Breakthrough Performers of 2021

One of my favorite parts of any given year in film is watching undiscovered talent break into the mainstream of the industry. It could be actors in small roles who have spent years building their careers, fresh young faces making an impression on audiences right out of the gate, or a complete unknown being given the role of a lifetime. Every year, new and exciting performers emerge into the spotlight, and this is a chance to highlight some of them.

Ariana DeBose | 2021 Projects: West Side Story, Schmigadoon! | Upcoming Projects: I.S.S., Argylle

Taking on the legacy of the Academy-Award-winning role of Anita in West Side Story is no small task, especially with Rita Moreno herself on set with you. Yet, Ariana DeBose, whose career began as understudying and ensemble dancing on the stage, more than filled those shoes.

DeBose’s take on Anita is both respectful to the past and her very own interpretation of the character, which has earned her raves and critical renown with Academy Award buzz already on her name. DeBose’s earlier work on the AppleTV show Schmigadoon! and Netflix’s The Prom in 2020 showed us hints of her talent, but West Side Story shows that there’s nowhere she can’t go.

Robin de Jesús | 2021 Projects: tick, tick…BOOM! | Upcoming Projects: Double Exposure (Short)

Another veteran of the stage, Robin de Jesús’ has spent much of his career being praised for his theatrical work. His debut to the world was Lin-Manuel Miranda’s breakout play In the Heights when he played the role of Sonny and earned a Tony nomination.

He’s littered his time since with the occasional film and television role, including as the recipient of several regional critics awards in 2020 for The Boys in the Band. His performance in tick, tick…BOOM! is phenomenal, providing the film with some of its heaviest laughs and hardest gut punches. The film industry would sorely miss him if he decided to return to the stage after a knockout performance like his.

Leslie Grace | 2021 Projects: In the Heights | Upcoming Projects: Batgirl

One of the tell-tale signs of a rising star isn’t just what they do in a year, but what they have coming next. In the Heights‘ star Leslie Grace is an example of one such breakthrough, although that’s not to discount her work in the musical. She brings an intelligence and nuance to Nina that makes her one of the standouts of the talented ensemble. Her chemistry with co-stars Jimmy Smits and Corey Hawkins is exemplary, while her vocal chops match her acting talent. Leslie Grace’s career looks to only go up, as in the near future we will see her don the wig and cowl of Barbara Gordon, more famous as Batgirl.

Alana Haim | 2021 Projects: Licorice Pizza | Upcoming Projects: N/A

It’s a little unfair to claim that one member of the popular band HAIM is a breakthrough, but given the sheer capability of Alana’s talent, it’s warranted. Alana Haim’s acting debut (unless you count the amazing Bash Brothers mockumentary short) is taking critics’ attention. A nomination at the Golden Globes, several regional critics awards, and a citation alongside her co-star Cooper Hoffman at the National Board of Review show that Haim’s talents on-screen match her appeal in music.

Cooper Hoffman | 2021 Projects: Licorice Pizza | Upcoming Projects: N/A

While Alana Haim’s talent was surprising in its quality, Cooper Hoffman’s breakthrough status emerges in its very arrival. Although Hoffman is the son of the late, great Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Cooper has created his own space and presence as an actor in his very first role. With the sheer talent on display in Licorice Pizza, he deftly holds his own alongside screen veterans like Bradley Cooper and Sean Penn. In his first leading role, in his first performance at all, Cooper Hoffman showed that the acting bug can be hereditary.

Emilia Jones | 2021 Projects: CODA | Upcoming Projects: Cat Person

In the Sundance breakout success, CODA has given audiences little-known television actress Emilia Jones the spotlight she deserves. While she was in the leading role of Netflix’s Locke and Key since 2020, CODA has turned her into a verifiable star on the rise. Jones has been earning citations for newcomer at regional critics awards, as well as a couple of performance citations. With CODA‘s prestige on the rise, so too will Emilia Jones’ profile go.

Erin Kellyman | 2021 Projects: The Green Knight, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier | Upcoming Projects: Willow

Erin Kellyman’s inclusion on this list might raise an eyebrow. One could argue she made her breakthrough in 2018 with Solo: A Star Wars Story, but with two knockout performances in The Green Knight and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Kellyman’s profile has risen significantly since.

In her limited role in the former, Kellyman captures a haunting innocence and terror that enhances the mystical ambiance of The Green Knight. In The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Kellyman brings empathy and honesty to Karli, a character with emotional honesty, and emerges as someone who the audience may end up rallying behind over the heroes.

Troy Kotsur | 2021 Projects: CODA | Upcoming Projects: The Last Police, Flash Before the Bang

Veteran character actors getting their industry embracement is always a welcome sight. In particular, Troy Kotsur’s been putting in fantastic work for the last twenty years on stage, on television, and in film. His award-winning performance in CODA has been called the film’s emotional anchor, and he’s likely to get an awards breakout on the level of Paul Raci last year in Sound of Metal. The only hope is that Kotsur’s given more opportunities to show the talent that has been hidden for decades.

Simon Rex | 2021 Projects: Red Rocket, My Dead Dad | Upcoming Projects: Mack & Rita, Down Low

Another character actor who has been active for years before now, Simon Rex’s work in Red Rocket is simply one of the best of the year. A modern Renaissance man with a finger in television, modeling, film, and even rap, Rex’s multifaceted talents show what fruits can be born of hard work and hustle. Things are coming up for Rex, and even if Red Rocket misses out on the praise it deserves, Rex’s signing with Range Media Partners proves he’s going to earn the respect he’s been giving audiences.

Rachel Zegler | 2021 Projects: West Side Story | Upcoming Projects: Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Breaking from YouTube to superstardom is difficult. Making your film debut is difficult. Tackling an iconic character is difficult. Rachel Zegler had to accomplish all three in her turn as Maria in West Side Story, but she’s managed to not just meet but surpass the lofty expectations against her.

She’s an exemplary performer, oozing with chemistry with all her co-stars, and dominating every vocal moment she’s given. Her future is just as bright as her star here, returning to Disney with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and going to DC for Shazam! Fury of the Gods, so if there’s a definitive breakout this year it’s Rachel Zegler.