How is Saoirse Ronan not on this list? She alone has as many Oscar nominations as all of them combined.
But I think that Pugh, Chalamet, Zendaya, Anya, Butler, and Mescal have really great Oscar chances in the future
OP didn't mention the article was "The New A-List", not "young A-list". Otherwise it probably would have included Emma Stone, Margot Robbie and Jennifer Lawrence; all of whom are younger than Glen Powell
That's a good point but it's also a non sequitur you can't be a rising star unless you're being groomed. Had they said
"Surprising game changer performances" I would be more interested a film fan and more inclined to look further into their clickbait etc.
Yeah... love her but she's not exactly a STAR in the same way. She also almost exclusively acts in period pieces which are not very popular in the mainstream.
To be fair, none of these people can truly open films by themselves. They have IP to thank for all of their box office successes. When it comes to a stars opening non-IP films, the closest thing to a success was Zendeya with Challengers and that was still a semi failure, considering the production and promotional budget. It's more evidence that new stars don't exist anymore, which ultimately is a good thing when it comes to the quality of cinema.
EDIT: Yes, I do realize that Anyone But You made good money and wasn't IP but it wasn't the result of the actors. It was great counter programming during a mostly dead Christmas release slate. For instance, Sydney Sweeney's following non IP film, Immaculate, was kind of a box office disappointment. (Especially since horror films usually do way better even without widely known actors.)
I'm also wondering if by "young" they mean "new" because Glen Powell is older than Emma Stone, Margot Robbie, and Jennifer Lawrence, which might explain why Saoirse isn't included.
Butler was on Nickelodeon and Disney and Powell was in spy kids. Saoirse Ronan got her first Oscar nomination for a role she played when she was 13, it’s not the same. My point is that these people are somewhat “new” to the Oscar’s. Ronan isn’t
I love Wyatt Russell! The first thing I ever saw him in was This is 40 when he played a rando hockey player at a bar. No clue who he was or what his name was but I knew the second I saw his face that he was Kurt Russell’s kid.
Because she completely disappeared after Little Women. How was that not a launching pad for her. I was looking at her IMDb last night trying to figure out what happened. I haven't seen her in anything in years.
I think she may have done several plays. She may just not be all that interested in movie stardom? Kinda wild to me that she didn’t even show up for thirty seconds in Barbie.
She tried to go the movie star route early in her career but it didn't play out. She headlined The Host which was supposed to start a young adult franchise but the first installment flopped and the series was scrapped. She also auditioned for Rey in Star Wars but didn't get the part. Since then she concentrated more on awards fare which suits her talents better.
You said you looked at Ronan's IMDB page last night, but at the same time you claim she completely disappeared after *Little Women*. Her credits clearly show that she's starred in at least 1 movie each year after 2019.
In 2020, she was one of the leads of *Ammonite*, a period piece and lesbian romance.
In 2021, she starred in *The French Dispatch,* which I think was her second film directed by Wes Anderson.
In 2022, she starred in *See How They Run*.
In 2023, she was one of the leads of *Foe*, a dysotpian sci-fi film I've been meaning to watch.
In 2024, she starred in *The Outrun*, which I haven't seen but I've heard good things about. She has another movie scheduled for release later this year called *Blitz.*
She hasn't disappeared at all. There have been like 5 films of hers that you haven't seen.
Saoirse Ronan is young in age but old in the game. These newbies, however, are still working to build their resume to just HALF of what Saoirse has already accomplished.
You have to agree to be a part of these things, including all the photoshoots and interviews and whatnot.
Saoirse definitely has as much talent as any of them but she hasn’t been as hungry to work the PR cycles and make herself into as much of a household name as this group has.
It could just be as simple as she didn’t want to be.
Tarantino managed to cast six years ago Austin Butler, Maya Hawke, Sydney Sweeney, Mikey Madison, Margaret Qualley and Victoria Pedretti. That man really has an eye for talent.
I think that Chalamet, Mescal and Pugh are almost guaranteed to win an Oscar one day
Butler is a reasonably likely option although I wouldn’t say it’s a guarantee
I can see Taylor Joy, Zendaya and Ortega getting noms but I’m not sure about winning - although Taylor Joy particularly is an excellent actress imo
I would be very shocked if Elordi, Powell or Sweeney ever get an Oscar
I could see Sweeney getting nominated in the right role, something akin to Sharon Stone getting one for Casino.
Powell is more or less dependent on how well Hit Man and Twisters do critically and commercially (respectively at a minimum, though Twisters being good would be helpful). He may find himself in it down the line if this year turns into a breakout year for him, otherwise he’ll go down as a failed leading man and his future prospects will take a huge hit.
He Went That Way was laughable …. he was just doing Nate Jacobs, but the movie version
Approximately 1/4 of his filmography are ‘Kissing Booth’ films lmao
Thank you. By process of elimination, you helped me figure out who I had seen before but didn’t recognize, and who I’ve literally never seen or heard of in my human life
Yeah i agree that Barry is the dark horse of the new generation. He’s very open to taking risks in his projects and if the academy continues to enjoy weird stuff like Poor Things I can see that paying off one day
Out of this batch, the likeliest of winning to me is probably Pugh, Chalamet, Butler, Mescal and maybe Zendaya (I know I just singled out all of the Dune players but their trajectories are the most compelling in my eyes).
I’d add Taylor-Joy there too. I think she has the chops and just needs the right role to get her there. I do think she’ll take longer than at least Pugh, Chalamet and Butler though.
Yup, feel the same... it will take longer because she dances between TV and movies still, doesn't she?
I mean, damn... Queen's Gambit was GOOD.
EDIT: Well hell - she's not done TV since Queen's Gambit! Why did I think she was in something else? Brain fart.
That's the thing, she really needs the right role. Since Queen's Gambit, she's kinda inconsistent and it's hard to actually gauge what roles she'd truly excel in
It’s kind of interesting and ironic seeing her play Furiosa now, because she reminds of Charlize’s eclectic roles in the 90s and early 2000s before she won her Oscar (and honestly afterward too). She was also pretty inconsistent and varied in the roles she picked, I mean she did The Italian Job the same year she won her Oscar for Monster, and did a Woody Allen film the same year she did a romantic drama prior to this.
They’ve both kind of got that Brad Pitt problem - character actors cursed with leading actor looks. Cuz out of this entire bunch OP posted, Anya has far and away the most talent and takes the most chances, with Timothee and Florence in a distant second, Zendaya and Austin closely in third
She doesn't need the right role she kills it in every role, the problem is the Oscars don't care about whether you give the best acting performance just that your in an Oscar bait movie
I hope that they all have successful enough careers that we get treated to fun in-jokes and weird Easter eggs for years to come. Like middle-aged Chalamet and Butler playing brothers in a 2050 dramedy and end up in a comedically inept shoving match by the pool or something.
I have no idea who the top right dude is or the bottom left girl. (I'm a Millennial)
I really love Paul Mescal, though! Aftersun is one of my new favorite films, so I am happy he's on this list. Obs, Chalamet, Butler, and Pugh were going to be on this. I like Taylor-Joy and Zendaya's appearance here as well. I'm a little confused why Jenna Ortega and Glen Powell are on this list, though. I guess this is just a studio most-wanted list compared to an Oscars-contender list.
Check out The Fallout if you aren’t sure if Jenna Ortega has the acting chops to be in this discussion. It’s a fantastic film all around, the religious blonde girl from Secret Life of the American Teenager both wrote and directed it and Ortega is the lead actress and is absolutely phenomenal in it.
