Variety’s Power of Young Hollywood Impact Report 2022

Paulina Alexis, Lane Factor, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai

This talented trio burst on the scene in last year’s critically acclaimed FX series “Reservation Dogs.” Woon-A-Tai is a 20-year-old Oji-Cree First Nations actor who also starred in feature film “Beans,” which was a 2020 TIFF selection, and a winner for Best Motion Picture at the Canadian Screen Awards. Factor (Creek-Seminole and Caddo) was recently cast as one of the childhood friends of Steven Spielberg in his semi-autobiographical film, “The Fabelmans,” which hits theaters in November. And Indigenous actress Alexis is a full-blooded member of the Alexis Nakota Sioux Tribe in Alberta, Canada, and started her career just before she turned 19 when she was cast as a roller-skating waitress in “Ghostbusters: Afterlife.” “More indigenous-led stories are starting to come to light in the entertainment industry, and ‘Reservation Dogs’ is one of the shows paving the way. Our people have some AMAZING stories to share with the world,” says Alexis.

Maude Apatow

Actor

Through roles in “Euphoria,” Ryan Murphy’s “Hollywood” and “King of Staten Island”—and those quirky Jergens ads—Apatow, 24, is proving herself to be a versatile actor, and also a writer with development deals at Netflix and Universal. Apatow often chooses projects based on who else is attached, and views each opportunity as a masterclass. “Ultimately, I’d love to be a director, a producer and a writer, so I love working with people I can watch work and get inspired by.” Raised with a strong work ethic, she pushes herself to learn and grow. “I dropped out of college and said to myself I’m going to learn as much as I can — by doing.”

Jabari Banks

Actor

Hot off the starring role in Peacock’s hit series “Bel-Air,” Banks received a BET Award nomination for best actor for his work on the reimagining of the classic 90s sitcom, “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” Banks graduated from the University of the Arts in 2021, and is also a talented songwriter, singer, rapper and basketball player. “Through my work and dedication to my craft, I hope to inspire many generations to come, while opening doors and blazing a path for kids who have an unwavering passion for art, but grew up without the access to fulfill their creative yearning,” says the 23-year-old talent.

Joshua Bassett

Artist

Singer, songwriter and actor Bassett, 21, felt the full brunt of the internet when pundits suspected him of being the subject of ex-girlfriend Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License.” Bassett responded with “Crisis,” “Secret” and “Set Me Free,” a trio of singles telling his side of the story. “While the songs were cathartic, and releasing them was necessary, it took a tremendous toll on my heart and soul,” the Oceanside, Calif., native says. He returned in early 2022 with “Doppelgänger,” a preview of his debut album. “My fans have been super patient with me,” he says. Ultimately, the multi-hyphenate hopes his honesty will resonate. “Truth and vulnerability always win,” Bassett says. “I’m constantly learning and growing.”

Madison Beer

Artist

Beer’s debut album, “Life Support,” was the culmination of a near-decade-long journey that began when she started posting YouTube covers in 2012. The critical and commercial success of the project was validating. “It was years in the making,” the 23-year-old says, “seeing people resonate with what I had to say meant so much to me.” The singer/songwriter, who is “nearing completion” on her sophomore LP, is determined to use her growing platform to inspire and empower others. “I often use mine to talk about mental health,” Beer says. “I want my fans to feel seen.”

Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Finn Wolfhard

Actors

Netflix’s most popular English-language drama ever, racking up more than 1 billion hours watched and counting, Season 4 of “Stranger Things” asked its young cast to take an incredible journey — through teenage angst. Season 4 also resonated emotionally on a new, deeper level that connected with fans in a fresh way. Oh, and they had to fight
various supernatural creatures too.

Once again, Brown’s Eleven was at the center of the story. “My arc in Season 4 was all about showcasing the ‘inner growth’ of Eleven. It was intense — emotionally and physically — but I was ready to dive in,” says Brown, 18. “Eleven had quite the journey this season, and I love a good challenge. I think the teenage angst/bullying storyline was just as important as seeing Eleven save the world, because bullying is something that a lot of young people struggle with and you don’t always see that reflected on screen.”

Schnapp’s Will also wrestled with new emotions, which thrilled the fans and fired up the internet. “I prepared for the fourth season by taking into account all the different traumas that Will Byers suffers throughout his four seasons in ‘Stranger Things,’ starting with the
upside-down world, to supernatural forces and his personal identity,” says the 17-year-old.

