Twenty Faces Going Places

Every now and again you stumble across an actor who makes a deep impression, whether through a series of bit parts and supporting roles—or occasionally as the lead.

This list focuses on talent who captured my attention in the last year or two, and I’m hoping have chances to shine in 2017 and beyond. The kind of actors who inspire viewers to keep tuning in, who make characters seem so real, and who know how to truly emote.

(When working on scripts these are the thespians I imagine playing the parts. Fingers crossed I’ll work with at least a few of these amazing performers one day.)

20. Susan Wokoma

Britain’s Wokoma has popped up here and there over the years—including Chewing Gum in 2015, and a past episode of Misfits—yet new series Crazyhead is where she owns the screen. Raquel, her character, is not great at communicating subtly, but what she lacks in tact she makes up for in bravery.

Like Buffy, the character is fighting demons while attempting to maintain new friendships—a haphazard, complicated road, swinging from action to heartbreak and hilarity. Wokoma’s interpretation of the role, brash but vulnerable, is what makes the series. Dynamic in front of the camera, I’m guessing we’ll see a lot more of this talented performer.

19. Johanna Braddy

Over the last decade or so Johanna Braddy has had numerous regular TV roles, as well as single episode appearances in shows like Criminal Minds, Suburgatory, and Necessary Roughness, as well as animation voice work, but in 2015/16 she hit her stride with a fabulous part in UnREAL, and a role in Quantico.

The character of Anna in UnREAL showcased Braddy’s acting chops: contestant on a Bachelorette-style show, she’s soon reeling from her father’s unexpected death, while battling an eating disorder. Anna vacillates between competitive ruthlessness, rationalization, and emotional vulnerability. Many actors would have disappeared in the flood of beautiful contestants; Johanna Braddy’s performance made Anna deeply memorable.

18. Phumphothingam Nawat

Love Sick The Series is a BL (boy love) show from Thailand I only saw this year, with mostly inexperienced actors and a rough way of filming that created a documentary-like feel. A tale of high school romance between two teen boys, there is a clumsiness and energy that creates a rare sense of authenticity.

Nawat plays Phun, the son of a politician. His dad wants to set him up with a friend’s daughter, so he asks Noh to be his fake boyfriend…. Except the fake part doesn’t last long. Both lead actors are great, but I especially loved Nawat’s performance. He makes Phun extremely real thanks to a subtle emotive presence onscreen. Next up Nawat stars in the popular U Prince series.

17.  Echo Kellum

Fans of Arrow have seen the addition of Echo Kellum to the regular cast as Curtis Holt (and also Mr. Terrific). In a vigilante world where many characters are stoic, dark and uber cool, the awkward friendliness of Curtis works in contrast. After a beating, he begins training, and Kellum humanizes the difficult transition to superhero. Holt is also the first openly gay male character in the series.

Kellum has appeared in a number of shows over the last few years, including Sean Saves The World, You’re The Worst, and Hot in Cleveland, as well as voice work for the animations Elena of Avalor, and Rick and Morty. Thanks to his engaging energy, his characters stay in your mind; expect Kellum’s popularity to keep growing.

16. David Mazouz

If the young Bruce Wayne in Gotham looks familiar, it’s because the actor also appeared as the son of Keifer Sutherland’s character in Touch. (Not bad for someone in his early teens!).

Most people familiar with Batman know his parents were murdered. Mazouz made that element of the mythology chillingly real: watching the young Bruce suffer makes for heartbreaking television. Just like in Touch, the actor excels at emotionally complex scenes. Vulnerable, wounded, thoughtful and brave: kudos to Mazouz for bringing a new facet of the Batman legend to life on the small screen.

15. Ryu Hwa Young

With only a few kdrama roles under her belt, this South Korean actress has already made an impact on audiences; I first saw her in Ex-Girlfriend Club. Previously a member of a girl group, she’s transformed into a confident actress, and a major talent.

In the drama Age of Youth (also called Hello, My Twenties! on Netflix and often referred to as South Korea’s version of Girls) Ryu Hwa Young’s character Kang Yi Na has numerous lovers who fund her high-end lifestyle; yet underneath the sexual confidence and emotional distance are deep scars from a traumatic past. This is riveting stuff: she exudes strength onscreen, owning every scene. Can't wait to see her next project.

14. Richard Harmon

Speaking of actors who burn up the screen, Harmon’s intensity has made him the go-to actor for troubled, multifaceted characters. While he’s appeared onscreen from a relatively young age, in the last few years he’s had standout roles in Continuum, Bates Motel, and The 100.

