Top 10 future stars for 2014 – actor edition

This week I have assembled a list of ten actors that I think have the potential to make it as A-list Hollywood stars in the future. Some of them have been around longer than others and some have had more exposure than others but I think they’re all a step away from mega-stardom as yet.

Ansel Elgort
What makes him stand out?: The Fault in Our Stars would have probably completely bombed if it wasn’t for Engelort’s warmth and charm. He was also the only bearable thing about the Carrie reboot.
Recent standout roles: Gus in The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
Interesting upcoming roles: Tim Mooney in Men Women and Children (2014)
Current star rating: 50/100
“Most actors nowadays are models turned actors. That’s why a lot of young actors are terrible. You have to learn how to act. It is not something that you can just do.”

Dane DeHaan
What makes him stand out?: He has a real intensity and isn’t afraid to take on daring, quirky roles.
Recent standout roles: Andrew Detmer in Chronicle (2012), Cricket Pate in Lawless (2012)
Interesting upcoming roles: James Dean in Life (2015)
Current star rating: 70/100
“When people recognize your work and want to reward you for what you’ve done, that’s a good feeling.”

Dylan O’Brien
What makes him stand out?: His performance turned what would have been a mediocre adaption of a mediocre young adult nvel and made it ten times more enjoyable than it would have been without him.
Recent standout roles: Thomas in The Maze Runner (2014)
Upcoming interesting roles: Thomas in The Maze Runner: Scorch Trials (2015)
Current star rating: 20/100
“I just want to work with good filmmakers and do good projects that mean something to me and play interesting characters. That’s really it.”

Ellar Coltrane
What makes him standout?: His central performance in Boyhood was powerful enough to carry a three-hour long film that spanned twelve years.
Recent standout roles: Mason in Boyhood (2014)
Upcoming interesting roles: He’s not got anything reported coming out but I’m sure it won’t be long.
Current star rating: 10/100
“Most of what Mason goes through is very much the story. There’s not many of his experiences that are really familiar to me. But emotionally, and psychologically – I think that’s where my input and comparison to my own life came in. Even if I hadn’t exactly experienced the things that Mason was going through, there was always a place in my life that I could compare it to.

Jack O’Connell
What makes him standout?: He always gives an absolutely raw, balls to the wall, no holds barred performance
Recent standout roles: Eric Love in Starred Up (2014), James Cook in ’71 (2014)
Interesting upcoming roles: Toby in The Man Who Killed Don Quixote
Current star rating: 45/100
“I want to create a body of work that is entertaining and speaks to people for a long time. Longer than my life span.”

Jason Clarke
What makes him standout?: He’s an unassuming actor who draws you in with his quiet power
Recent standout roles: Howard Bondurant in Lawless (2012),Malcolm in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
Interesting upcoming roles: John Connor in Terminator: Genisys (2015)
Current star rating: 75/100
“I can’t complain about the roles that have come my way.”

Kit Harington
What makes him standout?: He probably isn’t going to be one of the great actors of our time but there’s no doubt that the combination of soulful eyes and washboard abs is a good one in Hollywood.
Recent standout roles: Jon Snow in Game of Thrones (2011 – ), Milo in Pompeii (2014)
Interesting upcoming roles: Billy Bradley in Seventh Son (2015)
Current star rating: 55/100
“You find with the really great actors, the ones you really admire and look up to, very often they’re very giving, generous, warm people.”

Ben Schnetzer
What makes him standout?: He is a total chameleon and completely disappears into every role he plays
Recent standout roles: Max Vandenburg in The Book Thief (2013), Mark in Pride (2014)
Interesting upcoming roles: Unknown in Warcraft (2016)
Current star rating: 15/100
“When I decided I wanted to go to drama school, I realized that a lot of the actors whose careers I really admire and whose work I really admire were English and English trained. I felt there was a real vocational feel to work in the UK.”

Oscar Isaac
What makes him standout?: His brooding intensity.
Recent standout roles: Llewyn Davis in Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)
Interesting upcoming roles: Unknown in Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015)
Current star rating: 30/100
“I think that when you decide to dedicate yourself to creative endeavors and surround yourself with people who are creative, you very quickly learn how hard it is to survive doing those kinds of things, not to mention make a living at them.”

Evan Peters
What makes him standout?: He stole X-Men: Days of Future Past from James McAvoy, Hugh Jackman and Michael Fassbender. That’s impressive.
Recent standout roles: Various in American Horror Story (2011 -), Quicksilver in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
Interesting upcoming roles: Unknown in Lazarus (2015)
Current star rating: 40/100
“If you get an audition and you’re out of work, you just say, ‘I’ve gotta go on this.'”

As always with these, feel free to join in and post your picks. I’ll be doing actresses next week. (Not literally, Eric).