Up-and-Coming Actors to Watch: August 2011

With the fall movie season fast approaching, here’s a look at 10 rising actors to watch out for in the fall and beyond.

For more of my picks for up-and-coming actors, be sure to check the archive.

Ezra Miller

Age: 18

Miller got his start playing a troubled, internet-addicted teen in 2008’s Afterschool. He’s since appeared in a couple of ensemble indie films, including City Island and Every Day, where he played the gay son of Helen Hunt and Liev Schreiber.  He’s also appeared on the TV show Californication. His unusual screen presence in these early roles earned him the notice of many critics.

But what really seems to have people excited is his upcoming work. Miller will appear as Tilda Swinton’s disturbed son in the highly-anticipated film, We Need to Talk About Kevin. The movie earned major attention at Cannes, and it will be heading to TIFF this fall. Though the film looks harrowing, Miller’s work looks very promising, judging by early trailers and clips. First, though, he’ll take the titular role as a rogue high school journalist in the intriguing-sounding comedy Beware the Gonzo (which also stars Zoe Kravitz and…um…Jesse McCartney). Miller also has a major role in next year’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower, which will likely introduce him to a much wider audience. It could be his breakout role.

Dakota Johnson

Age: 21

The striking Dakota Johnson (who happens to be the daughter of Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson) made the most of her one scene as Justin Timberlake’s one-night stand in The Social Network last year. And her screen presence (and yeah, let’s face it, her butt) must have made a big impression on people, because she’s got a slew of upcoming projects.

Johnson already appeared in this year’s Beauty and Beast update, Beastly, and she has a major role in the upcoming fish-out-of-water indie film, Theo. She’ll also appear in the indie drama For Ellen, which stars Paul Dano as a musician looking for custody of his young daughter. But things get really big beyond that, because she’ll appear in comedies such as Goats (with Vera Farmiga, David Duchovny, Keri Russell, Minnie Driver, and Ty Burrell), The Five-Year Engagement (with Emily Blunt, Jason Segel, and Chris Pratt), and Gay Dude (with Nick Offerman, Megan Mullaly, and fellow up-and-comer Nicholas Braun). And she also has a role in the upcoming 21 Jump Street remake with Johnny Depp and Channing Tatum.

Nicholas Braun

Age: 23

Enthusiasts of the tween entertainment have probably had Braun on their radar for a while now. Not only did he appear in the Disney Channel Original movies The Princess Protection Program and Minutemen, but he also had a lead role on the ABC Family show adaptation of 10 Things I Hate About You (he played the Joseph Gordon-Levitt character). As well, he provided some genuine charm to Disney’s big-screen movie, Prom, this year (and if you read my review, you’ll see his performance was one of the major reasons that I somewhat enjoyed the film).

But for those of us who enjoy movies that are targeted towards people above the age of 12, there’s still a good reason to be aware of Braun. He’ll play one of the three teen leads (along with Michael Angarano and Kyle Gallner) in Kevin Smith’s much-discussed Red State, which opens this fall. And Kevin Smith likes Braun so much that he cast him as the star in his next (and final?) directorial project, Hit Somebody. In the film (which will apparently be split into two parts), Braun will play an aspiring hockey player whose true talent lies only in getting into fights. Braun will also play the non-gay half of a duo of friends in Gay Dude (which recently signed Nick Offerman and Megan Mullaly for supporting roles). And as if all of THAT wasn’t enough, he also has a small role in next year’s adaptation of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, a supporting role in Chalet Girl (which stars it-girl to-be Felicity Jones), a leading role as a “Jesus-freak” love interest in Before You Say Goodbye, and a major role in the TV movie Brave New World (which apparently is not Aldous Huxley-related). Whew.

Henry Cavill

Age: 28

Henry Cavill certainly doesn’t need my endorsement, but he’s probably the next Big Thing (or at least, the next Sam Worthington). Now, he’s popped up here and there with supporting roles in films such as The Count of Monte Cristo, Tristan + Isolde, Stardust, and Whatever Works. He was also a regular on The Tudors. He’s had a pretty respectable career already for such a young actor. But none of that holds a light to what’s on the horizon for Cavill.

