Ansel Elgort Is Augustus Waters in "The Fault in Our Stars" Opposite Shailene Woodley
From siblings to star-crossed lovers! EW reports rising star Ansel Elgort has been offered the male lead in "The Fault in Our Stars" opposite Shailene Woodley - who plays his sister in the currently-filming dystopian adaptation "Divergent." The two Read more
Dylan O'Brien Lands "The Maze Runner" Lead; Ki Hong Lee Also Joins
UPDATE: Director Wes Ball tweets that Ki Hong Lee has also joined the cast as Minho, a fellow Glader and ally to Thomas throughout the series. Lee is probably best known as a regular on short-lived ABC Family Read more
Shailene Woodley Confirmed for "The Fault in Our Stars"
I mean, duh, we called it. It has now been officially confirmed with glowing quotes from director, producer and author in tow that the increasingly in demand Shailene Woodley will play the lead role of Hazel Grace Lancaster Read more
Up and Comers Presents: 20 Faces to Watch in 2013
After a somewhat unpredictable year in which the stars we expected to break out largely didn't but fresh faces came out of nowhere to surprise us all, we are ready to look ahead to the new talent waiting to Read more
Up and Comers Presents: The Breakout Stars of 2012
Another year, another new crop of fresh talent. Just like last year, the hardest part is narrowing down which of the dozens of the year's rising stars shone the brightest. This year we heralded the arrival of the unlikeliest Read more
But that’s what makes it exciting. Can your favourite actor pull off a new genre? Will the intriguing plot and acclaimed director come together to actually give you a great film? In a year’s time we may be raving about some of these films, or we may have forgotten about them completely, but that’s what makes film journalism so fun.
So in no particular order, click below to discover which films we think could light up the big screen in 2013.
Another end-of-year list upon us, and just like last year, the two of us once again appear to have disparate taste when it comes to the year in movies. Sixteen different movies populate our two Top 10 lists, though we did both love “Beasts of the Southern Wild”, “Moonrise Kingdom”, “Silver Linings Playbook” and “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” enough to list them. What movies were our favorites of the year? Which were yours?
Without further ado, below are our Top 10 Movies of 2012.
In a surprise move, and likely a reflection of this weak year for breakout film stars, THR’s annual Next Gen list for 2012 is dominated by television actors. Out of ten, only four are film actors: Elle Fanning, Rebel Wilson, Joel Kinnaman and Suraj Sharma.
The other six, though some may have dabbled on the big screen, are all new stars of new series on the small screen. Dakota Johnson impressed us with a brief turn in David Fincher’s “The Social Network”, but THR is recognizing her now for her role on new Fox comedy “Ben and Kate.” Andrew Rannells went directly from a Tony-nominated Broadway role in “The Book of Mormon” to being the star of NBC’s “The New Normal.” Stephen Amell has made a career out of guest-starring on various TV series before landing a big break starring on The CW’s “Arrow.” And while Taylor Kinney may have a role in Kathryn Bigelow’s upcoming “Zero Dark Thirty”, he’s more recognizable as the lead of “Chicago Fire.” Mamie Gummer is Meryl Streep’s daughter as well as the star of new CW series “Emily Owens, M.D.” while Zosia Mamet – daughter of David Mamet – is contributing her considerable comedic talents to HBO’s “Girls”, in which she plays scene-stealing Shoshana.
Talented as they may be, all these rising TV stars are, for the foreseeable future, committed to their respective shows and are unlikely to even have time or opportunity to star in any movies. So let’s turn our attention to the four budding movie stars who also squeezed their way onto THR’s list this year.
We admit it, we totally have a soft spot for Australian actors. And Hollywood is certainly on the bandwagon as well as year after year, loads of new talent are exported from Down Under and go on to become some of the biggest Hollywood movie stars around. Joel Edgerton, Chris Hemsworth, Mia Wasikowska and Teresa Palmer are just a few recent examples, but they follow in the footsteps of many before them, including the likes of Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman, Cate Blanchett and countless others. So who’s next?
Who better to turn to for the answer to that than Aussie newspaper the Sydney Morning Herald, who have the advantage of being down on the ground floor witnessing the evolution of the rising actors in their country way before we get a whiff of their talent overseas. Much like our own Ones to Watch annual features, the Herald have put out their list of 10 up-and-coming Aussie actors poised to follow in the footsteps of the international superstars that have come before them. Below, we take a look at the Class of 2012.
Another year, another opportunity for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences – so often called stodgy, old and conservative – to get some fresh new blood. Every year, around 150-200 new “artists and executives” in the industry are invited to become members. Last year’s new members included recent nominees Jesse Eisenebrg, Rooney Mara and Jennifer Lawrence, as well as Mila Kunis, Anthony Mackie and Mia Wasikowska, and this year’s list is similarly filled with some of our favorite up and comers and recent breakout stars. Jessica Chastain and Octavia Spencer, both Oscar nominated for “The Help” last year, have invites, as do “The Artist” duo Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo. Comedians and Oscar nominees Jonah Hill and Melissa McCarthy are new Academy members as well, and will help determine the nominees and winners of all future Academy Awards, starting in 2013.
