Club Ciné 100: The Performers
Discover the future of Hollywood – these are the rising stars set to take over the big screen in 2025 and beyond
PART TWO: PERFORMERS
Why are movie stars so captivating? For over a century, since cinema first began, we’ve been entranced by that small, rare group of people – the 1% – who can transform into entirely new characters and tell compelling stories that pull us in. During those precious moments in the cinema, they offer us an escape from our own lives, inviting us to dream (or scream, depending on the film). Then there’s that even rarer 0.01% – the ones who reach true stardom. These are the faces plastered on bedroom walls, the ones who grace magazine covers, spark frenzy on the red carpet, and can open a film simply by lending their name to it.
In part two of Club Ciné 100, our mission as a panel was simple: curate a list of actors we’re most excited about in 2025. We’ve focused on those whose careers are on the rise, with buzzy projects on the horizon. Plus, we’ve included a major comeback from an actor making a return after a hiatus.
So, film lovers, meet the next generation of Hollywood leading stars. We asked them about their year ahead, who they draw inspiration from, and what’s on their ultimate bucket list.
Sit back and enjoy. And remember – we called it!
Tom
KATY O’BRIAN
Tell us about your 2025 projects.
I had the opportunity to be in several that I’m super excited about. I joined the final chapter of the Mission Impossible franchise that comes out in May; I’m starring in a queer zombie flick called Queens of the Dead, directed by George Romero’s daughter, Tina; got to have some laughs for an Amazon rom-com, Maintenance Required; throw some punches with Sydney Sweeney for a Christy Martin biopic, and reunited with Glen Powell for Edgar Wright’s adaptation of The Running Man.
Which actor or filmmaker do you cite as your biggest influence?
It’s hard to pin down one person. I loved Xena as a kid, and growing up, Lucy Lawless was one of the very few women out there kicking ass every week on my screen. I wanted to be a badass like her. I had the opportunity to meet her a couple of years ago and she was so cool. She walks to the beat of her own drum, stands up for her community and is very candid. The good version of meeting your heroes.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received so far, and who from?
Best advice was from an acting teacher I had when I first moved to LA: “Always be planting seeds” because who doesn’t love a gardening metaphor? If the last few years have taught me anything, it’s that it can be feast then famine in this business. It’s important to continue “planting seeds”: honing your craft, making connections, finding projects that interest you, so that you can be as prepared as possible for any opportunity and even make your own.
What’s on your film career bucket list?
I’d like to lead a martial arts action comedy - I’m sitting on 30 years of martial arts training!
NATHAN STEWART-JARRETT
Tell us about your 2025 projects
Doing a movie about ballroom dancing in northern England. It’s a romcom and a bit of a departure from some of the darker projects I’ve been doing so I’m excited - been waiting since I was a kid for my Strictly Ballroom moment.
Which actor or filmmaker do you cite as your biggest influence?
There really isn’t just one. I mean for what he gets in performance, Mike Leigh: Hard Truths was towering. But I go through seasons really. I’m watching loads of Dirk Bogarde movies right now.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received so far, and who from?
Sophie Okonedo gave an acceptance speech recently which really chimed. She spoke about not necessarily having a prescribed career path and finding the roles that moved her. In a sense eking it out through the art. I liked that, there’s such a danger at being careerist - do the project for itself, because it moves you and you can grow, not because it will lead to something else.
What’s on your film career bucket list?
Oh there’s a huge list: Christmas horror movie, work with Sofia Coppola, act in French in a movie, maybe a musical, definitely play a villain. Was also talking to a director recently about me becoming the first “Bond boy” - we came up with a gruesome death scene.
ALANA HAIM
So amazing on debut in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza (see above), she has three films due in ’25: PTA’s new one, which might be called The Battle of Baktan Cross; 70s art-heist movie The Mastermind, directed by Kelly Reichardt; and The Drama, from Dream Scenario director Kristoffer Borgli, which also stars Zendaya and Robert Pattinson. PAUL WILSON
HAVANA ROSE LIU
Havana Rose Liu is a rising force. A trained dancer, she was street cast as a model, which led to a career in fashion before her transition into acting. Early roles included small parts in A24’s The Sky is Everywhere and the Hulu thriller No Exit, but it was her breakout in Emma Seligman’s 2023 indie hit Bottoms that introduced her to a wider audience. She then appeared in Martin Scorsese’s short for Bleu de Chanel, opposite Timothée Chalamet. Up next: Lurker, Alex Russell’s directorial debut about celebrity obsession, which premiered at Sundance to strong reviews. Then there’s Power Ballad with Jack Reynor, Paul Rudd, and Nick Jonas, the crime thriller Tuner with Dustin Hoffman and Leo Woodall, and the Christmas comedy you didn’t know you needed, Oh. What. Fun, alongside Michelle Pfeiffer, Felicity Jones, Maude Apatow, and Chloe Grace Moretz. TOM MACKLIN
EVE RIDLEY
Tell us about your 2025 projects
I am currently working on Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, where I play the amazing character of Ruthye Marye Knoll alongside Milly Alcock. We have already started shooting and it is going great, I am loving every minute and so excited for you all to see it when it comes to theatres! Later on in the year, The Witcher season four begins, where I play the character of Nimue and I also have voice projects due to be released, so there is a lot to look forward to.
