30 Under 30: The Actors

The finest young stars in the Hollywood firmament, from Michael Cera to Ryan Gosling, Seth Rogen to Zac Efron

MICHAEL CERA
BROKE OUT IN... Arrested Development, as doting son George Michael Bluth — then his sensitive teen roles in both Superbad and Juno took him wide.

WHY HIM We've only hit the tip of the iceberg when it comes to his wit and canny dryness.

WHAT'S NEXT A music redux (remember his sweet singing/guitar-playing with Ellen Page in Juno) as queercore band member in Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist.

ELIJAH WOOD
BROKE OUT IN... Radio Flyer (1992), showing talent beyond his years.

WHY HIM The Lord of the Rings franchise made Wood a megastar, but the actor has used his box office power for good instead of evil in off-beat movies like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) and Everything Is Illuminated (2005).

WHAT'S NEXT Wood lends his voice to an upcoming feature-length version of 9 (2005), an award-winning animated short set in a post-apocalyptic world. Why there's not more is beyond us.

CHRIS EVANS
BROKE OUT IN... Fantastic Four (2005), as the fiery (and fiery-tempered) Human Torch.

WHY HIM He looks like beefcake (The Nanny Diaries typecast him as ''Harvard Hottie''), but Evans isn't scared to take on meaty roles in dark films like the sci-fi thriller Sunshine (2007).

WHAT'S NEXT Evans costars with Keanu Reeves and Hugh Laurie in the police thriller Street Kings (April 11) before getting dramatic in an upcoming adaptation of Tennessee Williams' The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond.

CHANNING TATUM
BROKE OUT IN... The 2006 hip-hop dance hit Step Up.

WHY HIM A former model, Tatum finally turned heads with his acting chops as a hotheaded delinquent in A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006).

WHAT'S NEXT After going to war in Kimberly Pierce's Stop Loss next month, Tatum will lead the troops in next year's G.I. Joe movie and team up with Johnny Depp and Christian Bale in the upcoming Public Enemies.

PAUL DANO
BROKE OUT IN... Little Miss Sunshine (2006), proving that silence can be golden as a willfully mute loner.

WHY HIM Dano didn't stay quiet for long. He raised his voice — and his profile — with an electrifying performance as a fire-and-brimstone preacher in the Oscar-winning There Will Be Blood (2007).

WHAT'S NEXT He voices a monster named Alexander in Spike Jonze's upcoming adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are.

JOSEPH GORDON LEVITT
BROKE OUT IN... NBC's 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996-2001), as an adult alien stuck in the body of a human teen.

WHY HIM Using the tried-and-true ''go indie'' method for career revitalization, Gordon-Levitt shed his goofy image with parts in daring, moody dramas like Mysterious Skin (2004) and Brick (2005).

WHAT'S NEXT Like fellow 30-Under-30 pick Channing Tatum, Gordon-Levitt has parts in both next month's Stop Loss (March 28) and G.I. Joe (summer 2009).

GAEL GARCIA BERNAL
BROKE OUT IN... Y Tu Mama Tambien, as a Mexican teenager who embarks on a journey of sexual discovery with a friend (Diego Luna) and an older woman (Maribel Verdu).

WHY HIM Bernal isn't just another latin heartthrob. His choice in movies leans toward brainy fare like Pedro Almodovar's Bad Education (2004) and Michel Gondry's The Science of Sleep (2006).

WHAT'S NEXT This summer, he stars opposite Julianne Moore in the thriller Blindness, from City of God director Fernando Meirelles.

JAKE GYLLENHAAL
BROKE OUT IN... Donnie Darko (2001), as a brooding teen with visions of an oracular rabbit.

WHY HIM Brokeback Mountain (2005) made him an easy target for jokes — but also earned him an Oscar nod. And he's consistently taken solid roles (Zodiac, Jarhead) that make up for the ones that aren't quite so firm (The Day After Tomorrow).