Beverly Hills, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is extending invitations to join the organization to 176 artists and executives who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures. Those who accept the invitation will be the only additions in 2012 to the Academy’s roster of members.
“These film professionals represent some of the most talented, most passionate contributors to our industry,” said Academy President Tom Sherak. “I’m glad to recognize that by calling each of them a fellow Academy member.”
Voting membership in the organization has now held steady at just under 6,000 members since 2003.
The 2012 invitees are:
It’s one of our favorite annual traditions and it’s here! Every March, the Vanity Fair Hollywood Issue introduces, celebrates and spotlights some of the hottest rising actors around (so you see why we love it so much) and this year is no different. Choosing to go all-female (unlike last year), the new issue features eleven of our favorite young actresses, who are everywhere at the moment – or soon will be. Rooney Mara, Jennifer Lawrence, Mia Wasikowska and Jessica Chastain take the front panel and are joined on the inside fold-out cover by Elizabeth Olsen, Adepero Oduye, Shailene Woodley, Paula Patton, Felicity Jones, Lily Collins and Brit Marling.
The girls gracing the front cover have certainly earned their spots this year. Two (Mara and Chastain) recently earned their first Oscar nominations, and one (Lawrence) was nominated last year. Mara and Chastain burst onto the scene in 2011 from virtual anonymity, Mara in the transformative role of Lisbeth Salander in “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and Chastain in, well, just about every other movie (“The Tree of Life”, “The Help”, “Take Shelter”, just to name three). Both Wasikowska and Lawrence are Hollywood Issue cover repeats, but both have come a long way since their last covers. Wasikowska, featured on 2010′s cover, had broken out in “Alice in Wonderland” but in 2011 proved she had gravitas as a serious leading actress, putting her on many people’s wishlists for the Best Actress Oscar for her performance in “Jane Eyre.” Lawrence, on the other hand, traveled something of an opposite path. She featured on last year’s cover after scoring an Oscar nod for tiny Sundance indie “Winter’s Bone” but 2012 she’ll give blockbuster franchise a shot as she leads “The Hunger Games”, tipped to be the next teen sensation a la “Twilight.”
As with all such year end lists, the hardest part may be choosing only a few from many worthy contenders. It’s a fun problem to have, but it can also make writers fickle. Such is the case here with our top 10 movies of 2011. Those of you who listened to our podcast a few weeks back may be slightly befuddled. Yes, indeed, both of our top 10 lists have changed somewhat in the weeks since.
Our lists still remain delightfully different, with 17 movies represented between our two lists of 10. Check them out below and let us know what your favorite movies of the year were!
Just like last year, it was a great year for watching the discovery and rise of new young actors. While a few on the list were already on our radar heading into the year, the exciting part was discovering brand new talent that came out of nowhere to grab our – and the world’s – attention. There were a lot of wonderful actors to choose from, from new Sundance darlings to action heroes, Oscar hopefuls and future A-listers, and it took us a lot of work to narrow it down. We had to leave out some of our own favorites, so we’re sure we’ve missed some of yours as well, but we are proud to present our picks for the Top 11 Breakout Stars of 2011. We can’t wait to see where they go next!
Just like last year, in our estimation THR has picked some great names for their Next Gen Class of 2011. From indie darlings to future superheros and fairy tale princesses, THR has cast their vote for the fastest rising stars of the moment.
Indie stars represented are up from last year, and in a year that saw the stunning arrivals of Sundance breakouts Elizabeth Olsen, Felicity Jones, Adepero Oduye and Shailene Woodley, it’s well deserved. They each did one tiny little indie movie and find themselves, at year’s end, on the tip of the industry’s tongue, often in conjecture with the word “Oscar.” The movies are small, intimate and really showcase the impressive talent contained within these new performers. On the other, more “traditional” end of the spectrum, Lily Collins, Armie Hammer, Henry Cavill and Jeremy Irvine are tasked with carrying million/billion dollar franchises on their young, untested shoulders, and the real test of their A-List movie star potential remain on the horizon.
So green the only images available are their headshots (and not even a headshot to be found yet for one), the BFI London Film Festival has shot four completely unknown young actors into international spotlight by nominating them for the Best British Newcomer Award at this year’s event.
They are as new to us as they are to the world, but we can’t wait to see more from: Candese Reid of “Junkhearts”, Aimee Kelly of “Sket” and Tom Cullen and Chris New of “Weekend.” Click below to learn more about each actor and their respective movies playing at the festival.
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