Despite the COVID crisis, Black Hollywood continues to stand up, speak up, and make a difference on- and off-screen. From John Boyega’s passionate Black Lives Matter speech in London to Skai Jackson and her dedication to exposing “as many racists as she can,” this rising class of leading young men and women are the change many fought to make a way for and they are loud and proud.
Hollywood’s pesky habit of ignoring characters of color from the blockbuster charts is quickly eroding into a new wave. Studios such as MACRO (Charles D. King), ARRAY (Ava DuVernay), JuVee Productions (Viola Davis), and Outlier Society (Michael B. Jordan) are engaging international audiences and telling unforgettable stories that speak to a healthy surge of creativity happening in the game.
And thanks to these talented stars on ESSENCE’s Young Black Hollywood list, it hasn’t been hard to miss just how impactful 2021 and beyond will be with these names headlining marquees here and abroad.
Scroll down to check out a list of this year’s must-watch young talent. Plus, be sure to join us as we check in with some of these talented young stars during the second-annual ESSENCE Hollywood House, streaming on ESSENCE Studios on April 23 at 7PM EST.
Kevin L. Clark is a Brooklyn-based freelance writer and curates ESSENCE’s The Playlist. Follow him @KevitoClark.
01
Birgundi Baker
Birgundi Baker’s groundbreaking performance on season 3 of The Chi got people talking and for all the right reasons. Her portrayal of her character, Keisha, sparked much-needed social dialogue around the lingering effects of violence, trauma, and overall mental health obstacles that many young Black women live with daily. As she prepares to continue telling Keisha’s story in season 4 of The Chi, and pursuing other projects, all eyes will surely be on her.
02
Marcus Scribner
Marcus Scribner is a passionate performer whose work has earned him the distinction of being a two-time NAACP Image Award winner. Black-ish’s favorite son blossomed in the role of Andre Johnson Jr., but hasn’t let the family sitcom peg him into a typecast role. He recently wrapped the fifth and final season of Netflix’s She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, gave back to his community via Defend Our Future, a project he is an ambassador for with the Environmental Defense Fund, and features in the Ekwa Msangi-directed film, Farewell Amor. Not bad for a 21-year-old, eh?!
03
Christina Elmore
From interrupting our Issa and Lawrence happy family fantasies as Condola on Insecure, to telling it like it is without a filter as Marie on Twenties, Christina Elmore has consistently been giving us the everyday Black girl versatility we love to see on screen. We can’t wait to see what she does next!
04
Reign Edwards
Rising young star Reign Edwards has gone from bringing the drama on the CBS daytime soap opera The Bold & The Beautiful, to keeping us on the edge of our seats alongisde her fellow cast members on the FX favorite, Snowfall, to shining bright in the Amazon Prime series The Wilds. And we have a feeling she’s just getting started.
05
Tone Bell
The past few years have ben quite fortuitous for Tone Bell, the Decatur, Georgia-born comedian and actor. Despite the panny, he has created his own stimulus package with roles on CBS (Fam), Netflix (Bojack Horseman), BET (American Soul), and the digitized-big-screen (Amazon Prime’s Sylvie’s Love). Ever the hard worker, Bell’s stock will rise to new heights, especially when audiences see him as John Levy in the Andra Day-led The United States vs. Billie Holiday.
06
Ryan Destiny
Up next is the stunning Ryan Destiny, a former Love Dollhouse girl-group member and current star on Freeform’s grown*ish. While most may recognize her from the FOX TV musical drama, Star, Destiny’s IMDB is infused with a wide range of upcoming art, culture, and film projects. From topping the bill as boxing phenom Claressa Shields in Barry Jenkins’ Flint Strong to starring in pgLang’s first partnership with Calvin Klein, Destiny’s destiny is looking like pure melanated magic.
07
Quinta Brunson
Quinta is now the one “who got money” after her viral Instagram series about “The Girl Who’s Never Been on a Nice Date” led to numerous opportunities. The writer, director, actor, and all-around fly human being has made history with A Black Lady Sketch Show and created the impressively-titled Quinta Vs. Everything for Facebook Watch. Always developing a way to let her talents flourish, Brunson is embiggening her bag to include more star-leaning work (Lazor Wulf, Big Mouth) and made fans go “gah-gah” with her casting as Alex in the new late-night TZGZ-animated comedy series, Magical Girl Friendship Squad, which is airing now on SyFy.
