Future of Movie Stars: Who Will Shine? Who Will Fade Away?

[JBC344]

I couldn't agree more about Bailey Madison, she really is an exceptional talent.  Her performance as young Snow White is a pleasure to watch.  You can really tell that she studies Ginnifer Goodwin's speech patterns and mannerisms.

[ancslove]

Eddie Redmayne is making really interesting choices, working his way up from small parts (Elizabeth The Golden Age) to TV (Pillars of the Earth) to bigger movie roles (My Week with Marilyn, Les Miserables).  I think the upcoming Stephen Hawking biopic will be his make-or-break, and I really hope it and he does well.  

[CaughtOnTape]

Logan Lerman is very under appreciated.  He's riveting to watch.  Even in those terrible Percy Jackson movies.  He's the best thing about them.

[SallyAlbright]

I agree about Logan Lerman, he was fantastic in Perks of Being a Wallflower. I do think he suffers a little right now due to his (adorable) baby face, but in a few years when he looks older he will be drop dead gorgeous and ready to take on leading man parts. Until then, I think he's doing a great job lining up good supporting roles with heavyweight casts and directors (Noah, Fury). 

 

Eddie Redmayne is another one of my favorites, I have loved him in every role I've seen of his. I really hope he gets rave reviews for The Theory of Everything, because he's so talented. Felicity Jones too, for that matter. 

 

I also am very excited to see Andrew Garfield in Scorsese's next movie. I fell in love with him in Never Let Me Go with Keira Knightley and Carey Mulligan. His breakdown scene completely broke my heart and was amazing to watch. I'm glad he's doing well with Spiderman, but I can't wait to see him really act again.

[Rick Kitchen]

Jeremy Renner's imdb page shows he has both a new Bourne movie coming out *and* Mission Impossible 5.  I can't wait.  It would be even better if they dumped Tom Cruise's ass out of the MI films altogether, but I'll just pretend that Renner is the star.

[methodwriter85]

   It's funny to think that Jeremy Renner appeared on a Bravo Reality t.v. series over a decade ago about actors struggling to make it, and he's now got a solid career going. He's not a 'big' star, per se, but he's obviously not hurting for work.

 

    I agree about Logan Lerman- he's held back by looking like a 16-year old (well, Hollywood version of a 16-year old), but when he matures he'll be ready for leading man part, like Joseph Gordon Levitt.

[Danny Franks]

I'd rather Renner went back to playing lunatics, where he actually did show some charisma. He's never going to be better than he was in The Town, especially not if he's playing the hero, when he comes across as bland and thoroughly unexciting to me.

 

I'm hoping that the success of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and the plaudits given to the (second) titular character will set Sebastian Stan in good stead, going forward. Because I think he's impressive in that movie, as cold, chilling and ultimately vulnerable as he was warm and supportive in the first Cap movie. Quite a bit of range, in a relatively small part. But he doesn't seem to have much on his plate at the moment. I remember saying on TWoP that I think the thing that might work against him is the sullen, 'grumpy teenager' personality he seems to convey.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Jeremy Renner's imdb page shows he has both a new Bourne movie coming out *and* Mission Impossible 5.  I can't wait.  It would be even better if they dumped Tom Cruise's ass out of the MI films altogether, but I'll just pretend that Renner is the star.

Renner also has Kill the Messenger coming out in September, I think. I saw the trailers when I went to see something else, and its based on a true story and looks interesting.

[lyric]

I agree about Logan Lerman, he was fantastic in Perks of Being a Wallflower. I do think he suffers a little right now due to his (adorable) baby face, but in a few years when he looks older he will be drop dead gorgeous and ready to take on leading man parts. Until then, I think he's doing a great job lining up good supporting roles with heavyweight casts and directors (Noah, Fury). 

 

I agree about Logan Lerman - and I also absolutely love his Perks co-star Ezra Miller.  I don't know if he'll do leading man roles or character roles, but there is something about him I find incredibly enchanting - I'm compelled to focus on him when he's on screen, even when he's not in the forefront.  He's always a scene stealer for me, and I think he's equally magnetic in both comedic and dark roles.

[ribboninthesky1]

After watching a pretty crappy movie called Deadfall, it made me wonder what happened to Eric Bana's career.  He's steady with work, but he also seems relegated to slick straight-to-DVD films or theatrical releases with little to no promotion.  Very strange, though it could be a personal choice.  I always thought he was quite talented.     