Matarazzo’s friendship with Eddie Munson (fan favorite Joseph Quinn) proved poignant and opened up a new angle for the actor to explore, but he’s looking forward to projects
that don’t involve the supernatural world. “Last season really was bonkers. It took a lot of hard work from a lot of different departments,” says Matarazzo,19. “Now I get to be on a bit
more of a consistent schedule. I’m starting my run in ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ on Broadway as they prepare for their closing night on Sept. 18. It’s been a dream of mine to get back on
stage and this has been an incredible rehearsal process.” He’s also got comedy “Honor Society,” co-starring with Angourie Rice, on Paramount+.

Season 4 really showcased Sink’s Max, whose favorite song, Kate Bush’s 1985 “Running Up That Hill,” became the song of this summer. “We all know our characters pretty well at this point, but Season 4 brought out another side of Max,” says Sink, 20. “I really liked keeping a
character journal throughout filming. It helped me to connect with Max a bit more and keep track of where she was emotionally. That’s what I love about being on this show.
We get the chance to blend action-heavy sequences with some more grounded, human moments. I loved getting to do more of both this season and feel very grateful to Matt and Ross [Duffer] for trusting me!” Sink will next be seen in Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale,” which is debuting at the upcoming Venice Film Festival.

The latest season also showcased McLaughlin’s Lucas. “People have been wondering why our characters have grown up so much but I feel like the story grows with our characters
and our character development. We have to face more danger with each season. The first season was fun and nostalgic and so many people found it relatable. This season we are older and in high school, when you get older you have more challenges to face and that’s the situation in Season 4,” says the 20-year-old.

And then there’s Wolfhard’s Mike, whose love for El drives the finale. Wolfhard, who made his directorial debut with 2020 short “Night Shifts,” is set to write and direct horror-comedy “Hell of a Summer” with Billy Bryk. “I am so excited to be co-directing my first feature film,”
Wolfhard, 19, said in July. “I get the chance to work with an incredible cast and crew, and to work with 30West and Aggregate is a real dream.”

Vanessa Burghardt

Actor

Burghardt, 18, stars in the Sundance hit “Cha Cha Real Smooth,” as Lola, an autistic teen who strikes up a friendship with her babysitter, played by Cooper Raiff (who also directed and wrote). She worked closely with Raiff and the team on her character, costumes and her on-screen room. “The costumes part was really cool because they consulted me about everything. They would cut the tags off and they were really accommodating texture-wise,” she says. “Lola was the first autistic character that I’d ever read for who is a person who is not being used to serve someone else’s story,” says the autistic actor. “She had her own feelings and likes and dislikes, and she wasn’t there for the purpose of helping someone else. She was she was an authentic person, and I hadn’t seen that before.”

Emma Chamberlain

Podcaster/Content Creator

Chamberlain, 21, recently did the unthinkable: She took a six-month break to reflect on her passions, priorities and her off-camera self. “It was so powerful, I feel like I have a stronger sense of self and a better understanding of the healthy and balanced way to be present on the internet.” In May, Chamberlain’s red-carpet Met Gala interview with rapper Jack Harlow went viral, and in June she resumed posting YouTube videos for her 11.6m followers. For now, she’s developing new ideas, focusing on growing her Chamberlain Coffee company, building her “Anything Goes” podcast and posting YouTube videos she’s truly proud of.

Charithra Chandran

Actor

Chandran, 25, never expected she’d be cast in a British period drama. “Then ‘Bridgerton’ came along and it changed the game” by casting people of color in substantial roles, but not as token characters, says the British-Indian actress. The experienced open doors, but Chandran still believes in hustling and auditioning for roles. Currently in production on a film for Amazon Prime, she’s also pursuing challenges beyond acting. “What really matters to me is being able to convey a creative message and tell a story. Create something that has meaning and cultural value. As an actor, you’re not always fully in control of that. Writing and producing, I hope, will satisfy those needs.”

Michael Cimino

Actor

His breakthrough role in “Love, Victor,” which ended its run this summer, taught Cimino, 22, how to lead and to have ownership over who he is and what he wants. He recently appeared in Rebel Wilson’s “Senior Year,” which he says was all about collaboration and creative risk. “Sometimes you have to take a risk and do a take you don’t like to get to the amazing one,” Cimino says. “Since ‘Love, Victor’ wrapped, I’ve been working with some pretty talented people on ‘Never Have I Ever’ and ‘B-Loved.” His ultimate goal is to act, produce, and create content that resonates with viewers long after the credits have run.