WHAT'S NEXT He plays the underachieving brother to Toby Maguire's soldier in the upcoming drama Brothers, co-starring Natalie Portman.

MICHAEL PITT
BROKE OUT IN... Bernardo Bertolucci's The Dreamers (2003), as an idealistic American student in sex-crazed Paris.

WHY HIM Pitt's eye for buzzworthy films has led him to parts in John Cameron Mitchell's Hedwig & the Angry Inch (2001), M. Night Shyamalan's The Village (2004), and Gus Van Sant's Kurt Cobain biopic Last Days (2005).

WHAT'S NEXT He terrorizes Naomi Watts as a white-gloved psychopath in Michael Haneke's Funny Games (April 4).

TAYLOR KITSCH
BROKE OUT IN... NBC's Friday Night Lights, as the team's brooding fullback.

WHY HIM Adding unexpected depth to his FNL role, Kitsch proves that he can take a role and run with it.

WHAT'S NEXT He incarnates the card-slinging Gambit in the hotly anticipated X-Men Origins: Wolverine (May 2009).

HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN
BROKE OUT IN... Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones (2002)

WHY HIM People tend to forget that Christensen — best known for sci-fi epics like Star Wars Episodes II & III and Jumper (2008) — is a Golden Globe nominee who won critical acclaim in movies like Life As a House (2001) and Shattered Glass (2003).

WHAT'S NEXT In the upcoming Beast of Bataan, Christensen plays a lawyer defending a Japanese general against charges of war crimes after World War II.

JESSE EISENBERG
BROKE OUT IN... The Squid and the Whale (2005), as an introspective high schooler dealing with his parents' divorce.

WHY HIM The NYC native has become an in-demand indie actor with nuanced performances in recent films like The Education of Charlie Bartlett and The Hunting Party.

WHAT'S NEXT Eisenberg stars as a college grad that takes a job at an amusement park in the upcoming Adventureland.

JASON SCHWARTZMAN
BROKE OUT IN... Rushmore (1998), as the precocious and multitalented Max Fischer.

WHY HIM In his frequent collaborations with cousin Sofia Coppola (Marie Antoinette) and family friend Wes Anderson (The Darjeeling Limited), Schwartzman brings a mix of geekiness and pitch-perfect deapan to his outsider roles.

WHAT'S NEXT Schwartzman goes back to school as a man who refuses to outgrow his days as a high school musical star in next year's The Marc Pease Experiment, costarring Ben Stiller.

LEE PACE
BROKE OUT IN... ABC's freshman series Pushing Daisies, as a pie shop owner who can raise the dead with his touch.

WHY HIM Talk about range: Long before Daisies, Pace was a Golden Globe nominee for his portrayal of a transgendered nightclub performer in Showtime's Soldier's Girl (2003).

WHAT'S NEXT He appears as a charming pianist alongside Amy Adams and Frances McDormand in Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (March 7) as well as in the upcoming lush fantasy, The Fall.

JIM STURGESS
BROKE OUT IN... Across the Universe (2007), as a British expat in love with a young American (Evan Rachel Wood).

WHY HIM Shaggy good looks got him noticed, but it's Sturgess' elastic talent that put the London-born actor on Hollywood's map.

WHAT'S NEXT Trouble is in the cards for Sturgess and Kate Bosworth in 21 (March 28), a thriller based on the true story of six MIT students who used their math skills to con Vegas casinos out of millions.

BEN FOSTER
BROKE OUT IN... a recurring role on HBO's Six Feet Under, playing Russell, the sexually ambiguous boyfriend to Claire Fisher (Lauren Ambrose).

WHY HIM Because he's simply arresting at playing creep-o characters — ranging from a psychopathic drug dealer in Alpha Dog and a nutcase in 30 Days of Night to a stunning performance as Russell Crowe's cold-blooded sidekick in last year's 3:10 to Yuma.