[methodwriter85]

With Eric Bana, it seems a fairly simple story of a guy who got hyped, got some big roles for a couple of years, then failed to deliver big box office on a consistent basis, and stopped getting offered leading man roles in big-budget movies. The bulk of his movies that were successful were ensemble pieces, and he didn't really deliver that many big hits that were based on his name alone.

 

All this Brittany Murphy stuff makes me think again about how much I really, really wish Brittany Murphy hadn't tried to go for the American Sweetheart label. It just wasn't right for her, and her transformation into a bleach blonde twig in an attempt to get there makes it all the more sad.

 

If Brittany was still around, and had pulled herself together, I could have easily seen her reviving her career with edgy/quirky Netflix comedy/dramas like Orange is The New Black. (Who would have thought Laura Prepon would actually have a career after That 70's Show?) It's just a shame that, like a lot of her contemporaries, they hit ingenue/leading lady age at the time all these awful romantic comedies were coming out and it was the main thing being offered to that age group. Sometimes you hit magic (like Reese Witherspoon and Legally Blonde), but there were so many misfires during that decade, such as Brittany's Little Black Notebook.

 

The current crop of ingenues have much better choices these days.

Edited September 7, 2014 by methodwriter85

[Rick Kitchen]

Karl Urban never lived up to his potential.  I've enjoyed him in everything I've seen him in, including The Chronicles of Riddick, the new Star Trek movies, and RED, but he's never had a leading role that has said "star".

[Danny Franks]

Karl Urban never lived up to his potential.  I've enjoyed him in everything I've seen him in, including The Chronicles of Riddick, the new Star Trek movies, and RED, but he's never had a leading role that has said "star".

 

He was fantastic in Dredd. Okay, so that's not really an 'actor's role', in that the blank visage of the character, and the jutting chin, are what really matters. But Urban nailed the job, and the movie is actually very good, for being a relatively low budget affair. Sadly, it did not do well at the box office. But it should have been a franchise launcher, and Urban would have ridden it right to the bank.

 

I did think that he'd be the one from the LOTR movies who would break out the most. Even more than Viggo Mortensen, who'd been around for a while. Urban just seemed to have the right movie star magnetism, even in the small role he had. And really, he kind of has broken out more than many of them.

[Bruinsfan]

The thing that surprised me most about people's careers after LOTR is that John Rhys-Davies has mostly appeared in a bunch of crappy Sci-Fi Channel TV movies since. I mean, I can understand Billy Boyd vanishing into relative obscurity afterwards, but someone who has I, Claudius and the Indiana Jones movies on his resume?

[Crisopera]

Jennifer Lawrence will always get a pass from me for her spectacularly good performance in Winter's Bone.  I hope her career keeps on going strong.

I believe Cate Blanchett is the next-gen Meryl Streep - an actress who is revered (and rightly so) and still plays leads well into her 60s.

I hope the terrific Kiernan Shipka keeps working after Mad Men.

 

Eric Bana reminds me of the "they're not going to make him happen" Sam Worthington.  Neither one is a bad actor, just not riddled with charisma.

[ChelseaNH]

Clean-shaven, Eric Bana doesn't really stand out.  But living in the wilderness in Hanna -- he made a mountain man beard more than acceptable.

[vb68]

 

I believe Cate Blanchett is the next-gen Meryl Streep - an actress who is revered (and rightly so) and still plays leads well into her 60s.

 

 

I remember way back in the '80s  people saying that Debra Winger was the only one who could rival Meryl in terms of range.

 

I wish Debra worked more now.  I still think she's phenomenal.  

[ribboninthesky1]

.

Eric Bana reminds me of the "they're not going to make him happen" Sam Worthington.  Neither one is a bad actor, just not riddled with charisma.

 

To me, the difference between Bana and Worthington is that I suspect Bana deliberately stepped back from blockbusters. Worthington, despite being a/the lead in several big-budget, even successful films, has the on screen presence of a telephone book, and doesn't have the conventional (or even unconventional) good looks to counter that.  Needless to say, I find Bana to be the better actor.

 

Clean-shaven, Eric Bana doesn't really stand out.  But living in the wilderness in Hanna -- he made a mountain man beard more than acceptable.

 

Yes he did.  Despite the film itself, he was quite good as a villain in Deadfall.

[Rick Kitchen]

There's anew commercial for a cosmetic with Cate Blanchett and she's absolutely beautiful in it.  I wish I could remember the product.

