invasion series, proving he can command the screen in completely different genres. Ben-Adir is a versatile talent whose best work still seems to be ahead of him.
27. Nathalie Emmanuel
Nathalie Emmanuel built a global fanbase through her role as Missandei in Game of Thrones, and she’s been steadily leveraging that platform into a full-fledged film career ever since. Her appearances in the Fast and Furious franchise gave her blockbuster credibility on a massive scale.
More recently, she’s been taking on roles that highlight her dramatic range beyond action films. Emmanuel is an actress who understands how to grow a career strategically, and Hollywood is clearly happy to grow with her.
28. Calah Lane
At an age when most kids are worried about homework, Calah Lane was holding her own against Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans in the holiday blockbuster Red One. Her comic timing and natural charisma made every scene she was in feel lighter and more alive — a genuinely remarkable achievement for such a young performer.
Lane is already drawing comparisons to some of Hollywood’s most beloved young stars of past generations. If her early trajectory is any indication, she’s heading toward a very long and celebrated career.