Kit Connor, Joe Locke

Actors

The hit Netflix series “Heartstopper,” which is based on a comicbook series, focuses on a group of British LGBTQ teens, led by Connor and Locke, charming as the cutest couple on streaming. “I felt like it was something that hadn’t really been done before,” says 18-year-old Connor. “I think a show of not just queer people being happy but teenagers being happy was really needed.” The series lit up social media after its debut and Netflix has greenlit Season 2. “We are really like a family,” Connor says of the cast. This is 18-year-old Locke’s acting debut. “What drew me most to the series was probably its unapologetic telling of queer stories, especially queer stories that do not focus on trauma. I think that is something that our industry has shied away from in the past, perhaps seeing it as a taboo, that queer characters are allowed to be happy. I hope ‘Heartstopper’ can help break down barriers for more positive
queer stories to be told,” he says.

Charli & Dixie D’Amelio

Content Creators

From TikTok fame to Hulu’s “The D’Amelio Show” to opening a bricks-and-mortar boutique for showcasing their Social Tourist clothing line, sisters Charli, 18, and Dixie, 20, have had a huge year. “We both have been very adamant about staying focused on what goals we want to crush, music being one of them for me — going on tour for the first time and playing venues like Madison Square Garden was for sure a highlight,” says Dixie, whose album “A Letter to Me” debuted in June. Meanwhile, the launch of Charli’s first fragrance, Born Dreamer, opened her mind to new opportunities and future projects. “Working with family is super fun. That was the main reason behind doing ‘The D’Amelio Show,’” which Hulu has renewed for a second season, Charli says. “But it’s important to pursue your own dreams and find your passions outside of the projects that we enjoy and prefer working on together.”

Olivia DeJonge

Actor

This year, DeJonge, 24, has proven that passion is key to her career. With “The Staircase” and “Elvis,” DeJonge’s love and respect for the characters she portrays shines through as brightly as Elvis’s own bedazzled jackets. To her, the secret lies with trusting her gut. “The main thing with me has always just been rooting all choices in honesty,” DeJonge says. “And I think that if I can maintain that honesty within myself, hopefully that will resonate with an audience. I think people listen when you show your soul, so that’s something I’ve always tried to maintain in my creative endeavors.”

Iann Dior

Artist

Dior belongs to the post-genre generation. Since scoring his first No. 1 via a feature on 24kGoldn’s “Mood,” he has collaborated with DJs, remixed Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves” and rocked out with MGK and Travis Barker on “Thought It Was.” “Genre is outdated in the sense that artists shouldn’t be labeled,” says Dior, 23. “As I create more, my sound evolves.” And listeners won’t have to wait long for his next experiment: “On my new project I’m blending more genres while staying true to my original sound.” The 10K Projects artist is set to release new music this summer.

Daisy Edgar-Jones

Actor

Edgar-Jones, 24, has had a busy year. The English actor has appeared in two feature films and an entire miniseries in 2022, a true workhorse in the industry. In “Under the Banner of Heaven,” she plays the late Brenda Lafferty, who was murdered by her two brother-in-laws. “I was very concerned that I was being really careful and made sure that I approached [the scenes] with a real kindness and sensitivity to the fact that her family is still alive and they are very much victims of this crime,” Edgar-Jones previously told Variety.

Myles Frost

Actor

The gargantuan difficulties of finding someone to play Michael Jackson in a bio-musical require no explanation. There’s the polished dance moves, the unique singing style, Jackson’s physical appearance, and, of course, acting. So it’s a wonder that Frost, 23, exists in the first place, let alone that he won a Tony for his performance as the King of Pop in “MJ the Musical.” Frost says the mental and physical demands are the hardest part of the role, but that “playing MJ is more than just performing, it is also healing and recovering while keeping my spirit strong and a constant reminder that I’m doing something bigger than myself.”

