The new generation of Hollywood is among us. More and more young actresses lead big movie and TV series projects. Their influence on the industry is undeniable, from provoking roles to activism, these younger generations are here to stir the pot. Here are the 30 best teenage actresses you need to keep an eye on in the future.
Editor’s Note: This list was updated in January 2024.
1. Ella Anderson
Starting her acting career at the age of five, Anderson played various roles, including Hazel in Disney Channel’s ‘A.N.T. Farm’ (2012) and appearances on ‘Raising Hope.’ She continued with Disney shows in 2013, featuring in ‘Dog with a Blog’ and ‘Liv and Maddie.’ In 2014, she portrayed Mitzy in Nickelodeon’s ‘A Fairly Odd Summer’ and played Piper Hart in ‘Henry Danger’ from 2014 to 2020. Anderson also appeared in films like ‘Unfinished Business,’ ‘The Boss,’ ‘Mother’s Day’ (2016), and ‘The Glass Castle ‘(2017). In recent years, she ventured into YouTube and music, releasing her first single ‘Overanalyze’ in 2020 and an EP ‘Evolving’ in 2021, featuring ‘Overanalyze.’
2. Mackenzie Ziegler
Mackenzie Frances Ziegler, born on June 4, 2004, is a 19-year-old American singer, actress, former dancer, and internet personality. She gained prominence by appearing on the Lifetime reality dance series ‘Dance Moms’ for six years alongside her older sister, Maddie Ziegler. Mackenzie’s music career began with her 2014 studio album, ‘Mack Z,’ followed by her second album, ‘Phases,’ in 2018. She has collaborated with singer Johnny Orlando on concert tours and released singles both solo and with Orlando. Ziegler has also toured Australia and New Zealand for dance workshops and modeled for Polo Ralph Lauren. Beyond Dance Moms, she has featured in TV series like ‘Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn,’ starred in the Brat TV drama ‘Total Eclipse’ (2018-2020), participated in ‘Dancing with the Stars: Juniors,’ and played Dorothy in a stage adaptation, ‘The Wonderful Winter of Oz.’
3. Priah Ferguson
Priah Nicole Ferguson was born on October 1st, 2006, and she is best known for playing Erica Sinclair on the smash-hit Netflix TV series ‘Stranger Things.’ Her debut film was ‘Perfectville’ in 2015 about an 11-year-old girl that wakes up from a coma in 2050 with no memories of her past. She also made appearances in movies like ‘Atlanta,’ ‘The Oath,’ ‘Daddy’s Little Girls,’ and ‘Crooklyn.’
4. Millie Bobby Brown
Millie Bobby Brown was born on February 19th, 2004, and she is a British actress and producer. The first role that garnered her international fame was the role of Eleven, the main protagonist in the Netflix series ‘Stranger Things.’ Her amazing performance as the mysterious superpowered girl, Eleven earned Bobby Brown two Primetime Emmy nominations. She also appeared in ‘Godzilla: King of the Monsters‘ and its sequel ‘Godzilla vs. Kong.’ Her latest project is the Enola Holmes movie that came out in 2020, and the subsequent sequel, in which she plays the titular character and she is a producer. Bobby Brown is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
5. Aubrey Anderson-Emmons
Aubrey Frances Anderson-Emmons was born on June 6th, 2007, and she is best known for her role as Lily Tucker-Pritchett for nine seasons on ‘Modern Family.’ Her role was very important since she was praised for raising cultural diversity awareness on TV. At age four, she was the youngest person to receive the Screen Actors Guild Award, which she won as part of an ensemble cast. Now, she has a YouTube channel, called ‘FoodMania Review,’ which has over 40,000 subscribers.
6. Dafne Keen
Dafne Maria Keen Fernandez was born on January 4th, 2005. Her first role was on the TV series called ‘The Refugees,’ where she played Ana “Ani” Cruz Oliver. Both of her parents are actors, so it is no surprise she got her acting debut alongside her father, Will Keen. Her breakthrough performance was with Hugh Jackman in the critically acclaimed movie Logan in 2017.
For the role, she received an Empire Award for Best Newcomer and nominations for a Critics’ Choice Award and a Saturn Award. Since 2019, she has been playing Lyra Belacqua, the main protagonist of the HBO series ‘His Dark Materials.’