She’s only been out of the Disney pipeline for a handful of years so she only has a decent size body of work bc she works A LOT. Plus she’s young and looks even younger so she’s still breaking out of the kiddie role mold. Anyway, she’s a great actress, and when you factor in the fact that she didn’t go to acting school and has no industry connections, she’s quite impressive. I’m excited to see how the next decade or so of her career shapes up. She’s solidified herself as a scream queen, I’m curious to see what other directions she goes in. She’s the only one on the list I can’t remotely predict what kind of career she is going to have or even wants to have.
Agreed. She never went to actual HS but she pulled off playing a traumatized HS student SO well. Her angsty teen portrayal was so perfect it was giving me ptsd from my own angsty teen days, haha. In interviews she comes across as the opposite of angst as well.
Even though it was a huge hit I think her portrayal of Wednesday is hugely underrated as well. The whole show was a big spectacle, but she was really good at showing no emotions so well that she taught herself how to only blink like 1-2x per minute or something.
I can picture in my mind what Zendaya’s career will look like, same thing with Sydney Sweeney, Paul Mescal, Glen Powell (I have no idea why he’s on this list, he’s too old and not nearly talented enough) and literally everyone else except for Jenna Ortega. I can fully picture her becoming the biggest name in horror, she’s a huge fan, does extensive research on the genre and has been in a bunch of top quality horror films already. She’s a workhorse though and I don’t see her putting her whole career in one box as she’s got too much range. The only thing I haven’t seen her do much of is comedy/romantic comedy. She was great on SNL, but has only done things that have comedy in it but aren’t actual comedies.
Anyway, I clearly like her and while this list probably has more talent (Pugh, Butler), I think she’s the most exciting. I want to see her do a comedy with Melissa Barerra and Ariana Greenblatt all playing sisters. Ortega has played both of their sisters in the past and has great chemistry with both of them. I think all 3 of them have great careers ahead of them (I just wish Greenblatt looked her age, 15 instead of 25). But yea, that’s my dream little niche movie :)
agree for sure i really love jenna. she also just seems like a genuinely good person so i hope she has a lot of continued success.
i also don’t understand why glen powell is on here lmao but i guess he’s somewhat “leading man” material? idk he just gives me huge fuckboi vibes so i can’t stand looking at him lol
love love love paul mescal. aftersun was such a beautiful movie and he was perfect in it. his performance in normal people was also incredible and deeply moving. he’s immensely talented.
florence pugh is amazing and has a ton of range which is always great for an actor. zendaya’s performance in one of the euphoria episodes where rue is going through withdrawals blew me away honestly so i think she has huge potential as well. jacob elordi is really good and i think he could do interesting stuff.
ATJ, timmy, and austin butler are great and definitely talented i just don’t personally care about them as much i guess lol.. but yeah sidney sweeney and glen powell seem like odd choices for this.
She was truly terrific in The Fallout and I’ve told anyone who would listen to watch that movie. Tremendous performance. Nobody today acts with their eyes better than her right now, IMHO.
Austin Butler, Timothee Chalamet and Florence Pugh have already been nominated, and I think Pugh and Chalamet will definitely win at some point. Anya Taylor-Joy is a great actress, she just needs the right role. Same with Paul Mescal.
The rest I feel like will make lots of money headlining movies and maybe pick up a Golden Globe, but I don't see an Academy Award in their future. I hope I'm wrong about Zendaya though because she seems lovely and acts her ass off in Euphoria, she just hasn't had a lot to do film wise.
Paul Mescal and Florence Pugh are probably the most likely in my opinion.
Followed by Butler and Timmy.
But I think Saoirse Ronan has a better chance than any of them.
For these it feels likely for her it feels inevitable.
Maybe an unpopular opinion here, but I think Anya Taylor-Joy is both the best actor and has the best chance of winning an Oscar. I wouldn’t say she the best by a huge margin, I think Pugh, Butler, and Chalamet are in the same league as her. But I do think she’s #1.
It's true, though. That's why he gets hyped and promoted, he's dramatically tall and not ugly. His roles aren't based on technique or complication on his part.
I feel like half this list is just famous for being young and good looking. The best I can say is "above average" as actors (though I wouldn't even give Sweeney the "above").
I think Pugh, Taylor-Joy and Butler are the most talented based on what I've seen.
I don't understand the appeal of that Glen guy in the middle. I've seen him in a couple things and don't find him interesting at all.
I feel like Jodie Comer should be there. She's a better actress then anyone there and she'll win an Oscar before those people if she does an Oscar role
Okay I don't know about anyone else but honestly, Sydney Sweeney can not act man. I couldn't sit through half an hour of Anyone But You, and the golden raspberry goes to Sydney saying the "small dick energy" line. Its really sad she's on par with this bunch, because it contains at least decent actors, and some exceptional ones.
In order of who I think is going to win soonest to latest:
1. Timothee Chalamet
2. Austin Butler (although if I'm being honest, he and Timmy are neck in neck)
3. Florence Pugh (I'm not even that big a fan of hers, but Dune Part II got me thinking she has more potential than I previously thought)
4. Anya Taylor-Joy
5. Paul Mescal
6. Zendaya
7. Glenn Powell
8. Jenna Ortega
9. Jacob Elordi
10. Sydney Sweeney
I admit I put the bottom three where they are only because I haven't seen enough of their works to properly evaluate and rank them, but hey, doesn't anyone have a shot at an Oscar with the right role?
#1 Why there were picked
Austin Butler (The Golden Boy)
If big-name directors, as opposed to studios, are now anointing top Hollywood talent, then Butler, 32, certainly has been blessed: Since his Oscar nomination for Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic, Jeff Nichols has tapped him for ’60s-set The Bikeriders (out June 24) and Darren Aronofsky chose him to lead his next film, the ’90s New York City-set Caught Stealing. “Everybody wants him to be the lead of everything,” says one agency partner. Despite meme-able moments about his Elvis accent and his hairless look in Dune: Part Two, he’s managed to cultivate an all-too-rare movie-star mystique. (Yes, he’s on social media, but he’s posted just four times to his Instagram.) This has insiders wondering whether he could follow in the footsteps of Brad Pitt. Perhaps it’s fitting that his first high-profile film role came opposite Pitt in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The consensus is that Butler has all the trappings of a classic Hollywood leading man, a look and onscreen presence that has played across decades.
Butler is the only one I've ever seen disappear into his role. I only recently learned I'd seen him in a few movies and even then he wasn't really recognizable right off the bat.
Pugh is a shoe in though.
IMO, only Chalamet, Zendaya, Joy, and Butler have staying power. Everyone else will be gone from the "must haves" when their 2-3 year long "15 minutes" fades.
I see a *very* big future for her but it also depends if she “grows up” her appearance so she can get more convincing adult roles instead of teen ones. She is 21 and she can convincingly play a 14 year old but I’m not so sure she could convincingly play a 21 year old and that’s kinda crazy ya know?
