Variety Names 10 Actors to Watch

Unless you’re a film buff, a lot of these names probably won’t sound too familiar, so we’re providing the low-down on the top ten pegged by insiders as the Next Big Things – and suggesting a few of our own.

 

Kat Dennings
At the tender age of 22 Kat Dennings has a Judd Apatow flick under her belt (The 40 year Old Virgin) and has fast become the face of the cinema this fall, appearing in both Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist and The House Bunny. She’s diversifying her portfolio with upcoming features which include Short, a kid-friendly film, and Defendor, in which she portrays a drug-addicted prostitute.

 

Melissa Leo
Melissa Leo has been in Hollywood since her 1985 debut on the US TV show All My Children - for which she won a Daytime Emmy. She's kept a steady stream of work since, most famously starring as Kay Howard on NBC’s series Homicide: Life on the Street and in the films 21 Grams in 2003 and DeNiro and Pacino’s recent blockbuster, Righteous Kill, this fall.

Viola Davis
Viola Davis has had quite the successful stage career – she has a Tony, an Obie, and an LA Drama Critics Circle Award decorating her mantle, among others. Her performances in 2002’s Antwone Fisher and 2008’s Nights in Rodanthe were both acclaimed, and she’s set to appear alongside Meryl Streep in Doubt and Russell Crowe and Rachel McAdams in State of Play.

Taraji P. Henson
Taraji P. Henson’s next major role comes alongside Brad Pitt in David Fincher’s “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” which premieres this winter. Her previous roles include 2005’s Hustle & Flow, Tyler Perry’s The Family That Preys and gigs on US television including CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and alongside Hugh Laurie in House MD.

 

Quantum Of Solace Special

Rebecca Hall
Rebecca Hall really hit it big when Woody Allen called her in for the role of Vicky in Vicky Christina Barcelona. Previous to that she’d appeared in 2006’s The Prestige. Staying quite busy in the upcoming months, the actress is set to appear in Frost/Nixon and Dorian Gray.

 

Armie Hammer
Recently cast as Batman in Warner Bros.’ Justice League flick (currently set for release in 2011) Armie Hammer first gained notoriety playing the iconic pastor Billy Graham in Billy: The Early Years. He’s also been seen on episodes of US shows Desperate Housewives and Arrested Development. His next project is a five-episode stint on the CW’s Reaper. 

Michael Kelly
Michael Kelly’s big break came in the guise of Clint Eastwood’s Changeling. Kelly’s performance alongside Angelina Jolie as Det. Lester Ybarra has been lauded as nothing less than spectacular. Previous to his turn as Ybarra, Kelly appeared in 2004’s Dawn of the Dead and the HBO miniseries Generation Kill. He’s next appearing with Russell Crowe in Tenderness.

 

Michael Shannon
Michael Shannon has been lucky enough to land a spot in one of the most talked-about upcoming films, Sam Mendes’ Revolutionary Road, the film which reunites Titanic lovers Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. Shannon’s most recently appeared in the independent film Shotgun Stories, Sidney’s Lumet’s Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, Vanilla Sky, World Trade Center, and 8 Mile.

Chris Pine
Chris Pine had quite the run of appearing as the good-looking bloke in bubblegum, teen films. He starred with Anne Hathaway in Princess Diaries 2 and Lindsay Lohan in Just My Luck. He’s also appeared with Ben Affleck in Smokin’ Aces and Alan Rickman in Bottle Shock. His breakthrough will likely be JJ Abrams’ upcoming Star Trek film, however, playing the role of James T. Kirk.

 

Mia Wasikowska
Mia Wasikowska, a young Aussie actress, has played a plethora of roles – American teens in In Treatment and Amelia and a Jewish Pole in Defiance, most famously. Her big break has come with being cast in the titular role of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, which also stars Johnny Depp and – it’s rumoured – Anne Hathaway.

Hey Variety, what about Saoirse Ronan, who turned in a chilling performance in Atonement, or Twilight’s Robert Pattinson, who’s causing quite the stir among the younger set?

Either way, and no matter who you choose, the future’s looking bright...