First, he landed the lead in The Immortals, which is directed by Tarsem Singh (The Fall and The Cell). When you watch the trailers, it’s not at all surprising to hear that the film is by the producers of 300, and I imagine this film will be met with a similarly large audience. And as if one potential franchise wasn’t enough, he also got cast as gosh darn SUPERMAN in The Man of Steel. Since it’s directed by Zack Snyder (he of 300 fame and Sucker Punch, um…notoriety), it’s sure to be visually slick. And even though I’m tiring of superhero movies (didn’t we just have a Superman film?) the supporting cast includes Amy Adams, Russell Crowe, Michael Shannon (yay!), and Laurence Fishbourn, so I have to be at least a bit excited. And as if two leading roles weren’t enough, Cavill will also star in an action/conspiracy thriller called The Cold Light of Day with Bruce Willis and Sigourney Weaver.

Brit Marling

Age: 27

The multi-talented Marling may have first made an impression as Brita’s “lesbian friend” in an episode of Community, but her ambitions clearly stretch far beyond sitcom guest star. Not only does she star in the Sundance hit Another Earth (which is currently playing in limited release), but she also co-wrote the film with director Mike Cahill. And while Another Earth garnered more attention, Marling also starred in and co-wrote another film from this year’s Sundance festival, Sound of My Voice. In that film, Marling plays the leader of a cult who is the target of two documentary filmmakers trying to expose her as a fraud.

After Sundance, Marling was quickly spotted by studio execs, and she’s become one of the most in-demand young actresses working (she was even forced to drop out of contention for the Tom Cruise vehicle One Shot due to scheduling conflicts). She’s set to join a top-notch cast for Robert Redford’s next project, The Company You Keep, which stars Shia LaBoeuf, Susan Sarandon, Redford, Nick Nolte, Richard Jenkins, and Julie Christie. And she’ll appear with Sarandon once again in Arbitage, a financial thriller also starring Tim Roth and Richard Gere.

Miles Teller

Age: 24

Miles Teller made his big screen debut just last year in the critically acclaimed Rabbit Hole, and his aching, muted performance caught the attention of many viewers. He more than held his own alongside Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart. And though he may not have a slew of huge projects coming up, Teller is certainly on his way up after that breakout performance.

His biggest (and most unexpected!) film on the horizon is the remake of Footloose, which will hit theatres this fall. Teller will play Willard, a tough-talking (but apparently light-footed) comrade of Ren. Teller also has a couple of smaller comedies in the works. Project X is a teen party comedy by first-time director Nima Nourizadeh, and 21 and Over tells the story straight-laced students who cuts loose (footloose?) on his 21^st birthday.

Tom Hiddleston

Age: 30

British actor Tom Hiddleston is no stranger to UK television, but North American audiences got their first taste of his charm in this year’s mega-blockbuster Thor, where he played the brother of Chris Hemsworth. He was also very memorable as F. Scott Fitzgerald in Midnight in Paris. And if appearing in two of the most talked-about films of the summer wasn’t enough of an introduction, Hiddleston has a few more chances to get people talking.

Hiddleston will star opposite Rachel Weisz in The Deep Blue Sea, which is set to play at TIFF this year. He’ll also take a supporting role in Spielberg’s buzzed-about holiday blockbuster, War Horse. He’ll also reprise his role of Loki from Thor for next year’s hugely anticipated superhero extravaganza, The Avengers. Hiddleston’s offbeat charm seems to be striking a chord with American audiences, and I expect to see a lot of him in years to come.

Kaya Scodelario

Age: 19

British actress Kaya Scodelario was a fan favourite as Effieon the teen soap Skins, and that notoriety started to turn into big screen promise when she landed small roles in Moon and Clash of the Titans. But while she’s still sticking mainly with smaller projects in the UK, it seems as though Scodelario is well on her way to building up an interesting career. She has some interesting projects on the horizon.

First (and most notably), she’s taking on a huge task by playing Catherine in the latest adaptation of Wuthering Heights. The film is directed by Andrea Arnold (Fish Tank), and I’m very interested to see her take on the classic story. Scodelario will also appear in the British thriller Twenty8k (which stars the underrated Stephen Dillane), a weepy drama about a girl with cancer called Now is Good (which stars Dakota Fanning, the underrated Olivia Williams, and the underrated Paddy Considine), a film about an Iraq veteran who fakes his own death called Invisible, and a teen drama called Stay With Me (where she’ll co-star with Cemetery Junction‘s quirky Tom Hughes). These seem like smart, diverse choices for a young actress, and I imagine that if she gives a worthy performance in Wuthering Heights that will be her ticket for big things.