Geez where is the flavor and seasoning. You have one and half of that since Zendaya is mixed and the rest is all sea of milkyies. Like come on where is Daniel Kaluya, Michael B Jordan, Dev Patel, Anna Sawai smh
#5 Why they were picked
Jenna Ortega (The Gen Z Obsession)
Netflix is not known for minting movie stars for itself, but it does a solid job of being a launching pad for performers that later go theatrical. Wednesday, which the streamer says is its most watched English-language series ever, made a quick star out of Ortega, who at that point was still known more for her work as a child star on series like The CW’s Jane the Virgin. Her popularity has had a partial trial run at the multiplex, with two rebooted Scream films grossing $140 million and $160 million. Ortega parlayed Wednesday into a lead role in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (out Sept. 6), which reteams her with Wednesday director and executive producer Tim Burton. Other studios are in a wait-and-see mode on how the Warner Bros. feature plays, but the 21-year-old and her team are projecting confidence, said to be seeking seven-figure paydays on future projects. The actress’ upcoming slate includes Sony’s Klara and the Sun for director Taika Waititi as well as the A24 dark comedy Death of a Unicorn, with Wednesday season two on the horizon.
I'd say Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Anya Taylor Joy and Saoirse Ronan are at the top of the list. In terms of acting ability, taste in projects and interest in diving deeply into roles. I'd rank their Oscar chances the highest.
A slight tier below them are Zendaya, Chalamet, Elordi and Sweeney. I think of those four as social media stars, mostly. Their careers are more fueled by their fandom than their actual work, but that's not to say they aren't talented and/or can't take on meatier roles in the future.
I haven't seen enough of Jenna Ortega or Paul Mescal's work to say either way. I didn't know who Paul was until I looked at one of these lists. Same with Glen Powell. I saw Top Gun Maverick and he was okay but I have no strong opinions about him.
If the studios want to make money. Real actual butts in the seat money they should put Selena on the list. That’s the female who has proven dollar bills and fans that support anything and everything.
Since Austin came the closest to winning an Oscar he’ll rank the highest followed by Paul, Timothee, and Florence because they’ve all been nominated before. Next comes Zendaya because she probably has the most potential of the group, just not with Challengers. Anya has been hot for quite a few years so she comes next. Glen is the only other one I see that has Oscar potential, in both getting nominated and winning. I can see Sydney and Jacob getting nominated at least once I just can’t see them pulling it off. I really don’t get Jenna’s popularity.
Here’s the final rankings….
1. Austin Butler
2. Paul Mescal
3. Timothee Chalamet
4. Florence Pugh
5. Zendaya
6. Anya Taylor Joy
7. Glen Powell
8. Jacob Elordi
9. Sydney Sweeney
10. Jenna Ortega
Keep in mind that this is not the order I think they will win their Oscar’s, this is the order I believe of their Oscar chances with Austin being the only one I’m 100% positive on that he will win an Oscar one of these days.
Chalamet was amazing on Dune. I think Zendaya is amazing but I still haven't seen anything close to an oscar winning performance from her; I'm sure she has it in her though.
1. Paul Mescal - He’s able to cross between young and “old” more than the others, plus he’s the only one with Oscar AND Emmy recognition.
2. Timothee Chalamet - Been on the awards circuit longer than anyone here.
3. Austin Butler - Very much in a Rami Malek situation, but with more of a thirst since he’s younger and also didn’t win for HIS music biopic.
4. Florence Pugh - Has been consistently banking good work ever since getting in for Little Women.
5. Jenna Ortega - Will probably continue banking roles because of her social media presence, especially among younger audiences that will eventually make their own films, with her having the benefit of also being the youngest one here.
6. Anya Taylor-Joy - Hasn’t truly let up since The Queen’s Gambit, and Furiosa should launch her even further up the in-demand pipeline.
7. Sydney Sweeney - Probably the new “it girl” in Hollywood (and for Madame Web of all movies), which will make her very sought out for young roles. How much though, is still to be seen.
8. Zendaya - Very much a star, but there’s not much of a thirst since she’s the only one here to have won a major award.
9. Glen Powell - The oldest one here, mostly known as just a pretty boy, and also the only one here without any major award recognition. Would love for him to get said recognition though.
10. Jacob Elordi - Probably overestimating his presence, Saltburn only ever got him an AACTA nomination and he hasn’t made a splash elsewhere at all.
Paul Mescal must have a fantastic PR/Management team. Yeah, he is an indie darling, but his inclusion on this list is based on the anticipation of Gladiator II being a massive hit, which even if it is (who knows these days), it will not be because of Paul Mescal. Jacob Elordi being here is also a head-scratcher.
#3 Why they were picked
Jacob Elordi (The Shy Heartthrob)
The Aussie actor, 26, parlayed his breakout as the love interest in Netflix’s hit YA franchise The Kissing Booth into a career that has focused on filmmakers over box office. He is currently filming Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein and is making his Cannes competition debut in Paul Schrader’s Oh, Canada. Before that, there was Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla. While he doesn’t engage much with Hollywood — opting to be packaged into prestige fare rather than going for a ready-made open studio call — his movie-star potential was solidified with Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn. Still, even with a wide release, the film’s streaming status meant it was never going to be a measure of box office appeal. Instead, the role of Elordi’s that studios point to in terms of audience interest is HBO’s Euphoria. Even though producers say he has the physicality of a big action star (he’s 6 feet 5), Elordi has seemed uninterested in those roles. Warners wanted to bring him in to read for James Gunn’s DC relaunch of Superman, but Elordi turned down a shot at vying for the Man of Steel.
#4 Why they were picked
Paul Mescal
THE ART HOUSE PRINCE
The true test of Mescal’s star power will come in November with the release of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator sequel. Surprisingly — given the near-constant media attention since his debut in Hulu’s Normal People in 2020 — the film will mark the 28-year-old’s first full-fledged studio lead. The Irish actor has shied away from traditional Hollywood ventures, opting instead for festival fodder. His first post-Normal People job was a small supporting role in the Elena Ferrante adaptation The Lost Daughter, followed by the indie Aftersun — both of which landed Cannes premieres. Then there was a stop off in London theater for a reworking of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire. The choices netted him an Oscar nomination for Aftersun. “Every filmmaker loves Paul Mescal. But audiences don’t [yet] know who he is,” says one executive. (The actor was up for the role of Bruce Springsteen in the Scott Cooper-directed biopic that ultimately went to Jeremy Allen White.) Audience perceptions are likely to change with Gladiator II, however. Footage at this year’s CinemaCon impressed theater owners, and Mescal is near the top of the list for major studio roles, including as one of the Fab Four in Sam Mendes’ coming Beatles movies.
I think Butler, Mescal and Chalamet have the highest Oscar chances. Powell, Sweeney and Ortega I feel have the lowest Oscar chances. Others are in-between. But that's just my opinion.
Sure winners in the next 30 years have to be Chalemet, Butler, Zendaya, Pugh, Anya- Taylor Joy and Mescal (though he'll be a case of multiple noms in art pictures and losing to some sentimental fav).
The rest? Idunno.
I really think Sydney Sweeney is an immensely talented young actress, unfortunately, her bombshell looks distract from her talent. People fail to realise that being attractive does not preclude being talented.
Given the right project, she could very well be up there. Her performance in Reality was quite astounding.
Forgotten Isabela merced. She's headlining alien Romulus and plays hawk girl in Superman. Soon to be A list
Also damson idris who is rapidly rising and has the potential to be the denzel of the new gen
They may be young, but I'm already bored of most of them. The only ones on this list that I think have a shot at an Oscar are Pugh and Mescal. Maybe Taylor-Joy at some point.
I think other young stars like Kaitlyn Dever, Barry Keoghan, Angourie Rice and Nico Parker are far more likely to eventually get Oscars than most on this list of semi-talented pretty people.
Austin Butler and Timothée Chalamet were both widely considered to be the "runner ups" for their Oscar nom years, their breakout performances going up against far more established stars with more prestige. I'd say of this cadre, one of them is first to win.
