The Drama 2026
Zendaya and Pattinson, sold on two faces alone: the proper test.
The Big Picture · Discussion
The 2026 Movie Star Rankings: 35 Under 35
April 7, 2026/ 129 min/ Sean Fennessey · Amanda Dobbins
Sean and Amanda's fifth 35-under-35 movie-star ranking: 17 new entrants, 11 aged out, and a countdown from Ayo Edebiri to Timothee Chalamet.
194 films across 3 segments.
AI-generated This episode was transcribed and analyzed with AI models. The matches aren't perfect — expect the occasional misheard title or a link to the wrong film.
The state of movie stardomwhere stars stand in 2026
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie 2026
$372M worldwide; proof movies don't need stars.
Project Hail Mary 2026
Materialists 2025
The same shape as The Drama and Challengers.
Challengers 2024
Marty Supreme 2025
A star pushing a film to ~$200M almost by charismatic will.
The Housemaid 2025
Pre-branded, classical-Hollywood style.
Mercy 2025
Chris Pratt's stupid original movie.
The Bride 2026
Jessie Buckley's swing that didn't open.
Hamnet 2025
Buckley's Oscar-coded win.
Dune: Part Three 2026
The most anticipated, loaded with young stars.
The Odyssey 2026
The one litmus test: did you get cast in it?
Aged out, cut, and just missedwho fell off, and who almost made it
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 2019
The trampoline for Sweeney, Butler, Madison and more.
Weapons 2025
The Long Walk 2025
Cooper Hoffman carried it with David Jonsson.
I Want Your Sex 2026
Gregg Araki, opposite Olivia Wilde and Charli XCX.
Artificial 2026
Cooper Hoffman as Greg Brockman.
Pizza Movie 2026
Gaten Matarazzo, on Hulu.
Queer 2024
Drew Starkey.
I Know What You Did Last Summer 2025
Madelyn Cline.
The Bikeriders 2024
Jodie Comer.
28 Years Later 2025
Comer, very good.
Snow White 2025
Rachel Zegler's speed bump.
Masters of the Universe 2026
Nicholas Galitzine.
Red, White & Royal Blue 2023
Galitzine.
The Idea of You 2024
Galitzine opposite Anne Hathaway.
The Sheep Detectives 2026
Galitzine.
The Mosquito Bowl 2026
Peter Berg; Galitzine stars.
Faces of Death 2026
Charli XCX, small part.
The Gallerist 2025
Charli XCX, Sundance.
The Moment 2025
Charli XCX, a niche hit.
Outcome 2025
Kaia Gerber, Jonah Hill's movie.
Mother Mary 2026
Kaia Gerber.
Opus 2025
Ayo Edebiri.
After the Hunt 2025
Alien: Romulus 2024
Cailee Spaeny.
Priscilla 2023
Spaeny.
Civil War 2024
Spaeny, Sean's favorite.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery 2025
Spaeny, underdeveloped.
Deep Cuts 2027
Sean Durkin; Spaeny stars, with Drew Starkey.
The Photograph 2020
LaKeith Stanfield as a lead.
Judas and the Black Messiah 2021
Stanfield.
The Book of Clarence 2023
Stanfield, didn't hit.
Roofman 2025
Stanfield, fourth lead.
Die My Love 2025
Stanfield as a manifestation of desire.
The Thomas Crown Affair 2026
Adria Arjona and Michael B. Jordan.
Father of the Bride 2022
Arjona at the center of the frame.
Tuner 2026
Leo Woodall and Havana Rose Liu.
Jurassic World Rebirth 2025
Jonathan Bailey.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps 2025
Joseph Quinn and Vanessa Kirby.
Thunderbolts 2025
Lewis Pullman, very good.
The Testament of Ann Lee 2025
Pullman.
Red One 2024
Kiernan Shipka; one of the worst movies Jack's seen.
Sweethearts 2024
Kiernan Shipka.
The Last Showgirl 2024
Kiernan Shipka.