[SallyAlbright]

Felicity Jones is getting a lot of Oscar buzz along with the wonderful Eddie Redmayne for The Theory of Everything. I think she's fantastic. I first saw her in a little film called Chalet Girl, where she was adorable, and then saw her in Like Crazy, where she made me cry. I am so happy she is getting good work and hope to see much more of her. 

 

Miles Teller is also getting a lot of attention for Whiplash, and he has a ton of work lined up. I think he's great, he was absolutely hilarious in That Awkward Moment and I think he's going to take the roles that would have gone to Shia LaBeouf had he not had a meltdown. 

[Athena]

Felicity Jones is getting a lot of Oscar buzz along with the wonderful Eddie Redmayne for The Theory of Everything. I think she's fantastic. I first saw her in a little film called Chalet Girl, where she was adorable, and then saw her in Like Crazy, where she made me cry. I am so happy she is getting good work and hope to see much more of her. 

 

I first saw Felicity Jones in a British children's show about witches at a boarding school where she played a Regina George character who eventually becomes frenemies with the protagonist. She was cute and had potential then, and I've been pleased to see her land more and more roles slowly. I think she has grown in talent over the years. I always do feel a bit attached to actors that I've seen for almost decades when we were both much younger; this is probably why I continue to like Ryan Gosling ("Breaker High" and "Young Hercules").

[savinggrace]

After seeing Shailene Woodley in Descendants, The Spectacular now and The Fault in Our Stars I think she'll be around a long time. She has such a natural quality about her onscreen and makes it look effortless. Unlike Jennifer Lawrence I don't see the effort that goes into her acting.

[elizacat]

After watching a pretty crappy movie called Deadfall, it made me wonder what happened to Eric Bana's career.  He's steady with work, but he also seems relegated to slick straight-to-DVD films or theatrical releases with little to no promotion.  Very strange, though it could be a personal choice.  I always thought he was quite talented.     

I read an interview with Eric Bana where he basically said he only makes one movie a year as he doesn't want to disrupt or move his family.  He has chosen for them all to stay living in Melbourne, Australia and doesn't want to relocate to LA. I got the impression that Bana didn't have much interest in being a movie star and had more than enough cash to be content.

[Bruinsfan]

If it's by his choice, more power to him. I find him to be much more talented and charismatic than Worthington, though I'll admit the latter looks more like a Hollywood leading man.

[methodwriter85]

Sam Worthington was cute enough that I was excited for Terminator: Salvation. But yeah, he's just not that charismatic.

 

 

After seeing Shailene Woodley in Descendants, The Spectacular now and The Fault in Our Stars I think she'll be around a long time. She has such a natural quality about her onscreen and makes it look effortless. Unlike Jennifer Lawrence I don't see the effort that goes into her acting.

 

     Shailene HAS been around for a long time. She's a seasoned vet pro at the age of 22 with 15 years of experience. She had a bit part as the original Kaitlyn Cooper on the O.C., but the first thing I really remember her from was an episode of Cold Case where she played an Amish teenager trying to find justice for her sister who died during her Rumspringa. Shailene's character wasn't even a focus in the episode but there's something really distinctive about her voice and screen presence that made me take notice. I think what she has is an ability to make things look completely natural and real. (Although I refused to watch any significant chunks of Secret Life, so I can't judge there.)

 

     She comes off as being pretty picky and careful...probably allowed to be so given that she was on a hit show for like 5 years.

[vb68]

I think to a certain extent Chris Hemsworth also stole some of Sam Worthington's thunder.

[Sweet Tee]

Possibly.  IMO, Chris Hemsworth has far more charisma than Sam Worthington has ever shown.

[BatmanBeatles]

A block of wood has more charisma.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Sam Worthington was cute enough that I was excited for Terminator: Salvation. But yeah, he's just not that charismatic.

Sam Worthington was the best part of Terminator:Salvation. There, I said it. Christian Bale's a better actor, but all his version of John ever did was holler. I actually felt something for Marcus, who started out believing he was a man only to realize that he was mostly machine.

[Princess Sparkle]

It boggles my mind that Sam Worthington was a thing for a little while (though, I guess when the Avatar sequel comes out, he'll be back in the spotlight).  He is like a black hole of charisma, he's not that talented of an actor, and while he's attractive, I've seen better looking guys.  And, for the life of me, I never understood why James Cameron didn't spend more on a dialect coach for him in Avatar (or at the very least, re-film his scenes) - his accent was so, so spotty throughout that entire movie that I actually thought I'd missed a plot point, and his character was actually from Australia.  