7. Alison Fernandez
Alison Fernandez, born on July 20, 2005, is an American actress renowned for her role as Lucy Mills in ABC’s ‘Once Upon a Time’ and as Delilah in the 2017 film ‘Logan.’ With recurring roles in Netflix’s ‘Orange Is the New Black’ and The CW’s ‘Jane the Virgin’ as Young Jane, Fernandez has showcased her versatile acting skills. Born in Brooklyn, New York, she began her acting journey at the age of five in community theaters in New York City.
8. Stormi Reid
Stormi Reid was born on July 1st, 2003, and she had her first small role in the TV movie ‘A Cross to Bear’ in 2012. But her acting debut came in 2013 when she made an appearance in the Academy Award Best Picture winner ‘Twelve Years As Slave.’ After that, in 2016, she starred in the movie ‘Sleight.’ Her breakthrough role was in 2018 when she played the leading role in the fantasy movie ‘A Wrinkle in Time,’ for which she received nominations for the Teen Choice Award for Choice Fantasy Movie Actress. Currently, she appears in the HBO drama TV series, ‘Euphoria.’
9. Tamara Smart
Tamara Smart was born on June 14th, 2005 in London. She got her start in acting in the TV series ‘The Worst Witch.’ She also appeared in the 2019 revival of the iconic horror series ‘Are You Afraid of the Dark?,’ and in 2020 she played Fowl’s best friend in the movie ‘Artemis Fowl.’ In 2022, she starred in a Netflix horror TV series called ‘Resident Evil’ loosely based on the video game of the same name.
10. Shahadi Wright Joseph
Shahadi Wright Joseph was born on April 29th, 2005, in New York. She is an actress, dancer, and singer. She got her start on Broadway, where she played the young Nala in ‘The Lion King’ musical at nine. Later, she played Madison, an original cast member in the ‘School of Rock’ musical adaptation. Her first on-screen appearance was in ‘Hairspray Live!’ in 2016. She later reprised her role as young Nala in the 2019 live-action remake of ‘The Lion King.’ Her most prominent role was in 2019, where she played the dual role of Zora and Umbrae in the horror movie ‘Us.’
11. Asia Monet Ray
Asia Monet Ray is an American dancer, singer, and actress. Born on August 10, 2005, she gained early recognition through her appearances on the reality TV show ‘Dance Moms.’ Asia Monet Ray has showcased her talents not only in dance but also in music and acting. Apart from her achievements in the dance world, she has pursued a career in the entertainment industry, participating in various projects, including music releases and acting roles.
12. Mckenna Grace
Mckenna Grace is an American actress and singer, and she was born on June 25th, 2006. She started her career when she was only six in the Disney XD TV series ‘Crash & Bernstein’ and in the soap opera ‘The Young and the Restless.’ Grace is best known for playing Mary Adler in the movie ‘Gifted,’ Abigail Stone in the movie ‘Spirit Untamed’ and Phoebe Spengler in the movie Ghostbusters: Afterlife.
She played the younger version of Tonya Harding in the hit movie ‘I, Tonya,’ for this movie she even learned how to ice skate. She also portrayed the young Sabrina Spellman in the first season of Netflix’s ‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.’ Grace is known for playing many young versions of different characters in movies and TV series.
13. Ariana Greenblatt
Ariana Greenblatt was born on August 27th, 2007, and she is a child actress who got her breakthrough playing Daphne Diaz on the Disney TV series ‘Stuck in the Middle’ alongside Jenna Ortega. Before that, she made her TV debut on another Disney TV series called ‘Liv and Maddie,’ where she has a guest-starring role as Raina. Her first big-screen role was in 2018 in the movie ‘A Bad Moms Christmas,’ starring Mila Kunis and Kristen Bell. Her most famous and recognizable role was in Avengers: Infinity War where she portrayed the young Gamora.
14. Marsai Martin
Marsai Martin is an American actress born on August 14th, 2004. She is best known as Diane Johnson on the sitcom ‘Black-ish,’ which aired from 2014 to 2022. For this role, she received numerous awards and nominations, including two Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. In 2019, Martin landed her first producing credit for the movie ‘Little,’ making her the youngest person to ever produce a movie at the age of 13. One of her upcoming projects is a movie called ‘Fantasy Football’ alongside Kelly Rowland and Omari Hardwick.
