What makes an amazing actor? What causes an ordinary moviegoer to become an ardent, hardcore fan? Are good looks enough in today's almost cutthroat competition to create the next big Hollywood star? Are talents really being recognized, and are fans mature enough to embrace the really talented actors?

- - -

- - -

And the biggest question of all: who are the hottest, most talented young actors today? The Movie Fanatic asked industry insiders, ordinary movie fans, film critics and reviewers to give us some of their top choices. We also based our list on the latest announcements coming from British, German and French cinema industry reports. While we're still compiling the votes and drawing up the final list, here's an introduction into which factors we considered while drawing up the list and what goes into the actual rankings.

Factor#1: Talent agents' favorites and those making waves in theater and recent high-profile movies (aka the continuing British invasion...now let's hear it for the new faces!) Our friend Nick Shannon voted Colin Morgan as one of his top choices for an up and coming talents and here's why:

Hailed as the most exciting drama school graduate since Ben Whishaw, Colin Morgan dazzled the critics with his electrifying stage debut in last year's Vernon God Little at the Young Vic. He followed it with All About My Mother at the Old Vic and A Prayer For My Daughter at the Young Vic. Morgan is now taking the lead in the BBC's high-profile series Merlin, to air later this year. Not afraid of waiting until the right film project comes his way, he says he wanted a strong grounding in the theatre but is now enjoying being in front of the cameras. "Screen work is more unnerving," he says, "because the end result is so far down the line; you're never quite sure you've got it completely right." Reaction from film insiders suggest he has nothing to worry about.

- - -

Our friend Larry Richman also has a lot to say. He's the Chief Media Officer of PROnetworks.org. He's an accredited journalist with the International Press Association, reports news and writes film reviews on many film festivals held around the world. He always has the insider scoop when it comes to casting choices and the young and emerging talents in the industry.

He also works closely with a number of young actors in Hollywood today. Says Larry:

Michael Angarano has been one of the most sought-after young actors for years and his name is being tossed about for every major superhero-type role right now after his performance in The Forbidden Kingdom. I'd like to have seen Michael Welch on the list but I'm sure that after Twilight comes out his name will be more well-known -- he recently hit #6 on IMDb's STARmeter and is getting every major script in town.

- - -

Factor #2: Consistency, the ability to resist being typecast and saying no to stupid roles! This from casting director Jina Jay, in an interview conducted by Liz Hoggard for UK's The Independent:

On the projects I work on, these are the actors who tell me to fuck off four out of five times.

They're extraordinary young actors who are also very purposeful and need to completely connect with the material and the director, and that collaboration has to be meaningful. So many of these actors like James McAvoy have a remarkable work ethic but they won't do just anything. Look at Jamie Bell, he's very clever, he's not done a lot but everything he has done has been very, very interesting and sometimes wonderful."

Bell's career famously began with his appearance in Billy Elliot. He has had the same manager since the age of 13 and has painstakingly avoided the mistakes of a typical child-performer career. As he told The Independent on Sunday: "I think that world can swallow you up in one big gulp and you'll never get it again. I don't know how close I came to that. I had great people to throw me a rope, and I've kept those people around me. Even now I still have those same people advising me, reading scripts for me and telling me what I should do."

What makes Jay's remarks very revealing is because "Jay is one of the most important casting directors in the film world (she has worked on films such as Billy Elliot, Harry Potter, The Last King of Scotland, Atonement and is currently casting Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones), reports Hoggard.

These are big, high-profile projects and as the casting director for these movies, Jay certainly knows what filmmakers and producers want for their cast.

- - -

Factor#3: Never, ever underestimate the power and influences of a fandom: Says a Twilight Mom:

But I must say that Robert Pattinson is the one making waves right now in Hollywood. Casting agents and directors had to have sat up and taken notice at the attention he got from 6,500 screaming fans at Comic Con last July. I myself decided to look into his career, and found his choices of roles after HARRY POTTER different and unique. Cannot WAIT to hear more about LITTLE ASHES.

- - -

Factor#4: The buzz from across the Atlantic: The UK's Stars of Tomorrow: British actors are some of the most well-trained and disciplined talents anywhere in the world. They study acting by going to drama schools and they get lots of experience not only in theaters but also in TV movie series. Frankly, they are the most impressive and most talented batch of young actors in the world of cinema. Screen Daily is one of the foremost authorities when it comes to up and coming talent. Here's the latest from them:

Screen International's annual look at the hottest talent in the territory has become among the most prestigious accolades for up-and-coming stars in front of and behind the camera.

Now in its fifth edition, the series boasts spectacular successes among its previous participants including James McAvoy, Noel Clarke, Emily Blunt, Michelle Ryan, Jaime Winstone, Rupert Friend, Andrea Arnold and Mia Bays. The candidates were chosen by Patricia Dobson after extensive discussions with and recommendations from talent agencies, film schools and the wider industry.

Factor#5: The thrill from Europe: a distinguish film reviewer speaks: Some of today's biggest names in movies originated from Europe. If you recall, Hugh Grant started out in the UK, and was cast in a number of movies, including Maurice, before he landed that awesome role opposite Julia Roberts. Not to mention that he was a smash in Three Weddings and a Funeral opposite Andy McDowell. But the British are not the only ones making it big.