Bailee Madison

Age: 11

Something is up when a 11-year-old has more IMDB acting credits than a lot of actors three times her age (she has 28 credits, which is more than anyone else on this list). But while Madison charmed her way through small roles in Bridge to Terabithia, Phoebe in Wonderland, and Conviction, it was her work in the 2009 drama Brothers, which struck a chord with most viewers. Playing the petulant daughter of Natalie Portman and Toby Maguire, Madison offered something so rare for a child actor – believability. Her acting was refreshingly natural, and it made for a magnetic performance. It was probably one of the best child performances I’ve seen, so it’s a shame that she hasn’t gotten more meaty projects since then. She shared the screen earlier this year with Adam Sandler in Just Go With It, which, though I haven’t seen it, probably didn’t give her much to work with. But she has at least one project that could be good coming up…

The release of Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark is just a couple of weeks away, and though it looks like a fairly standard horror flick, there are some promising elements. As well as Madison, it stars Guy Pearce, who almost always makes good movie choices (and is good in everything he picks). It was also co-written by Guillermo Del Toro (who is also a producer), so that should add a bit of zest to it all. Madison’s name even makes it onto the poster, so she’ll probably have the chance to show off some acting here. Beyond that, she’ll be in the comedy Dance of the Mirlitons with Kristen Bell, Chloe Moretz, and Jackie Earle Haley (which might be the most random cast ever), the Corbin Bernsen-directed family drama (huh?) 25 Hill, and Cowgirls n’ Angels (which is not a sequel to Cowboys & Aliens, and sounds…well, awful).

Luke Evans

Age: 32

This guy has 10 upcoming films (and a lot of them are big ones), so let’s get down to it. He’s a Welsh actor who’s done extensive theatre work and appeared in Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, Robin Hood, Tamara Drewe, and Clash of the Titans. And that’s literally it. No British telelvision. Nothing else.

But that’s about to change. Let’s get the small ones out of the way first. He’s in a Jason Statham action flick called Blitz that’s going straight to DVD in North America, a strange-looking film called Flutter with Joe Anderson, a horror film called No One Lives, a British drama called Ashes with Jim Sturgess, Lesley Manville, and Ray Winstone (which actually sound good), and a leading role in the action film The Amateur American (though production was recently pushed back). BUT first up, this fall he’ll appear as Aramis in The Three Musketeers. Soon after, he’ll play Zeus himself in The Immortals. In 2012, he’ll play a detective in the Poe film The Raven, and he’ll also appear in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey as Bard (now I wish I’d finished that book so I knew who “Bard” is). And in 2013, of course he has the sequel, The Hobbit: There and Back Again.

So there’s my latest batch of actors to watch. For previous lists of up-and-comers, click here. If you have any suggestions for actors you’d like to see featured, feel free to leave a comment!

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Up-and-Coming Actors to Watch in 2011

Last year, I posted a list of 10 up-and-coming actors to watch. That was mainly a list of under-appreciated actors that I thought more people should know about. This time, I’ve assembled a group of nine lesser-known actors who I think will make a serious splash in 2011. I tried to avoid actors who have already had a big “breakthrough” role. For example, Garrett Hedlund (Tron: Legacy) and Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland) may not quite be household names yet, but they’ve already had the roles that are going to help them get work in the future. These nine actors are ones who I believe have those roles coming up later this year, or who are poised to build a name for themselves in a slower way.

Juno Temple – Little Birds

You’ll also see her in: The Three Musketeers, Killer Joe, Dirty Girl, Jack and Diane, Kaboom

If you ask me, Juno Temple is THE young actress to watch right now. She’s already made a decent name for herself in a few short years (you may remember her from supporting roles in Notes on a Scandal, Atonement, Year One, and Greenberg). And you’ll be seeing plenty of her this year, seeing as she has six movies slated for 2011 release.

Her most interesting upcoming project is Little Birds, which played at this year’s Sundance festival. In the film, Temple and Kay Panabaker (No Ordinary Family, Fame) star as two girls on the run to L.A. While the film received somewhat mixed reviews, Temple is garnering plenty of praise for her performance in this coming-of-age drama.

Three of her other films, Kaboom, Jack and Diane, and Dirty Girl are cut from the same indie cloth, and all of them sound like potentially interesting projects. Dirty Girl is another teenage runaway movie for Temple, this time co-starring Milla Jovovich and William H. Macy. Jack and Diane is the “lesbian werewolf” movie that went through so many casting changes a couple of years back (Ellen Page was slated to star originally). Meanwhile, Kaboom is Greg Araki’s follow-up to Mysterious Skin, and this tale of sexual liberation has already seen a limited release and will be coming to DVD in May.

