For those who know me, I tend to have a strong attachment to certain actresses (especially in the case of Jodie Comer!).

However, it felt right to put together an article that celebrates a number of talented actresses under 40 who have shown great promise in their careers and will hopefully go on to have bright futures.

Between them all, they’ve shared Golden Globes, TV BAFTAs, Emmys and a trio of Oscar nominations (so far….).

Some of those named on my list have featured in projects as recent as the past couple of months but there are some experienced personnel on here too.

Here goes nothing….

 

NIAMH ALGAR

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: The Virtues

WHY?: 2019 was a banner year for Irish starlet Niamh as she appeared in various series including Pure and MotherFatherSon. However, it was her turn as troubled young mother Dinah in the gritty mini-series The Virtues that introduced me to her brilliant talent as she held her own against renowned co-star Stephen Graham.

Her promising career gained further traction earlier this year when she landed a BAFTA nomination for her supporting role in the crime drama Calm with Horses.

WHAT’S NEXT?: Niamh is set to headline the factual crime series My Name is Lizzie in which she portrays Lizzie James, the real-life police officer who went undercover in order to coerce a confession out of a man accused of murdering young mother Rachel Nickell in 1992.

 

ANA DE ARMAS

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: Yesterday, Knives Out

WHY?: Beautiful and talented, Ana has already displayed promise in her career with breakthrough roles in the likes of Knock Knock (2015) and Blade Runner 2049 (2017). After an uncredited cameo in the Beatles-based comedy Yesterday (2019), she finally gained critical attention for her Golden Globe-nominated performance as Marta Cabrera, a Mexican carer who enjoys the last laugh over her bigoted employers in the mystery caper Knives Out (2019).

Understandably, the disruption of the COVID pandemic has left James Bond fans frustrated in having to wait to see how Ana gets on in her intriguing role as Paloma in the upcoming action blockbuster No Time to Die.

WHAT’S NEXT: As well as her delayed role in Bond, Ana is also co-starring with former boyfriend Ben Affleck in the thriller Deep Water. However, her most anticipated project is her portrayal of real-life Hollywood legend Marilyn Monroe in the upcoming biopic Blonde.

 

MARIA BAKALOVA

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

WHY?: A year ago, Maria was a relative unknown when she landed the key role of Borat Sagdiyev’s childish yet independent daughter Tutar in the Borat sequel. However, she soon received unanimous praise for her delightful performance that benefited from her taking risks in tough and unscripted situations especially THAT Rudy Giuliani interview.

Unsurprisingly, her newfound success has led to recognition on the awards stage that has resulted in her becoming an unlikely frontrunner to win Best Supporting Actress at the BAFTAs and Oscars. Here’s hoping she can complete her ‘Cinderella’ story!

WHAT’S NEXT?: Maria has been filming in London for a new role in the Judd Apatow-directed pandemic comedy The Bubble which co-stars Pedro Pascal and Karen Gillan.

 

LUCY BOYNTON

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: Law & Order: UK, Sing Street, Murder on the Orient Express, Bohemian Rhapsody

WHY?: Born in New York and raised in London, Lucy is one of the more seasoned names to make this prestige list. After early roles in Miss Potter (1996) and Mo (2010), she finally caught my attention with her charming turn as Raphina, the love interest of an ambitious Irish singer in the musical comedy Sing Street (2016).

However, it was her performance in another music-based film that showcased her talent as she portrayed Freddie Mercury’s former lover-turned-close friend Mary Austin in the multi-Oscar winning biopic Bohemian Rhapsody (2018). A lovely and sophisticated actress who will hopefully get her due as an individual performer very soon.

WHAT’S NEXT?: Lucy has been filming scenes in Liverpool for her appearance in the BBC remake of The Ipcress File. Coincidentally, she has yet another music-related project on the horizon with her portrayal of real-life rock star Marianne Faithfull in the upcoming biopic Faithfull.

 

JESSIE BUCKLEY

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: Taboo, Wild Rose, Chernobyl, Judy

WHY?: After a stellar role in the BBC mini-series Taboo (2017), I had the pleasure of watching Jessie excel in three different screen projects during 2019. Though she produced solid work in the brilliant Chernobyl, I was bowled over by her sassy BAFTA-nominated performance as ambitious country singer Rose-Lynn in the underappreciated Scottish drama Wild Rose.

