Predicting the breakthrough actors of 2025

Woodall did have a role in the second season of “The White Lotus,” but in that stacked cast he wasn’t precisely front-and-center. 2025 will be a different story, as he is the lead in Apple TV+’s intriguing thriller “Prime Target.” Not only that, but he’s getting his first significant film role. He’s playing the love interest of Bridget Jones in the latest film in that series. We don’t know if there’s a ton of enthusiasm for Jones at this point, but we’ve learned not to count out legacy sequels.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe does not carry the same cache it did even a couple of years ago, but these are still blockbuster films that get more attention than most. You may remember Ramirez as young Joaquin Torres in “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.” Or maybe you don’t, as that was perhaps the most forgettable MCU series to date. Now that he’s playing a key supporting role, and taking on the mantle of Falcon, in “Captain America: Brave New World,” this time we trust he’ll make a splash.

Sure, being the son of Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan was certainly not a hindrance in Quaid getting his career going, but he’s proven a fun presence in a few projects (and also a talented voiceover actor). Now, he’s getting a chance to be a film lead, as Quaid headlines two films in 2025. “Companion” is a bananas-looking film that seems like fine Valentine’s Day counterprogramming early in the year, and then in March he’s the lead in the action film “Novacaine.” Could the fact both movies are being released so early be a sign of questionable quality? Perhaps, but for now Quaid’s going to be all over theaters early in 2025.

Burnap has done a lot of theater, but his television work has been limited, and his movie work is even scanter. Things will be changing in 2025, though. Burnap is the male lead in Disney’s live-action “Snow White” film. Now, we think the movie looks silly, and casting Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen is asking a lot of an actor with middling skill at her craft (Rachel Zegler will be just fine as Snow White), but you know this is going to be a huge hit, and that will be a first for Burnap.

We’ve said this before about Ackie, probably even last year. There’s a reason for that. Ackie is in “Mickey One,” the new film from Bong Joon-ho, his first since “Parasite.” “Mickey One” was scheduled for a 2024 release…and then it got pushed. Now, Ackie has that and British crime comedy “The Thursday Murder Club” coming in 2025. We’re doubling down. Just don’t push “Mickey One” again, please.

Speaking of movies that got pushed, a “Karate Kid” sequel bringing together Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio was being talked about for 2024, with the plan to bring in a new young actor to play the aforementioned karate kid. Then, we didn’t hear about anything for a while. Now, “Karate Kid: Legends” is on the schedule for a release around Memorial Day, and Wang got the nod for the titular role.

Yeah, this is as straightforward as it gets. Corenswet is playing Superman in James Gunn’s “Superman.” We don’t need to say anything else, right? That’s a bit of a step up from playing “The Projectionist” in “Pearl.” Welcome to movie stardom, David.

If you watch “One Piece” you know Skylar, but that’s a niche show adapted from a popular manga. Being one of the leads of “Cleaner” is a different story. The film is directed by Martin Campbell, who directed “GoldenEye” and “Casino Royale.” Skylar’s co-stars include Clive Owen and Rey herself, Daisy Ridley. That’s good company for his first big movie.

Seeing the success of the reboot of “Scream,” the “I Know What You Did Last Summer” crew are getting in on the action. This movie is also a passing-the-torch type thing, with Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt joining a bunch of younger actors. Pidgeon is one of those actors, and while there is a lot of information to glean (including the official, final title of the movie), it appears she’s one of the co-leads.

Maybe we are a year behind on Bailey (but also there’s a good chance we included him last year). Either way, 2025 is going to be huge for him. He’s Fiyero in “Wicked,” which was one of the biggest hits of 2024. Of course, now that the hype train is fully rolling, let’s not forget part two arrives in 2025. Not only that, but he’s one of the stars of “Jurassic World Rebirth,” a sequel from the “Jurassic Park” universe we literally just found out was happening.