08
Eli Goree
Ever get those moments where you say to yourself, “I’ve seen this actor somewhere before,” and realize they just have that classic Black Hollywood appeal? Halifax, Canada’s own Eli Goree is exactly that mix of Bellafonte-Poitier charm with a gravitas that shows in projects such as Race and ‘Da Kink in My Hair. And with his head-turning performance as Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali in Regina King’s One Night in Miami, Goree shines amongst a cavalcade of talent the likes of Aldis Hodges, Leslie Odom Jr., and Kingsley Ben-Adir in what’s easily one of this year’s best movies — hands down!
09
Dominique Fishback
It may be conceited to write that it is “just Dominique’s time and we’re living in it,” but the truth is hard to deny. The Pace University performer has racked up hit after hit after hit, leading her to the top of the must-call list for projects such as Project Power and as Jay-Z’s mother, Gloria Carter, in the music video for “Smile.” Dominique Fishback’s chameleon-like skill of absorbing herself into a role has been her M.O. since we saw her in The Hate U Give. It was even more emboldened when she transformed into Darlene, a savvy sex worker in HBO’s The Deuce.
10
Damson Idris
Let the record show that Damson Idris has been a star since Farming. No shots to the return of Snowfall, but after last season’s cliffhanger, be prepared for everyone to swear they were a fan of the South East London boy whose done well on-screen. His ambitions to follow in the path of the “great Denzel Washington” seem more than possible since Idris has stepped into leading man action hero status with roles in Outside the Wire with Anthony Mackie and as Marcus Corell in the space-centered video game, Squadron 42.
11
Zolee Griggs
Zolee Griggs, the 23-year-old actress and activist, was having an impeccable 2019 until COVID-19 put the kibosh on how one lived their everyday life. Seeing productions come to a screeching halt, Griggs redirected her energies into helping others with necessities like food and clothing. In addition to opening her Inglewood Grab + Go in Los Angeles amid the pandemic, her roles in BET’s Boomerang and the superhero mystery-thriller film Archenemy showcases her desire for challenging roles. And as her commitment to community grows, too, cinephiles should be excited to see what the Wu-Tang: An American Saga actress does next.
12
Aaron Pierre
To the untrained eye, English actor Aaron Pierre may look like a fresh-faced actor getting his first “must-see” write-up. Not true. Pierre, a theater-trained professional, has been a thorn in TV blerds’ side for years as Dev-Em from Krypton, a 2019 SyFy show about Superman’s grandfather. Some 2.6 million viewers tuned in to see Pierre’s military minded character do battle on the famed comic book planet, but it is his upcoming role in M. Night Shyamalan’s thriller that has longtime fans excited. Old, which is out this July, also stars Gael Garcia Bernal, and with plot details under wraps, the curtain is finally being pulled back to reveal Aaron Pierre’s talent.
13
Nomzamo Mbatha
Nomzamo Mbatha knows no bounds or limitations. While filming Isibaya, she spent time touring Kenyan refugee camps in her role as an UNHCR Ambassador. It is that level of care and commitment that has made her a sought after star in projects likeTell Me Sweet Something and The Jakes Are Missing. In 2015, she became the first South African to represent Neutrogena and signed a talent management deal with CAA (Creative Artists Agency). Up next, Mbatha will be starring with Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall in Coming 2 America in a role that’s described as being “kept under lock and key”.
14
Michael Ward
The fact that Micheal Ward was awarded the BAFTA Rising Star Award at the 2020 ceremony isn’t surprising, as the Jamaican-English actor has been putting in heavy duty work the past few years. His roles on The Old Guard and The A List pale in comparison to his star-turn as the methodically cool “Jamie” on Netflix’s Top Boy. Season 3 of the Drake-backed crime-drama series was given almost universal acclaim by critics with Ward’s performance equally lauded. He continues to fulfill that BAFTA-backed promise with stirring roles in Steve McQueen’s film pentalogy Small Axe: Lovers Rock and Lena Waithe’s Beauty.
15
Laura Harrier
Like the rest of us, Laura Harrier has been stuck at home throughout this panic-inducing pandemic. But unlike the rest of us, the breakout star in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Homecoming has Hollywood on speed dial to past the time. It hasn’t just been Ryan Murphy blowing up her line, brands such Louis Vuitton, Urban Outfitters, and Steve Madden love the outspoken actress for their campaigns. With a stocked 2021 on the calendar, Harrier can be found using her social media to raise awareness about issues relating to civil rights and equality. This year she’ll feature alongside Melissa McCarthy in Netflix’s The Starling.