The time travel tropes of Continuum gifted Harmon a meaty role as a teen who grows up to be the future leader of the rebellion. Time travelling agents want to either protect or assassinate him. Meanwhile present day Julian is a teenage boy going through tragedies, forced to face the repercussion of choices he hasn’t made yet. Over on The 100, his character Murphy progresses from a violent bully with murderous tendencies to an unpredictable ally.

13. Yang Yang

Love o2o is a romantic drama between college students who meet in an online game before they do in real life. Chinese heartthrob Yang Yang plays genius Xiao Nai. I liked Yang Yang’s performances in The Whirlwind Girl and The Lost Tomb; Love o2o cemented the impression he’s more than just a pretty face.

The collected way Yang Yang plays Xiao Nai is interesting. (In a Western TV show the female lead would crack his calm veneer, or he’d turn killer, but this kind of supreme control is seen as desirable in a Chinese drama.) Xiao Nai plays life like a game, always a step ahead, and is fiercely loyal to those around him. Yang Yang brought a reserved character to life in a way that implied controlled intensity and fascinating depths.

12. Scarlett Byrne

Byrnes is probably best known for appearing in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2. She gave a standout performance in the seventh season of The Vampire Diaries as half witch, half vampire Nora who wakes up in the modern world to discover, among other things, it’s okay to be gay. Dealing with relationship issues and life-threatening supernatural conflicts, Byrne’s delivery makes a character that might have been two-dimensional into a relatable being.

Previously she gave a fantastic performance in Falling Skies as Lexi. Genetic tampering accelerates Lexi’s growth; she becomes a human/alien hybrid distrusted by humans, and manipulated by aliens. A mix of dangerous and naïve, Byrne’s portrayal of the teen confirms her appearance in The Vampire Diaries wasn’t a fluke: she has a penchant for playing unearthly and vulnerable, yet powerful characters.

11. Jamie Clayton

If you’ve seen Sense8, you know Jamie Clayton gives a powerhouse performance as transgender blogger Nomi, who has to deal with both sci-fi problems and societal ones thanks to her family’s intolerance. I liked the parallel drawn between the two states of persecution: in each case, being different to the established “norm” puts characters in danger—in myriad ways.

You might have also caught her recent appearance in film The Neon Demon, and many remember her from the series Hung. I find Clayton really intense onscreen, and I love the emotional energy she brings to a role. Yes, she’s at the center of the Sense8 ensemble cast, but I’m hoping the next couple of years bring another show that focuses solely on her asa lead.

10. Max Brown

Australian actor Max Brown has appeared in long-running Aussie stalwart dramas Home and Away and Neighbours. He’s also worked behind the camera, as a producer and a writer. Now his acting credits are on the rise.

Most recently Brown can be seen in TV program Bringing Our Stories Home, which explores (meaning documents/dramatizes) narratives linked to the First World War. This year he also appeared in Secret City, a Foxtel original Australian political thriller series. Brown played Kevin Dang, a student who falls afoul of Chinese authorities. The suppressed tension and bold emotions he delivers make a stark impression.

9. Hannah Marks

I’ve always liked Hannah Marks onscreen, back to the days of Weeds and Flashforward, and more recently in Necessary Roughness and Awkward. She’s had one-episode appearances in shows like Castle, Grimm, and The Following. At present she appears in new Netflix series Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency as the long-suffering Amanda.

I think Marks is perfect for this role: her character has a disease (made up, for those wondering) where she hallucinates and experiences resulting pain. A dark comedic thread is present—this is based on a Douglas Adams book after all—and that is the kind of role Marks excels at playing, because while she nails the emotional gravitas she also manages to weave a humorous vibe through her performances.

8. Lee Won Geun

Cheer Up!—also known as Sassy Go Go—is a 2015 Korean series addressing teen bullying, suicide, cutting, education corruption, parental pressure, and the differing treatment of academic and non-academic high school students. Lee Won Geun played Kim Yeol, the school’s golden boy who reluctantly becomes involved with the lowest ranking performers through forced participation in a cheerleading club.

Lee Won Geun’s performance was outstanding. This year he took a supporting role in South Korea’s version of The Good Wife, and a lead in web series Thumping Spike 2. Hopefully in 2017 the actor will take more leading roles. His sweet vulnerability and understated intensity bring gentler emotional elements of the narrative into play.

