With studio executives betting on a new guard to dominate the box office in the years to come, meet the emerging stars making it big in Hollywood and the next-gen talent set to have their names in lights.
The Young Hollywood Actors To Know In 2025
Monica Barbaro
Not yet a household name, but in under a decade in the industry, Monica Barbaro has fiercely carved out a well-deserved space for herself in the blockbuster sphere. From soaring to unthinkable heights as a no-nonsense pilot alongside Tom Cruise, Miles Teller and Glen Powell in Top Gun: Maverick to serenading Timothée Chalamet’s vagabond Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, Barbaro possesses the strength and poise required to completely transform herself for a role.
Her starring turn as Joan Baez in the James Mangold-directed musical biopic has already earned her Oscar buzz, but she’ll soon cement her genre-defying ability in a new crime drama starring Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Barry Keoghan and Halle Berry.
Mikey Madison
After appearing as a member of the Manson Family in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, Mikey Madison was bound to become the industry’s next big thing. Endorsements like that are few and far between, which is why when she led Sean Baker’s latest film, Anora, to win the Palme D’or at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, we knew we had a leading lady on our hands. Be sure to keep your eye out for Madison in the lead up to awards season.
Maisy Stella
You may recognise Maisy Stella’s name as the little blonde girl you saw on YouTube singing a ‘cup song’ version of Robyn’s breakup single “Call Your Girlfriend”. First uploaded to her shared account with her older sister, Lennon, the then nine-year-old soon became a country music sensation with a recurring role on the musical drama series, Nashville.
After a brief solo career, Stella returned to acting to star across from Aubrey Plaza in the coming-of-age comedy, My Old Ass. Hilarious and sentimental, the film received support from Margot Robbie’s production company, LuckyChap Entertainment, and also featured former child star Maddie Ziegler. Stella will soon feature in Flowervale Street, a sci-fi starring Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor.
Sophie Wilde
The inimitable rise and rise of Sophie Wilde will soon be one of Australia’s greatest success stories. At only 26 years old, Wilde has already achieved a BAFTA Rising Star Award nomination and received an honorary Trophée Chopard at the Cannes Film Festival for her critically acclaimed performances.
Wilde became a bona fide scream queen after her role in the independent Australian possession horror Talk To Me, before appearing in the internationally-lauded Netflix adaptation of Trent Dalton’s semi-autobiographical novel, Boy Swallows Universe.
She’s since gone on to become a Loewe campaign star and rustle feathers alongside film royalty Nicole Kidman in A24’s upcoming erotic thriller, Babygirl. You can also see Wilde alongside Tom Cruise, Sandra Hüller and Jesse Plemons in the black comedy film Judy, which is currently being filmed.
Drew Starkey
Certified internet boyfriend, Drew Starkey, has reshaped himself into a veritable indie darling after a seductive spell as Luca Guadigno’s latest frontman in the Italian director’s drug-hazed gay romance, Queer.
While Starkey already garnered a fan base in the teen melodrama Outer Banks, his role as Eugene, a mysterious veteran who piques the interest of Daniel Craig’s opioid user Lee, established him as a leading man.
See Starkey in the surrealist adaptation of William S. Burroughs’ 1985 novella of the same name, which features costumes designed by Jonathan Anderson, upon its release date in early 2025.
Megan Stalter
Stand-up comedian and online satirist Megan Stalter first made her name in the alt-comedy scene with her raucously hilarious improv before breaking through as nepo baby assistant, Kayla, on HBO’s Emmy Award-winning series Hacks.
With the show returning for a fourth season, plus additional credits in Julio Torres’ surrealist comedy Problemista and SNL troupe Please Don’t Destroy’s first feature film, expect to see more of Stalter on your screens.
Excitingly, Stalter will also helm Lena Dunham’s first major television series since Girls, too. Titled Too Much, the actor will star across from The White Lotus’ Will Sharpe as a New Yorker who starts a new life in London after a disastrous breakup.
It girls Emily Ratajkowski and Adwoa Aboah are also set to appear in the new Netflix series, though there is currently no release date scheduled.
Ella Hunt
A feature at the Cannes Film Festival, invites to prestigious events like the Academy Museum Gala and co-stars like Sienna Miller and Kaia Gerber is surely enough to make Ella Hunt one to watch.
The 26-year-old screen and stage star landed her breakout role in 2024’s ensemble comedy Saturday Night. In the film, director Jason Reitman chronicles the first 90 minutes leading up to the first-ever episode of Saturday Night Live. While the cast was ripe with Young Hollywood starlets like Rachel Sennott, Cooper Hoffman and Gabriel LaBelle, Hunt truly stole every scene as legendary comedy veteran and character actor Gilda Radner.
As a London native, Hunt completely shapeshifted into Radner through her identical Michigan accent and curly mop of hair. She also appears in Kevin Costner’s four-part Western epic saga, Horizon, and releases her own music, too.