Having the ability to act and sing has helped her career progress well so far and it’s great to see her continue to land solid projects that recently included I’m Thinking of Ending Things and Fargo’s fourth series.

WHAT’S NEXT?: Jessie has recently completed work on a TV adaptation of Romeo & Juliet (alongside The Crown’s Josh O’Connor) and is also set to star with Olivia Colman in a film version of the acclaimed novel The Lost Daughter.

 

GEORGINA CAMPBELL

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: Murdered by My Boyfriend, Broadchurch, Black Mirror: Hang the DJ

WHY?: On the cusp of 30, Georgina has already established herself as a rising actress with early roles in the likes of Freak (2009) and One Night (2012). However, she eventually got her due when she won the Best Actress BAFTA for her devastating performance as domestic abuse victim Ashley in the harrowing drama Murdered by My Boyfriend (2014).

Since then, she’s popped up on a more mainstream level with roles in Broadchurch’s third series (2017) as well as the acclaimed Black Mirror episode Hang the DJ (2017).

WHAT’S NEXT?: The BAFTA-winning actress can currently be seen in the war-based drama Wildcat and is also set to star alongside Oscar-winning legend Faye Dunaway in the upcoming thriller Visceral.

 

OLIVIA COOKE

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: Bates Motel, Ready Player One

WHY?: Born in Oldham, the lovely Olivia caught my attention with her role as Emma Decody, a quirky girl suffering with cystic fibrosis in the Psycho prequel series Bates Motel (2013-17). This was then followed by her high-profile gig as Art3mis / Samantha in the Steven Spielberg-directed sci-fi adventure Ready Player One (2018).

The past year has already been a productive one for her with key appearances in Pixie and Little Fish as well as her gritty performance as rock singer Lou in the multi-Oscar-nominated drama Sound of Metal. More importantly, she recently landed the pivotal role of Alicent Hightower in the Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon.

WHAT’S NEXT?: As well as her involvement in ‘Dragon, Olivia is also set to feature alongside Bill Skarsgård and John Boyega in the upcoming thriller Naked Singularity.

 

SOPHIE COOKSON

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: Kingsman: The Secret Service, The Trial of Christine Keeler

WHY?: Another charming actress, Sophie appeared as young spy Roxy opposite Taron Egerton and Colin Firth in the hit action-thriller Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014). Unfortunately, her character was then cruelly killed off at the beginning of its sequel The Golden Circle (2017).

Thankfully, she has shown potential as a leading lady in her own right with another spy role as the young Joan Stanley (opposite Dame Judi Dench) in Red Joan (2018); and as real-life model Christine Keeler in the factual mini-series The Trial of Christine Keeler (2019).

WHAT’S NEXT?: After recently becoming a mother, Sophie can next be seen as female warrior Johanna “Of Ghent” in the action epic Emperor.

 

EMMA CORRIN

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: The Crown

WHY?: A ‘royal’ contender on this list, Emma became a worldwide favourite with audiences for her graceful and sympathetic performance as Princess Diana in the fourth series of the hit Netflix drama The Crown (2020).

In her eight appearances, she was able to stand her ground against versatile co-stars Olivia Colman and Josh O’Connor before capping off her success with a deserved Golden Globe win for Best Actress (Drama) against strong opponents like Jodie Comer and Laura Linney.

WHAT’S NEXT?: Emma is set to star opposite Harry Styles in the upcoming drama My Policeman as well as leading a new film adaptation of the romantic period drama Lady Chatterley’s Lover.

 

GABRIELLE CREEVY

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: In My Skin

WHY?: One of the latest inclusions on the list, Gabrielle clearly made an impression on me to justify her place along with these other fabulous actresses. The Welsh starlet produced a mesmerising BAFTA-winning performance as Bethan Gwyndaf, a troubled teenager struggling to deal with her mother’s bipolar disorder in the BBC series In My Skin (2020).

It’s no surprise to see why the powerful drama is returning for a second series so one can hope that her character has it easier than she did in the previous group of episodes. Probably not though!