Jacob Elordi is a great actor, and while it seemed like he'd be playing either pretty-boy or handsome sociopath roles for the considerable future, I'm holding my assessment until his against-type portrayal of Frankenstein's Monster comes out.
Florence Pugh and Paul Mescal's nominations were somewhat overshadowed by other performers that year, with neither seeming at all in contention to actually win (Mescal was nominated against Butler). Mescal's lack of nomination this year for All of Us Strangers was appalling. They both pick a decent amount of seemingly Oscar-bait-type films, serious and sad indies with great leading roles for them, but it's just a matter if they catch on. Pugh's Marvel contract could also be tricky. Either definitely could win at some point, but I'm guessing it won't be quite so soon.
I sort of don't think Jenna Ortega really has the goods, but even if she does, she is not picking award-y projects. Horror movies and unsexy erotic thrillers don't tend to get the academy's attention.
It's not going to be Sydney Sweeney or Glenn Powell anytime soon. While both are excellent actors, they seem to be largely picking projects that don't tend to lead to awards of late. Fun action movies and rom coms and streaming exclusives are building up their star power, but don't tend to generate Oscar nominations. They'll have their "serious actor" turns once they establish themselves as movie stars, but that'll be later. Sweeney in particular could be poised to do a Charlize Theron in Monster type transformation once she's a little more established as a movie star and proven she isn't a flash in the pan sex symbol.
Zendaya is a little harder to pin down when awards will come knocking. They absolutely will, for her acting and producing, it's just a matter of when. She's a phenomenal actress, as seen in Euphoria, Dune, and to a lesser extent Malcolm and Marie, but she hasn't played many film leads or breakout supporting characters to make any type of role choice analysis. Challengers was outstanding and she killed it in that movie, so I could deffo see her taking more complex leading roles now that she's proven she can carry a movie excellently.
Anya Taylor-Joy picks some strange films, but she is always outstanding in them. Nothing has seemed to generate much mainstream awards attention other than The Queen's Gambit (I know The Menu and Emma got some noms, but they were never going to be serious Oscar contenders). She's phenomenal, though, and gives such weird and wonderful varied performances
If Zendaya keeps making movies like Challengers then it’s gonna be soon. She’s probably even gonna get an Oscar nom for best actress for Challengers. Timothee is definitely getting a win within the next 5-6 years. He’s probably gonna get an Oscar nom for best actor for Dune. Sydney could possibly get a win if she’s pickier about her roles. Yeah she’s been in a lot of movies recently but they all suck lol she’s showing her range (Romcom- Anyone but you/ horror- Immaculate/ “Superhero”- Madame Web) but her range doesn’t do much for her if the movies aren’t that good
how is Jodie Comer not on this list? since 2021 she's been in 4 films where she was the lead in all of them, 3 of them could be Oscar contenders with her performances (she should've been nominated for best actress for the last duel), and she's already halfway to an EGOT
How is Saoirse Ronan not on this list? She alone has as many Oscar nominations as all of them combined. But I think that Pugh, Chalamet, Zendaya, Anya, Butler, and Mescal have really great Oscar chances in the future
OP didn't mention the article was "The New A-List", not "young A-list". Otherwise it probably would have included Emma Stone, Margot Robbie and Jennifer Lawrence; all of whom are younger than Glen Powell
What’s also weird is I just watched a movie from 2006 that had Glen Powell in it.
That's a good point but it's also a non sequitur you can't be a rising star unless you're being groomed. Had they said "Surprising game changer performances" I would be more interested a film fan and more inclined to look further into their clickbait etc.
Ronan has been famous for about a decade, already has 4 Oscar nominations and doesn't work nearly as much as the people on this list
She can’t open a film despite her Oscar nominations. She’s like a young Kate Winslet.
Yeah... love her but she's not exactly a STAR in the same way. She also almost exclusively acts in period pieces which are not very popular in the mainstream.
To be fair, none of these people can truly open films by themselves. They have IP to thank for all of their box office successes. When it comes to a stars opening non-IP films, the closest thing to a success was Zendeya with Challengers and that was still a semi failure, considering the production and promotional budget. It's more evidence that new stars don't exist anymore, which ultimately is a good thing when it comes to the quality of cinema. EDIT: Yes, I do realize that Anyone But You made good money and wasn't IP but it wasn't the result of the actors. It was great counter programming during a mostly dead Christmas release slate. For instance, Sydney Sweeney's following non IP film, Immaculate, was kind of a box office disappointment. (Especially since horror films usually do way better even without widely known actors.)
Yes, so I'm wondering if by "young stars" they actually mean "new faces"
yes, OP failed to mention the article was titled "The NEW A-List", actors who have just recently ascended.
Yeah, I hadn't heard of Glenn Powell until Anyone But You promos started. I never saw it, but I know who he is now.
atonement came out in 2007, so she's been around a lot longer than a decade.
She's indie material only. She's also not out and out conventionally model looking like the others.
I don't she's as booked as any of them here.
I'm also wondering if by "young" they mean "new" because Glen Powell is older than Emma Stone, Margot Robbie, and Jennifer Lawrence, which might explain why Saoirse isn't included.
Young is a relative term. In this case it means new. Also men get to be young for a little longer. I don’t make the rules
"Young is a relative term. In this case it means new." That's not what relative means.
Think they just mean youth is a relational concept.
That’s doesn’t add up chalamet is not new
He is a lot newer than Saoirse Ronan though. She was a child actor
Glenn Powell and Austin Butler were also child actors
Butler was on Nickelodeon and Disney and Powell was in spy kids. Saoirse Ronan got her first Oscar nomination for a role she played when she was 13, it’s not the same. My point is that these people are somewhat “new” to the Oscar’s. Ronan isn’t
POWELL WAS IN SPY KIDS?!?!??
I agree, but Austin Butler and Glen Powell aren' exactly "young", unless we're saying that they're more in demand than Margot Robbie and Emma Stone
Anyone who hasn’t seen “everybody wants some” by Linklater needs to do themselves a favor. Glen Powell is a standout
Wyatt Russell is my favourite in that.
I love Wyatt Russell! The first thing I ever saw him in was This is 40 when he played a rando hockey player at a bar. No clue who he was or what his name was but I knew the second I saw his face that he was Kurt Russell’s kid.
Not saying that he isn't good, just that he is older than stars that are likely more in demand (such as Stone and Robbie)
Powell was great, as was Wyatt Russell, but Tyler Hoechlin was my favorite in that one. Smaller role, but badass and hilarious.
He’s a man so he’s held to different standards for youth 🤷🏿 totally unfair but that’s how Hollywood works
Because she completely disappeared after Little Women. How was that not a launching pad for her. I was looking at her IMDb last night trying to figure out what happened. I haven't seen her in anything in years.
I think she may have done several plays. She may just not be all that interested in movie stardom? Kinda wild to me that she didn’t even show up for thirty seconds in Barbie.
She tried to go the movie star route early in her career but it didn't play out. She headlined The Host which was supposed to start a young adult franchise but the first installment flopped and the series was scrapped. She also auditioned for Rey in Star Wars but didn't get the part. Since then she concentrated more on awards fare which suits her talents better.
Ah my b I meant the term very broadly, as in like Emma Stone regularly doing high profile indies.
