The Top 10 Actors Under 25
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Written by: Ryan McNally
Who are the best young actors in the movie business today? We're talking talent here, not looks or name recognition. Actors whose thespian skills far exceed their age, and who will grow into legends in the decades to come. Predicting long-term success can be a tricky thing, but these 10 actors have shown great promise so far. Here are Film Frat's selections for the Top 10 Actors Under 25 (defined here as actors who have not yet celebrated their 26th birthday as of September 22, 2002). |
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| 1. |
Jamie Bell (born March 14, 1986)
Bell pulled off the seemingly impossible task of making ballet look tough with his wrenching turn as an angry, improverished youth in 2000's Billy Elliott. The role won him a British Academy Award for Best Actor, and his upcoming projects -- the war film Deathwatch and the Dickens adaptation Nicholas Nickby -- look intriguing. |
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| 2. |
Wes Bentley (September 4, 1978)
In American Beauty, this actor proved riveting in the role of Ricky Fitts, a teenager who sees the beauty in life despite his harsh upbringing. Although his subsequent roles have proved lacking, we're still betting on Bentley to live up to his early promsie. |
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| 3. |
Hayden Christensen (April 19, 1981)
First things first: Christensen didn't make the list for his wooden performance in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones. He's here because of his award-winning turn as the unruly, drug-addicted son of Kevin Kline in Life As A House. Here's hoping he brings some of the talent he showed there to the next Star Wars film. |
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| 4. |
Kieran Culkin (September 30, 1982)
Surprised to see a Culkin family member on the list? So are we. But damned if Kieran didn't deliver a memorable performance as a rebellious Catholic school student in the underrated indie The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, and the buzz on his performance in the recently released Igby Goes Down is outstanding. |
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| 5. |
Patrick Fugit (October 27, 1982)
Fugit expertly underplayed the role of William Miller, a na•ve teen journalist assigned to follow a rock-and-roll band on tour, in the much-loved Almost Famous. Also promising: Word on his upcoming films, Spun (starring Jason Schwartman) and White Oleander (starring Michelle Pfeiffer), is that both are solid. |
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| 6. |
Edward Furlong (August 2, 1977)
Furlong's come a long way in the decade since he broke out as a 15-year-old in Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Since then, he's scored an Independent Spirit Award nomination (American Heart) and turned in top-notch work in American History X and Animal Factory. |
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| 7. |
Ryan Gosling (November 12, 1980)
Never heard of him? That's because his breakout film, The Believer, couldn't find theatrical distribution despite scoring the Grand Jury Prize at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival. Despite the setback, Gosling's blistering turn as a Jewish teen-turned-skinhead scored him an Independent Spirt Award (ISA) nomination. | |
| 8. |
Jake Gyllenhaal (December 19, 1980)
It takes a lot to overcome starring in a comedy as inept as 2001's Bubble Boy. Fortunately for Gyllenhaal, his acclaimed, ISA-nominated turn in the twisted indie Donnie Darko is up to the task. Couple it with a noteworthy performance in this year's The Good Girl (co-starring Jennifer Aniston), and you've got an actor to watch. |
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| 9. |
Josh Hartnett (July 21, 1978)
This heartthrob has starred in his share of crap, even scoring a Razzie Award (with Ben Affleck and Kate Beckinsale) for "Worst Couple" (Pearl Harbor). But his rock-solid work in Black Hawk Down and The Virgin Suicides shows that there's more to this actor than good looks, provided he picks good roles. |
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| 10. |
Haley Joel Osment (April 10, 1988)
He's yet to hit the dangerous puberty years, but Osment's deft work in films such as The Sixth Sense (Oscar-nominated) and A.I. show a surprising maturity. Plus, his leading turn in the upcoming Edges Of The Lord as a Jewish boy hiding from the Nazis circa World War II has great early buzz. Others to keep your eye on: Elijah Wood (The Fellowship of the Ring), Orlando Bloom (The Fellowship of the Ring), Gael Garcia Bernal (e tu mama tambien) and Emile Hirsch (The Dangerous Lives Of Altar Boys). Stay tuned for our upcoming lists of the Top 10 Actresses Under 25 and the Top 10 Directors Under 35... Did we overlook your favorite young actor? Drop us a line and tell us which selections you agreed with, and which young actors you think we missed. Click on the following actor names to check out posters and photos of Wes Bentley, Hayden Christensen, Edward Furlong, Josh Hartnett, and Haley Joel Osment. For buying info on any of the Top 10's "Essential Films" (see below), click on the actor head shots above or on the movie names below: 1) Jamie Bell: Billy Elliott. 2) Wes Bentley: American Beuaty. 3) Hayden Christensen: Life As A House. 4) Kieran Culkin: The Dangerous Lives Of Altar Boys. 5) Patrick Fugit: Almost Famous. 6) Edward Furlong: American History X. 7) Ryan Gosling: The Believer (buying info not available). 8) Jake Gyllenhaal: Donnie Darko. 9) Josh Hartnett: Black Hawk Down. 10) Haley Joel Osment: The Sixth Sense. All actor head shots are courtesy of the Internet Movie Database, where you can read actor bios and filmographies. |
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