In this second and final installment of the “Young Hollywood” series, we explore some of film’s and TV’s new and future stars. These actors are on the verge of breaking out into long, successful careers.
Please feel free to add on to the conversation by posting a comment on others you feel should be added onto this list.
(Click here to check out Young Hollywood-Part 1: The Filmmakers.)
Robert Pattinson
Age: 23
From: London, England
Credits: Twilight (2008), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
The British Invasion hit the US pretty strongly in the ’60s, but every now and then, a straggler hops across the pond as a reminder that talent exists beyond our borders. British import Robert Pattinson’s arrival hit America like a speeding train, traveling so fast that tabloids and celebrity gossip websites practically struggled to keep up with the fresh dirt he provided.
Though Pattinson has been around for a bit (playing Cedric Diggory in 2005′s Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), it was his portrayal as Edward Cullen in Twilight (2008) that entranced audiences. Starring in the adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s best-selling novel, Pattinson sunk his teeth into the part of a vampire who saves the life of and falls in love with Bella Swan, played by Kristen Stewart. The actor’s breakthrough role positioned him as pop culture’s newest darling/sex symbol, earning him the “title” of 2008′s Hot Actor by Rolling Stone and three MTV Movie Awards (Best Fight, Best Kiss, Breakthrough Performance Male).
Pattinson first found himself in front of a camera at the age of 12, in a modeling career that lasted just four years. He involved himself with amateur theatre through the Barnes Theatre Company before catching the attention of an acting agent while performing in Tess of the D’Urbervilles. Yadda, yadda, yadda-he landed on our shores and intrigued us by his acting and musical ability. (Pattinson enjoys playing the guitar and piano. He even appeared on two tracks on the Twilight soundtrack.) The actor will reprise his role in the upcoming vampire flick sequel, New Moon. He’ll also be shelving his fangs for Remember Me, a 2010 release that also stars Pierce Brosnan and Chris Cooper.
Zoe Saldana
Age: 31
From: Queens, NY
Credits: Star Trek (2009), Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
“I’m very proud to say I am a geek. But I’m kind of a cool geek. I grew up in a very sci-fi home, so I’ve seen a lot of sci-fi movies, from Dune to Alien, 2001, ET, Batteries Not Included. All these films I go crazy for. But never Star Trek.” Says the woman who was in Star Trek. Zoe Saldana has been around for awhile, but it was her role as Uhura in the 2009 blockbuster, playing Spock’s and Kirk’s love interest, that made us take notice. For many of us, it wasn’t until after the movie ended that our thoughts of “who’s that girl” lead us to Saldana’s IMDb page, only for us to find that we’ve seen her before. Starring opposite Johnny Depp as pirate Anamaria in 2003′s Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, the fully capable Saldana commandeered her scenes from Depp, but didn’t appear in any of the Disney franchise’s sequels.
Saldana was born in New Jersey, but was raised in Queens, New York until the age of 10. Her real-life’s storyline then took her to the Caribbean, but not for a part in a movie. She lived in the Dominican Republic with her family for seven years. While there, she became active in dance and studied at the prestigious ECOS Espacio de Danza Dance Academy. At 17, Saldana moved back to the US and began theatre work before being discovered and pirouetting her way into the part of Eva in dance flick Center Stage (2000).
Among the actress’s credits is a part in the Bernie Mac/Ashton Kutcher vehicle Guess Who (2005), for which she received nominations for a Black Movie Award, Black Reel Award, Image Award, and Teen Choice Award. (Saldana is so talented that we’ll even forgive her for her part in the 2002 Britney Spears-starring vehicle, Crossroads.) The actress has several productions in the works, but perhaps the most notable is James Cameron’s (Titanic) feature Avatar, in which Saldana will star opposite Michelle Rodriguez, Sam Worthington and Hollywood heavyweight Sigourney Weaver.
Henry Cavill
Age: 26
From: Jersey, Channel Islands
Credits: The Tudors (TV), Whatever Works (2009)
When Empire magazine calls you ” … the most unlucky man in Hollywood” (December, 2005), you wonder how you should take it. Are you upset at this recognition, or are you excited that you’re being recognized at all? Perhaps unfortunately for Henry Cavill, this recognition was well deserved. The 26-year-old British actor was under serious consideration for several notable roles, including Bruce Wayne/Batman (Batman Begins), Cedric Diggory (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), Clark Kent/Superman (Superman Returns), James Bond (Casino Royale), and Edward Cullen (Twilight). He was passed up for all of them. Cavill was Twilight author Stephenie Meyer’s first choice to play Cullen in the adaptation of her novel, but by the time the film began shooting, the 25-year-old actor was too old for the part. It ultimately went to fellow “Young Hollywood” selection Robert Pattinson, who also beat Cavill out for the part of Cedric Diggory in the Harry Potter franchise.