WHAT’S NEXT?: As well as that second series, Gabrielle is also starring in the war drama Operation Mincemeat (alongside Colin Firth and Kelly Macdonald) and the comedy I’m Not in Love.

 

CHANEL CRESSWELL

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: This is England, This is England series, Trollied, Murder for Being Different, Des

WHY?: Another graduate of the brilliant This is England series, Chanel’s character Kelly finally came into her own in the 90′ outing as she struggled to overcome an addiction to heroin. Her powerful work in that particular series won her a well-deserved BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress.

However, she has also demonstrated her comedic talent with her role as supermarket rep Katie in the Sky sitcom Trollied (2011-18) on top of key parts in Murdered for Being Different (2017) and last year’s Des.

WHAT’S NEXT?: As of now, there appears to be nothing in the pipeline for Chanel after a busy 2020.

 

KAITLYN DEVER

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: Modern Family, J. Edgar, Justified, Last Man Standing, Booksmart, Unbelievable

WHY?: At just 25, Kaitlyn has already enjoyed a sturdy career on screen starting with two completely different roles as Loretta McCready in the crime series Justified (2011-15) and as the sarcastic Eve Baxter in the long-running American sitcom Last Man Standing (2011-21).

2019 proved to be a banner year for her as she shared top billing with Beanie Feldstein in the indie-comedy Booksmart and then followed that up with a Golden Globe-nominated performance as a young victim of sexual assault in the mini-series Unbelievable. Not a bad CV to go by so far!

WHAT’S NEXT?: Having concluded her involvement in Last Man Standing, Kaitlyn is set to star in the musical Dear Evan Hansen and will then appear in the drama series Dopesick.

 

MANDEEP DHILLON

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: David Brent: Life on the Road, After Life, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Red Dwarf: The Promised Land, Adult Material

WHY?: After steady work in the likes of Some Girls (2012-14) and Fried (2014-15), Mandeep enjoyed a brief appearance as David Brent’s long-suffering colleague in The Office spin-off film David Brent: Life on the Road (2016). Her collaboration with Ricky Gervais was enough to help land an even bigger role as ambitious yet caring journalist Sandy in the comedic-drama series After Life (2019-present).

However, she has also made herself known in two major sci-fi franchises; as Lieutenant Garan in the final Star Wars film The Rise of Skywalker (2019), and as Sister Luna in last year’s terrific Red Dwarf outing The Promised Land.

WHAT’S NEXT?: As well as returning as Sandy for After Life’s third series, Mandeep has also landed a key role in a new CSI spin-off; CSI: Vegas.

 

LAURA DONNELLY

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: Outlander, Britannia

WHY?: One of the more experienced names on the list, Laura has showcased her acting ability across all formats including the stage. After her role as the ill-fated Sarah Kay in the renowned crime series The Fall (2013), she’s become widely known to audiences for her various appearances in hit fantasy programmes like Outlander (2014-17) and Britannia (2018-present).

So far, the Irish actress’s biggest recognition has come from her Olivier-winning performance as Caitlin Carney in the acclaimed stage show The Ferryman (2018). Here’s hoping that she gains more plaudits for her work on screen!

WHAT’S NEXT?: It’s another fantasy production for Laura as she headlines the HBO series The Nevers which arrives on Sky Atlantic later this month.

 

AISLING FRANCIOSI

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: Game of Thrones, The Nightingale

WHY?: Born in Dublin, Aisling enjoyed a key role as Katie Benedetto in the successful crime series The Fall (2013-16) but was also recognised by mainstream audiences for her significant cameos as Jon Snow’s dying mother Lyanna Stark in the HBO epic Game of Thrones (2016-17).

Her star has continued to shine with her powerful performance as an abused convict in the grim drama The Nightingale (2018) and as the disturbed Sister Ruth in the BBC television remake of Black Narcissus (2020). Another promising Irish actress with plenty more to prove.

WHAT’S NEXT?: It was recently announced that Aisling will portray Russell Crowe’s daughter Kate Rothko in the upcoming factual drama Rothko.

 

JULIA GARNER

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: The Americans, Ozark

WHY?: A fiery young performer, Julia had already established herself as a prominent actress on film with her roles in Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011), The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) and Grandma (2015). However, it was her appearance as Madonna look-a-like Kimberly Breland in The Americans (2015-18) that caught my attention.