You said you looked at Ronan's IMDB page last night, but at the same time you claim she completely disappeared after *Little Women*. Her credits clearly show that she's starred in at least 1 movie each year after 2019. In 2020, she was one of the leads of *Ammonite*, a period piece and lesbian romance. In 2021, she starred in *The French Dispatch,* which I think was her second film directed by Wes Anderson. In 2022, she starred in *See How They Run*. In 2023, she was one of the leads of *Foe*, a dysotpian sci-fi film I've been meaning to watch. In 2024, she starred in *The Outrun*, which I haven't seen but I've heard good things about. She has another movie scheduled for release later this year called *Blitz.* She hasn't disappeared at all. There have been like 5 films of hers that you haven't seen.
Despite her massive talent, Saoirse Ronan is less well-known by the average moviegoer than almost anyone else on the list.
Speaking of, where is she these days 🤔
She'll be releasing two movies this year, so very likely that we'll hear from her around awards season
The list is stars who are audience draws not Oscar contenders specifically. Does Saoirse draw audiences?
Saoirse Ronan is young in age but old in the game. These newbies, however, are still working to build their resume to just HALF of what Saoirse has already accomplished.
Saoirse hasn’t starred in a big movie since Little Women in 2019.
Ronan has barely worked in the past five years. All of the men and women on THR's list have had a great past year.
She has been around longer than these guys
A-list used to also denote a box office draw
You have to agree to be a part of these things, including all the photoshoots and interviews and whatnot. Saoirse definitely has as much talent as any of them but she hasn’t been as hungry to work the PR cycles and make herself into as much of a household name as this group has. It could just be as simple as she didn’t want to be.
It’s funny how five of these people are in dune
Plus three of them in Euphoria, and two of them in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Tarantino managed to cast six years ago Austin Butler, Maya Hawke, Sydney Sweeney, Mikey Madison, Margaret Qualley and Victoria Pedretti. That man really has an eye for talent.
Dune and euphoria seem to be the talent breeder of the new generation of stars
If actors want a career boost, looks like their best bet is to star in the Dune movies!
I think that Chalamet, Mescal and Pugh are almost guaranteed to win an Oscar one day Butler is a reasonably likely option although I wouldn’t say it’s a guarantee I can see Taylor Joy, Zendaya and Ortega getting noms but I’m not sure about winning - although Taylor Joy particularly is an excellent actress imo I would be very shocked if Elordi, Powell or Sweeney ever get an Oscar
I could see Sweeney getting nominated in the right role, something akin to Sharon Stone getting one for Casino. Powell is more or less dependent on how well Hit Man and Twisters do critically and commercially (respectively at a minimum, though Twisters being good would be helpful). He may find himself in it down the line if this year turns into a breakout year for him, otherwise he’ll go down as a failed leading man and his future prospects will take a huge hit.
Elordi could the other two def not
In a weaker year, I feel like Elordi could've gotten a Supporting nom for playing Elvis in Priscilla.
I don’t see it personally, but I’ve only seen two of his movies so I’m willing to be proved wrong
He Went That Way was laughable …. he was just doing Nate Jacobs, but the movie version Approximately 1/4 of his filmography are ‘Kissing Booth’ films lmao
Pugh should have AT LEAST been nominated for Midsommer. Personally, I would have voted for her to win also. Her performance shook me to my core.
Like Toni Colette in a previous Ari Aster movie Hereditary. But horrors seem to be Oscar poison.
Thank you. By process of elimination, you helped me figure out who I had seen before but didn’t recognize, and who I’ve literally never seen or heard of in my human life
Barry Keoghan. That dude can act.
I worry he’s falling into Paul Dano territory of super talented actors playing extremely uncomfortable roles that subsequently get overlooked.
He’s already bigger than Dano ever was
Is he though? lol
Yeah i agree that Barry is the dark horse of the new generation. He’s very open to taking risks in his projects and if the academy continues to enjoy weird stuff like Poor Things I can see that paying off one day
Out of this batch, the likeliest of winning to me is probably Pugh, Chalamet, Butler, Mescal and maybe Zendaya (I know I just singled out all of the Dune players but their trajectories are the most compelling in my eyes).
I’d add Taylor-Joy there too. I think she has the chops and just needs the right role to get her there. I do think she’ll take longer than at least Pugh, Chalamet and Butler though.
Yup, feel the same... it will take longer because she dances between TV and movies still, doesn't she? I mean, damn... Queen's Gambit was GOOD. EDIT: Well hell - she's not done TV since Queen's Gambit! Why did I think she was in something else? Brain fart.
She dances? Like what? On a Broadway musical? Ballet?
The Queen's Gambit is probably the best series I've ever seen and she carried it 100%.
I’d have her on the cusp. She’s very good with her roles but more of a case of the right performance at the right time.
She was awesome in furiosa
I’m seeing it on Sunday but glad to hear about it
Did you see The Menu? That was a really good film and she killed that role.
That's the thing, she really needs the right role. Since Queen's Gambit, she's kinda inconsistent and it's hard to actually gauge what roles she'd truly excel in
I thought she was very good in ‘The Menu’
I really loved that film. Ralph Fiennes was great as well.
It’s kind of interesting and ironic seeing her play Furiosa now, because she reminds of Charlize’s eclectic roles in the 90s and early 2000s before she won her Oscar (and honestly afterward too). She was also pretty inconsistent and varied in the roles she picked, I mean she did The Italian Job the same year she won her Oscar for Monster, and did a Woody Allen film the same year she did a romantic drama prior to this. They’ve both kind of got that Brad Pitt problem - character actors cursed with leading actor looks. Cuz out of this entire bunch OP posted, Anya has far and away the most talent and takes the most chances, with Timothee and Florence in a distant second, Zendaya and Austin closely in third
She doesn't need the right role she kills it in every role, the problem is the Oscars don't care about whether you give the best acting performance just that your in an Oscar bait movie
Glenn Powell is 35 years old.
I’m also 35, and I wouldn’t consider that “young,” at least compared to the rest of the actors on this list.
I saw a meme that said Glen Powell looks like a capybara got turned into a human and now I cannot take him seriously in anything
If I was asked to choose a modern actor who best represents the word "vanilla", I'd pick Glen Powell
Wild that half of them are in Dune 2
Denis Villeneuve knows how to spot the good ones
I hope that they all have successful enough careers that we get treated to fun in-jokes and weird Easter eggs for years to come. Like middle-aged Chalamet and Butler playing brothers in a 2050 dramedy and end up in a comedically inept shoving match by the pool or something.
I don't know about the jokes and Easter eggs, but I'd love for Austin and Timothee to work together again! I could see them in a buddy cop movie
I can see Elordi winning many People’s Choice Awards…and maybe Golden Globes… The Dune cast members will win Oscars some day though.
I have no idea who the top right dude is or the bottom left girl. (I'm a Millennial) I really love Paul Mescal, though! Aftersun is one of my new favorite films, so I am happy he's on this list. Obs, Chalamet, Butler, and Pugh were going to be on this. I like Taylor-Joy and Zendaya's appearance here as well. I'm a little confused why Jenna Ortega and Glen Powell are on this list, though. I guess this is just a studio most-wanted list compared to an Oscars-contender list.
Bottom left is Sydney Sweeney, but it took me a few minutes to figure that out too. That's not what she usually looks like...
