01of 12Sydney SweeneyGettyWhy She’s Hot:After haunting performances inThe Handmaid’s Tale, Sharp ObjectsandEuphoria, Sweeney, 24, mesmerized in the acclaimed HBO dramaThe White Lotusas a calculating, entitled daughter in a wealthy family. Next, she’s producing and starring in the HBO Max seriesThe Players Tablealongside Halsey.She Worked Hard for Her Shot:“When I was 13, I created a five-year business plan for my parents so they could see what I could do if they let me audition,“says Sweeney, who grew up in Spokane, Wash. “We couldn’t afford plane tickets, so we would drive to L.A. for an audition and back the next day.” Eventually her parents agreed to move to L.A., where they initially struggled, which makes sharing her current success even sweeter. “Sometimes I get teary thinking about it,” she says.
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Sydney Sweeney
Getty
Why She’s Hot:After haunting performances inThe Handmaid’s Tale, Sharp ObjectsandEuphoria, Sweeney, 24, mesmerized in the acclaimed HBO dramaThe White Lotusas a calculating, entitled daughter in a wealthy family. Next, she’s producing and starring in the HBO Max seriesThe Players Tablealongside Halsey.
She Worked Hard for Her Shot:“When I was 13, I created a five-year business plan for my parents so they could see what I could do if they let me audition,“says Sweeney, who grew up in Spokane, Wash. “We couldn’t afford plane tickets, so we would drive to L.A. for an audition and back the next day.” Eventually her parents agreed to move to L.A., where they initially struggled, which makes sharing her current success even sweeter. “Sometimes I get teary thinking about it,” she says.
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Frazer Harrison/Getty
Dream Costars:Howell-Baptiste, who starred with Emma Stone inCruella, says she’d love to work with Forest Whitaker, Viola Davis, Joaquin Phoenix and Seth Rogen. “I know that is really running the gamut from drama to comedy. But I have a wide variety of tastes!”
03of 12Demi SingletonWhy She’s Hot:The New Orleans native, 14, playsSerena Williamsin the upcoming biopicKing Richard, which starsWill Smithas Richard Williams, the father of tennis phenoms Serena and Venus. “Will was so dedicated to the role,” says Singleton, who was starstruck when Smith’s daughter Willow, 20, came on-set. “I was trying not to freak out!“Offscreen Sisters:Singleton says she and Saniyya Sidney, who plays Venus, “call each other every day. She’s now one of my closest friends.”
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Demi Singleton
Why She’s Hot:The New Orleans native, 14, playsSerena Williamsin the upcoming biopicKing Richard, which starsWill Smithas Richard Williams, the father of tennis phenoms Serena and Venus. “Will was so dedicated to the role,” says Singleton, who was starstruck when Smith’s daughter Willow, 20, came on-set. “I was trying not to freak out!”
Offscreen Sisters:Singleton says she and Saniyya Sidney, who plays Venus, “call each other every day. She’s now one of my closest friends.”
04of 12Saniyya SidneyRachel Luna/GettyWhy She’s Hot:Sidney, 14, plays Venus Williams inKing Richard. Her favorite day during filming was when the sisters came to visit. “Serena and Venus surprised us onset! They are the funniest people you will ever meet,” she says.An Ace Performer:“I want to make sure the world knows exactly what they went through and how strong they are,” Sidney says of the Williams sisters. Next she’ll portray Sasha Obama in Showtime’sThe First Ladyseries. “It felt like I was really living in the White House,” she says of the production. “It felt legit.”
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Saniyya Sidney
Rachel Luna/Getty
Why She’s Hot:Sidney, 14, plays Venus Williams inKing Richard. Her favorite day during filming was when the sisters came to visit. “Serena and Venus surprised us onset! They are the funniest people you will ever meet,” she says.
An Ace Performer:“I want to make sure the world knows exactly what they went through and how strong they are,” Sidney says of the Williams sisters. Next she’ll portray Sasha Obama in Showtime’sThe First Ladyseries. “It felt like I was really living in the White House,” she says of the production. “It felt legit.”
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aespa
aespa.SM Entertainment
Fierce Foursome:“It’s just so cool thinking that we have fans not only in Korea but over the whole world. We’re so grateful that everyone is listening to our music,” Giselle says. “We really hope we will be able to see everyone face-to-face and actually go on tour soon.”
06of 12Himesh PatelMike Marsland/WireImageWhy He’s Hot:He starred in the 2019 Beatles musicalYesterdayand Christopher Nolan’s 2020 sci-fi epicTenet. Next, the U.K. native, 31, appears alongside Meryl Streep andLeonardo DiCaprioin the Netflix comedyDon’t Look Upand contends with the aftermath of a fictional pandemic in HBO Max’s limited seriesStation Eleven. “I don’t want to do the same thing again twice,” he says.On-Set Education:After working on the BBC soapEastEndersas a teen, Patel pursued his career in lieu of college. “I always try to learn from everyone and from every job I do,” he says. “It’s been surreal working with actors who I’ve admired for so many years.”