Her talents have been further proved by her steely performance as Ruth Langmore in the first three series of the hit Netflix crime thriller Ozark for which she has already won back-to-back Emmys for her supporting work. A great find in the past few years!

WHAT’S NEXT?: Whilst waiting to film Ozark’s fourth and final series, Julia can also be seen in another Netflix production; the factual drama series Inventing Anna.

 

HANNAH JOHN-KAMEN

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Tunnel, Game of Thrones, Black Mirror, Ready Player One, Ant-Man and the Wasp

WHY?: Over the past several years, Yorkshire starlet Hannah has been involved in a bucketload of various productions on television and film that I’ve had the pleasure of watching starting with her small appearances in the likes of The Tunnel (2016) and Game of Thrones (2016).

However, she soon hit the big time in 2018 with edgy blockbuster roles as F’Nale Zandor in the Steven Spielberg-directed sci-fi adventure Ready Player One and as Ava / Ghost in the Marvel blockbuster sequel Ant-Man and the Wasp. Thankfully, she has also shown her capabilities as a leading star with her work as Dutch in the sci-fi action series Killjoys (2015-19).

WHAT’S NEXT?: On top of appearing in a new Resident Evil film, Hannah has also landed the lucrative role of comic-book heroine Red Sonja in an upcoming reboot.

 

VANESSA KIRBY

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: The Crown, Pieces of a Woman

WHY?: Another ‘royal’ member of this list, Vanessa garnered sympathy from audiences with her mesmerising turn as Princess Margaret in the first two series of The Crown for which she was rewarded with a TV BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress. On top of that, she has also made her presence felt in blockbusters like Mission Impossible – Fallout (2018) and Hobbs & Shaw (2019).

However, she has finally gained more recognition as a leading lady with her devastating performance as a young woman struggling to grieve the loss of her newborn child in the powerful drama Pieces of a Woman. Had her competition been weaker, than she would have been a surefire favourite to win the Best Actress Oscar. Hopefully her time will come soon!

WHAT’S NEXT?: On top of reprising her role as White Widow in two more Mission: Impossible films, Vanessa is also set to star opposite Sebastian Stan and Marion Cotillard in the historical drama The Brutalist.

 

GUGU MBATHA-RAW

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: Concussion, Black Mirror: San Junipero, Miss Sloane, Beauty and the Beast

WHY?: A prominent performer, Gugu had already done a lot of television work before making the transition to film with her leading role in Belle (2013). While she delivered a stellar performance in Concussion (2015), I was even more impressed by her mesmerising performance as Kelly Booth in the acclaimed Black Mirror outing San Junipero (2016).

Since then, Gugu has continued to shine in various projects including Miss Sloane (2016), Motherless Brooklyn (2019) and last year’s romantic drama Summerland as well as her television work as the troubled Hannah Shoenfeld in the Apple series The Morning Show.

WHAT’S NEXT?: Gugu has a lot of upcoming productions which include a mysterious role in the Marvel series Loki as well as leading parts in the factual drama Seacole and the television thriller The Girl Before.

 

VICKY MCCLURE

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: This is England, This is England series, Broadchurch, Mother’s Day, Line of Duty, I am Nicola

WHY?: A proud Nottinghamshire gal, Vicky has been one of Britain’s most consistent actresses of the past decade with her meteoric rise to success coming from her powerful BAFTA-winning performance as Lorraine “Lol” Woodford in the gritty British film This is England (2006) and its three fantastic TV spin-offs series (2010-15).

Her popularity on the small-screen has been elevated further by her recognisable role as dedicated AC-12 officer Kate Fleming in the hit crime series Line of Duty on top of key appearances in Broadchurch (2013) and the factual drama Mother’s Day (2018). There is no reason to doubt why she’s one of the best actresses in the country!

WHAT’S NEXT?: With her character still heavily involved in the sixth series of ‘LOD’, Vicky is set to be involved in a new thriller entitled Trigger Point.