In terms of higher-profile projects, Temple will take a supporting role in Paul W.S. Anderson’s 3-D extravaganza, The Three Musketeers. She’ll also team up with Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch, and Thomas Hayden Church in Killer Joe, a dramedy about a man who puts a hit out on his own mother.

All this comes on the heels of rumours that Temple has been cast in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises. She joins a growing cast of newcomers to the franchise which includes Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anne Hathaway, and Tom Hardy. I could see Temple having the same kind of year that Andrew Garfield did last year. Like him, she’s got a few big roles in a mix of smaller and high-profile projects, which will help get her name out there before she jumps to the world of the superhero franchise.

Felicity Jones – Like Crazy

You’ll also see her in: Hysteria, Page Eight, Cheerful Weather for the Wedding, Chalet Girl

England seems to be pumping out one new “It Girl” after another, and now it’s Felicity Jones’s turn. Jones starred in the British TV adaptation of Northanger Abbey back in 2007, and since then, she’s appeared in films such as Brideshead Revisited, Cheri, and Cemetery Junction (which I thought was an incredibly charming little film).

But where she really made waves was at this year’s Sundance festival, where her new film Like Crazy, debuted. The film itself received plenty of love from the critics (and went on to win the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance), but when Jones won the festival’s award for acting, her status as possible Oscar contender was cemented.

Her other upcoming films stick closer to the British fare that Jones was previously known for. Hysteria tells the sure-to-be colourful history of the vibrator (it also stars Maggie Gyllenhaal and Hugh Dancy), Page Eight is a BBC spy thriller with Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz, and Cheerful Weather for the Wedding is a dramedy with Elizabeth McGovern. And there’s also Chalet Girl with Ed Westwick…but by the looks of things, the less that’s said about that, the better.

Joel Edgerton – Warrior

You’ll also see him in: The Thing, The Odd Life of Timothy Green, Say Nothing

This 36-year-old Australian is hardly a newcomer to Hollywood, but it seems like 2011 might finally be his breakthrough year.

Edgerton has appeared in King Arthur, Smokin’ Aces, Star Wars Episode II & III, and the Australian cult favourite, The Square, but oddly enough, it was last year’s Australian indie Animal Kingdom that earned him the most attention yet. Though Jacki Weaver was the only actor from the film to receive a very well-deserved Oscar nomination, many viewers (including myself) seemed to latch onto Edgerton’s charismatic, comparatively gentle (though that’s not saying much for that film) character of Baz.

After that, offers started to pour in. And Edgerton seemed to embrace his newfound Hollywood clout, because he’s got starring roles in a ton of big project coming up. The most high-profile of all is the Fighter look-a-like film, Warrior, which co-stars another up-and-comer from last year, Tom Hardy. The trailer looks like it’s full of sports movie clichés, but early word from advanced screenings has been decent so far.

Edgerton’s also got a pair of thrillers lined up. Say Nothing is an Australian vacation-gone-wrong mystery with Teresa Palmer, while The Thing is a good ol’ fashioned alien horror film with Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

Perhaps most interesting of all is the fantasy film The Odd Life of Timothy Green, with Jennifer Garner, Dianne Wiest, and Rosemarie DeWitt. The director, Peter Hedges, made Dan in Real Life and Pieces of April, which were two flawed but interesting films.

Rooney Mara – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the only film that Mara has lined up for 2011, but I think that’s all she really needs. While fans of The Social Network (and there are many on the internet) know perfectly well who Mara is, most people don’t, and this is a massive enough project to change that. Not only is it based on the biggest book phenomenon since The Da Vinci Code, but The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is directed by David Fincher, who has become one of the most respected directors in Hollywood. (If you ask me, losing the Best Director Oscar to Tom Hooper might be the best thing that’s ever happened to Fincher’s career.)

There’s already plenty of buzz for the film, and Mara has already posed in costume for several photoshoots. People seem to already like her even though most have only seen her in The Social Network (her few other past credits include A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Winning Season, and Youth in Revolt). Talk of an Oscar is already floating around, but with the slew of young actresses in meaty roles this year, it’s going to be a tough fight for everyone.

Sam Riley – On the Road

2007’s Control was supposed to be the movie that made Sam Riley a star. And his performance in that film as Ian Curtis was so searing and deft that it was hard to believe that it was his first movie. Yet even though Riley had a small string of projects afterwards, all of them ended up in distribution purgatory. Franklyn never made it out of the UK, while 13 fell prey to poor reviews and, despite offering a poster and trailer, still doesn’t seem to have a U.S. release date. Even Brighton Rock (Riley’s most promising project after Control), which played at TIFF, doesn’t seem to have plans for a proper North American release.

