Within the last few years, we have seen young actors and actresses unleash some serious star power to show that leading roles aren’t just for the experienced actor. Notably, actors like Austin Butler, Sydney Sweeney and more have proven that great acting chops can come at any age. With that in mind, we wanted to write something to highlight those on the precipice of of prominence as it currently stands. Maybe we will come back to this list in 10 years and praise our judgement, maybe we will laugh at who we thought would have that meteoric rise up the Hollywood ladder. Either way, here are the 10 actors and actresses, in no particular order, that we believe are on the rise in 2023.
Jalyn Hall:
Jalyn Hall may be young, but his star power is obvious. Starring in the powerful Till last year as the titular character and following that up with the fantastic Bruiser in 2023, Hall has established some serious acting prowess in drama films. His presence on screen is incredible, and at only 16, there’s so much more time for Hall to continue to develop his incredible talent. His inclusion in the Disney+ series The Crossover will only help his rise to stardom.
Mia Goth:
Mia Goth might seem like a weird pick for a breakout star following her 2022, but hear me out. X and Pearl were some of my favorite movies of the year, but a lot of people can’t name any of her other movies. Granted it’s not that big of a catalog but 2023 can be her chance to plant her flag on the movie world. She was already a leading lady in Infinity Pool, Maxxxine comes out later this year, and apparently she has been cast in the MCU for the Blade series as well as linked to Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein. She has become a horror movie mainstay and I can’t wait for her to break into all other genres.
Teyana Taylor:
Teyana Taylor sits in an interesting spot on this list, as she is older than most of our other choices at 32 and happens to be an established figure in Hollywood already as a musician. However, her electric performance in 2023’s A Thousand and One has surely catapulted Taylor from musician starring in low tier comedies to a star in the making who is on my short list for Best Actress at the Academy Awards this year. Taylor will continue her rise in the remake of White Men Can’t Jump and The Book of Clarence, both set to hit theaters in 2023.
Emma Mackey:
Emma Mackey was easily one of my favorite parts of Netflix’s Sex Education. She played the edgy teen role too perfectly there and was great in Emily last year. Now that she will be sharing the screen with Margot Robbie and other amazing actors and actresses in Barbie, I can only think her stock is rising. It was announced that she would not be returning to Sex Education after this next season and I hope it is because she’s being cast in multiple movies because she deserves to shine on the big screen.
Mike Faist:
Mike Faist first gained prominence on the stage rather than the screen. He starred in both Newsies on and off Broadway as well as Dear Evan Hansen on stage. However, at 31 he has just begun broaching into film. Beginning with 2021’s West Side Story from Steven Spielberg and now showing his leading man prowess in 2023’s Pinball: The Man Who Saved The Game, Faist is certainly one to watch as he sees Challengers set to release in 2023 and the currently filming The Bikeriders.
Rachel Sennott:
Rachel Sennott first caught my eye in Bodies, Bodies, Bodies last year, a super unique, comedic thriller. When I did a little digging, I found out just how funny she was. Ayo and Rachel are Single is a hilarious show and Shiva Baby nails the awkwardness of funeral interactions. She has a role in The Idol on HBO coming up as well as Bottoms and I Used to be Funny coming. They weren’t on my radar before but they for sure are now and they should for you as well.
Ncuti Gatwa:
First gaining prominence on the highly popular Netflix show Sex Education, Ncuti Gatwa is no stranger to playing nuanced characters with extreme perfection. Another actor who got his start on the stage rather than the screen, Gatwa has received widespread acclaim for his performance in Sex Education, leading him to be cast in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, releasing later in 2023, as well as being cast as the latest iteration of the Doctor in the immensely huge BBC series Doctor Who.
Storm Reid:
Storm Reid started her breakout with 2018’s A Wrinkle in Time, followed by a huge role in Euphoria, playing Zendaya’s younger sister. Since then, she was very solid in Missing and was in an episode of the wildly popular The Last of Us series. We’ve seen Euphoria add helium to the careers of Sydney Sweeney and Jacob Elordi, and we can see her having a similar result. Her performances always felt super grounded and real and being able to master that can only help her land more big roles this year.
Gabriel Labelle:
Another Steven Spielberg find, Gabriel Labelle most recently starred in the lead role in 2022’s The Fabelmans, an Academy Award nominated film for which he received critical acclaim, including a Critic’s Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer. Labelle has already proven his star power, and with additional roles in projects like Showtime’s 2022 show American Gigolo and Adam Carter Rehmeier’s coming of age comedy The Snack Shack in production, we expect to continue to see Labelle on the rise.
Xolo Maridueña:
Xolo Maridueña is more than just a meme. What started as a career as a Sears model has now landed Mariduena in the spotlight. After being a major piece in the hit show Cobra Kai, Maridueña has officially entered the superhero world. Later this year, he will be starring as Blue Beetle in his own movie, with the potential of playing a big role in the new DCEU. As someone who embraces the physicality in acting, we can see him landing more action roles in the near future.
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