15 Rising Stars Who Are About to Take the Place of Top Celebrities
It’s hard to imagine that, once upon a time, today’s megastars rose to fame by appearing as extras and taking on various cameo roles. And can you imagine any of the young stars nowadays eclipsing the fame of Brad Pitt, Nicole Kidman, or Angelina Jolie? But why not? They themselves once took the places of Elizabeth Taylor, Goldie Hawn, and Jack Nicholson.
Here at CHEERY, we wanted to tell you about the young actors who have just taken their first steps on the road to success. We bet they’ll be the ones competing for the Oscars, Emmys, and Golden Globes during the next 15-20 years.
Barbie Ferreira
Barbie started her career in modelling by sending out her raw photos and videos to agencies. She has now been involved in advertising campaigns for such major brands as Adidas, Asos, Forever 21, H&M, and others. Like Ashley Graham, Barbie actively opposes fat-shaming, and believes that an actor’s appearance should not define their role.
She is best known for portraying the beautiful Kat from the TV series Euphoria. This project was a turning point in her acting career: Barbie got noticed, and offers for various movie roles started pouring in. Her film debut was the comedy drama Unpregnant (2020), where she played the role of a schoolgirl whose former best friend is pregnant and needs her help leaving the state.
Simone Ashley
For most viewers, Simone’s first memorable role was that of Olivia Hanan in the Netflix series Sex Education. But her real breakthrough was in the historical-romance TV series Bridgerton, where she had one of the leading roles as Lady Kate.
In 2022 the actress was included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for the entertainment industry. It is also now known that she will appear in the new Disney adaptation of The Little Mermaid next year.
Ashton Sanders
Ashton Sanders made his acting debut in the thriller The Retrieval, when he was just 18. A couple of years later he landed a role in the drama Moonlight, which made him famous. The film won three Oscars, including Best Picture, as well as a host of other awards and nominations.
Now the young actor is incredibly in demand. He has worked with many Hollywood producers, and continues to appear in films and TV series. The most anticipated one of his films, due to be released in September 2022, is the biopic about Whitney Houston, where Ashton plays the singer’s husband, Bobby Brown.
Odeya Rush
Many compare this young actress to Gal Gadot. But their similarities don’t stop at their appearance: they both came to Hollywood from Israel. Odeya came to the US as a child and started appearing in TV series in 2010, at the age of 13.
She played the main character’s girlfriend in the Disney movie The Odd Life of Timothy Green, and two years later, she finally got her big break with a role in a teen thriller The Giver, after which she immediately received an offer for Goosebumps. This was followed by the satirical comedy Dear Dictator, and a small role in the Oscar-winning drama Lady Bird. It was the latter that got her the most awards and nominations.
Finn Wolfhard
Finn landed his first role in 2014 at the age of 12, and just two years later he appeared as Mike Wheeler in the TV series Stranger Things, which almost immediately earned him, and his colleagues, the SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. The following year he starred in the feature film It, followed by its sequel, and in 2019 he played young Boris in the adaptation of the novel The Goldfinch.
His career is now thriving. Finn Wolfhard has been actively appearing in films, portraying Mike Wheeler in Stranger Things, as well as trying his hand at directing, modelling, and music.
Sydney Sweeney
As a child, Sydney was actively involved in sports and learning languages, but as a teenager she decided to pursue an acting career. When she was 14, her family moved to Los Angeles, where Sydney started going to castings and getting roles in various TV series. A role in The Handmaid’s Tale was one of her most notable ones at the time.
In 2019 she played a minor part in Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood. But the breakthrough of her career was her role as Cassie Howard in Euphoria, for which she received a nomination for an Emmy.
Tanner Buchanan
Tanner first appeared on TV in the show Modern Family, in 2010. Three years later, he was seen in Grey’s Anatomy, Major Crimes, and The Goldbergs.
He landed his first major role in 2016, playing Leo Kirkman in the TV series Designated Survivor. But most viewers know him from Cobra Kai, a show in which he portrays Robbie Keane, the protagonist’s son. By the age of 23, his net worth is $1 million.
