Variety Staff | Variety
Variety has announced its 10 Actors to Watch for 2019, an honor the publication has bestowed since 1998.
Past honorees include many future Oscar winners and nominees, such as Mahershala Ali, Timothée Chalamet, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Brie Larson, Lupita Nyong’o and Melissa Leo.
This year’s honorees will be feted in the Oct. 27 issue of Variety as well as at a reception Nov. 3 at the Resort at Pelican Hill in conjunction with Visit Newport Beach and the Newport Beach Film Festival. In addition to the 10 Actors to Watch, the Newport Beach Film Festival will also bestow industry honors.
Said Steven Gaydos, Variety vice president, executive editor: “One of the most thrilling aspects of the traditional fall film awards season is the opportunity to showcase our discovery of new acting talents. Since Variety‘s 10 Actors to Watch began nearly a quarter-century ago, we’ve prided ourselves on our ability to take stock of performers from virtually every corner of filmmaking and this year is no exception. Check out the bracing new faces who hail from awards season contenders and also from small indie films, historical dramas, major studio blockbusters and genre fare that ranges from daringly edgy to thrillingly entertaining.”
“Newport Beach is one of the most cinematic cities in Southern California and a perennial favorite of Hollywood royalty, so it makes sense that Variety, Visit Newport Beach and the Newport Beach Film Festival have developed a dynamic partnership over the last six years to celebrate top emerging talent in the film industry,” said Gregg Schwenk, president and CEO of the Newport Beach Film Festival. “We are thrilled to showcase the 10 Actors to Watch this Nov. 3 at the Resort at Pelican Hill and honor 10 Cinematographers in April and 10 Brits to Watch in London, Jan. 30 ahead of the BAFTAs.”
This year’s Actors to Watch are:
- Jessie Buckley – This year, Buckley starred in “Wild Rose” and the Emmy-nominated miniseries “Chernobyl”; she will next appear opposite Renee Zellweger in “Judy.”
- Cynthia Erivo – A Tony and Grammy winner for her performance in “The Color Purple,” Erivo will star as Harriet Tubman in this fall’s “Tubman.”
- Maya Hawke – The “Stranger Things” breakout also appeared in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” and will next be seen in the films “Human Capital” and “Mainstream.”
- Kelvin Harrison, Jr. – Recently seen in “Luce,” Harrison will reunite with his “They Come at Night” director Trey Edward Shults in this year’s “Waves.”
- Noah Jupe – After starring in “A Quiet Place,” Jupe will appear in its upcoming sequel and in this fall’s “Ford v Ferrari” and “Honey Boy.”
- Rob Morgan – Following acclaimed turns in “Mudbound” and “The Last Black Man in San Francisco,” Morgan will be seen opposite Jamie Foxx as a Death Row inmate in “Just Mercy.”
- Camila Morrone – Morrone has earned raves for her starring role opposite James Badge Dale in “Mickey and the Bear,” which will hit theaters in November after a festival run.
- Glen Powell – After appearing in “Hidden Figures” and starring in the Netflix hit “Set It Up,” Powell will appear opposite Tom Cruise in next year’s highly anticipated “Top Gun: Maverick.”
- Margaret Qualley – An Emmy nominee for her work in “Fosse/Verdon” this year, Qualley also appeared in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” and will next be seen in “Seberg.”
- Da’Vine Joy Randolph – Now appearing in Showtime’s “On Becoming a God in Central Florida,” Tony nominee Randolph plays Lady Reed opposite Eddie Murphy as Rudy Ray Moore in “Dolemite Is My Name.”