But hopefully, all of that is going to change with On the Road. It is, of course, an adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s famous 1955 novel, and when you combine that with co-stars of Garrett Hedlund and Kristen Stewart, it’s a recipe for the attention that eluded Riley’s previous films. And considering that director Walter Salles directed The Motorcycle Diaries, there’s a good chance that On the Road will capture the free-wheeling, open-road spirit that is necessary. This guy needs to get more work, and I think this might be the film that helps him do it. Sometimes I like to keep my favourite actors a secret (it’s a strange, contradictory feeling that a lot of people seem to have), but I’m excited for Riley to reach a bigger audience.

Jessica Chastain – The Tree of Life

You’ll also see her in: The Help, The Debt, Take Shelter, Coriolanus, The Fields, Wilde Salome

If you’re a fan of thoughtful movies, get ready to see Jessica Chastain everywhere. Because she has SEVEN films lined up for 2011. (I think she wins for sheer volume.)

The thirty-year-old beauty is a relative newcomer with only two theatrical films previously to her name. But she’s making up for lost time, and she’s starting off with a biggie.

First up (I think) is Terrence Malick’s ridiculously anticipated The Tree of Life, which comes out in May. She’ll play a wife to Brad Pitt and a mother to the future Sean Penn, and I’m already bewitched by all three of them just from the beautiful trailer. She’s already gaining Oscar buzz simply because of the calibre of the film.

Chastain also has a couple of big, lighter summer releases. The Help is based on Kathryn Stockett’s best-selling novel (I’ve worked in a bookstore for almost a year, and that book has been on the bestseller wall the whole time), and it stars Emma Stone and Viola Davis. She’ll also appear in The Debt alongside Sam Worthington and Helen Mirren. The film was supposed to get a late 2010 release, but has been pushed back, though, which is never a great sign.

She’ll also go small with apocalyptic thriller Take Shelter, which was a favourite at Sundance that’s already earning Michael Shannon praise from critics. As well, Ralph Fiennes’ Coriolanus is a star-studded period piece that offers Chastain a supporting role (stars include Fiennes, Gerard Butler, Vanessa Redgrave, and James Nesbitt).

Then you’ve also got The Fields, which is a crime thriller with Sam Worthington (again!), Chloe Moretz, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. There’s also Wilde Salome (directed by and starring Al Pacino), where Chastain will take the title role in a story based on one of Oscar Wilde’s most controversial works.

Despite this hugely impressive list of projects, I’m not sure that Chastain is going to become a “movie star” this year. I think she’ll gain a lot of respect as an actress, but I don’t see her starring in any rom-coms alongside Ashton Kutcher in the near future. But to me that’s a good thing, because it’s always interesting when an actress quietly becomes famous for quality work, and it’s surprisingly rare. Marion Cotillard did it, Rebecca Hall did it, and Jessica Chastain might just do it this year.

Elizabeth Olsen – Martha Marcy May Marlene

You’ll also see her in: Silent House, Peace Love & Misunderstanding

No, your eyes are not deceiving you, because that is indeed the younger sister of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Just when a couple of Olsen sisters become completely irrelevant, you get a new one to shake things up.

And shake things up she did at Sundance this year. Making her film debut (well, unless you count a couple of Olsen twins TV movies from the mid-90’s…which I don’t), Olsen won critics over with an apparently searing performance as an abused young woman in Martha Marcy May Marlene (which also stars Sundance god John Hawkes). It seemed like she and Felicity Jones were on every blogger’s lips (or fingertips) during the festival this year. Some are predicting a Jennifer Lawrence-like rise to prominence for Olsen thanks to the film.

Olsen appeared in a second film at Sundance with the horror film Silent House. Though not as buzz-y as MMMM, I got a sense that most critics liked her in both films. She’ll also hit the big screen in Peace, Love, & Misunderstanding. With an impressive cast that includes Jeffrey Dean Morgan (curiously enough, it’s his second Woodstock comedy in three years), Catherine Keener, Chase Crawford, Jane Fonda, and Rosanna Arquette, it could turn out to be a crowd-pleaser.

