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
•••••

bafta rising star

Lars Mikkelsen and Adam Deacon join British crime film “Montana”

February 18, 2013 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Casting Leave a comment

montanaLars Mikkelsen, star of the first series of Danish show “The Killing” and Adam Deacon, who won the 2012 Orange Rising Star award at the BAFTAs have joined British film “Montana“. Also starring British newcomer McKell David, the film will be directed by Mo Ali from a script by Jeremy Sheldon and Peter Lowe.

Variety reports that the drama will focus on Mikkelson’s Serbian character, a professional assassin who comes to London after the death of his family to target a local gangster. He meets David’s character by chance, a young drugs courier who wants revenge against the same gangster, and ends up “mentoring his protege in the dark arts of professional killing.” The pic started shooting in London today.

Mikkelsen, who also stars in current Danish hit show “Borgen”, was most recently seen in “What Richard Did“, an Irish indie film which has been receiving critical acclaim, particularly for its young star Jack Reynor. Deacon, who was a surprise winner at the 2012 BAFTAs for the public-voted award, is most famous for his role in British pics “Kidulthood” and “Adulthood“.

BAFTA EE Rising Star Award nominees include Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Olsen and “Life of Pi” star Suraj Sharma

January 7, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Awards Leave a comment

After a rather embarrassing display last year with an all-male final five, BAFTA has taken the job of nominating their 2013 EE Rising Star Award out of the hands of the public. Instead, a committee made up of film committee deputy chairman Pippa Harris, director Kevin Macdonald, actor Benedict Cumberbatch and film critic Mark Kermode put together a much more inclusive and reasonable list this time around. Only now, with worthy nominees Elizabeth Olsen, Alicia Vikander, Suraj Sharma, Juno Temple and Andrea Riseborough in place, will the public get to vote for the eventual winner.

Read more

BAFTA Orange Wednesdays Rising Star shortlist is announced with surprise omissions

January 11, 2012 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Awards 1 Comment

In a year of high profile female actresses, BAFTA’s Orange Rising Star longlist featured three of the best – Jessica Chastain, Jennifer Lawrence and Felicity Jones.

Alongside Adam Deacon, Chris Hemsworth, Chris O’Dowd, Eddie Redmayne and Tom Hiddleston, the above eight were chosen by a panel of “influential names from across the film and media industry” and it is then down to the public to decide the shortlist – and eventual winner.

Well, today at BAFTA HQ the shortlist was announced and has surprised us all here at UpAndComers – as it doesn’t feature any of the above three female actresses.

Instead the shortlist of five rising stars is made up of Deacon, Hemsworth, O’Dowd, Redmayne and Hiddleston. All are deserved nominees for sure, yet we have to wonder – O’Dowd over Chastain, who is a certain Oscar lock and received critical praise for all seven of her films in 2011? Deacon over Lawrence, who became an Oscar nominee for her first leading role only to land the role that all young Hollywood actresses wanted, that of Katniss in Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games?

Previous winners of the award include Tom Hardy, Kristen Stewart, Noel Clarke, James McAvoy and Eva Green.

Now, it goes back to the public as all Orange customers can vote to pick their Rising Star of 2012. The winner will be announced during the live ceremony on Sunday 12th February 2012.

UPDATED: Click below for the official BAFTA press release which includes biographies for the five nominated actors.

Read more

BAFTA announce their 2011 Rising Star nominees

January 10, 2011 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Awards 3 Comments

Gemma Arterton, Andrew Garfield, Tom Hardy, Aaron Johnson and Emma Stone have all been announced this morning as the short list nominees for BAFTA’s Rising Star award. Chosen by a judging panel which includes a host of influential names from across the media industry including directors Mike Newell and Tom Ford, actor Peter Sarsgaard and film journalist Charles Gant, it is now up to the voting public to pick a winner.
The Rising Star award is the only people’s award at the ceremony, and previous winners have included Kristen Stewart, Noel Clarke and Shia LaBeouf.

Click here to vote and click below for BAFTA’s nominee descriptions.

Read more