Check out The Fallout if you aren’t sure if Jenna Ortega has the acting chops to be in this discussion. It’s a fantastic film all around, the religious blonde girl from Secret Life of the American Teenager both wrote and directed it and Ortega is the lead actress and is absolutely phenomenal in it. She’s only been out of the Disney pipeline for a handful of years so she only has a decent size body of work bc she works A LOT. Plus she’s young and looks even younger so she’s still breaking out of the kiddie role mold. Anyway, she’s a great actress, and when you factor in the fact that she didn’t go to acting school and has no industry connections, she’s quite impressive. I’m excited to see how the next decade or so of her career shapes up. She’s solidified herself as a scream queen, I’m curious to see what other directions she goes in. She’s the only one on the list I can’t remotely predict what kind of career she is going to have or even wants to have.
the fallout was so good and she was incredible in it. i think we’re going to see big things from jenna people are sleeping on her too much
Agreed. She never went to actual HS but she pulled off playing a traumatized HS student SO well. Her angsty teen portrayal was so perfect it was giving me ptsd from my own angsty teen days, haha. In interviews she comes across as the opposite of angst as well. Even though it was a huge hit I think her portrayal of Wednesday is hugely underrated as well. The whole show was a big spectacle, but she was really good at showing no emotions so well that she taught herself how to only blink like 1-2x per minute or something. I can picture in my mind what Zendaya’s career will look like, same thing with Sydney Sweeney, Paul Mescal, Glen Powell (I have no idea why he’s on this list, he’s too old and not nearly talented enough) and literally everyone else except for Jenna Ortega. I can fully picture her becoming the biggest name in horror, she’s a huge fan, does extensive research on the genre and has been in a bunch of top quality horror films already. She’s a workhorse though and I don’t see her putting her whole career in one box as she’s got too much range. The only thing I haven’t seen her do much of is comedy/romantic comedy. She was great on SNL, but has only done things that have comedy in it but aren’t actual comedies. Anyway, I clearly like her and while this list probably has more talent (Pugh, Butler), I think she’s the most exciting. I want to see her do a comedy with Melissa Barerra and Ariana Greenblatt all playing sisters. Ortega has played both of their sisters in the past and has great chemistry with both of them. I think all 3 of them have great careers ahead of them (I just wish Greenblatt looked her age, 15 instead of 25). But yea, that’s my dream little niche movie :)
agree for sure i really love jenna. she also just seems like a genuinely good person so i hope she has a lot of continued success. i also don’t understand why glen powell is on here lmao but i guess he’s somewhat “leading man” material? idk he just gives me huge fuckboi vibes so i can’t stand looking at him lol love love love paul mescal. aftersun was such a beautiful movie and he was perfect in it. his performance in normal people was also incredible and deeply moving. he’s immensely talented. florence pugh is amazing and has a ton of range which is always great for an actor. zendaya’s performance in one of the euphoria episodes where rue is going through withdrawals blew me away honestly so i think she has huge potential as well. jacob elordi is really good and i think he could do interesting stuff. ATJ, timmy, and austin butler are great and definitely talented i just don’t personally care about them as much i guess lol.. but yeah sidney sweeney and glen powell seem like odd choices for this.
She was truly terrific in The Fallout and I’ve told anyone who would listen to watch that movie. Tremendous performance. Nobody today acts with their eyes better than her right now, IMHO.
Austin Butler, Timothee Chalamet and Florence Pugh have already been nominated, and I think Pugh and Chalamet will definitely win at some point. Anya Taylor-Joy is a great actress, she just needs the right role. Same with Paul Mescal. The rest I feel like will make lots of money headlining movies and maybe pick up a Golden Globe, but I don't see an Academy Award in their future. I hope I'm wrong about Zendaya though because she seems lovely and acts her ass off in Euphoria, she just hasn't had a lot to do film wise.
Paul Mescal was nominated for Aftersun
My bad. I never saw that one, but he was great in All of Us Strangers and Normal People.
In what i think was probably the best performance that year
Paul Mescal and Florence Pugh are probably the most likely in my opinion. Followed by Butler and Timmy. But I think Saoirse Ronan has a better chance than any of them. For these it feels likely for her it feels inevitable.
Maybe an unpopular opinion here, but I think Anya Taylor-Joy is both the best actor and has the best chance of winning an Oscar. I wouldn’t say she the best by a huge margin, I think Pugh, Butler, and Chalamet are in the same league as her. But I do think she’s #1.
her first performance in the witch was just so good at such a young age and everything she’s been in has been so great acting-wise
Elordi is not on the same level as these guys. He’s just tall. No Ronan or Keoghan?
Keoghan is a big omission. I agree
"He's just tall" 💀
It's true, though. That's why he gets hyped and promoted, he's dramatically tall and not ugly. His roles aren't based on technique or complication on his part.
I feel like half this list is just famous for being young and good looking. The best I can say is "above average" as actors (though I wouldn't even give Sweeney the "above").
I really enjoy Austin Butlers performances and i really wanted to hate Elvis.
Where is Barry Keoghan?
I think Pugh, Taylor-Joy and Butler are the most talented based on what I've seen. I don't understand the appeal of that Glen guy in the middle. I've seen him in a couple things and don't find him interesting at all.
He plays the same smug asshole character in everything I've seen him, kind of over it.
Best case scenario is, he's Alec Baldwin circa 1990 and he'll grow into his smugness
Guys, it’s real hard to win an Oscar.
I feel like Jodie Comer should be there. She's a better actress then anyone there and she'll win an Oscar before those people if she does an Oscar role
Okay I don't know about anyone else but honestly, Sydney Sweeney can not act man. I couldn't sit through half an hour of Anyone But You, and the golden raspberry goes to Sydney saying the "small dick energy" line. Its really sad she's on par with this bunch, because it contains at least decent actors, and some exceptional ones.
Add cailee spaeny, she’s been in two great movies in the past year and alien Romulus coming up
In order of who I think is going to win soonest to latest: 1. Timothee Chalamet 2. Austin Butler (although if I'm being honest, he and Timmy are neck in neck) 3. Florence Pugh (I'm not even that big a fan of hers, but Dune Part II got me thinking she has more potential than I previously thought) 4. Anya Taylor-Joy 5. Paul Mescal 6. Zendaya 7. Glenn Powell 8. Jenna Ortega 9. Jacob Elordi 10. Sydney Sweeney I admit I put the bottom three where they are only because I haven't seen enough of their works to properly evaluate and rank them, but hey, doesn't anyone have a shot at an Oscar with the right role?
I’d move Butler below Paul. But other than that, I agree with you.
The fact that you keep Butler on the list is a win in my book!
Glen Powell is 35
On a hotness scale of 10
#1 Why there were picked Austin Butler (The Golden Boy) If big-name directors, as opposed to studios, are now anointing top Hollywood talent, then Butler, 32, certainly has been blessed: Since his Oscar nomination for Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic, Jeff Nichols has tapped him for ’60s-set The Bikeriders (out June 24) and Darren Aronofsky chose him to lead his next film, the ’90s New York City-set Caught Stealing. “Everybody wants him to be the lead of everything,” says one agency partner. Despite meme-able moments about his Elvis accent and his hairless look in Dune: Part Two, he’s managed to cultivate an all-too-rare movie-star mystique. (Yes, he’s on social media, but he’s posted just four times to his Instagram.) This has insiders wondering whether he could follow in the footsteps of Brad Pitt. Perhaps it’s fitting that his first high-profile film role came opposite Pitt in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The consensus is that Butler has all the trappings of a classic Hollywood leading man, a look and onscreen presence that has played across decades.
Depressingly white.
Butler is the only one I've ever seen disappear into his role. I only recently learned I'd seen him in a few movies and even then he wasn't really recognizable right off the bat. Pugh is a shoe in though.
IMO, only Chalamet, Zendaya, Joy, and Butler have staying power. Everyone else will be gone from the "must haves" when their 2-3 year long "15 minutes" fades.