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Himesh Patel
Mike Marsland/WireImage
Why He’s Hot:He starred in the 2019 Beatles musicalYesterdayand Christopher Nolan’s 2020 sci-fi epicTenet. Next, the U.K. native, 31, appears alongside Meryl Streep andLeonardo DiCaprioin the Netflix comedyDon’t Look Upand contends with the aftermath of a fictional pandemic in HBO Max’s limited seriesStation Eleven. “I don’t want to do the same thing again twice,” he says.
On-Set Education:After working on the BBC soapEastEndersas a teen, Patel pursued his career in lieu of college. “I always try to learn from everyone and from every job I do,” he says. “It’s been surreal working with actors who I’ve admired for so many years.”
07of 12Alaqua CoxAlaqua Cox/InstagramWhy She’s Hot:In her very first acting role, Cox, 24, stars with Jeremy Renner in Disney+’s Marvel seriesHawkeye(premiering Nov. 24). Her character, Maya Lopez, “is a badass woman,” she says.She’s Come a Long Way:Cox was born deaf on the Menominee Indian Reservation in Wisconsin, and she’s an amputee with a prosthetic leg. Before being cast, “I was a college dropout,” she says. “It’s crazy how much my life has already changed. I’m so excited to show people what I can do.”
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Alaqua Cox
Alaqua Cox/Instagram
Why She’s Hot:In her very first acting role, Cox, 24, stars with Jeremy Renner in Disney+’s Marvel seriesHawkeye(premiering Nov. 24). Her character, Maya Lopez, “is a badass woman,” she says.
She’s Come a Long Way:Cox was born deaf on the Menominee Indian Reservation in Wisconsin, and she’s an amputee with a prosthetic leg. Before being cast, “I was a college dropout,” she says. “It’s crazy how much my life has already changed. I’m so excited to show people what I can do.”
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Tate McRae
Why She’s Hot:The 18-year-old alt-pop star—whose single “You Broke Me First” cracked the top 20—will open for Shawn Mendes on his fall 2022 tour and drop her debut album next year. She also used to be a backup dancer forJustin Bieber!
Dancing Queen:Competing onSo You Think You Can Dancewhen she was 12 “prepared me for the stress and pressure that comes with being an artist,” McRae says. “But it’s funny—there’s still two sides to me: the normal one and the work one. I’m pulling a Hannah Montana!”
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Brian Michael Smith
Tommaso Boddi/Getty
Why He’s Hot:Smith, 38, who is trans, stars alongside Rob Lowe as firefighter Paul Strickland on Fox’s9-1-1: Lone Star, which returns for season 3 next year.
10of 12Simone AshleyDave Benett/GettyWhy She’s Hot:Three seasons onSex Educationhas led Ashley, 26, to Netflix’s crown jewel: The British actress stars in the highly anticipated second season ofBridgertonas the headstrong Kate Sharma, who will beguile Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey).Her Pinch-Me Moment:When herBridgertoncasting was announced in February, Ashley, who studied musical theater before watching Quentin Tarantino movies inspired her to audition for screen roles, tried to stay focused— until Mindy Kaling congratulated her on Instagram. “I grew up looking up to her,” she says. “I messaged back with loads of emojis.”
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Simone Ashley
Dave Benett/Getty
Why She’s Hot:Three seasons onSex Educationhas led Ashley, 26, to Netflix’s crown jewel: The British actress stars in the highly anticipated second season ofBridgertonas the headstrong Kate Sharma, who will beguile Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey).
Her Pinch-Me Moment:When herBridgertoncasting was announced in February, Ashley, who studied musical theater before watching Quentin Tarantino movies inspired her to audition for screen roles, tried to stay focused— until Mindy Kaling congratulated her on Instagram. “I grew up looking up to her,” she says. “I messaged back with loads of emojis.”
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Emilia Jones
Oscar-Winning Mentor:ForCODA, Jones spent nine months learning sign language. Costar Marlee Matlin “helped me with my signs and was always checking to see if I was warm enough—she was like a mom to me.”
12of 12Brittney SpencerJason Kempin/GettyWhy She’s Hot:With her raw, wrenching single “Sober & Skinny,” the country singer, 33, found famous fans in Nashville stars like Brandi Carlile and Jason Isbell, with whom she’s touring.Making Waves:“I’m a plus-size Black woman, and sometimes that narrative gets lost in the shinier ones. Being comfortable with who I am changed so much for me,” says Spencer. “I hope the generation coming up behind me gets to see the representation that I didn’t as a kid.”
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Brittney Spencer
Jason Kempin/Getty
Why She’s Hot:With her raw, wrenching single “Sober & Skinny,” the country singer, 33, found famous fans in Nashville stars like Brandi Carlile and Jason Isbell, with whom she’s touring.
Making Waves:“I’m a plus-size Black woman, and sometimes that narrative gets lost in the shinier ones. Being comfortable with who I am changed so much for me,” says Spencer. “I hope the generation coming up behind me gets to see the representation that I didn’t as a kid.”
source: people.com