The countdown: No. 35 to No. 135 stars, all 35 and under
Opus 2025
No. 35 Ayo Edebiri: Mark Anthony Green's satire.
After the Hunt 2025
No. 35 Ayo Edebiri.
Ella McKay 2025
No. 35 Ayo Edebiri: A subplot that felt beamed in from another planet.
Weapons 2025
No. 34 Austin Abrams: The addict, Chris Ryan's guy.
Resident Evil 2026
No. 34 Austin Abrams: Zach Cregger's movie, pitched as the Mad Max: Fury Road of horror.
Whalefall 2026
No. 34 Austin Abrams: Swallowed by a sperm whale for 90 minutes.
Regretting You 2025
No. 33 McKenna Grace.
Scream 7 2026
No. 33 McKenna Grace.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping 2026
No. 33 McKenna Grace.
Five Nights at Freddy's 2 2025
No. 33 McKenna Grace.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife 2021
No. 33 McKenna Grace: Egon Spengler's granddaughter.
Sinners 2025
No. 32 Miles Caton: SAG nomination, no prior acting credits.
Sorry, Baby 2025
No. 31 Ava Victor: Wrote it for themselves.
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma 2026
No. 31 Ava Victor.
One Battle After Another 2025
No. 30 Chase Infiniti: A PTA launch that got snubbed, per Sean.
The Julius Set 2026
No. 30 Chase Infiniti.
Faces of Death 2026
No. 29 Barbie Ferreira: Lead.
Mile End Kicks 2025
No. 29 Barbie Ferreira: Lead.
Bob Trevino Likes It 2024
No. 29 Barbie Ferreira.
Nope 2022
No. 29 Barbie Ferreira.
Now You See Me: Now You Don't 2025
No. 28 Dominic Sessa.
The Holdovers 2023
No. 28 Dominic Sessa: The breakthrough.
Tony 2026
No. 28 Dominic Sessa: Playing Anthony Bourdain for Matt Johnson.
People We Meet on Vacation 2025
No. 27 Emily Bader: The breakthrough, with a Sandra Bullock quality.
Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin 2021
No. 27 Emily Bader.
The 99ers 2026
No. 27 Emily Bader: Playing Mia Hamm.
Caught Stealing 2025
No. 26 Bad Bunny.
Happy Gilmore 2 2025
No. 26 Bad Bunny: The best part.
Bullet Train 2022
No. 26 Bad Bunny.
Puerto Rico 2026
No. 26 Bad Bunny.
Rebel Ridge 2024
No. 25 Aaron Pierre: Replaced John Boyega, and was very good.
Mufasa: The Lion King 2024
No. 25 Aaron Pierre.
Goat 2026
No. 25 Aaron Pierre.
Star Wars: Starfighter 2027
No. 25 Aaron Pierre.
Man of Tomorrow 2027
No. 25 Aaron Pierre.
MaXXXine 2024
No. 24 Mia Goth: Didn't spike the way X and Pearl did.
Pearl 2022
No. 24 Mia Goth.
X 2022
No. 24 Mia Goth.
Frankenstein 2025
No. 24 Mia Goth.
The Odyssey 2026
No. 24 Mia Goth: A minor role, but The Odyssey test.
Star Wars: Starfighter 2027
No. 24 Mia Goth.
Saturday Night 2024
No. 23 Dylan O'Brien: Terrific as Dan Aykroyd.
Twinless 2025
No. 23 Dylan O'Brien: Played twins.
Anniversary 2025
No. 23 Dylan O'Brien.
Send Help 2026
No. 23 Dylan O'Brien.
Marceau 2026
No. 23 Dylan O'Brien: A Marcel Marceau resistance biopic.
Where the Crawdads Sing 2022
No. 22 Daisy Edgar-Jones.
Twisters 2024
No. 22 Daisy Edgar-Jones.
Fresh 2022
No. 22 Daisy Edgar-Jones.
Sense and Sensibility 2026
No. 22 Daisy Edgar-Jones.
Here Comes the Flood 2026
No. 22 Daisy Edgar-Jones: Denzel and Pattinson crime movie.