Gayle

Artist

At just 18 years old, Gayle broke out this year with “abcdefu,” a TikTok-viral twist on the alphabet song directed at a pesky ex. The formidable earworm quickly went from a social media trend to the top of the charts, hitting No.1 on U.S. pop radio and peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. And with Gayle’s debut EP, “A Study of the Human Experience Volume One,” the powerhouse singer proved her musical range. “Some of my favorite songs aren’t the happiest, the healthiest, the angriest, the most mature — they’re just honest and that has always inspired me,” she says.

Conan Gray

Artist

During the release of his second studio album, “Superache,” 23-year-old Gray was miserable. “I was a wreck. I’m still a wreck,” he says about the 12-track album that has him spilling “my deepest darkest secrets.” The Texas-raised singer-songwriter entered the limelight uploading vlogs, covers and original songs to YouTube, eventually signing in 2018 with Republic Records. Produced by Dan Nigro, who also produced Olivia Rodrigo’s (Gray’s best friend) “Sour,” the singer’s second studio effort was written during the pandemic which had him tapping into solitude, daydreams and hard-to-swallow realizations. “I wrote the ‘Memories’ within 10 minutes…It was a moment where, despite doubting myself and my ability the entire time making ‘Superache,’ I was absolutely certain that song was exactly what I needed to say to finish the album.”

Jack Harlow

Artist

There was no sophomore slump for Harlow. After breaking big with the six-times platinum hit “Whats Poppin” in 2020, and backing it up with million-selling debut LP, “Thats What They All Say,” the Kentucky rapper, 24, decided to up the ante. For 2022’s “Come Home the Kids Miss You,” he collaborated with superstars including Drake, Lil Wayne and Justin Timberlake, and focused on party-soundtracking bangers. “Nail Tech” introduced the album, which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, but the Fergie-sampling “First Class” really caught the attention of fans and radio programmers, soaring straight to No. 1 upon release.

Fred Hechinger

Actor

Wasting no time after playing Quinn on “The White Lotus,” and appearing in “Pam & Tommy,” Hechinger, 22, has been racking up credits by seeking out roles that interest him. “My hope is that the right project gnaws at you. It’s wonderfully bothersome. You can’t stop feeling inspired by it, even when that inspiration is inconvenient and after midnight,” he says. Hechinger loves taking on new characters and projects, and is currently filming “Hell of a Summer,” a horror comedy written and directed by Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk. “I’m super proud of what we’ve been getting and excited to share it.” Upcoming projects include Scott Cooper’s mystery “The Pale Blue Eye,” “Kraven the Hunter” and “Butcher’s Crossing,” making its world premiere at the Toronto Intl. Film Festival. 

Koffee

Artist

Koffee, born Mikayla Simpson, was only 19 when she became the youngest artist to win the Grammy Award for best reggae album for her meditative five-track EP, “Rapture.” Now 22, it was her viral tribute song to Usain Bolt that caught the attention of Columbia Records U.K. and led to a pandemic-delayed Coachella debut and tour with Harry Styles. Through it all, she’s remained grounded by the power of prayer, positivity and music: “I have learned to count my blessings and search for positives in every situation, turning each one into an experience that can inspire joy in my listeners once shared.” Now, more eager than ever, Koffee is prepping to perform shows in her home country of Jamaica and all over the world for the remainder of 2022.

Camryn Jones, Riley Lai Nelet, Fina Strazza, Sofia Rosinsky

Prime Video’s adaptation of comicbook series “Papergirls” hit the service July 29, an entertaining stew of science fiction, time travel and teenage angst getting strong reviews. Jones, 15; Lai Nelet, 14; Rosinsky, 16; and Strazza, 16, play the titular quartet with a crazy
amount of chemistry. “ ‘Paper Girls’ is the type of project I wanted for so long as it’s a show that portrays an authentic perspective of young women and the bittersweet reality of growing up,” says Lai Nelet, who busts stereotypes as Erin. “I knew from the source material and audition sides that ‘Paper Girls’ was special. It also provided an opportunity to check off much of my childhood career bucket list of riding bikes on camera, changing up my hairstyle for a role, doing my own stunts, all while working in a tight, richly written ensemble,” says Strazza, whose K.J. can be dangerous with a field hockey stick. Jones, who plays brainiac Tiffany, says, “I grew up watching Marvel and DC. My dad had a lot of comic books that I could read earlier in my life and it made me always want to do a project like this! I’m
really glad that ‘Paper Girls’ is the sci-fi action project that I was hoping for.” Rosinsky plays tough, cynical Mac. “I am a newcomer to the comicbook world, so ‘Paper Girls’ is my introduction, and a brilliant one at that. I like science fiction, I grew up watching ‘Doctor Who,’
and any dystopian futuristic premise really draws me in.”