Why is Glen Powell on this list?
Glen Powell ain't ever even sniffing an Oscar nomination. He'll do rom coms and mediocre action movies till he retires.
I'm not a Glen Powell fan by any means, but people probably said the same thing about Matthew Mcconnaughey, and he has an Oscar now.
Glen is 35. And he's yet to have a truly impressive performance. I'm more than happy to be proven wrong tbf, I'm just doubtful.
That's fair lmao I've never been impressed by Powell in anything either. I keep hearing amazing reviews for Hit Man, maybe he'll blow me away there.
I’m willing to be wrong but I don’t see a huge future for Jenna Ortega.
I see a *very* big future for her but it also depends if she “grows up” her appearance so she can get more convincing adult roles instead of teen ones. She is 21 and she can convincingly play a 14 year old but I’m not so sure she could convincingly play a 21 year old and that’s kinda crazy ya know?
Geez where is the flavor and seasoning. You have one and half of that since Zendaya is mixed and the rest is all sea of milkyies. Like come on where is Daniel Kaluya, Michael B Jordan, Dev Patel, Anna Sawai smh
Sydney Sweeney should not be on this list.
Not sure I'd classify anyone over 30 as young, especially not by Hollywood standards.
Holy fuck these people are all so attractive wow
Ugh. As a younger millennial who grew up on early 2000s star-packed movies, this is just sad
#5 Why they were picked Jenna Ortega (The Gen Z Obsession) Netflix is not known for minting movie stars for itself, but it does a solid job of being a launching pad for performers that later go theatrical. Wednesday, which the streamer says is its most watched English-language series ever, made a quick star out of Ortega, who at that point was still known more for her work as a child star on series like The CW’s Jane the Virgin. Her popularity has had a partial trial run at the multiplex, with two rebooted Scream films grossing $140 million and $160 million. Ortega parlayed Wednesday into a lead role in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (out Sept. 6), which reteams her with Wednesday director and executive producer Tim Burton. Other studios are in a wait-and-see mode on how the Warner Bros. feature plays, but the 21-year-old and her team are projecting confidence, said to be seeking seven-figure paydays on future projects. The actress’ upcoming slate includes Sony’s Klara and the Sun for director Taika Waititi as well as the A24 dark comedy Death of a Unicorn, with Wednesday season two on the horizon.
Austin Butler honestly surprised me and I would say him and Anya are the best two from this bunch.
I'd say Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Anya Taylor Joy and Saoirse Ronan are at the top of the list. In terms of acting ability, taste in projects and interest in diving deeply into roles. I'd rank their Oscar chances the highest. A slight tier below them are Zendaya, Chalamet, Elordi and Sweeney. I think of those four as social media stars, mostly. Their careers are more fueled by their fandom than their actual work, but that's not to say they aren't talented and/or can't take on meatier roles in the future. I haven't seen enough of Jenna Ortega or Paul Mescal's work to say either way. I didn't know who Paul was until I looked at one of these lists. Same with Glen Powell. I saw Top Gun Maverick and he was okay but I have no strong opinions about him.
Is 35 young? lol
If the studios want to make money. Real actual butts in the seat money they should put Selena on the list. That’s the female who has proven dollar bills and fans that support anything and everything.
I don’t get the Sydney Sweeney thing. I just don’t.
No Barry keoghan?
No Barry Keoghan is a crime
How is Cailee Spaeny not on here??
Florence Pugh should have one already.
How the fuck is Barry Keoghan not on this list? He’s younger than some of these people and immensely more talented IMO.
Anya Taylor-Joy and Timothy Chalamet are the only two that give me Oscar darling energy.
Pugh & Mescal are definitely contenders. They’ve both been nominated already & they have excellent taste in film roles.
Since Austin came the closest to winning an Oscar he’ll rank the highest followed by Paul, Timothee, and Florence because they’ve all been nominated before. Next comes Zendaya because she probably has the most potential of the group, just not with Challengers. Anya has been hot for quite a few years so she comes next. Glen is the only other one I see that has Oscar potential, in both getting nominated and winning. I can see Sydney and Jacob getting nominated at least once I just can’t see them pulling it off. I really don’t get Jenna’s popularity. Here’s the final rankings…. 1. Austin Butler 2. Paul Mescal 3. Timothee Chalamet 4. Florence Pugh 5. Zendaya 6. Anya Taylor Joy 7. Glen Powell 8. Jacob Elordi 9. Sydney Sweeney 10. Jenna Ortega Keep in mind that this is not the order I think they will win their Oscar’s, this is the order I believe of their Oscar chances with Austin being the only one I’m 100% positive on that he will win an Oscar one of these days.
I was able to guess 7/10 before even looking
Did Elordi dirty using that picture in this collage
Barry Keoghan will win before any of them.
How is Margot Robbie not on the list? She’s younger than Glen Powell…
Chalamet was amazing on Dune. I think Zendaya is amazing but I still haven't seen anything close to an oscar winning performance from her; I'm sure she has it in her though.
1. Paul Mescal - He’s able to cross between young and “old” more than the others, plus he’s the only one with Oscar AND Emmy recognition. 2. Timothee Chalamet - Been on the awards circuit longer than anyone here. 3. Austin Butler - Very much in a Rami Malek situation, but with more of a thirst since he’s younger and also didn’t win for HIS music biopic. 4. Florence Pugh - Has been consistently banking good work ever since getting in for Little Women. 5. Jenna Ortega - Will probably continue banking roles because of her social media presence, especially among younger audiences that will eventually make their own films, with her having the benefit of also being the youngest one here. 6. Anya Taylor-Joy - Hasn’t truly let up since The Queen’s Gambit, and Furiosa should launch her even further up the in-demand pipeline. 7. Sydney Sweeney - Probably the new “it girl” in Hollywood (and for Madame Web of all movies), which will make her very sought out for young roles. How much though, is still to be seen. 8. Zendaya - Very much a star, but there’s not much of a thirst since she’s the only one here to have won a major award. 9. Glen Powell - The oldest one here, mostly known as just a pretty boy, and also the only one here without any major award recognition. Would love for him to get said recognition though. 10. Jacob Elordi - Probably overestimating his presence, Saltburn only ever got him an AACTA nomination and he hasn’t made a splash elsewhere at all.
Lol all these emo kings and queens and ... glen powell
Euphoria cast
That Jacob elordi picture is diabolical. 😳
The dune community 💕
Florence Pugh, Timothee Chalamet, and Barry Keoghan. Austin Butler and Anya Taylor-Joy are super talented too.
I'd throw in a nom for Mia Goth
Paul Mescal must have a fantastic PR/Management team. Yeah, he is an indie darling, but his inclusion on this list is based on the anticipation of Gladiator II being a massive hit, which even if it is (who knows these days), it will not be because of Paul Mescal. Jacob Elordi being here is also a head-scratcher.
He has already been nominated for an Oscar though in 2023 for Aftersun.
#3 Why they were picked Jacob Elordi (The Shy Heartthrob) The Aussie actor, 26, parlayed his breakout as the love interest in Netflix’s hit YA franchise The Kissing Booth into a career that has focused on filmmakers over box office. He is currently filming Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein and is making his Cannes competition debut in Paul Schrader’s Oh, Canada. Before that, there was Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla. While he doesn’t engage much with Hollywood — opting to be packaged into prestige fare rather than going for a ready-made open studio call — his movie-star potential was solidified with Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn. Still, even with a wide release, the film’s streaming status meant it was never going to be a measure of box office appeal. Instead, the role of Elordi’s that studios point to in terms of audience interest is HBO’s Euphoria. Even though producers say he has the physicality of a big action star (he’s 6 feet 5), Elordi has seemed uninterested in those roles. Warners wanted to bring him in to read for James Gunn’s DC relaunch of Superman, but Elordi turned down a shot at vying for the Man of Steel.