How does an actor earn a breakthrough for a sequel to a movie they were in? Well, maybe we are over confident in the power of basic cable reruns in modern times, but “The Accountant” has become one of those movies that serves as TV wallpaper. Surely that played a role in “The Accountant 2” getting greenlit, and Addai-Robinson has gone from a secondary role to being one of the actors listed as “starring” right alongside the likes of Ben Affleck and J.K. Simmons.”

Why are they doing a live-action “Lilo & Stitch?” That feels like a particularly unusual choice for that. Also, it’s going to make a ton of money. Kealoha is playing Lilo, and Agudong is playing her older sister Nani. Neither have Wikipedia pages as of this writing. To be fair, we’re talking about quite young actors, but “child star” is a phrase that exists.

And now, in 2025, Quinn completes the rise. First, he was Eddie Munson in the fourth season of “Stranger Things” and got some attention. Then, in 2024, he had notable roles in “A Quiet Place: Day One” and “Gladiator II.” The next step? He’s one of the leads in Disney’s “Fantastic Four” movie, playing Johnny Storm the Human Torch. Of the Marvel movies arriving in 2025, this is the one we have the most faith in.

Quinn was in a small movie called “Hoard” in 2023, which we only note because that was Lightfoot-Leon’s feature-length debut. Now the oh-so-international actress (she’s English and Spanish but grew up in the Netherlands) is one of the leads of “American Primeval.” The Western (shades of “Yellowstone” perhaps?) is coming to Netflix in 2025. Peter Berg, best known for director Mark Wahlberg in a bunch of stuff, is helming the series, and Shea Wigham is in it so that’s cool.

If you star in a successful CBS show, you are going to be watched by a ton of people. Maybe you won’t get critical love. Maybe your mean audience age is over 50. Who cares? You’re a network TV star. You think the “Tracker” guy or the “Elsbeth” lady is lamenting their lot in life? Harlow is a co-lead of “Watson,” a show that centers on Morris Chestnut as John Watson from the world of Sherlock Holmes. Not every CBS show is a hit, but if “Watson” is, Harlow is in good shape.

Claffey is an Irish former professional rugby player who has tried his hand at acting a bit here and there. Things are about to get serious, though. Claffey is the lead of “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.” This isn’t just an HBO show. It’s a “Game of Thrones” show. Beats getting the snot knocked out of you playing professional rugby.

Yeah, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” was kind of a shrug, and the clear intent of shoehorning Riri Williams in to have her take on the role of Ironheart was part of the problem. That being said, the Ironheart show arrives in 2025. Thorne has, to date, been on four movies and zero TV shows. Having your own Disney+ show is a breakthrough.

Hey, actors in their forties can still have breakthroughs. Polish model-turned-actress Wydra has been in stuff, even had some regular roles on TV, but hasn’t done much of anything for half of a decade. That is in line to change in 2025, and in a major way. Wydra is starring alongside Rhea Seehorn of “Better Call Saul” fame in a new sci-fi show coming to Apple TV+. That show is coming to us from Vince Gilligan, the man who helmed bring “Better Call Saul” and also “Breaking Bad” to life. Two seasons have already been ordered. Wydra is going to be a TV star.

Will “Suits: LA” be successful? Meghan Markle isn’t going to be on it, after all, though her name’s connection to “Suits” has lifted the Q rating of that show. Plus, “Suits” ran for 134 episodes on USA, and this follow-up show has been given the promotion up to NBC. That’s network television, baby! Davis is one of the four members of the main cast, and if this show goes better than that “Training Day” adaptation you probably forgot happened, she’ll be a network TV star.

Okay, so not the entire cast of the Paramount+ series. Holly Hunter has an Oscar and two Emmys so she’s not about to get a glow up. However, as of this writing, every cast member listed as one of the new Starfleet Academy cadets does not have a Wikipedia page. Clearly, they were looking for unknowns for this show. If you’re in the “Star Trek” universe, you’re going to end up known, at least to sci-fi fans.