WHAT'S NEXT Foster plays the cunning brother to Ginnifer Goodwin in dysfunctional family drama and Sundance movie Birds of America.

EMILE HIRSCH
BROKE OUT IN... 2002's independent Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys (produced by Jodie Foster), in which he played a rebellious teen alongside Kieran Culkin.

WHY HIM The youngster has been disarmingly good in everything from Altar Boys and The Girl Next Door to Lords of Dogtown. With his stunning turn in Into the Wild last year and what's sure to be a heavy role in Gun Van Sant's upcoming biopic, Milk, Hirsch is gunning for Ryan Gosling's career.

WHAT'S NEXT The plum lead spot of the Wachowskis' Speed Racer movie, which hits screens on May 9.

JAMES McAVOY
BROKE OUT IN... 2006's The Last King of Scotland, which saw him play the personally physician to Forest Whitaker's oppressive dictator.

WHY HIM Between Scotland and his Oscar-nominated turn in last year's Atonement, McAvoy gives off a decidedly throwback vibe. He's got the makings of a movie star.

WHAT'S NEXT He leaves the period pieces behind: McAvoy stars as a drone who gets a makeover and joins a secret society opposite Morgan Freeman and Angelina Jolie in Wanted, out on June 27.

JAMIE BELL
BROKE OUT IN... Billy Elliot (2000), as the titular ballet-loving boy.

WHY HIM Since earning raves for Elliot, Bell has shown off his tough side with supporting roles in King Kong (2005), Flags of Our Fathers (2006), and Jumper (2008).

WHAT'S NEXT Bell plays a Jewish resistance fighter alongside Daniel Craig (a.k.a. James Bond) and Liev Schreiber in Edward Zwick's upcoming WWII drama Defiance (Dec. 19).

SETH ROGEN
BROKE OUT IN... Last summer's blockbuster yuk-fest Knocked Up, playing a loveable schlub who, you know, knocks up Katherine Heigl.

WHY HIM His everyman in hits like The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up makes the masses howl; plus, he's got comedy king Judd Apatow behind him, which ain't a bad thing.

WHAT'S NEXT A voice in March 14's Horton Hears a Who, then the lead in Apatow's next comedy, Pineapple Express (Aug. 8), which finds him starring as a pot-head with James Franco. And he's currently shooting Kevin Smith's Zach and Miri Make a Porno.

JONAH HILL
ROKE OUT IN... Judd Apatow's teen-sex romp Superbad as desperate-for-booze-and-sex high school senior Seth.

WHY HIM There's something undeniably loveable about his plump appearance and general well-intentioned demeanor in the broad comedies he's made. Plus, barring any huge Apatow-backlash, he'll be busy with roles alongside that comedy troupe for a long time to come.

WHAT'S NEXT Besides voicework alongside Seth Rogen in Horton Hears a Who, Hill gets back in step with Knocked Up co-star Jason Segel in Forgetting Sarah Marshall (April 18).

ZACHARY LEVI
BROKE OUT IN... NBC's comedic thriller Chuck, playing underachieving Chuck Bartowski, who accidentally downloads a government super-computer full of spy secrets.

WHY HIM Because he's carrying one of this season's few unqualified hit shows almost by himself. Plus, he's, like, puppy-dog cute.

WHAT'S NEXT Another season of playing Chuck come fall, as well as two movie projects, out in 2008: He's searching for an identity as Pakastani-American Ray Rehman in Shades of Ray and road-tripping with buddies in Wieners.

RYAN GOSLING
BROKE OUT IN... edgy 2001 Sundance fave The Believer, as a Orthodox Jew who becomes a neo-Nazi. Surprise romantic hit The Notebook, however, made him a household name.

WHY HIM Gosling doesn't mess around with roles that don't push him creatively. In the last few years, he's bounced from a being a lovesick country boy (The Notebook) and drug-riddled teacher (Half Nelson) to a delusional man with a thing for sex dolls (Lars and the Real Girl). He's good simply because he always keeps us guessing...