Cavill wasn’t totally out of luck, however, as he gained notice from filmmakers and casting directors, landing parts in The Count of Monte Cristo (2002), Tristan + Isolde (2006), and most notably, in the Showtime series The Tudors, in which he plays Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk and brother-in-law of Henry VIII (played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers). He can be currently seen in Woody Allen’s Larry David-starring vehicle, Whatever Works (2009).
The young actor got his start acting in plays while enrolled at a British boarding school. Cavill noted, “In prep. school, I really learned to love the stage. When you step out from the wings and into the lights, there’s this incredible rush of adrenaline and fear and anticipation; it’s just something else. It really is.” Cavill is slated to star in filmmaker Tarsem Singh’s (The Fall) next effort, War of Gods.
*Photo Credit to HCO
Leighton Meester
Age: 23
From: Marco Island, Florida
Credits: Gossip Girl (TV)
Who doesn’t love a good scandal? Gossip Girl star Leighton Meester was born into one, and growing into adulthood hasn’t helped her much in escaping the unflattering limelight. Before Meester’s birth, her parents were involved in a drug ring that sent them both to the big house. While out on parole, the starlet’s mother became pregnant before being sentenced to 10 years in a Texas state prison, where she spent the better part of her pregnancy. Several years later, Meester’s older brother saw his name in headlines when he was accused of rape, indecent assault, and sodomizing a female cadet while in the US Air Force Academy in 2003. And finally, the actress, herself, has joined the esteemed likes of Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian when Internet reports surfaced this past June that she, too, is in a sex tape.
But it’s not the scandals that put Meester on this list. Since breaking out in the CW’s hit show Gossip Girl in 2007, the actress has been turning heads. It’s fitting that the show that made her famous is set in the same city in which the actress got her start. At the age of 11, Meester moved to New York City with her aunt and began a career in modeling with the Wilhelmina agency. She gained some exposure while modeling for Ralph Lauren before making her TV debut in 1999 on an episode of Law & Order. She later went on to continue her television work with guest starring roles on Crossing Jordan, 7th Heaven, Entourage, 24, Veronica Mars, and House. Meester is no stranger to the big screen, however, as she has played parts in several lesser-known films, such as slasher flicks Drive Thru (2007) and Killer Movie (2008).
It wouldn’t take long for the young actress to reach a mass audience, as in 2007 she launched a regular role on Gossip Girl, playing Blair Waldorf, a wealthy high school student living in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Meester isn’t confining herself to the role that earned her fame and the covers of celebrity gossip rags, though. The actress, who was ranked 12th on Maxim‘s Hot 100 list this year, is taking notes from fellow acting beauties who’ve convinced themselves that the general audience has interest in hearing them sing. Just when J.Lo, Hilary Duff, and Lindsay Lohan fell out of view, Meester comes along to pick up where they left off. The actress will expose her vocal chops later this year when her album is released under the Universal Republic label. But Meester fans, don’t fret. The model-turned-actress-turned-singer-turned-tabloid favorite continues her role on Gossip Girl and will be seen in the 2010 comedy film Date Night, starring alongside Mark Wahlberg, Steve Carell, and Tina Fey.
Anton Yelchin
Age: 20
From: Burbank, California
Credits: Star Trek (2009), Terminator Salvation (2009)
Who’s ever heard of Anton Yelchin? And yet, a quick glimpse of his resume is enough to convince you that he’s been around awhile and intends on going much further. Born in Leningrad, Russia (now St. Petersburg) to Olympic-class figure skating parents, Yelchin knew he didn’t want to skate down the same path his parents took. When young Anton was just six months old, the Yelchins moved to the United States. Fast forward about nine years and the boy launches his acting career in the indie film A Man Is Mostly Water (2000), starring Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper star Mark Curry. Yelchin would continue to hone his acting chops with television appearances on Curb Your Enthusiasm, Huff, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. But it was his role in the 2001 Anthony Hopkins-starring film Hearts in Atlantis that earned Yelchin the Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film-Leading Young Actor. The actor followed up this effort with roles in 2005′s Fierce People (with Diane Lane and Donald Sutherland), 2006′s Alpha Dog (with Bruce Willis), and 2008′s Middle of Nowhere (with Susan Sarandon).
