Awards season is coming and there are some new faces on the scene; and some faces you just didn’t notice before. Here are the up and coming names to know.
Alicia VikanderAlicia Vikander
The Swedish beauty first gained international fame for her performance in Denmark’s Oscar winning The Royal Affair. But 2015 is the year that put her on the map with four high profile performances, including as an AI in Ex-Machina. Her performance in The Danish Girl has been receiving as much recognition as Eddie Redmayne’s, and the decision to run her in the supporting over lead category means that her name is definitely one to listen for come Awards season.
Brie Larson
If someone had told me five years ago that Envy Adams was now the frontrunner in a packed best actress race (yay!) I would have been shocked. I’m sure for Brie Larson the attention that indie hit Room is garnering-it won People’s Choice Award at TIFF which has predicted 3 of the 7 most recent Best Pictures- is “not really something she can put into words”. Scott Pilgrim references aside, go see Room and learn the name Brie Larson, you may be hearing it in the same sentence as “And the Oscar goes to…” come February.
Paul Dano
We first saw Dano in Little Miss Sunshine as the older brother who refuses to speak. He has spent the last decade steadily creating character roles in numerous films including the Oscar winning, There Will Be Blood and 12 Years a Slave. It looks like the 31 year old is finally poised for some recognition for his performance as the young Brian Wilson in Love and Mercy. With any luck he’ll go from “Oh, I recognize that guy” to an Oscar nominated actor.
Bel Powley
Powley plays the titular teenage girl in The Diary of a Teenage Girl, the acclaimed indie film which costars Kristen Wiig and Alexander Skarsgard. Although picking up even a nomination would be a long shot this year, Powley’s performance has been lauded around the world. Next year the Brit is appearing in six films and I wouldn’t be surprised if we hear her name at awards time in years to come.
Julia Garner
Like Powley, it is unlikely that Garner will receive any nominations this year, however her layered turn in Grandma and her ethereal beauty have already seen her dubbed the indie darling of the year. She held her own with screen veterans like Lily Tomlin, Marcia Gay Harden, Judy Greer and Elizabeth Peña and can be seen in four films next year.
Also, keep an eye out for: Jacob Tremblay, Lily James, Abraham Attah and Kitana Kiki Rodriguez.