15. Ava Justin
Ava Justin, a talented actress and entrepreneur, has made a mark in the entertainment industry. Starting as a model at the age of 3, she quickly transitioned to National and International commercials, web series, and film projects by the age of 5. Ava has been featured in notable films, including ‘No Regrets’ alongside Hollywood actors Brian White, Monica Calhoun, Loretta Devine, and Sharon Leal, as well as portraying a younger version of actress Aurora Perrineau in ‘Virginia Minnesota.’ Alongside her acting career, Ava is academically successful and excels in athletics, particularly in Fast Pitch softball. Not just a talented actress, but also an entrepreneur, she has her own company called ‘Ava’s Luxury Cosmetics.’ Ava aspires to work in the next Emmy Award-winning TV series, expressing ambition and a promising future in the entertainment industry.
16. Bella Ramsey
Bella Ramsey is an English actress and singer, born in September 2003. She is best known for her breakout role in the hit TV series ‘Game of Thrones;’ she played the fierce Lyanna Mormont. Later, she landed the leading role in the 2017 TV adaptation of ‘The Worst Witch’ books, for the role she received the Young Performer award at the 2019 British Academy Children’s Awards. In 2018, she voiced the title character in the Netflix animated TV series ‘Hilda.’ The role of Hilda Ramsey won the 2019 BAFTA Award for Best Children’s Animation. Her current project is small-screen adaptation of the video game ‘The Last of Us’ alongside Pedro Pascal.
17. Madi Filipowicz
Madi Filipowicz is a driven influencer, actress, and entrepreneur with long-term plans in the digital media and entertainment industry. She is also the founder of the successful clothing brand, ‘Second Choice Clothing.’ Engaging with her audience for over 8 years, Madi creates fashion, lifestyle, and travel content.
18. Mallory James Mahoney
Mallory James Mahoney, born on January 31, 2005, is an American actress recognized for her roles as Destiny Baker in the Disney Channel series ‘Bunk’d’ and Ainsley Riches in the Netflix series ‘On My Block’. Her acting journey began at the age of 4, and she made her debut in a Chuck E. Cheese commercial in 2014. Mallory has since appeared in short films and starred as Katy Cooper in the Disney Channel Original Movie Adventures in ‘Babysitting’ (2016). With additional roles in projects like ‘Day 5’ and ‘Heaven Sent,’ she gained prominence.
19. Quvenzhane Wallis
Quvenzhane Wallis was born on August 28th, 2003. She is an American actress and author. She had an impressive start to her career when she was cast as Hushpuppy in the drama film ‘Beasts of the Southern Wild.’ The movie premiered in 2012, and she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress.
With this nomination, Wallis became the youngest person to be nominated in this category and the first person born in the 21st century nominated for an Oscar. In 2014, she played Annie Bennett in the adaptation of ‘Annie,’ and for this role, she received a Golden Globe nomination. Later, in 2017, she published two books- ‘Shai & Emmie Star in Break an Egg!’ and ‘A Night Out with Mama.’
20. Peyton Elizabeth Lee
Peyton Elizabeth Lee was born on May 22nd, 2004, and she is an American actress. She started her career with small roles in TV series like ‘Shameless’ and ‘Scandal.’ In 2017, she got her most famous role as Andi Mack in the same name Disney TV series. Later, in 2021 she landed another titular role in the reboot of ‘Doogie Howser, M.D.,’ Doogie Kameāloha, M.D.
21. Sofia Wylie
Sofia Christine Wylie is an American actress, dancer, and singer. She was born on January 7th, 2004. Her first role was on the Disney TV series ‘Andi Mack’ as Buffy Driscoll. Even before landing this role, Wylie was building a career as a dancer. Her other roles were also in Disney projects like ‘Back of the Net’ in 2019, and ‘Marvel Rising’ from 2018 to 2019. Her most prominent role is Gina Porter in the Disney+ mockumentary ‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.’ In 2022 Wylie landed the main role in the Netflix film ‘The School for Good and Evil.’
