15 rising TV stars you need to watch out for in 2020
2019 has been a BIG year for TV, thanks in no small part to this lot.
Here are the biggest and brightest up-and-coming names in telly right now.
Jharrel Jerome
Jharrel Jerome already had multiple titles to his name before 2019, including Oscar winner Moonlight and crime drama Mr Mercedes, but it was 2019's When They See Us which well and truly put him on the map.
The limited Netflix series, directed by Ava DuVernay, tells the story of five young black and Hispanic teenagers who were wrongly convicted and imprisoned for the rape of a woman in New York's Central Park in 1989.
Jerome portrayed Korey Wise, both as a teen and a young adult, and his powerful and heartbreaking performance earned him the Emmy for outstanding lead actor in a limited series or movie, making him the first Afro-Latino actor to win an Emmy for acting.
He's currently filming Concrete Cowboys with Idris Elba, set to air in 2020, and we'd imagine he's got a number of other projects in the pipeline.
Kristine Froseth
2019 has been huge for Kristine Froseth.
The 23-year-old appeared in two of the year's most talked-about YA shows – Hulu's Looking for Alaska and Netflix's The Society – and you can also expect to see her in feature film The Assistant in 2020, alongside Julia Garner (Modern Love, Dirty John) and Matthew Macfadyen (Succession).
Kaitlyn Dever
Kaitlyn Dever delivered one of the most powerful TV moments of the year with her portrayal of Marie Adler in Netflix's Unbelievable.
The limited-series tells the story of Adler, who was raped in her home when she was a teenager and subsequently portrayed as a liar by both the police and those closest to her.
Dever was a familiar face prior to the show's release, appearing in Justified and Last Man Standing, but Unbelievable has made her a global household name – and coupled with a starring role in coming-of-age comedy movie Booksmart, Dever is one to watch.
Lyrica Okano
A significant chunk of the third and final season of Hulu's Runaways revolved around Nico Minoru, played by Lyrica Okano – and now that the show has officially bowed out for good, we'd expect her to be inundated with offers.
Hunter Schafer
In the wrong hands, Euphoria could have fallen flat on its face given its weighty subject material, exploring themes such as sex, trauma and identity. But the ensemble cast, helmed by Zendaya, delivered tenfold, capturing viewers' imaginations with its bold and unflinching exploration of the high school and coming-of-age experience.
We could easily praise each and every cast member for their fearless performances, but the HBO series was Hunter Schafer's debut acting gig, which is extraordinary. The narrative demanded A LOT from her and we're surely set to see tonnes more from the North Carolina native in the future.
Naomi Ackie
Channel 4's The End of the F***ing World dances around the peculiar relationship between James (Alex Lawther) and Alyssa (Jessy Barden) – and that was always the central draw for its fans.
But new addition Naomi Ackie, who played Bonnie, held her own in the face of their brilliance.
You an also catch the 27-year-old Brit in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Joey King
Joey King has come a LONG way since The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, but her crowning moment to date is her portrayal of real-life Gypsy Rose Blanchard in Hulu's The Act.
The limited-series tells the story of Gypsy, who asked her boyfriend to kill her mother Dee Dee (Patricia Arquette), a woman who had Munchausen syndrome by proxy and was accused of abusing her daughter by forcing her to fake multiple illnesses.
Holding your own against Arquette is quite the challenge, but King didn't miss a trick, the 20-year-old cementing her status as one of the most exciting up-and-coming talents in Hollywood right now.
Margaret Qualley
Before the year kicked off, Margaret Qualley had already worked on Damon Lindelof's The Leftovers, praised by many as one of the greatest TV shows of all time, as the daughter of Justin Theroux's character.
She also had a number feature films to her name, including The Nice Guys and Death Note.
But then came Fx's Fosse / Verdon, starring Sam Rockwell and Michelle Williams, in which she played dancer and choreographer Ann Reinking, as well as a role in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
It really does feel like the stars are aligning for Qualley, who undoubtedly has a long and illustrious career ahead.
Denny Love
Before Looking for Alaska, Denny Love had appeared in a number of popular shows including Chicago PD, Empire and Lucifer. But his captivating performance as Chip Martin/The Colonel in Looking for Alaska was one of the highlights of the year.
Love hit every note and beat thrown his way, dancing seamlessly between joy, rage and sorrow, with impeccable comedic timing to boot.
Maya Hawke
Making your mark on Stranger Things isn't easy given the strength of the OG cast, but new addition Maya Hawke (Robin) was just what the doctor ordered.
The 21-year-old clearly inherited solid acting chops from her mum and dad – Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke – taking the series' first openly LGBTQ character and handling her with the love and attention that she deserves.
And, as if a starring role in one of the biggest shows on TV wasn't enough, she also bagged herself a minor part in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Chella Man
You'd be forgiven for thinking that Chella Man had been doing this acting malarky for years, but remarkably, his portrayal as Jericho on Titans was his first professional gig.
As someone who is not only deaf, but also identifies as gender-queer, the Jewish Chinese actor faces a number of challenges that his white, cisgendered, heterosexual counterparts do not.
But the Titans showrunners opened the door and Man sprinted through, dazzling fans of the show with his acting capabilities.
Watch this space.
Ncuti Gatwa
Ncuti Gatwa wasn't a name many were familiar with before Sex Education landed on Netflix, but the Scottish-Rwandan actor was impossible to forget following his stellar performance as Eric, an openly gay crossdresser with a penchant for bright colours and bold prints.
With Sex Education's second season prepped and primed for Friday, January 17, we're excited to see where Eric goes next, not to mention what projects Gatwa will be focusing on next.
Olivia DeJonge
Olivia DeJonge's CV extends as far back as 2011, but after securing a role as Elle in Netflix's The Society, where she was tasked with a domestic abuse storyline and rose to the challenge remarkably well, she became hot property.
DeJonge was recently cast as Priscilla Presley in Baz Luhrmann's currently untitled Elvis biopic, which is set to air in 2021, and you will also be able to catch her in The Society season two, which kicks off in 2020.
Erin Doherty
Before season three of Netflix's The Crown arrived, the focus was very much on Olivia Colman, who had taken over from Claire Foy as the Queen, and the other well-established names joining the cast – Tobias Menzies (Philip), Helena Bonham Carter (Margaret) and Josh O'Connor (Charles), among others.
But Erin Doherty was a revelation as Princess Anne, stealing the show with her immaculate delivery.
Prior to that role, Call the Midwife and Les Misérables were the only credits to her name, but that is bound to change when her time on The Crown is up.
Anthony Welsh
A post shared by Anthony Welsh (@earlywelsh) on Jul 22, 2019 at 9:48am PDT
Anthony Welsh's profile is continuing to rise.
Prior to 2019, he had appeared fleetingly in the likes of Fleabag (2016) and Black Mirror (2017), but this year saw him take on meatier roles in Channel 4's Pure and Sky One's Brassic – and after BBC One's The Trial of Christine Keeler premieres on Sunday, December 29, we'd expect everyone to be talking about this rising star.
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