Latto

Artist

Latto broke into the mainstream this year with “Big Energy,” a confidence-boosting anthem that soared through the charts and scored a remix with Mariah Carey. Its genre-blurring sound — a new spin on Tom Tom Club’s much-sampled “Genius of Love” — made Latto the first-ever female rapper to reach No. 1 across Top 40, urban and rhythmic radio formats. But the 23-year-old is just getting started — and aims to use her platform for good. “I wanted to draw attention to double standards and the misogynistic mindset of society,” she says of her newest single, “P*ssy.” “I use the recording booth to vent my frustrations and spread awareness.”

Matilda Lawler

Actor

“Station Eleven” is a series filled with incredible performances, but 14-year-old Lawler might be the best of all. As the 12 year-old version of lead character Kirsten, Lawler is bright and precocious while still believable as a young child, and capably carries numerous emotionally wrought scenes as her character struggles in the early days of a minor apocalypse. The actor will next be seen in Season 2 of “The Gilded Age,” as a relative of Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski). “I only want to do something that I’m very passionate about. I certainly want to stretch as an actor and challenge myself constantly but mostly I want to be part of telling stories that I believe in and feel like people will connect to,” Lawler says about her career goals.

Michael Le

Digital Content Creator

Florida native Le, 21, is a dancer, choreographer and prolific social media personality. He’s one of the most viewed and influential TikTok personalities on the planet, with over one billion likes on the platform. His main YouTube channel, Justmaiko, and gaming YouTube channel, Justmaiko Gaming, receive millions of views each month. “I love being able to represent and influence a new generation of kids to follow their dreams, while creating an ecosystem of streamers and gamers in order to launch their careers.” Le and tech entrepreneur Robin DeFay recently announced the launch of the gaming and esports platform called Joystick.

Peter McIndoe

DigitalContentCreator

In a world saturated with absurdist conspiracy theories and disinformation soundbites bombarding social media, news networks and uttered among anti-science lunatics inhabiting Capitol Hill, Peter McIndoe’s parodic Birds Aren’t Real movement is peak social satire. “I love what I do, and honestly it’s funny to even think of it as a career,” says 24-year-old McIndoe of the website, YouTube videos and merchandise that he’s created. “I can’t think of a project to compare Birds Aren’t Real to–it’s an idea that exists in culture. We create stories that invite people into the living story-manifestation of the idea through characters to follow. You can join a rally and become a Bird Truther anytime you want.”

Tate McRae

Artist

With the release of her debut album, “I Used to Think I Could Fly,” in May, McRae proved her place in Gen Z’s pantheon of pop music. By layering honest lyrics over catchy beats crafted by chart-topping producers — and creating a dance-heavy live show that she’s toured around the world — the 19-year-old is setting herself up for success by listening to her own intuition. “No one but myself has to perform these songs 10 years from now, so you’ve got to love it and do it for yourself,” she says. As for what’s next, McRae is “itching to start the next chapter of my music.”

Dylan Minnette

Actor/Musician

Although he broke onto the scene in Netflix’s “13 Reasons Why” in 2017, this year has been yet another giant year for the 25-year-old. He kicked off the year with a role in the highly anticipated “Scream,” the first iteration of the franchise since the death of creator Wes Craven; Minnette’s character was named after the legendary film director. Also, the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist in the band Wallows, the group’s song “I Don’t Want to Talk” was featured in the end credits of horror pic. A few months later, Minnette popped up as Tyler Shulz in Hulu’s Emmy-nominated series, “The Dropout,” with arguably one of the most interesting arcs of the show.

Evan Mock

Actor-Model-Skateboarder

Mock, 25, is a prolific model, actor and skateboarder, who stars in the hit HBO Max series “Gossip Girl.” Skateboarder Mock turned pro at 18, and gained prominence after singer Frank Ocean posted a video of his abilities. “Skateboarder Dylan Rieder has been my biggest influence since day one. From style of skating to his personal style — how he did what he did made everyone pay attention. He was ahead of his time, all while fighting a valiant fight, and uplifting youth and friends by being the most kind, best human ever made,” he says.