A Place in Hell 2026
No. 22 Daisy Edgar-Jones: Nicolas Winding Refn.
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man 2026
No. 21 Barry Keoghan: The Peaky Blinders film.
Crime 101 2026
No. 21 Barry Keoghan.
Hurry Up Tomorrow 2025
No. 21 Barry Keoghan.
The Banshees of Inisherin 2022
No. 21 Barry Keoghan.
Saltburn 2023
No. 21 Barry Keoghan.
The Batman 2022
No. 21 Barry Keoghan: The Joker in the cell.
The Batman Part II 2026
No. 21 Barry Keoghan.
Longlegs 2024
No. 20 Maika Monroe: A huge horror hit.
Reminders of Him 2025
No. 20 Maika Monroe: Creeping toward $100M.
Victorian Psycho 2026
No. 20 Maika Monroe.
They Follow 2026
No. 20 Maika Monroe: David Robert Mitchell's It Follows sequel.
Foe 2023
No. 19 Saoirse Ronan.
The Outrun 2024
No. 19 Saoirse Ronan.
Blitz 2024
No. 19 Saoirse Ronan.
Superman 2025
No. 18 David Corenswet: Didn't do every talk show the way Reeve did.
Supergirl 2026
No. 18 David Corenswet.
Man of Tomorrow 2027
No. 18 David Corenswet.
Twisters 2024
No. 18 David Corenswet.
Sinners 2025
No. 17 Hailee Steinfeld: The reintroduction.
True Grit 2010
No. 17 Hailee Steinfeld: Oscar-nominated at 14.
The Edge of Seventeen 2016
No. 17 Hailee Steinfeld.
Pitch Perfect 2012
No. 17 Hailee Steinfeld.
Bumblebee 2018
No. 17 Hailee Steinfeld.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse 2023
No. 17 Hailee Steinfeld: Gwen.
Gladiator II 2024
No. 16 Paul Mescal: Didn't quite elevate.
Hamnet 2025
No. 16 Paul Mescal.
Aftersun 2022
No. 16 Paul Mescal: Communicates the turmoil.
One of Them Days 2025
No. 15 Keke Palmer: Delightful.
Nope 2022
No. 15 Keke Palmer.
I Love Boosters 2026
No. 15 Keke Palmer.
One of Them Days 2 2026
No. 15 Keke Palmer.
Sister Act 3 2026
No. 15 Keke Palmer: Reportedly.
Anora 2024
No. 14 Mikey Madison: Surprise Best Actress win.
Scream 2022
No. 14 Mikey Madison.
The Social Reckoning 2026
No. 14 Mikey Madison: Aaron Sorkin's Social Network follow-up.
The Masque of the Red Death 2026
No. 14 Mikey Madison: Charlie Polinger's Poe adaptation.
Wicked 2024
No. 13 Ariana Grande: Oscar-nominated.
Wicked: For Good 2025
No. 13 Ariana Grande.
Focker in Law 2026
No. 13 Ariana Grande: Playing Olivia Jones opposite Skylar Gazzondo.
The Substance 2024
No. 12 Margaret Qualley: Did a lot for her profile.
How to Make a Killing 2026
No. 12 Margaret Qualley: The John Patton Ford / Glen Powell movie.
The Dog Stars 2026
No. 12 Margaret Qualley: Ridley Scott.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice 2024
No. 11 Jenna Ortega.
Death of a Unicorn 2025
No. 11 Jenna Ortega: A dud.
Hurry Up Tomorrow 2025
No. 11 Jenna Ortega: A dud.
The Great Beyond 2026
No. 11 Jenna Ortega: J.J. Abrams, opposite Glen Powell.
Klara and the Sun 2026
No. 11 Jenna Ortega: Taika Waititi's Ishiguro adaptation.
Eddington 2025
No. 10 Austin Butler: Amusing, maybe a little young for it.
Caught Stealing 2025
No. 10 Austin Butler: Didn't take off.
American Speed 2026
No. 10 Austin Butler.