 

FAYE MCKEEVER

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: Trollied, Little Boy Blue, A Confession, The Salisbury Poisonings, Des

WHY?: A fun selection, Faye has racked up an impressive CV of roles with her big break coming as chatty checkout girl Linda in the supermarket sitcom Trollied (2011-18). However, she has also showcased her potential as a dramatic actress particularly with her powerful turn as Claire Olsson in the factual crime drama Little Boy Blue (2017).

While she has produced some admirable supporting work in other programmes like last year’s Des and The Salisbury Poisonings, it would be nice to finally see her take centre stage in a gritty project.

WHAT’S NEXT?: Faye has been filming a new crime-based series in Liverpool called The Responder in which she collaborates again with Martin Freeman after their on-screen partnership in A Confession.

 

ANNIE MURPHY

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: Schitt’s Creek

WHY?: Ew! Prior to her work on a certain hit Canadian sitcom, Annie originally found herself on the brink of quitting her acting career especially when her house burnt down. However, her life soon changed for the better when she landed the lucrative role of beautiful yet bratty daughter Alexis Rose in the hugely-popular Schitt’s Creek (2015-20).

Her hilarious performance won her a legion of fans though we also found ourselves sympathising for Alexis after her bittersweet break-up with veterinarian Ted in the show’s final season. It’s a relief to know that Annie deservedly took home the Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2020.

WHAT’S NEXT?: On top of her involvement in Russian Doll’s second series, Annie is also headlining the dark comedy Kevin Can F**K Himself which is due to arrive on the small-screen later this year.

 

FLORENCE PUGH

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: The Little Drummer Girl, Fighting with My Family

WHY?: A luminous presence on screen, Flo has built up an impressive acting CV since making her film debut in The Falling (2014). With shades of Kate Winslet in her work, she earned praise for her lead role in Lady Macbeth (2016) and followed that up with her appearance as Charlie in the BBC adaptation of The Little Drummer Girl (2018).

However, 2019 became her year as she dominated our screens with three differing roles; as WWE wrestler Saraya Knight in the sports comedy Fighting with My Family, as tormented holidaymaker Dani in the cult horror Midsommar and her Oscar-nominated performance as the feisty Amy March in Greta Gerwig’s big-screen adaptation of Little Women.

Since the start of last year, she has been waiting to introduce herself to Marvel audiences as Yelena Belova in the action-prequel Black Widow but the COVID pandemic has halted the film’s release….for now.

WHAT’S NEXT?: “Pew, Pew, Pew” is set to play Yelena again in the Hawkeye spinoff series but is also starring opposite Harry Styles in Olivia Wilde’s psychological thriller Don’t Look Up.

 

SOPHIE RUNDLE

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: Peaky Blinders, Gentleman Jack, Elizabeth is Missing

WHY?: Another productive performer, Sophie’s big break came when she was cast as the defiant Ada Shelby in the successful BBC crime series Peaky Blinders (2013-present). Most of her character parts have involved playing someone we can sympathise with particularly with her brief yet memorable appearance in Happy Valley (2014) and her supporting turn in the hit series Bodyguard (2018).

In 2019, I got to see more of her work as Anne Lister’s younger lover Ann Walker in the historical drama Gentleman Jack and as the ill-fated Sukey in the BAFTA-winning drama Elizabeth is Missing.

WHAT’S NEXT?: Sophie has been filming for Peaky Blinders’s sixth series as well as the second series of Gentleman Jack with both likely to air this year.

 

ROCHENDA SANDALL

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: Care, Line of Duty, Criminal: UK, Talking Heads: The Outside Dog, Small Axe: Mangrove

WHY?: Another exceptional northern actress, Rochenda (or Shen for short) has already made her striking presence felt in a number of well-reviewed projects that I’ve watched with the first of those being Care (2018).

Her mysterious role as the icy Lisa McQueen in Line of Duty’s fifth series introduced her to mainstream audiences before she enjoyed a banner year in 2020. She produced a phenomenal performance as a murder suspect’s wife in the Talking Heads episode The Outside Dog (which was also named by The Guardian as their number one theatre show of 2020) and also played the fierce Barbara Beese in the superb Small Axe drama Mangrove.