[Bruinsfan]

I forget, was there any reason in that movie that his character couldn't have been Australian? I mean, if you're asking me to buy levitating mountains and blue kitty people who ride dragons it's safe to say that a cooperative military project among English-speaking nations isn't going to strain the bounds of credibility.

[tennisgurl]

Because if he was Australian, American audiences wouldn't have gotten the oh so subtle "the blue space cats are totally Native Americans" message :)

 

But honestly, its kind of sad. Sam Worthington was really good in Terminator, but everything else has been like watching a vaguely Australian pet rock try to emote.

 

He wishes he had the talent and charisma of Chris Hemsworth. We don't really need any bland hunks when we have him around.  

[Princess Sparkle]

I thought this was appropriate here: Tobey Maguire on the lack of young male movie stars

[JBC344]

I thought this was appropriate here: Tobey Maguire on the lack of young male movie stars

Really interesting article.  Especially the idea that young male actors are not being mentored by older experienced actors and learning their craft until much earlier.

[methodwriter85]

I think he's got a pretty good point. Young male actors under 30 are usually stuck playing teenaged parts in The CW, ABCFamily, or if they're lucky- they get swept up into Teen Idol Y.A. Adaptations that are popular, or into Superhero movies.

 

It's rare that stuff like The Perks of Being A Wallflower gets made anymore. When I was watching the commentary for the movie, they kept saying that movie studios just don't take risk on smaller movies anymore, which does seem true. Indie and smaller movies more often than not seem to just get dumped on Netflix these days.

 

I'm still disappointed that Logan Lerman didn't become a big star after Perks. (I'm also pissed that they stayed a platform release because I really think it could have done well with the suburban teenager market.) And I'm pissed for Nicholas Hoult that the moderate success of Warm Bodies was overshadowed by the flop that was Jack The Giant Slayer. Luckily for him, the Mad Max remake is apparently looking good so I'm keeping my figures crossed.

 

Out of everyone, I'd say Nicholas Hoult is probably the most polished and ready to go (having a chance to get mentored by Hugh Grant, Toni Collette, and Colin Firth probably helps)...but he just needs that big successful movie to do it.

Edited September 18, 2014 by methodwriter85

[Rick Kitchen]

Nicholas Hoult has a ton of movies in the pipeline.

 

A creepy-sounding film called Dark Places also starring Chloe Grace Moretz, Charlize Theron, Christina Hendricks and Corey Stoll.

An action-adventure film he's the star of called Autobahn, also starring Felicity Jones, Anthony Hopkins and Ben Kingsley.

A dark comedy called Kill Your Friends also starring James Corden and Roseanna Arquette.

A futuristic romance called Equals co-starring Kristen Stewart (shudder), Guy Pearce and Jacki Weaver.

 

Interestingly, except for his X-Men films, he never plays a character with a last name.  :)

[methodwriter85]

Yeah. I really do think that Nicholas Hoult is the closest under-30 guy to genuine stardom right now. He's got the looks, the talent, and the charisma for it. He just needs that big success leading movie role.

[SallyAlbright]

I think Hoult has potential, but I could see Miles Teller blowing up first. He is getting raves for Whiplash, which just won the jury prize at Deauville, and then he has Fantastic Four and the next few Divergent movies. Seems like he's getting a good mix of commercial and challenging projects, whereas I would say (X-Men excepted) Hoult tends to gravitate toward more independent or dramatic roles and may have more of a steady slow burn rise to stardom. All this said, there is a strange lack of promising young actors. The best ones I can think of are Teller, Hoult, Michael B. Jordan, and Logan Lerman. Maybe some good ones will come out of TV, cause otherwise I'm kind of drawing a blank. 

Edited September 18, 2014 by SallyAlbright

[vb68]

I still think Logan Lerman could still hit big with Fury coming.  I'm sure he'll still have some other chances, too.

 

It does make me chuckle  thinking back just two or so years ago when  Taylor Lautner was getting all these offers and was going to be the the next generation action star or whatever.

[Dejana]

Jack O'Connell stars in Unbroken, which could be a big Oscar player during awards season. He's 24, and like Nicholas Hoult, is an alum of the UK Skins.

 

Tobey Maguire seems like an odd person to talk to about the dearth of young male movie stars since he never really was one himself. Sure, he was Spider-Man and Seabiscuit made money but he was never exactly a draw on his own. Maybe Leo was busy? In all seriousness, I think male stars tend to be slightly older when they hit their prime in terms of commercial and critical success, which you can see by comparing the ages of the oldest and youngest winners and nominees for acting Oscars. 