Playing the title role in dark comedy Charlie Bartlett (2007), Yelchin portrays a wealthy high school student struggling to find his place in a new school. In his quest to find popularity, he discovers a talent in dispensing psychiatric advice (and prescription pills) to fellow students. During the same year of Charlie Bartlett‘s release, Yelchin enrolled at the University of Southern California to study film.
Despite considerable success up to this year, 2009 has been a landmark year for Yelchin. First, the actor starred as teenaged navigator Pavel Chekov in arguably his biggest movie to date: Star Trek. One giant Hollywood blockbuster followed another, as the actor filled the part of Kyle Reese in McG-directed Terminator Salvation. Even People magazine recognized Yelchin’s appeal with a spot on its 100 Most Beautiful People of 2009 list. The near future will see the 20-year-old in the Brett Ratner-directed segment of New York, I Love You, as well as a part in Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac with Emma Roberts.
Selena Gomez
Age: 17
From: Grand Prairie, Texas
Credits: Wizards of Waverly Place (TV), Horton Hears a Who! (2008)
Yes, it’s true. A former regular on Barney & Friends is fully capable of hitting it big and landing on this list. Texas-born Selena Gomez began her acting career at the age of 7 playing alongside a certain purple dinosaur. But that was just the beginning. It wasn’t until 2004, when she was discovered by Disney, that Gomez would begin her rise to fame. She landed guest roles on Disney’s The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and Hannah Montana before taking the helm of her own Emmy-nominated show, Wizards of Waverly Place. On the popular show, Gomez plays Alex Russo, middle child and only daughter of a former-wizard father and mortal mother. Alex and her two brothers are wizards in training, often using magic to get them in and out of trouble.
The actress, who was named for Latina songstress and fellow Texas native Selena, shares her vocal ability with her namesake. Gomez sings the theme song of her hit show and has recorded songs for various other Disney properties, including the 101 Dalmations Platinum DVD, Another Cinderella Story (starring Gomez), and Princess Protection Program (starring Gomez and her real-life best friend Demi Lovato). The actress/singer has signed a record deal with Hollywood Records.
Gomez consistently exhibits tremendous ability as an actress with impeccable comedic timing. It’s no wonder she’s been nominated for several awards in such a short period of time, including a Kids’ Choice Award win for Favorite Television Actress (2009) and Young Artist Award win for her lead role in Another Cinderella Story (2008).
The actress’s upcoming credits include Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie and 2010′s Ramona and Beezus, in which Gomez plays the title role of Beezus alongside Josh Duhamel and Ginnifer Goodwin in the film that’s based on the popular Ramona children’s book series by Beverly Cleary.
Khleo Thomas
Age: 20
From: Anchorage, Alaska
Credits: Roll Bounce (2005), Holes (2003)
Reading through each of the “Young Hollywood” biographies, one might notice a few similarities between the actors. Twenty-year-old Khleo Thomas (born Khaleed Leon Thomas) continues the trend. Like Zoe Saldana, Thomas was born in the United States, but lived abroad for awhile. Like Robert Pattinson, Leighton Meester, and Selena Gomez, he rounds out his “entertainment value” with his musical ability.
Thomas’s father was an Army officer stationed in Alaska when the young actor was born. Later, he moved to Germany until the age of 4. Years later, in 1998, Thomas made his television debut on an episode of Bill Cosby’s kid-focused comedy show, Kids Say the Darndest Things. Perhaps the youngster enjoyed his time in front of the camera, as his appearance was just the first stop in what continues to be a journey leading to his yet-to-occur breakthrough moment. In 2003, Thomas starred opposite Shia LeBeouf in Disney’s Holes, for which he was nominated for a Young Artist Award (Best Performance in a Feature Film-Supporting Young Actor). He followed this up just months later with a role in Mario Van Peebles’s independent film BAADASSSSS! (or, How to Get the Man’s Foot Outta Your Ass). The film, which was Van Peebles’s tribute to his father Melvin’s 1971 film Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song, went on to win critical praise, as well as Spirit Award nominations for Best Feature, Best Director, and Best Screenplay.