Lily D. Moore

Actor/Activist

Usually, Moore, 18, is busy stealing scenes on Netflix hit “Never Have I Ever.” The actor, who has Down Syndrome, will next be seen in Hallmark Channel pic “Color My World With Love.” “That was my first lead role! My character’s name is Kendall Grant. She is an artist. She is independent and feisty, and she falls in love,” says Moore, who is also a Special Olympics Champion Ambassador. “I believe that people with disabilities have an inner star. It could be acting or it could be science,” she says. “It shines for the world to see.”

Tyroe Muhafidin

Actor

Australian actor Muhafidin, 17, recently landed his first major part, the coveted role of Theo in Amazon Prime’s blockbuster TV series “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” which debuts Sept. 2, and explores the Second Age of Middle-Earth, thousands of years before the events of the “Lord of the Rings” films and novels. Muhafidin credits his older brother, Tobias, with sparking his love for acting. “Without him, I wouldn’t be here today. I just want to entertain people and I want people to be happy when they see me. I want them to have smiles on their faces.”

Sophie Nélisse, Ella Purnell, Sophie Thatcher

Actors

“Yellowjackets” may have the juiciest roles on television right now, and most are played by two actors. The younger version of the survival drama, who play the members of a high school soccer team stranded in the Canadian wilderness for 19 months, are given the most complex of themes (abortion, abuse, death, cannibalism), but Nélisse, who plays the younger version of Melanie Lynskey’s Shauna, hopes the show goes even darker next season: “I want more fighting. I feel like everyone is still so supportive of each other now,” she says. Her character spent most of Season 1 at odds with Purnell’s Jackie, who eventually died. Purnell says she begged the writers to let her stay. “I love the cast, I love the whole creative team behind it and I love filming in Vancouver in the summer. I just really wanted to make the most of it so I tried, but alas, it did not work out,” Purnell bemoans. Meanwhile, Thatcher, who splits the hardened role of Natalie with Juliette Lewis, is recognizing the desires of fans: “[The show] has a very gay fandom. I love that, but everybody’s really upset that my character was straight, and they’re really trying to push for my character to expand.” With Season 2 shooting in late summer, the answers to those theories aren’t too far off.

Jenna Ortega

Actor

Ortega is already proving to be one of generation Z’s foremost scream queens. At only 19 years of age, Ortega starred in two of the year’s biggest horror films, “Scream” and “X.” Her next foray finds her as the star of “Wednesday,” the upcoming “Addams Family” television series. Christina Ricci, the actor who played Wednesday in the original series, gave Ortega her blessing. “Jenna is incredible,” Ricci told Variety. “It’s such a great modern take on Wednesday. It’s so true tonally to the heart and soul of [the original], but it’s then it’s incredibly modern and it’s great.”

PinkPantheress

Artist

Although she says “it’s never felt like the whirlwind it probably looked like,” 22-year-old PinkPantheress was attending university in London when her song “Break It Off” went viral on TikTok. Although she’s much of a recluse artist (keeping her real name a secret), she released her 18-minute debut mixtape, “To Hell With It” in 2021, which reached No. 20 on the U.K. official albums chart. Its distinctive notes of pitch-modified drum ’n’ bass became somewhat of a grand introduction to U.K. garage rock for the American mainstream. “A lot of my first songs were literally done in my bedroom by myself with the little resources I had. …[Drum ’n’ bass] is such a fascinating and interesting genre that I think everyone should be tapped into.”

Natasza Parzymies

Filmmaker

Warsaw-based filmmaker Parzymies, 22, has been a storyteller since she was a child, and when her father gave her a video camera, everything clicked into place. Now, all four seasons of her web series about a lesbian couple, “Control,” can be streamed on Discovery+, and she’s working on her first feature with an eye toward coming to the States. “I’m super grateful to Discovery because they kickstarted my career,” she says. “I knew that it was going to be the first-ever Polish web series with a same-sex couple in the center, but I don’t think I was aware of how groundbreaking it would be. I was just making something that I really wanted to see that I couldn’t watch in Polish or on Polish TV.”