22. Lulu Wilson
Lulu Wilson is an American actress who was born on October 7th, 2005. Wilson is mostly known for her work in horror movies, and her career at the age of three. She appeared in ‘Ouija: Origin of Evil‘ in 2016, and ‘Annabelle: Creation‘ in 2017. Later, she starred in the TV adaptation of ‘The Haunting of Hill House’ in 2018. In 2020, she played Gloria Steinem in her teenage years in the movie ‘The Glorias.’ Wilson was cast in the Marvel movie ‘Doctor Strange,’ but her scene was cut from the movie.
23. Siena Agudong
Siena Agudong was born on August 19th, 2004, and she is an American actress of Hawaiian, Filipino, and European descent. She is known for her roles in the TV series ‘Star Falls’ in 2018 and the Netflix series’ No Good Nick’ in 2019. Her more well-known movies are ‘Alex & Me’ which came out in 2019, and ‘Upside-Down Magic’ from 2020.
24. Millie Davis
Millie Davis is a Canadian actress who was born on December 6th, 2006. She began her career when she was only six months old; she appeared in a commercial alongside her father. In the late 2010s, she began booking her first TV roles. She was only seven when she was cast for the first season of ‘Odd Squad;’ she left the show in season three to star in ‘The Parker Andersons/Amelia Parker’ sitcoms. In 2013, she booked her most famous role as Gemma Hendrix in the TV series ‘Orphan Black.’ During her career, she received many awards and nominations for her role as Ms. O in ‘Odd Squad.’
25. Trinity Bliss
Trinity Jo-Li Bliss is an American actress, singer, and songwriter and she was born on May 11th, 2009. She appeared in a few minor TV roles in 2021 and 2022. Her career began when she was cast as Tuktirey in James Cameron’s Avatar sequel in 2017. She plays Tuktirey in the 2022 ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ and is signed to appear in all subsequent sequels. In 2023, she released her debut album, ‘Confessions of a Preteen.’
26. Chloe Coleman
Chloe Coleman was born on November 23rd, 2008, in Los Angeles. From a very young age, she worked opposite some of the most famous names in Hollywood. Her first role was as a ballerina on ‘Glee’ in 2009. In 2017, she was cast in the TV series ‘Big Little Lies.’ Her big break was a movie alongside Dave Bautista called ‘My Spy,’ where she played the leading role. Due to the success of the first movie, a sequel is in production, with both actors set to reprise their roles. Among other movies, the most notable is the 2022 ‘Avatar: The Way of Water,’ where she plays a young Lo’ak.
27. Millicent Simmonds
Millicent Simmonds is an American actress who is best known for her role in ‘The Quiet Place’ franchise. She is one of the most prominent deaf actresses working in Hollywood right now. She first appeared in the 2017 movie ‘Wonderstruck.’ For both her roles in ‘Quiet Place’ and ‘Wonderstruck’ Simmonds received several awards for best youth performance. She also had a few minor TV roles in series like ‘Andi Mack’ and ‘This Close.’
28. Emily Carey
Emily Joanna Carey was born on April 30th, 2003. She was a child actor, and she began her career on stage and in the soap opera ‘Casualty.’ Her first big break was in the 2017 ‘Wonder Woman’ movie, where she played the young version of Diana Prince. In 2018, she played the younger version of Lara Croft in ‘Tomb Raider.’ The role that will solidify Carey as a star is the role of young Alicent Hightower in the hit series ‘House of the Dragon’ which premiered in 2022.
29. Julia Butters
Julia Butters, born on April 15, 2009, is an American child actress recognized for her notable role in the film ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ (2019). Her performance earned her a nomination for the Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Young Actor/Actress. She is also known for her role as Reggie Fabelman in ‘The Fabelmans’ (2022). Born in Los Angeles, California, to parents Lorelei and Darrin, her father is a Disney animator involved in projects like ‘Frozen’ and ‘Ralph Breaks the Internet.’
30. Darby Camp
Darby Eliza Camp, born on July 14, 2007, is an American actress whose career was influenced by her mother, also an actress. She gained recognition for her breakout role as Chloe Adaline Mackenzie in HBO’s ‘Big Little Lies’ (2017–2019), the daughter of Reese Witherspoon’s character. Camp further showcased her talent in films like ‘Benji’ (2018), ‘The Christmas Chronicles’ (2018), and ‘Dreamland’ (2019). She reprised her role in ‘The Christmas Chronicles 2’ and starred in Paramount Pictures’s ‘Clifford the Big Red Dog.’
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