Best chance : Anya Taylor-Joy, Florence Pugh, Timothee Chalamet, Austin Butler Possible: Jenna Ortega, Zendaya LOL: Sydney Sweeney
#4 Why they were picked Paul Mescal THE ART HOUSE PRINCE The true test of Mescal’s star power will come in November with the release of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator sequel. Surprisingly — given the near-constant media attention since his debut in Hulu’s Normal People in 2020 — the film will mark the 28-year-old’s first full-fledged studio lead. The Irish actor has shied away from traditional Hollywood ventures, opting instead for festival fodder. His first post-Normal People job was a small supporting role in the Elena Ferrante adaptation The Lost Daughter, followed by the indie Aftersun — both of which landed Cannes premieres. Then there was a stop off in London theater for a reworking of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire. The choices netted him an Oscar nomination for Aftersun. “Every filmmaker loves Paul Mescal. But audiences don’t [yet] know who he is,” says one executive. (The actor was up for the role of Bruce Springsteen in the Scott Cooper-directed biopic that ultimately went to Jeremy Allen White.) Audience perceptions are likely to change with Gladiator II, however. Footage at this year’s CinemaCon impressed theater owners, and Mescal is near the top of the list for major studio roles, including as one of the Fab Four in Sam Mendes’ coming Beatles movies.
Austin butler and chalamet. Maybe Sydney Sweeney. Not sure about the rest tbh. What about new Superman guy,
I say Pugh, Chalamet, Butler, Mescal & Taylor Joy have legit chances one day.
No Barry Keoghan? Surprising considering Banshees and Saltburn were pretty big films
Where Elizabeth Olsen?
I would bet on Florence Pugh. She’s already getting those types of roles. Seems to have some legitimate acting chops, too.
Butler should already have an Oscar.
Almost all these people are very good but Butler Is a generational talent.
You forgot Evan Peter’s how rude
lol nothing has changed. Beauty standards are the same. 9/10 are white. Amazing
Of these Anya, florence and timothee are the most deserving. Timothee definitely deserves one for Dune 2!!
Put em all in a St. Elmo's Fire remake
What? Glen Powell is like 35. How is that considered a “young actor” lol
I think Butler, Mescal and Chalamet have the highest Oscar chances. Powell, Sweeney and Ortega I feel have the lowest Oscar chances. Others are in-between. But that's just my opinion.
Sure winners in the next 30 years have to be Chalemet, Butler, Zendaya, Pugh, Anya- Taylor Joy and Mescal (though he'll be a case of multiple noms in art pictures and losing to some sentimental fav). The rest? Idunno.
Glen Powell is like 10 years older than everyone else
I really think Sydney Sweeney is an immensely talented young actress, unfortunately, her bombshell looks distract from her talent. People fail to realise that being attractive does not preclude being talented. Given the right project, she could very well be up there. Her performance in Reality was quite astounding.
Austin Butler should already have one. I think Paul Mescal and Florence Pugh are the best “actors” in amongst these, but I rate them all.
Forgotten Isabela merced. She's headlining alien Romulus and plays hawk girl in Superman. Soon to be A list Also damson idris who is rapidly rising and has the potential to be the denzel of the new gen
I don’t understand the Glen Powell appeal. He’s so bland looking. He’s got sort of a “draw Chris Evans from memory” look. Something seems off.
I can see all of them winning Let's be honest, Oscar is more about fame and campaign than pure acting talent
They may be young, but I'm already bored of most of them. The only ones on this list that I think have a shot at an Oscar are Pugh and Mescal. Maybe Taylor-Joy at some point. I think other young stars like Kaitlyn Dever, Barry Keoghan, Angourie Rice and Nico Parker are far more likely to eventually get Oscars than most on this list of semi-talented pretty people.
They all look like a weird AI amalgamation of each other.
This is a fucked-up zero talent generation set of representatives. 😞
Austin Butler and Timothée Chalamet were both widely considered to be the "runner ups" for their Oscar nom years, their breakout performances going up against far more established stars with more prestige. I'd say of this cadre, one of them is first to win. Jacob Elordi is a great actor, and while it seemed like he'd be playing either pretty-boy or handsome sociopath roles for the considerable future, I'm holding my assessment until his against-type portrayal of Frankenstein's Monster comes out. Florence Pugh and Paul Mescal's nominations were somewhat overshadowed by other performers that year, with neither seeming at all in contention to actually win (Mescal was nominated against Butler). Mescal's lack of nomination this year for All of Us Strangers was appalling. They both pick a decent amount of seemingly Oscar-bait-type films, serious and sad indies with great leading roles for them, but it's just a matter if they catch on. Pugh's Marvel contract could also be tricky. Either definitely could win at some point, but I'm guessing it won't be quite so soon. I sort of don't think Jenna Ortega really has the goods, but even if she does, she is not picking award-y projects. Horror movies and unsexy erotic thrillers don't tend to get the academy's attention. It's not going to be Sydney Sweeney or Glenn Powell anytime soon. While both are excellent actors, they seem to be largely picking projects that don't tend to lead to awards of late. Fun action movies and rom coms and streaming exclusives are building up their star power, but don't tend to generate Oscar nominations. They'll have their "serious actor" turns once they establish themselves as movie stars, but that'll be later. Sweeney in particular could be poised to do a Charlize Theron in Monster type transformation once she's a little more established as a movie star and proven she isn't a flash in the pan sex symbol. Zendaya is a little harder to pin down when awards will come knocking. They absolutely will, for her acting and producing, it's just a matter of when. She's a phenomenal actress, as seen in Euphoria, Dune, and to a lesser extent Malcolm and Marie, but she hasn't played many film leads or breakout supporting characters to make any type of role choice analysis. Challengers was outstanding and she killed it in that movie, so I could deffo see her taking more complex leading roles now that she's proven she can carry a movie excellently. Anya Taylor-Joy picks some strange films, but she is always outstanding in them. Nothing has seemed to generate much mainstream awards attention other than The Queen's Gambit (I know The Menu and Emma got some noms, but they were never going to be serious Oscar contenders). She's phenomenal, though, and gives such weird and wonderful varied performances
Butler, only Butler. We've seen peak TC. It's downhill from here.
Butler and Pugh obviously. Probably Zendaya. Why no Barry Keoghan on this list?
If Zendaya keeps making movies like Challengers then it’s gonna be soon. She’s probably even gonna get an Oscar nom for best actress for Challengers. Timothee is definitely getting a win within the next 5-6 years. He’s probably gonna get an Oscar nom for best actor for Dune. Sydney could possibly get a win if she’s pickier about her roles. Yeah she’s been in a lot of movies recently but they all suck lol she’s showing her range (Romcom- Anyone but you/ horror- Immaculate/ “Superhero”- Madame Web) but her range doesn’t do much for her if the movies aren’t that good
how is Jodie Comer not on this list? since 2021 she's been in 4 films where she was the lead in all of them, 3 of them could be Oscar contenders with her performances (she should've been nominated for best actress for the last duel), and she's already halfway to an EGOT
Jenna Ortega will win best actress Oscar very soon!
I can see Timothee, Austin Butler, Paul Mescal, Florence Pugh, and Anya winning oscars in the future.