Observes european-films.net’s Boyd van Hoeij:

Though pan-European stars are very rare (apart from Catherine Deneuve and Gérard Depardieu, are there any European actors that your grandmother knows about?), there are many very talented people at work in the European film industry today. Here are some names of people whose work is worth checking out:

Gustaf Skarsgård, Giorgo Pasotti, Juan José Ballesta, Elio Germano, Raul Arévalo, Iván Fenyö, Johan Libéreau.

We also consider as a major factor the announcements coming from the European Film Promotion in their annual Shooting Stars. Unlike Screen's list, the EFP ranks the hottest emerging talents from across Europe.

- - -

The actual rankings: What are the major points? Aside from the age limit (anyone older than 30 is out), we considered the following:

1. Future film projects: The more prestigious the project, the better. For instance, if an actor has been cast in a prestigious film - for example Ben Whishaw in Oscar winner Jane Campion's Bright Star - then he will definitely be ranked quite high. The same thing goes for Gaspard Ulliel who was recently cast by another award-winning filmmaker, Niki Caro, in The Vintner's Luck;

2. Recognition from his peers and major awards received (or nominated for): Take for instance James McAvoy. He was nominated (and won some) last year for Atonement. Ryan Gosling and Jake Gyllenhaal also made waves and have been nominated for the Oscars.

3. The Buzz from fans and the media: Robert Pattinson, Jackson Rathbone, Cam Gigandet and Michael Welch, who are all part of Twilight, will certainly be ranked among the top 20, if not the top 10. Not only are these actors talented, they've also got huge followings as well.

Also, we consider the up and coming teen actors: Zac Efron, Alex Pettyfer, Aaron Johnson and Jean Baptiste Maunier.

4. Outstanding performances in previous movies: Joseph Gordon-Levitt was simply outstanding in Mysterious Skin and Brick, among others. Ryan Donowho was brilliant in The Pacific and Eddy and A Home at the End of the World. Paul Dano and Emile Hirsch and Lou Taylor Pucci and Anton Yelchin have all delivered performances that are remarkable and memorable.

- - -

Coming up! The Top 50 hottest young actors! Stay tuned!

What's on your mind? In the meantime, let us know what you think. What makes an amazing actor? Who do you think is the hottest young actor today? Let us know!

- - -

x

Set as favorite

Bookmark

Email This

Hits: 1939

Comments (10)

Thomas Sangster!

It seems like you're already creating a great list, but there's one actor who always always always gets pushed to the sidelines; 18 year old British actor Thomas Sangster! Not only has he already had a number of ground breaking roles starting at a very young age (Love Actually, Doctor Who, Entrusted, etc.) he's got many more upcoming films including Bright Star (alongside Ben Wishaw) and the motion-capture trilogy Tintin (from Steven Spielberg & Peter Jackson). People have got to stop underrating him (often times because of his slender build or high pitched voice) and realize that there's a definite reason he has such a successful career behind him and ahead of him.

Chloe , August 28, 2008

...

I hope the British actor Matt Smith is on the list somewhere
http://www.officiallondontheat...tt-Smith/

I sense from your article that actors that fans favour wont be necessarily who the 'industry' favours. Is fan support actually poo poo'd a little by the industry.

Michael Angarano name being bandied about for super hero roles is quite ludicrous to be honest.

erica , August 28, 2008

...

Jina Jay wasnt so hot picking for Lovely Bones though was she. Ryan Gosling wasnt right for the role and left pretty sharpish. So casting directors get it wrong too. Its fascinating to see how the industry makes its choices. Seems very hit or miss to me. I must admit I laughed at the Angarono quote. Angarono as the Green Lantern or Captian America - hilarious. He doesnt have the right build or looks to play these sorts of roles. He's a character actor not a leading man. Some can be both but not in his case.

Tia , August 28, 2008

Thomas Sangster and Matt Smith

I've heard of both of them. Amazing and talented actors! I watched Sangster in The Legion, it was not a really bad movie as some critics said, and Sangster was incredible there. I think this kid will go places!

For Smith, he's actually getting such buzz, he's also in Screen's UK Stars of Tomorrow, quite talented! here's what they said:

He is winning illustrious fans - David Hare and Jane Campion are just two names to have singled him out. Smith has recently had his first experience of film work, playing the young version of Ralph Fiennes' character in Martin McDonagh's In Bruges, and is now filming the second series of the acclaimed Bafta-winning BBC series The Street.

jedmed , August 28, 2008

...

It's great to know ahead of time how the top 50 were picked, and by whom! I know it makes me want to know just who those 50 are more, and think about what it was that landed them on the list...is it the buzz they're receiving or the awards they've received?

Looking forward to the first 10 names!

blearyeyedmesgirl , August 28, 2008 | url

...

Wow! You quoted me! Thank you very much. That was really nice.

Marsha , August 30, 2008 | url

max riemelt

hello ! what about max riemelt ?

shatipavi , September 01, 2008

GO ROB GO!!!!!

GO ROB!!!GOOOO!!

annya , September 01, 2008

Rob always wins

Rob will always win because he is GOING to blow people away with his amazing preformances. Just wait. I'm guessing 3 years until his first Oscar.

Natasha711 , September 01, 2008

Rupert.. 'nuff said

Rupert Grint is a great actor! I am so glad to see he has more films coming out besides Harry Potter. I adored Driving Lessons. He's got a great smile, FUNNY timing, and he can be serious too! Rupert! GO RUPERT!!!

BeccaLouWho , November 17, 2008

Write comment

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (Registered users only)

Add Comment Preview