16
Lovie Simone
Many of us fell in love with Lovie Simone in Greenleaf on Oprah’s network and rave about her future prosperity. The Bronx-born acting prodigy has stepped out in a major way with roles in Selah and the Spades, Monster, and her bewitching recent role, The Craft: Legacy. The acting dynamo and self-proclaimed “modern weirdo” will continue to spellbound audiences this summer when she joins the cast of Power Book III: Raising Kanan with 50 Cent.
17
Skylan Brooks
Skylan Brooks won moviegoers’ hearts as Mister in George Tillman, Jr.’s The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete, but don’t try to lock him down to just one archetype. Brooks never disappoints in his unique takes on interesting characters, which explains why he’s seriously a shot for DC’s early-in-development Static Shock film. Currently, he explores the dark side of the superhero genre as Hamster, the sidekick of Max Fist, in Adam Egypt Mortimer’s Archenemy, and has three more projects in the works. Brooks is making cool look easy for a very busy new year.
18
Saniyya Sidney
For fans of FOX’s The Passage, Saniyya Sidney was gravely robbed. The season/series finale of the post-apocalyptic vampire drama had more life in the veins than it was given time for. Sidney’s star power wasn’t to be held back. She was praised for her performance in Fast Color and already put up numbers in feature films Fences and Hidden Figures. Up next, the 15-year-old will join Will Smith and Demi Singleton as Venus William in Reinaldo Marcus Green’s King Richard, which hits theaters this fall.
19
Thuso Mbedu
Emmy-nominated Thuso Mbedu is one of the most compelling new faces on television. Her road to perdition began during her teenage years on drama series like Snake Park and Scandal. The sky’s the limit for the early-20-year-old and Mbedu’s reaching for higher heights. She’s set to make her international debut in Barry Jenkins’ The Underground Railroad, which is based on the Colson Whitehead novel of the same name. There’s no doubt that this young phenom will be a force to headline marquee posters in the near future.
20
Meagan Tandy
Not overlooking the Miss USA status. Not dismissing the time on the teen medical dramedy Red Band Society. But Meagan Tandy is going to expand her IMDB, thanks to her time as Sophie Moore on The CW’s Batwoman. The introduction of Javicia Leslie’s iteration of the crimson Caped Crusader has infused a second charge in Tandy’s character, whose recent Season 2 discovery already has blerds talking. Whether playing the mean girl or the badass, Meagan Tandy is eager to take on challenging roles.
21
Jahi Winston
Teen sensation Jahi Di’Allo Winston has been on Hollywood’s radar since dropping jaws (and the law) in Lena Waithe’s Queen & Slim film. Equipped with a nuclear-powered confidence, the 16-year-old earned rave reviews in his performance as “Mouse” in HBO’s Charm City Kings, an adaptation of Lotfy Nathan’s 12 O’Clock Boys documentary. From the short-lived crime drama Feed the Beast to 2019’s zombie satire The Dead Don’t Die, Winston’s availability is being snatched up fast. The young actor is next slated to join Mary J. Blige and Lukas Haas in Kerem Sanga’s The Violent Heart.
22
Chloe x Halle
As Chloe x Halle, the sisters have created one of the craziest and chicest music videos with 2020’s “Forgive Me.” The Mableton, Georgia duo have stepped into their own limelight as actors with their popularity growing with their roles on Freeform’s grown-ish. In the new year, Chloe and Halle Bailey are embracing their big screen ambitions. Big sis Chloe will play Blake Holloway in The Georgetown Project, while Halle has everyone circling Nov. 19, 2021 for her debut in Disney’s The Little Mermaid.
23
Kelvin Harrison Jr.
An MVP of a rare caliber, Kelvin Harrison Jr. has taken small roles in films such as Ender’s Game and It Comes at Night, and smashed the game wide open with work in Luce and Waves. Nominated for Best Male Lead at the Independent Spirit Awards, Rising Star, and British Academy Film Awards, Harrison is jolting Hollywood awake with complicated, yet compassionate characters. And with impressive turns in The Photograph, The High Note, plus his addition to Euphoria Season 2 — this won’t be the last time we’ll be talking about how his star is primed to rise even higher.