Cooper Raiff

Filmmaker/Actor

There aren’t many young filmmakers that have shaken up the game as much as Raiff. Following his 2020 South by Southwest hit “Shithouse,” Raiff’s sophomore film “Cha Cha Real Smooth” from Apple TV+ has cemented him as one of the industry’s foremost young directors. “I feel like being younger allows me to have less pressure in a lot of ways,” Raiff says. “I think I feel more freedom to try things out and make mistakes, and I think what comes with that is knowing that some people won’t take you seriously in any way. And I’m totally OK with that.”

Brent & Lexi Rivera

Digital Content Creators

Both siblings are creators with huge followings — Lexi, 21, has over 38 million followers across social media platforms, and Brent, 24, has 20 million subscribers on YouTube alone — and are extremely supportive of one another. Brent’s Amp Studios, a creator-driven media company, recently launched the Smiles Family channel and is home to some of social media’s biggest creators; Lexi was nominated in the Streamy Award’s Creator of the Year category and in the Kids’ Choice Awards Female Creator category, too. “I’m most proud of growing Amp and all of our creators’ channels. We’re currently hitting over three billion monthly views as a company, and I’m excited to continue to push the envelope,” Brent says. With newly acquired studio space to film daily content, Amp’s production team is expanding so they can further develop their content portfolio, with a guiding principle in mind: “We want to inspire people through content,” Brent says.

Rosé

Artist

As a member of all-conquering K-Pop group BLACKPINK, Rosé, 25, is familiar with the weight of expectations. “There are times when it feels like a lot of pressure,” she says, “but it’s what drives us to create new sounds and push ourselves.” The New Zealand-born artist brought that philosophy to her solo career, which launched in 2021 with “On the Ground.” “I’m constantly exploring new ideas and sounds,” Rosé says. “It differs from BLACKPINK’s [music] in the sense that it is still in the process of defining itself.” Experimentation is key. “There are so many genres that I’ve always wanted to explore,” she says, calling her solo debut “very empowering.”

Walker Scobell

Actor

The 13-year-old Scobell is already the star of two major films this year: “The Adam Project,” a Netflix project where he plays a young Ryan Reynolds, and “Secret Headquarters,” which sees him star as the son of Owen Wilson. But next year is poised to be an even bigger moment for the young actor, who will step into the shoes of the titular hero in Disney+’s TV adaptation of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians.” The series, which focuses on the children of Greek Gods, doesn’t have a date yet, but the anticipation for it from fans is already enormous. “It is really cool how excited the fans are for the show. I want the series to be great so I will work my hardest to help make every episode amazing,” Scobell says.

Willow Smith

Artist

While Smith has successfully experimented with a diverse range of sounds — from rock to alternative — the 21-year-old singer has found her niche with pop-punk. Smith’s fourth album, “Lately I Feel Everything,” sees her belting alongside some of the genre’s most coveted artists, like Travis Barker and Avril Lavigne. Today, Smith is far from her decade-old debut single, “Whip My Hair” and although not much detail has been shared yet, she’s gearing up to release her fifth studio album and is on tour supporting Machine Gun Kelly’s “Mainstream Sellout Tour.”

Snail Mail

Artist

Over the span of two albums, 2018’s “Lush” and 2021’s “Valentine,” Snail Mail — a.k.a. Lindsey Jordan — has established herself one of the most exciting newcomers in indie-rock. And she’s already thinking about her next record. “Alas, I am an incredibly slow songwriter,” Jordan, 23, says, “I have to pretend like there is no urgency to stay sane.” However, ideas are starting to percolate. “I try to only work on music when I feel inspired and able to look inwardly without judging myself.” In the meantime, Jordan is touring “Valentine” after delaying dates due to vocal cord surgery. “It feels like I have a brand new singing voice.”

Sadie Stanley

Actor

Stanley, 20, is currently in production as the lead in season two of the highly anticipated Freeform/Hulu anthology series “Cruel Summer,” which was reupped for Season 2. She stars in Ray Romano’s directorial debut, “Somewhere in Queens,” alongside Romano and Laurie Metcalf, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Stanley recently completed production on Augustus Meleo Bernstein’s “All the Colors of the Dark,” for Beacon Pictures. “I’m obsessed with acting. I love my job and it feeds my soul in a way nothing else could. I want to make some incredible movies, and I want those projects to affect people,” she says.