A Complete Unknown 2024
No. 9 Elle Fanning.
Predator: Badlands 2025
No. 9 Elle Fanning.
Sentimental Value 2025
No. 9 Elle Fanning: The Oscar-nominated one.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping 2026
No. 9 Elle Fanning.
Thunderbolts 2025
No. 8 Florence Pugh: AKA New Avengers.
Avengers: Doomsday 2026
No. 8 Florence Pugh.
Dune: Part Three 2026
No. 8 Florence Pugh: An insane weekend for her.
The Gorge 2025
No. 7 Anya Taylor-Joy: Straight to Apple TV, didn't work.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga 2024
No. 7 Anya Taylor-Joy: Sauteed.
Dune: Part Three 2026
No. 7 Anya Taylor-Joy: A more important role.
Wuthering Heights 2026
No. 6 Jacob Elordi: A cool choice, even if it didn't land.
Saltburn 2023
No. 6 Jacob Elordi.
Frankenstein 2025
No. 6 Jacob Elordi: Oscar nomination.
The Dog Stars 2026
No. 6 Jacob Elordi.
Outer Dark 2026
No. 6 Jacob Elordi: Laszlo Nemes' Cormac McCarthy adaptation.
The Electric State 2025
No. 5 Millie Bobby Brown: Should be destroyed.
Enola Holmes 2020
No. 5 Millie Bobby Brown.
Enola Holmes 2 2022
No. 5 Millie Bobby Brown.
Enola Holmes 3 2026
No. 5 Millie Bobby Brown.
Just Picture It 2026
No. 5 Millie Bobby Brown: Netflix rom-com with Gabriel Labelle.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day 2026
No. 4 Tom Holland: A more grown-up Spider-Man.
The Odyssey 2026
No. 4 Tom Holland: Telemachus.
American Speed 2026
No. 4 Tom Holland: Opposite Austin Butler.
The Housemaid 2025
No. 3 Sydney Sweeney: The one 2025 movie that felt like 1996.
Christy 2025
No. 3 Sydney Sweeney.
The Housemaid's Secret 2026
No. 3 Sydney Sweeney: With Kirsten Dunst.
Echo Valley 2025
No. 3 Sydney Sweeney.
The Custom of the Country 2026
No. 3 Sydney Sweeney: Edith Wharton, Josie Rourke.
The Drama 2026
No. 2 Zendaya: The real test, and it passed.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day 2026
No. 2 Zendaya.
Dune: Part Three 2026
No. 2 Zendaya.
The Odyssey 2026
No. 2 Zendaya.
Shrek 5 2026
No. 2 Zendaya.
Challengers 2024
No. 2 Zendaya.
Marty Supreme 2025
No. 1 Timothee Chalamet: Opened a movie by force of will. Also attached to Playground, the Richard Powers adaptation.
Dune: Part Three 2026
No. 1 Timothee Chalamet.
Wonka 2023
No. 1 Timothee Chalamet.
Also mentioned raised along the way
In passing GoatWuthering HeightsSinnersBlack PantherCreedMalcolm & MarieWild RoseThe King's SpeechLes MiserablesCatsA Hard Day's NightThe Heartbreak KidGreen LanternIt FollowsAtonementHannaEmpire of LightCyranoThe IncrediblesCODA13 Going on 30Meet the ParentsSister ActSister Act 2: Back in the HabitThe Social NetworkSingle White FemaleAmerican PsychoRicochetHeatJudyBarbieA Big Bold Beautiful JourneyThe HoursFrankenstein
Not films filtered out: TV, games, ads
TV EuphoriaStranger ThingsIndustryBridgertonBeverly Hills, 90210The BearDickinsonBetter ThingsWednesdayHawkeyeYour Friends & NeighborsThe 'BurbsLanternsClarissaThe Underground RailroadMussoliniAtlantaChernobylLucky
Video games FIFA World Cup Launch EditionElden Ring
Stage EvitaRomeo and Juliet
Ads Nordstrom RackState FarmRed BullHilton HonorsThe UPS Store