Dominic Cooper – The Devil’s Double

You’ll also see him in: Captain America: The First Avenger, My Week with Marilyn

You probably know who Dominic Cooper is. After all, he’s appeared in films like Mamma Mia, The Duchess, and An Education. But there’s a good chance that you don’t know his name, because he never seems to get the credit that he deserves. He was fittingly unreadable in An Education and he showed off his rowdy, charming side in the very underrated 2007 coming-of-age dramedy Starter for 10 (which also stars James McAvoy and Rebecca Hall). And now that he’s slowly worked his way up, it seems like it might pay off in a big way this year.

In a rare leading role, Cooper will play Saddam Houssein’s son (he will also portray the man forced to become the son’s double) in The Devil’s Double. The film’s director apparently had to tone down some of its more extreme torture scenes, so you can be sure it will be an intense viewing experience. Coming out of Sundance, many reviewers praised Cooper, and the film got decent reviews.

While The Devil’s Double is bound to earn Cooper much more respect as an actor, I don’t see the film being much of a commercial success. But Cooper seems to be compensating for that in a big way by taking a major role in the highly anticipated (but not by me) Captain America movie. He’ll also appear alongside Michelle Williams in My Week with Marilyn.

Sam Claflin – Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

You’ll also see him in: United

Claflin made minor waves a few days ago when he reportedly beat of the likes of Alex Pettyfer (I Am Number Four, Beastly),
James Frecheville (Animal Kingdom), and Caleb Landry Jones (X-Men: First Class) to land the lead in the upcoming film The Seventh Son. It’s based on a teen book series by Joseph Delaney, and the film (currently scheduled for a 2013 release) also stars Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore.

But that’s a ways off, so let’s talk about Claflin’s more imminent films. He’ll take a supporting role in this summer’s tentpole blockbuster, Pirate of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (he appears briefly in this trailer). And even though the Pirates movies are all about Johnny Depp, I wouldn’t be surprised if the handsome Claflin catches the eye of a few young moviegoers.

Appearing in what will likely be the year’s highest grossing movie certainly isn’t a bad way to break into Hollywood, especially for someone who only has a handful of British television credits to his name (though, to be fair, one of them is the highly acclaimed Pillars of the Earth mini-series…Between him and Eddie Redmayne, I think I should check that thing out.) He’ll also star alongside Doctor Who himself, David Tennant, later this year in the British sports drama, United (though I feel like that will be one of those British movie that makes ZERO impact in North America).

 

Be sure to check out more of my lists of up-and-coming actors!

10 Up-and-Coming Actors To Watch

You’ve seen them in your favourite recent movies – you just might not know it. They’ve shared the screen with actors such as Meryl Streep, Bruce Willis, and Pierce Brosnan. They’ve played such memorable roles as “Teenager #1” and “Boy on Bike”. They are the next wave of up-and-coming actors.

Everyone likes to predict which young performers will hit it big, and these ten actors, while hardly household names, have proven that they have charisma and talent, even in the smallest of roles. If you hurry, you can still claim that you liked them before they hit it big.

And if you’d like to see more lists of up-and-coming actors, check out the archive!

1. Reece Thompson

Age: 21

Why he’s on the list: Because he’s already proven that he’s a leading man. After a slew of bit parts in TV shows and straight-to-DVD movies, Thompson got his first big starring role with 2007’s fabulous but underseen Rocket Science. Playing a stuttering debate team hopeful, Thompson grasped the off-beat humour of the film perfectly and also added some genuine emotional heft. The same year, he took the lead in The Assassination of a High School President, and Thompson’s modern riff on the hard-boiled detective genre was a blast.

Where you’ll see him: In two different indies screening at TIFF. Daydream Nation is a “provocative yet humorous romance” starring Kat Dennings, and Thompson will play the younger of her two love interests. As well, he’ll play a friend to Michael Angarano in Max Winkler’s comedy
Ceremony, which also stars Uma Thurman.

2. Zoe Kazan

Age: 26

Why she’s on the list: Because she knows how to pick a role. Even her earliest credits include films like Fracture and Revolutionary Road. Kazan (who, yes, is the granddaughter of Elia Kazan) has since gotten larger roles, and audiences are most likely to recognize her as Meryl Streep’s younger daughter in It’s Complicated, or alongside Zac Efron in Me and Orson Welles. But the critical acclaim came with a little-seen film from last year called The Exploding Girl, which stars Kazan as a college student suffering from epilepsy.