Amandla Stenberg

Actor

Since her breakout in “Hunger Games,” Stenberg, 23, has been racking up credits in such acclaimed projects as “The Hate U Give,” WWII drama “Where Hands Touch,” Netflix series “The Eddy” as well as the big-screen adaptation of “Dear Evan Hansen.” SXSW hit “Bodies Bodies Bodies,” in which she stars, was released Aug. 5 to strong reviews, and just recently, made big news when it was offically announced that she would join the “Star Wars” universe as the lead of the upcoming Disney+ series “The Acolyte.”

Lauren Spencer-Smith

Artist

After placing in the top 20 of “American Idol” two years ago, 18-year-old Spencer-Smith took her talents to TikTok, where a raw video of heartbreak ballad “Fingers Crossed” clocked half a billion views. After a bidding war, the Canadian singer-songwriter signed with Island-Republic and has a debut album coming soon, which she promises will have up-tempo songs in addition to “sad vibes.” As for what’s special about her generation, she cites the equal opportunity of the internet. “You can upload a video and your life will change forever,” she says. “Anyone can go from singing in their bedroom to performing on stage.”

Sydney Sweeney

Actor

A double Emmy-nominee this year for her roles as Cassie on “Euphoria” and Olivia on “The White Lotus,” Sweeney, 24, is grateful for the opportunities that have come from her involvement with those critically acclaimed shows. “It’s also motivated me to continue to challenge myself in my work and to stay focused on achieving my goals; to be positive-thinking and purpose-driven in all that I do,” she says, adding that she’s usually only interested in accepting roles she finds challenging. Sweeney is currently busy filming “Madame Webb” with Dakota Johnson. “I wish I could say more, but will have to wait!”

Josie Totah

Actor

Totah, 20, most recently starred as Lexi in NBCU’s Peacock reboot of “Saved by the Bell,” where she received a 2022 Critics Choice Awards nomination, and has become a beacon for the LGBTQ+ community. In 2021, she co-starred in the Netflix Original, “Moxie,” from director Amy Poehler, and recently lent her comedic voice to a pair of hit Netflix animated series, “Big Mouth” and “Human Resources.” Totah is currently in production on an Apple TV+ untitled drama, which is based on Edith Wharton’s unfinished final novel, “The Buccaneers.” She also hosts the “Dare We Say” podcast by Crooked Media.

Lola Tung

Actor

When Jenny Han began adapting her novel, “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” for Prime Video, she knew she wanted a new actress as the lead — and 19-year-old Tung was perfect. “I’ve had the great privilege of growing up with this character who I feel so close to, and I feel lucky to be able to bring some of myself to her,” Tung says. “Exploring the importance of teenage girlhood has been really special for me because I’m about to not be a teenager anymore.” Han notes that Tung had a “freshness to her” that was so important, adding, “I think it’s really hard to manufacture a kind of innocence or newness to things.”

Iman Vellani

Actor

Canadian actress Vellani, 19, recently made her acting debut as the titular Marvel heroine in the critically acclaimed Disney+ series “Ms. Marvel,” which holds the honor of being the MCU’s first Muslim superhero character. In July 2023, Vellani will be seen reprising the role in the film “The Marvels,” alongside Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris and Samuel L. Jackson. “I’m thankful that our show has resonated with so many people and given me this platform to showcase Kamala Khan. ‘Ms. Marvel’ came out of nowhere so I don’t think I could really plan my future. I’m just going with the flow,” she says.

Yahritza y Su Esencia

Artists

Yahritza Y Su Esencia — a.k.a. Yahritza Martinez and her brothers Armando and Jairo — unexpectedly landed a top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 after “Soy El Único” exploded on TikTok. “Everything feels so unbelievable still,” Yahritza, 15, says. “I never thought it was gonna go on the charts.” The ballad, or corrido, was not only a commercial breakthrough for the trio, but also for regional Mexican music. With Yahritza’s debut album on the way, the teenager hopes to encourage others: “We want to use our platform to inspire everyone to follow their dreams and never give up.”

Rachel Zegler

Actor

Playing Maria in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” taught Zegler, 21, valuable lessons about herself, the industry and the wider world. It also catapulted her into the limelight, which she says is both beautiful and terrifying. “You’re constantly aware of hundreds of thousands of eyes on you all at once, but you’re also aware that you’re ushering in a new generation of dreamers. And that’s a really incredible thing.” Zegler has since made “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” nabbed the title role in “Disney’s Snow White,” is currently shooting “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” and recording lines for the animated feature “Spellbound.”