Edited September 18, 2014 by Dejana

[SallyAlbright]

Jack O'Connell stars in Unbroken, which could be a big Oscar player during awards season. He's 24, and like Nicholas Hoult, is an alum of the UK Skins.

 

Tobey Maguire seems like an odd person to talk to about the dearth of young male movie stars since he never really was one himself. Sure, he was Spider-Man and Seabiscuit made money but he was never exactly a draw on his own. Maybe Leo was busy? In all seriousness, I think male stars tend to be slightly older when they hit their prime in terms of commercial and critical success, which you can see by comparing the ages of the oldest and youngest winners and nominees for acting Oscars. 

 

Ooh, Jack O'Connell is a good one! I'm looking forward to Unbroken, I saw him in a movie called Starred Up at Tribeca and he was fantastic. I was surprised to learn he's so young, he reminds me a bit of Tom Hardy.

[Ambrosefolly]

One commentary correctly noted on that article that Hollywood tends to do away with actresses at younger ages than men. The post 30 breakout is more likely to happen to men than to women.  I remember that round table thing that I believe Hollywood reporter did that featured Denzel Washing, Matt Damon, Jaime Foxx, and Matt Damon commented how frustrated actresses get because a lot of them feel that once they start getting really good at their craft, Hollywood no longer has use for them. Even if they do make the break out, we aren't sure how long it will last (Naomi Watts, Nicole Kidman to name a few). I thought it was an extremely smart move of Viola Davis to headline her own show (especially one created by Shonda Rhimes), as a lot of older actresses find the better roles on television and it will allow her to more choosey when it comes to her movie roles. 

 

The only reason I think The Family Stone got made is because it was the only drama out there that Diane Keaton could star in that wasn't taken by Meryl Streep, and everyone else wanted to be in a movie with Diane Keaton, never made how unlikable The Stones came across. 

 

I think actresses like Jennifer Lawrence and Shailene Woodley will have long careers, and in JLaw case, she can now focus exclusively on smaller movies now she has made enough FU money off  of the Hunger Games. The actors in her age range won't be able to star in their own action franchises until they are in their 30s, and unfortunately, the YA shows that young men can star in now aren't of the same caliber of a decade ago. Chris Pratt lucked out that the job that got him his first good exposure was Everwood, because I don't think there is that type of shows being produced any longer. Evan Peters might be in the best position on that front as he is now getting higher profile movie work, but has his regular gig working with the likes of Jessica Lange and Kathy Bates on American Horror Story. 

Edited September 18, 2014 by Ambrosefolly

[methodwriter85]

See, the thing that I can see holding Miles Teller back a bit is that his looks are pretty unconventional. Then again, there are a lot of guys who weren't Hollywood Pretty but still broke out big, like Tom Hanks or Nicholas Cage. So I'd put Miles Teller and Nicholas Hoult at the front, with Logan Lerman and Michael B. Jordan not too far behind.

 

I feel like Josh Hutcherson is really good, but to be honest, the Hunger Games franchise didn't do that much for his career, and he's hampered by being short and having a baby-face. I really hope that Mockingjay Part 1 gives him a chance to show off what he can really do, because the first two movies gutted the depth and complexity to Peeta's character.

 

Evan Peters is another good guy, and he does have a lot of things coming up.

 

Finally, it seems like Aaron Tyler-Johnson is getting a lot of notice and high-profile work. I liked him in this movie about teenagers who talk in a chatroom, but I haven't seen enough of his work to judge yet. It's weird to think he's only 24 and he's contemporaries with Josh Hutcherson, Taylor Lautner, and Logan Lerman because he just seems so much older. Of course, being a father of four and having a 45-year old wife will do that to you.

Edited September 18, 2014 by methodwriter85

[Bruinsfan]

I think Daniel Radcliffe is showing a lot of promise. He worked well in The Woman in Black and Kill Your Darlings, and I have hope that the upcoming Horns will be at least a niche success. Hopefully he made enough money from the later Harry Potter movies to keep making interesting choices from now until the 2070s or so.

[JBC344]

See, the thing that I can see holding Miles Teller back a bit is that his looks are pretty unconventional. Then again, there are a lot of guys who weren't Hollywood Pretty but still broke out big, like Tom Hanks or Nicholas Cage. So I'd put Miles Teller and Nicholas Hoult at the front, with Logan Lerman and Michael B. Jordan not too far behind.

 

I feel like Josh Hutcherson is really good, but to be honest, the Hunger Games franchise didn't do that much for his career, and he's hampered by being short and having a baby-face. I really hope that Mockingjay Part 1 gives him a chance to show off what he can really do, because the first two movies gutted the depth and complexity to Peeta's character.