7.  Millie Bobby Brown

One of the standout performances of popular 2016 series Stranger Things came from young Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven, a child with extraordinary abilities. Before that Brown made single episode appearances in Modern Family, NCIS and Grey’s Anatomy. She also had a role in Intruders, a sci-fi show I actually like a lot more than Stranger Things (I know I’m relatively alone with that opinion).

Brown also played a young Alice in Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. Millie Bobby Brown will undoubtedly have a lot of opportunities in the next few years, considering the intensity of her onscreen presence, rare in one so young. Look forward to seeing what projects she chooses.

6. Kaniehtiio Horn (also credited as Tiio Horn)

Kaniehtiio Horn is amazing. The Canadian Mohawk actor is one of the best things about Defiance (unrecognizable under SFX makeup as Rynn) and put in an incredible performance as Destiny Rumancek in Hemlock Grove; sure, the character is a scammer, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t possess legit supernatural skills. I also loved her appearance as (the original Wizard of Oz inspiring) Dorothy in an episode of Supernatural.

In 2016 her credits include roles in The Strain, Blank Page, The Man in the High Castle, and What Would Sal Do. Translation: I’m not the only who thinks this woman is brilliant. Next up, I want a show starring Horn. Onscreen she has this gritty, authentic energy that makes it seem like you’re watching a documentary, infused with wry humor.

5. Landon Liboiron

Another Hemlock Grove alumni, Liboiron, makes the list. Currently in new Netflix series Frontier, alongside Jason Momoa, Liboiron is one of my favorite actors. There are few things I dislike more than werewolf stories, yet I’ve seen all episodes of Hemlock Grove. His character is so sad and brave in that series!

Some will remember Liboiron from Terra Nova, and many are familiar with his work in Degrassi: The Next Generation. (I even recall a handful of appearances in Life Unexpected.) He recently appeared in short series Last Teenagers of the Apocalypse—written and directed by Avan Jogia—as the amnesiac Grim. Liboiron’s characters are always so soulful onscreen.

4. Mackenyu

Mackenyu is an American actor also fluent in Japanese, meaning he can appear in both English and Japanese speaking productions. What makes him stand out is that he immerses himself so completely in the parts, I often don’t realize until writing reviews and checking the cast that it is in fact Mackenyu again. Emotive and intense onscreen, even the way he moves and stands changes with each role.

From a coldhearted contemporary dancer in Yume wo Ataeru, to a talented, troubled saxophonist in Aogeba Toutoshi, and an introverted grieving teen in the Chihayafuru film trilogy, Mackenyu is a major talent. He’s recently been cast in Pacific Rim 2, and fingers crossed he’ll score a major role in a US TV drama series in the near future.

3. Britne Oldford

A quickly cancelled Pretty Little Liars spin-off, Ravenswood is a spooky show about teens doomed to die as a result of a town’s supernatural pact. Oldford’s character was tense but empathic, a great performance that helped carry the series through its pilot season.

You might have also seen her in The Flash last year, playing Shawna Baez/Peek-a-Boo. This year she appeared in Syfy series Hunters. Next year she’ll appear in the second season of The Path. Oldford has a confident screen presence. Looks like this Canadian is set tocontinue to expand her CV with  impressive performances.

2. Genevieve Angelson

In the last few years Angelson has added a series of standout performances to her resume. You might recognize her from House of Lies, or from short-lived series Backstrom. (This role in particular was well done because she played the rule-following character providing contrast to the zany/eccentric lead.)

Angelson really hit her stride in Good Girls Revolt, a drama looking at the struggles of female journalists in the newsrooms of America during the sixties and seventies. Her character Patti throws herself full throttle into her career, and that passion brings her as much pain as it does success: struggling against sexism in the workplace is neither easy nor fun. The role won her many fans, and the future looks bright for Angelson.

1. Sean Teale

Starring in new science fiction series Incorporated, a show that includes Ben Affleck and Matt Damon among its executive producers, Teale is perfectly cast as the corporate guy in a money-ruled dystopian future. Thing is, Teale’s character Ben is nowhere near as clean-cut as he seems: in fact, he’s running the biggest con in an attempt to save a loved one.

Teale has built a great resume of performances; you might remember him from roles in Reign, Mr. Selfridge, and Skins. Good to see him in the lead here. With Incorporated, it’s like he’s playing multiple parts since he has to be ruthless and duplicitous, but also kind and loving. For the character the lines are blurring, and Teale really communicates that inner conflict to the audience.