Leo Woodall
Leo Woodall first captured public intrigue as Essex lad Jack in the second season of HBO satirical luxury anthology series, The White Lotus. But it was his devastatingly tender performance as Dexter in Netflix’s television adaptation of One Day that proved his depth and range.
Now, his romantic comedy chops will be tested in the upcoming fourth and final instalment of the Bridget Jones series in Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy. Following in the footsteps of British heartthrobs like Hugh Grant and Colin Firth is by no means an easy feat. But if the trailer and Renée Zellweger’s swoon-worthy reactions have shown, the 26-year-old is the person for the job.
Cailee Spaeny
Cailee Spaeny is a Midwest Princess who made it big after tackling one of America’s greatest love stories—the tale of teen Priscilla Presley’s relationship with the King of Rock in Sofia Coppola’s 2023 biopic.
After quickly becoming a Miu Miu girl, Spaeny refrained from the Hollywood glamour synonymous with her breakout role for a part as gritty upstart photographer Jessie in the dystopian thriller Civil War, which she starred across from Kirsten Dunst in, and the principal role in sci-fi epic, Alien: Romulus.
“I’m so inspired by all the performances and new talent that’s coming out,” Spaeny told GRAZIA earlier this year about her Young Hollywood cohort. “It feels very rich [in impressive performances] right now and I feel lucky that I’ve worked with some of them in the last couple of years. They’re the real deal.”
Spaeny will also appear in the upcoming third Knives Out film alongside Daniel Craig, Josh O’Connor and Andrew Scott.
Yerin Ha
Phoebe Dynevor, Simone Ashley and Nicola Coughlan have all become household names after fronting their respective seasons of Netflix’s hit Regency-era drama, Bridgerton. The same will be said for Australian-Korean actress, Yerin Ha.
The Sydney-born star will take a main role in the fourth season as Sophia “Sophie” Baek, Benedict Bridgerton’s love interest and the female co-lead. While we wait for her to become the diamond of the season, you can see her swap ball gowns for black coats as Reverend Mother in HBO’s Dune: Prophecy.
Toby Wallace
Australia’s Toby Wallace has made a name for himself as a slick antagonist, first in Shannon Murphy’s directorial debut, Babyteeth, where he starred as the love interest to Eliza Scanlen’s teenage cancer patient Milla, then in The Bikeriders as a delinquent known as ‘The Kid’.
His work as Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones in Danny Boyle’s 2022 biopic miniseries and the psychological drama, The Royal Hotel, alongside Julia Garner certainly helped put him on Hollywood’s map. The 29-year-old is also set to star in Ron Howard’s survival thriller Eden, beside Vanessa Kirby, Ana de Armas and Sydney Sweeney.
Aimee Lou Wood
Like Meghann Fahy, Fred Hechinger and even Jennifer Coolidge can attest, The White Lotus has the inimitable ability to catapult someone’s career into the cultural zeitgeist. When showrunner Mike White casts an actor, we sit up and pay attention, which is why we have our eyes on Aimee Lou Wood.
You may recognise her as her ditzy but loveable turn in the cult-favourite series Sex Education, but Wood will soon break through to the mainstream with a not-yet-revealed role in the upcoming third chapter. Taking place in Thailand, secrets will stream out of the hotel safe as trouble brews across the Southeast Asian country.
Sophie Thatcher
Horror has found a new anti-damsel in the form of Sophie Thatcher. After landing the role of Natalie, Juliette Lewis’ younger counterpart, in the Showtime series Yellowjackets, Thatcher landed roles in the 80s-inspired slasher, MaXXXine, starring Mia Goth, and the film adaptation of Stephen King’s supernatural 1973 short story, The Boogeyman.
Thatcher, who is a former member of the LDS Church herself, will go on to play a Mormon missionary who tries to convert Hugh Grant in Heretic and star across from Jack Quaid in the psychological thriller, Companion. The 24-year-old also writes and produces original music. She recorded a rendition of Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” for the Heretic soundtrack.
Benito Skinner
Benito Skinner, better known by his social media handle @BennyDrama7, is a comedian and actor set to take over the small screen with his debut television series Overcompensating.
Yes, he may already dominate our TikTok and Instagram feeds—and Spotify algorithms, if you listen to his weekly pop culture podcast, Ride, which he co-hosts with stand-up comic Mary Beth Barone—but with backing from A24 and Charli XCX, this series could become the next great American college classic.
Overcompensating, which Skinner wrote, produced and stars in, is based on the 31-year-old’s own experience as a closeted high schooler and football player. With appearances from Kaia Gerber, Kyle MacLachlan, Connie Britton and Adam DiMarco, the show is laying down the foundations as a new cult classic.
This story first appeared on GRAZIA International.
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