WHAT'S NEXT But for once, he doesn't have anything slated for release anytime soon. Right now, he's set to star in the romance Blue Valentine opposite Michelle Williams and All Good Things opposite Kirsten Dunst.

SHIA LaBOEUF
BROKE OUT IN... 2003's critically lauded YA flick Holes, as a troubled teen who goes to a discipline camp and is forced to dig a hole everyday.

WHY HIM He's unquestionably Hollywood's young darling. 2007 saw him star in mega-hit Transformers and the trippy Disturbia. And Stephen Spielberg took him under his wing for his next project...

WHAT'S NEXT ...the hotly anticipated Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which reboots the franchise after 19 years and co-stars Harrison Ford.

JUSTIN LONG
BROKE OUT IN... the 2001 creature feature Jeepers Creepers, as an ill-fated college student who tangos with the wrong beast. Oh, and those Apple ads.

WHY HIM His deft ability at smaller roles (The Break-Up, Live Free or Die Hard) only make us curious to see what he'd do with a real starring role.

WHAT'S NEXT The Love, Actually-like sprawling ensemble comedy (co-stars include girlfriend Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Anniston, and Ben Affleck) based off the best-selling book, He's Just Not That Into You (Aug. 1).

ZAC EFRON
BROKE OUT IN... Disney's insanely popular High School Musical franchise, and kept the tunes coming last summer as Link Larkin in Hairspray.

WHY HIM Efron can dance (and sing) circles around his cohorts and has been smart about continually upping the ante with each successive project.

WHAT'S NEXT Natch, the next installment of his career-making franchise, High School Musical: Senior Year, hits in October — only this time, on the big screen. The Big-in-reverse flick, Seventeen Again (he plays the young embodiment of an older, regretful guy going back to high school) lands this year, too.

CHRIS PINE
BROKE OUT IN... Joe Carnahan's flashy, amped-up shoot-out flick, Smokin' Aces.

WHY HIM Because of all the young men in the whole wide world, J.J. Abrams decided to make him the captain of his newest enterprise, the revamped Star Trek.

WHAT'S NEXT Um, Trek. And a flick about wine, Bottle Shock, that played this past Sundance.

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE
BROKE OUT IN... guest-hosting gigs on Saturday Night Live. Sure, Alpha Dog showed his serious chops, but few saw it. The memorable “Dick in a Box” skit on SNL showcased his comedic side.

WHY HIM Just try and name one person who doesn't simply love JT?

WHAT'S NEXT Timberlake continues to go for laughs, starring alongside Mike Myers, Jessica Alba, and Meagan Good in this summer's The Love Guru, a comedy where he plays a girlfriend-snatching skater.

DANIEL RADCLIFFE
BROKE OUT IN... 2001's mega-blockbuster Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone as the prodigal boy wizard.

WHY HIM He's utterly charming and managed to do the growing up thing with grace, even with a skin-baring role in a West End production of Equus. Plus, he's got a teeny tiny fan base, seeing as how the Potter blockbusters have grossed nearly $4.5 billion (movie's biggest franchise ever!) around the world.

WHAT'S NEXT World domination! No, really, Radcliffe's got the last two Potter flicks — Half-Blood Prince is set for release in November, and Deathly Hallows in 2010. Broadway, too, will see his Equus in 2008.

ELIJAH KELLEY
BROKE OUT IN... last summer's movie musical Hairspray, in the role of civil rights-minded Seaweed, opposite Nikki Blonsky and Amanda Bynes.

WHY HIM He stole nearly every scene in Hairspray, and that poised, super-grinning turn — paired with his note-perfect vocals and dancing — have us wanting lots more.

WHAT'S NEXT Only the perfect project: A meaty, Walk the Line-esque biopic of Rat Packer Sammy Davis Jr.

Source: EW.COM

News entry number 44 added on Mar 11, 2008 in the Movies category.