Hunter Schafer
Hunter Schaefer is not only famous for being an actress, she is also a professional model and social activist. Her debut was the role of Jules in the TV series Euphoria, where she went on to co-write one of the episodes, as she wanted her character to reflect her experiences. Hunter has also been cast in the adaptation of the novel The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which is scheduled for release in 2023.
Nicholas Galitzine
Nicholas Galitzine’s first notable film role was in the British drama The Beat Beneath My Feet, to which he also contributed by recording several tracks for the film’s soundtrack. In 2016, he appeared in the film High Strung, where he, again, played a musician.
After that, Nicholas appeared in a variety of film and TV projects. He played Prince Robert in Cinderella, where he performed 7 songs. And more recently, July saw the premiere of Purple Hearts, where Nicholas has already been a hit.
Madelaine Petsch
Madelaine Petsch is one of the stars of the TV series Riverdale, which has earned her 6 nominations for various awards (three of which she has won). In school, classmates bullied her for her fiery red hair, but it was precisely thanks to her locks that she got noticed while working as a barista, and quickly got offered a starring role in an ad for Coca-Cola.
Apart from her acting career, Madeline is known for her work in fashion design, as well as being an Instagram Influencer (with over 25 million followers).
KJ Apa
KJ began his career as an actor in 2013 in his native New Zealand. In 2017, he started playing Archie Andrew in the TV series Riverdale and also starred in Lasse Hallström’s A Dog’s Purpose. After that, his career took off, and the young actor became a regular in feature films and TV series.
In addition, in 2021, he released his debut folk-rock/indie album, which has become quite popular. KJ will soon be appearing on the big screen in the drama West Pointer.
Sadie Sink
Before appearing in films, Sadie Sink starred in musicals on Broadway. In 2013, at the age of 11, she appeared in an episode of The Americans. In 2015, she worked alongside Helen Mirren playing the role of Elizabeth II as a child, in the play The Audience.
But her real break came after she was cast as a regular in the series Stranger Things. Critic Lovia Gyarkye, of The Hollywood Reporter, said “[she] nails the reckless and moody teenager certain that no one can relate to her”. For her work in film and TV, Sadie has received numerous awards and nominations. Next month is the scheduled release date for Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale, in which the young actress plays the lead role.
Harris Dickinson
Before becoming an actor, Harris considered a career as a Marine, but a drama teacher managed to change his mind. Recognition came after his main role in the drama Beach Rats, for which he received a Film Independent Spirit Award nomination.
In 2021, Dickinson starred as Conrad Oxford in The King’s Man, which earned him his first BAFTA nomination. One of his most recent films, Triangle of Sadness (2022), won the Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival.
Bella Ramsey
When we talk about the young actresses that we were introduced to through Game of Thrones, we instantly think of Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams. Bella Ramsay’s debut, on the other hand, was not as high-profile, simply because her character had much less screen time, but tough little Lyanna Mormont still managed to captivate the audiences. Critics praised her as an outstanding young actress who managed to play the role of the undisputed leader, even though she was only 12 years old at the time.
Alongside her work on Game of Thrones, Bella has starred in the TV adaptation of The Worst Witch, and did voice acting for the series Hilda, for which she received a BAFTA in 2019. In 2021 it was announced that she will play a major role in the series based on a famous computer game, The Last of Us.
Xolo Maridueña
Viewers will mostly know Xolo Maridueña from the TV series Cobra Kai, where he plays one of the main characters, Miguel Diaz. At the time of filming, Xolo was in the process of finishing high school, and had to show incredible self-discipline to successfully perform in both.
Thanks to his success on Netflix, Xolo soon received an offer to star in Blue Beetle, a film about a Latin superhero. The young actor also starred in the TV series Parenthood, and even appeared in some new episodes of Twin Peaks.
Which of these actors strike you as the most promising? Who, do you think, will be the first to win an Oscar, and who doesn’t stand a chance?