Where you’ll see her: Her biggest upcoming film, Meek’s Cut-Off, is a period-piece western premiering at TIFF. The film is directed by Kelly Reichardt (Wendy and Lucy), and it stars Paul Dano, Bruce Greenwood, and Michelle Williams. She’ll also take a supporting role in Happythankyoumoreplease, the directorial debut of actor Josh Radnor (How I Met Your Mother)

3. Mark Rendall

Age: 21

Why he’s on the list: Because he’s a magnetic, quirky presence. Before he got cast in larger parts, he (like most Canadian actors, it seems) paid his dues on various homegrown children’s shows and made-for-TV movies. After voicing everyone’s favourite aardvark, Arthur, and a starring role in the Canadian film Childstar, he began to land supporting roles in some larger Hollywood films. In 2007’s Charlie Bartlett, he stole the show as Kip, a sensitive, depressed teen. He’s also appeared in Silk, 30 Days of Night, My One and Only, and earned praise for his work  in The Exploding Girl

Where you’ll see him: He actually doesn’t have any upcoming projects currently listed on IMDB, aside from a short film called Up & Down.

4. Olivia Thirlby

Age: 23

Why she’s on the list: Because she’s just plain awesome. She’s best known as Juno‘s shrewd best friend, but her first role was in Paul Greengrass’ acclaimed drama, United 93. Since then she’s appeared in a slew of smart indies, including Snow Angels (a Times Like Those favourite), The Wackness, Uncertainty, Breaking Upwards, and Solitary Man.

Where you’ll see her: In Kenneth Lonnergan’s follow-up to You Can Count on Me, Margaret, whose cast includes Anna Paquin, Matt Damon, Mark Ruffalo, Kieran Culkin, and Matthew Broderick. Thirlby will also take supporting roles in the Ivan Reitman-directed No Strings, The Darkest Hour (an alien thing with Emile Hirsch), and Dredd (another sci-fi thing, written by Alex Garland [28 Days Later, Never Let Me Go]). As well, she’ll finally get to try her hand in leading roles in M and The No Game.

5. Johnny Simmons

Age: 23

Why he’s on the list: Because he’s on the rise. With only a handful of feature credits to his name, Simmons has quickly transitioned from films like Evan Almighty and Hotel for Dogs to a trio of showier roles. He was terrorized by Megan Fox in Jennifer’s Body and charmed as Michael Cera’s bandmate “Young Neil” in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. But for me, the performance that showed the most promise was a supporting role in The Greatest. He played a likeable but very flawed teenager struggling to come to terms with the death of his older brother, and Simmons deftly handled a complicated range of emotions.

Where you’ll see him: He’ll play the son of Robin Wright’s rabble-rouser in The Conspirator. The Robert Redford-helmed film is already earning fairly strong reviews at TIFF, and it could be a chance for Simmons to reach a wider audience.

6. Zoe Kravitz

Age: 21

Why she’s on the list: Because she’s an intriguing on-screen presence. As the daughter of Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonnet, she’s already got star power behind her name, and Kravitz is starting to prove that she’s got the talent to back it up. She hasn’t wasted any time courting high-profile projects, getting her start with a small role in 2007’s No Reservations. She’s also appeared in The Brave One, and stole her scenes (despite her shakily written character) in The Greatest.

Where you’ll see her: The sultry actress will appear in one of this fall’s more buzzed-about indies, It’s Kind of a Funny Story (directed by Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden). She’s also got a couple of potential blockbusters on the horizon with supporting roles in X-Men: First Class and Mad Max: Fury Road.

7. Hunter Parrish

Age: 23

Why he’s on the list: Because he’s got the makings of a full-blown teen heartthrob (he’s already built a bit of a following thanks to his work on “Weeds”) early roles were fairly minor, but 2009 offered a couple of larger big-screen projects. First, he was almost unrecognizable as Zac Efron’s scuzzy nemesis in the surprisingly enjoyable 17 Again. And though he was given very little to do as Meryl Streep’s son in It’s Complicated, his sheer charisma (and blindingly white teeth) made him memorable.

Where you’ll see him: I believe that he’s still on “Weeds”, but aside from that, he doesn’t have any other projects listed on IMDB right now, oddly enough.

8. T.J. Miller

Age: 29

Why he’s on the list: Because he has the everyman humour of Jason Segel or Seth Rogan. Despite being one of the older names on the list (and working as a stand-up comedian for years), Miller made his film debut only two years ago in the much-discussed Cloverfield (if he doesn’t look familiar, it’s because he played Hud, the man holding the camera, and served as more of a narrator than a visual presence). He’s had small roles in Extract (as Jason Bateman’s metalhead co-worker) and How to Train Your Dragon. But his most prominent role to date was in this year’s woefully underrated She’s Out of My League, where he stole the show as “Stainer”.