 

Evan Peters is another good guy, and he does have a lot of things coming up.

 

Finally, it seems like Aaron Tyler-Johnson is getting a lot of notice and high-profile work. I liked him in this movie about teenagers who talk in a chatroom, but I haven't seen enough of his work to judge yet. It's weird to think he's only 24 and he's contemporaries with Josh Hutcherson, Taylor Lautner, and Logan Lerman because he just seems so much older. Of course, being a father of four and having a 45-year old wife will do that to you.

I'm really liking that Miles Teller is really focusing on diversity for his career.  He could take the easy way out and play the same "funny, sarcastically dry, exalt the man child" roles that seem to be close to his real life personality, but I'm glad that he isn't making a career out of it.  The first thing I saw him in was Rabbit Hole with Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart, it was such a quietly reserved performance.  To go from that to Footloose, The Spectacular Now, The Awkward Moment, Divergence, Whiplash, The Fantastic Four, does show nice range.

[VCRTracking]

I admit to be surprised hearing Jessica Chastain who broke out recently broke out in The Help and  Zero Dark Thirty is 37. That's relatively old for an actress to be a star in Hollywood. Obviously she's been acting for a decade. She had a big part in the Murder on the Orient Express adaptation with David Suchet's Poirot a few years back. She said recently she wants to be in a superhero movie but as an actual superhero, not as a girlfriend or love interest.

Edited September 18, 2014 by VCRTracking

[methodwriter85]

There's also Melissa Leo, who broke out in her late 40's, although I'm not sure I'd call her a  headliner star.

 

I think the last time we've seen someone break the mold and become a leading lady/household name in their mid-30's was Julianne Moore. Amy Adams was about 29/30 when she had her breakthrough with Junebug. Sandra Bullock was about that age for Speed.

 

Miles Teller was probably the best thing about the Footloose remake. It wasn't too bad, but out of everyone, Miles was the one who took their famous character and made it their own. And without making me feel like he was just ripping off Chris Penn.

Edited September 19, 2014 by methodwriter85

[SallyAlbright]

I am SO glad Jessica Chastain broke out at any age. She is a gem. I wish there were more like her! 

 

Someone else who seems to be getting lots of work is Sam Claflin. In addition to Pirates of the Caribbean and the Hunger Games, he has The Riot Club coming out and just landed the lead in Me Before You, which many young actors supposedly tested for. I've only seen him as Finnick in THG and thought he was fine, but nothing particularly amazing. I hope to see more of what he can do in Mockingjay.

 

It's also worth noting that his costar in Me Before You will be Emilia Clarke, who is also set to take on Sarah Connor in Terminator. What do you guys think of her prospects? I think she could have a great post-GoT career if she keeps up an interesting mix of projects in between seasons.

[methodwriter85]

I think Sam Claflin's adorable with those dimples and curls, but I haven't been blown away by him yet. Mockingjay will be his test of what he can do, because Finnick has a lot to do in that movie.

 

I do think this year's flavor-of-the-month seems to be Brenton Thwaites. Check out his IMDB listing- he went from relative obscurity to somehow booking major movies in a really short time. He has a great tan and adorable puppy eyes but I haven't seen either Maleficent or The Giver so I can't judge.

 

Ansel Elgort is another one. He has an extensive theater background apparently, but he's only had six movie credits

, with two being franchises and one being the leading man in a movie that just grossed 300 million dollars worldwide. That's off to a pretty damn good start. I do think that while Caleb in Divergent wasn't much, his Augustus Waters was great. He really did take a role that could have been terrible in the wrong hands and made Gus's dialogue believable. Ansel is insanely charismatic. And because he's got Divergent going on at the same time, he doesn't really run the risk of getting typecast.

 

I don't know about Emilia Clarke yet. I haven't seen her act yet so I can't judge.

 

Finally...is Chloe Grace Moretz ever going to score that big-time hit? If I Stay actually is holding well and it will make about 50 million on its 11 million dollar budget, but I really thought that was going to be huge. She's got the Equalizer coming up but it doesn't seem like more than a supporting role to Denzel Washington. She's definitely getting bet on for big-time stardom but so far hasn't hit it yet.

[Rick Kitchen]

Chloe Grace will be starring in The Fifth Wave, based on a YA novel that's pretty popular.  If the film follows the book's plot, she's going to have to do a lot of acting with nobody else on screen and CGI aliens.