Thomas also starred alongside Dwayne Johnson in Walking Tall (2004) and with good friend Bow Wow in 2005′s Roll Bounce. The young talent is an avid singer and rapper, contributing the track “Dig It” to the Holes soundtrack, as well as collaborating with Bow Wow on two tracks on the latter’s Price of Fame album (“How You Move It” and “Bet That”). The actor/rapper is no stranger to the stage, as he’s performed on Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards in 2006, The Tyra Banks Show, and Jimmy Kimmel Live, among others.
The actor will make his next film appearance in Hurricane Season with Forest Whitaker, Taraji P. Henson, and Bow Wow. The film is slated for a 2009 release.
Keke Palmer
Age: 15
From: Harvey, Illinois
Credits: True Jackson, VP (TV), Shrink (2009)
Few young actors have a landmark year before their sixteenth birthday. For Keke Palmer, 2006 was just that. The actress, born Lauren Keyana Palmer, starred in three films, including the Disney made-for-TV movie Jump In!, Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Family Reunion, and the film that gained Palmer some Oscar buzz, Akeelah and the Bee. In Akeelah, the young star received much critical praise for her portrayal as an 11-year-old girl in South Los Angeles attempting to win the National Spelling Bee, despite her underprivileged surroundings. Palmer’s performance earned her a Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film-Leading Young Actress. Her Akeelah accolades continue with an Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture.
Though the actress had her breakthrough moment in Akeelah, she first showed her promise in 2004′s The Wool Cap, starring opposite William H. Macy. Her leading performance gained her the praise of her acting peers with a SAG Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries, arguably her biggest honor to date. Some of her other film roles include parts in 2007′s Cleaner (with Samuel L. Jackson and Ed Harris) and 2008′s The Longshots (with Ice Cube, and directed by Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst). Currently, she can be seen in Shrink (2009), playing a patient of psychiatrist Dr. Henry Carter, played by Kevin Spacey.
Last year, the previous Disney star jumped ship to Nickelodeon, where she took the helm of her own show, True Jackson, VP, in which she currently plays a high school student who becomes vice president of a Manhattan-based fashion label. The role earned Palmer her second Image Award, for Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children’s Program-Series or Special.
Similar to other “Young Hollywood” selections, Palmer is an established recording artist, having recorded songs for the Akeelah, Jump In!, and Night at the Museum soundtracks. She also performs True Jackson‘s theme song and released her debut album So Uncool with Atlantic Records in 2007.
Christopher Mintz-Plasse
Age: 20
From: Los Angeles, California
Credits: Year One (2009), Superbad (2007)
Here’s an actor whose credits “yet to come” outweigh what he’s done to date. And yet, teens and 20-somethings everywhere know his nerdish appearance and trademark voice. (Think Peter Brady during a rendition of “Time to Change.” YouTube it. It’s awesome.) Christopher Mintz-Plasse will always be known as “McLovin,” his character Fogel’s alias in 2007′s cult hit Superbad. The film was Mintz-Plasse’s first. In fact, he had no acting experience prior to the film, which was penned by Seth Rogen and childhood friend Evan Goldberg when they were just 13.
At the time of filming, Mintz-Plasse … (Sorry. That hyphenated name interrupts the flow of this piece, so I will from here on out refer to him as “McLovin.”) Ahem-At the time of filming, McLovin was just 17 years old, which meant that the minor’s mother had to be present on set during the actor’s sex scene. (As if he wasn’t awkward enough.) Regardless, the role gained him much popularity and quick fame, resulting in a 2008 MTV Movie Award nomination for Breakthrough Performance.
McLovin followed up this unforgettable performance with 2008′s Role Models with Seann William Scott and Paul Rudd, which Rudd co-wrote. At this point, the actor certified himself as a comedy mainstay and continued on his way playing the Biblical Isaac, son of Abraham, in Year One (2009). Perhaps the film’s interpretation of Isaac was a tad loose, as in this version of the story, the character rebels against his father after Abraham attempts to sacrifice Isaac to God. He later meets up with Jack Black and Michael Cera, revealing his acceptance and participation in the sinful ways of the people of Sodom. (That part must have been accidentally erased from the Bible.)
The 20-year-old’s future credits include the part of superhero Red Mist in the Nicolas Cage-starring vehicle Kick-Ass (2009). He will also lend his familiar voice to the 2010 star-heavy animated feature How to Train Your Dragon, starring Superbad co-star Jonah Hill, as well as Gerard Butler, America Ferrera, Kristen Wiig, and Craig Ferguson.