Where you’ll see him: Miller seems to be everywhere this year, and he’s still got two more appearances to go by the end of 2010. He’ll appear in, um, Yogi Bear (alongside Dan Ackroyd, Justin Timberlake, and Anna Faris) and Gulliver’s Travels (which co-stars Jack Black and Jason Segel).

9. Lily Collins

Age: 21

Why she’s on the list: Because she could be the next big starlet. Aside from an appearance on 90210, Collins’ only film acting gig to date is as Sandra Bullock’s daughter in The Blindside, where she turned in a very respectable performance. She’s also done stage acting, modeling and writing, and happens to be the daughter of Phil Collins. Apparently others are taking note…

Where you’ll see her: She has a role in next year’s sci-fi thriller, Priest, alongside Paul Bettany and Christopher Plummer. She’ll also co-star in Abduction with Taylor Lautner (before you write it off completely, the supporting cast includes Alfred Molina, Jason Isaacs, Maria Bello, and Sigourney Weaver). And finally, she’s slated to take the lead in yet another film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet.

10. Caleb Landry Jones

Age: 20

Why he’s on the list: Because he has star potential. His first role was as “Boy On Bike” in No Country for Old Men. Despite only appearing on screen for a mere couple of minutes near the end of the film, he somewhat stole the scene from Javier Bardem (and if you’ve seen the movie, you know that it was a fairly memorable scene on its own). He’s since appeared in the “Friday Night Lights” TV show and Fred Durst’s The Longshots. This year, he found himself in a supporting role in the box office quasi-hit, The Last Exorcism.

Where You’ll See Him: He has a role in The Social Network, but considering he’s billed as “Fraternity Guy”, one would expect it to be a fairly minor one. More notably, he was recently cast as Banshee in X-Men: First Class. Previous instalments in the franchise have served as a launching pad for Ellen Page, Ben Foster, and James Marsden.

Actors With a Big Year Ahead: Andrew Garfield

From up-and-comers getting their big breaks to massive stars headlining multiple movies, I’m going to be taking a look at some of the actors who we’re likely going to hear a lot about over the next eleven months. Here’s a look at British actor Andrew Garfield’s upcoming projects.

This young actor scored a BAFTA for his fantastic work in the 2007 British TV movie, Boy A (which earned limited theatrical release in North America in 2008). If you haven’t seen Boy A yet, be sure to track it down. Garfield’s performance alone is well worth the price of a rental, and it’s a really solid (but dreary) little film. While his list of film work is short (he’s appeared in Lions for Lambs, The Other Boleyn Girl, and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus), Andrew Garfield now has a number of high-profile projects slated for a 2010 release.

The Social Network – October 15, 2010

David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Fight Club) is an edgy director, so it makes sense that his latest project is one of the more baffling ones on the horizon. But this story about the founders of the popular social networking site Facebook is nothing if not relevant. Jesse Eisenberg stars as Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and Garfield plays the site’s young co-founder, Eduardo Saverin. The film also stars Rashida Jones and Justin Timberlake. The fact that it’s directed by David Fincher, mixed with people’s general curiosity (or scepticism) about the project and the inescapable presence of Facebook in our world is likely to get The Social Network – and Garfield – a lot of attention.

Never Let Me Go – late 2010

Based on Kazuo Ishiguro’s acclaimed 2005 novel, this story of English boarding school students adds a sci-fi twist to an otherwise typical period drama. But apparently the book focuses far more on the relationships between the protagonists, rather than fantasy sensationalism. The film is helmed by director Mark Romanek (One Hour Photo), and it stars Garfield, Keira Knightley, Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky), and Britain’s newest darling, Carey Mulligan (An Education). Fox Searchlight has the U.S. distribution rights, and with Knightley’s attachment and the success of the book, it’s one of the more highly anticipated films of the year.

Red Riding – February 5, 2010 (limited)

(Pictured above)

IFC Films has picked up this three-part British made-for-TV film for limited release in North America. Shot by three separate directors, each part of this film features a fictionalized account of a crime that took place in Yorkshire during the 1970’s and 80’s. The total running time is five hours, and Garfield is featured in all three segments (co-stars include Rebecca Hall and Sean Bean). It’s also currently available on DVD and Blu-Ray in the UK, and through IFC’s “On-Demand” service.

You can watch a trailer/featurette for Red Riding here.