WHAT’S NEXT?: Shen was recently cast in the Scottish-based thriller The Rig which also features Line of Duty co-stars Martin Compston and Mark Bonnar plus Game of Thrones’s Iain Glen and Schitt’s Creek’s Emily Hampshire.

 

SOPHIE SKELTON

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: Outlander

WHY?: Born in Woodford, Sophie had already made early inroads as an actress with appearances in the likes of Waterloo Road (2013-14), Casualty (2015) and Ren (2016) before she landed the key role of Brianna Randall Fraser in the hit fantasy series Outlander (2016-present).

Despite Bree’s graceful presence, the character has already been through a lot on the show not least with being the victim of sexual assault. Thankfully, she was able to avenge her horrific ordeal in the most recent series so here’s hoping her fortunes continue to go in the right direction.

WHAT’S NEXT?: Aside from filming Outlander’s sixth series, there is not much elsewhere in the pipeline for Sophie.

 

ANYA TAYLOR-JOY

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: Peaky Blinders, The Queen’s Gambit

WHY?: As one of the biggest young actresses in Hollywood, Anya’s career has exploded over the past few years. After a memorable breakthrough role in the cult horror The Witch (2015), she worked steadily on screen before landing the part of the cunning Gina Gray in the fifth series of Peaky Blinders (2019).

However, 2020 elevated her success with her starring role as Jane Austin heroine Emma Woodhouse in the new film adaptation of Emma. That was then followed by her Golden Globe-winning performance as talented chess player Beth Harmon in the hugely popular Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit. A true talent indeed!

WHAT’S NEXT?: Quite a lot actually. Anya is set to appear as Sandy in the Edgar Wright-directed horror Last Night in Soho and the historical drama The Northman. Oh and she’s due to play a young Furiosa in the Mad Max prequel Furiosa. Busy, busy, busy!

 

LYDIA WEST

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: It’s a Sin

WHY?: La! One of the most recent inclusions to this list, Lydia deservedly earned her place here with her stunning performance as Jill Baxter, the supportive friend of a group of homosexual lads trying to enjoy their lives amid the threat of the AIDS pandemic in Russell T. Davies’s magnificent mini-series It’s a Sin.

Being the biggest female character on the show was a major plus for her portrayal and you couldn’t help but sympathise with her as she slowly lost some of her closest allies to a dreaded illness. Fingers crossed that she is amongst the contenders for a Best Actress BAFTA next year!

WHAT’S NEXT?: Lydia has a few (light-hearted!) projects lined up including the American comedy film Higher Grounds and the rom-com Text for You.

 

LETITIA WRIGHT

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: Black Mirror: Black Museum, Black Panther, Ready Player One, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, Small Axe: Mangrove

WHY?: The British-Guyanese actress was already prominent on television before I first noticed her as the cunning Nish in the acclaimed Black Mirror outing Black Museum (2017). She soon became a hit with Marvel fans with her role T’Challa’s young yet intelligent sister Shuri in both Black Panther (2018) and the epic Avengers: Infinity War (2018). It’s no surprise that she ended up winning the EE Rising Star Award at the 2019 BAFTAs.

Last year saw her tackle a more dramatic role as real-life British Black Panther Movement leader Altheia Jones in the phenomenal Small Axe drama Mangrove (2020).

WHAT’S NEXT?: Letitia can next be seen in the delayed mystery drama Death on the Nile as well as her involvement on the drama Silent Twins.

 

ZENDAYA

PROJECTS I’VE SEEN: Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Euphoria, Malcolm & Marie

WHY?: Having started her flourishing career in various Disney projects, Zendaya soon made the leap to film with her role as Peter Parker’s love-interest MJ in the Marvel blockbuster Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) and its sequel Far From Home (2019). During that period, she also gained a following through her performance as Anne Wheeler in the hit musical The Greatest Showman (2018).

She then made history in 2020 by becoming the youngest actress to win a lead Emmy for her powerful role as drug-addicted student Rue Bennett in the HBO series Euphoria (2019-). Though on Netflix can also check out her recent work in the romantic two-hander Malcolm & Marie (2020).

WHAT’S NEXT?: On top of reprising her roles as MJ and Rue in future Spider-Man/Euphoria productions, Zendaya can also be seen as Chani in the delayed remake of the sci-fi epic Dune.