Which actor or film maker do you cite as your biggest influence?
I first saw Tom Holland in The Impossible, which is one of my favourite films. I loved his performance and seeing his progression from a child actor to major roles as an adult has been inspiring, as I was watching him before he became known as Spider-Man.
Another big influence would be Peter Safran, the co-producer Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. I love horror movies, and he has produced some of my all-time favourites such as The Conjuring films and Annabelle.
What’s the best piece of advice you have received so far and from who?
A casting director once sent me a letter at the very beginning of my career stating how proud I should be of myself for getting as far as I did in an audition process.
This taught me that I shouldn’t get disheartened as it just wasn’t my time! When the time does come and you receive the offer, all of the hard work, the late-night recordings and the many hours of learning scripts, is all worthwhile.
I have the letter framed on my wall and it has always helped me to believe in myself and drives me to succeed.
What’s on your film career bucket list?
It is every child’s dream to meet a superhero, so working alongside one is incredible!
I love doing my own stunt work and have previously worked on wires, so I would really enjoy an action-packed film. I love a challenge with a little bit of danger!
SOPHIE THATCHER
Tell us about your 2025 projects.
I play Iris in the movie Companion from New Line Cinema and Boulderlight Pictures, directed by Drew Hancock. I had the pleasure of working alongside the incredibly talented Jack Quaid. It’s a genre-bending timely movie that I’m very stoked for audiences to see in theaters. After that, season three of Yellowjackets premieres and we get to see Natalie in the leadership role. She has cultivated a somewhat thriving village constructed of huts and things seem to be going well… until they’re not. This season was exhilarating – emotionally layered, complex, and satisfying to act out. I’m working on more music these next few months and have some jobs coming up that I can’t quite announce yet.
Which actor or filmmaker do you cite as your biggest influence?
John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands have always had a huge impact on me. After reading the biography Cassavetes on Cassavetes I felt a new sense of freedom and artistry. I go back to watch his movies with Gena to revive myself when I’m feeling jaded. I’ve also been rewatching a lot of David Lynch films and am reminded of how much of an impact he had on me growing up. He stood for being an outsider and brought me into this darkness that felt beautiful and comfortable somehow.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received so far, and who from?
I ALWAYS bring this quote up, but Jay Duplass told me on the set of Prospect; “to not give a fuck” in the coolest way possible. It’s simple yet poignant. It grounds me.
What’s on your career bucket list?
Make a full soundtrack. Collaborate with both of my sisters, Ellie and Emma. Work on a claymation with Ellie. Direct, write, produce. Tour songs and meet musicians that inspire me. Start painting more and drawing every day.
Sophie Thatcher looks like she could swing from serenading you, sweetly, to shunting a bitch in the blink of an eye. Every era has their brooding, punk-adjacent “scream queen”, and it’s no coincidence she plays the younger version of Juliette Lewis’ character in Yellowjackets. She has that beguiling heavy-lidded gaze that’s totally transfixing on screen and is a joy to watch. Most people will know her from Heretic and her next batshit blood fest, Companion, looks like a real hoot. SARA MCALPINE
JAY WILL & ERIN KELLYMAN
I had the enormous privilege recently of working with two outstanding young actors who I believe are set to make huge waves in the coming year and beyond. I directed Jay Will in Rob Peace and from my first meeting with him was captured by his specificity, his intellect and his passion. He’s a performer who sinks into the heartbeat of a character. He was a joy to watch, and especially impressive in his adaptability and truthfulness.
I wasn’t very familiar with Erin Kellyman before meeting her on the set of Scarlett Johansson’s brilliant directorial debut Eleanor the Great, due to be released this year, but from the very first scene we did I was aware that I was working with a singular talent. She is an actress of enormous capacity, versatility and courage. It’s a devastating combination. Like Jay, she performs with an emotional truth that is razor sharp and completely disarming. I’m excited for audiences to watch and follow the work of these two incredibly gifted young artists. CHIWETEL EJIOFOR
LILY COLLIAS
Friend of Club Ciné Bruce LaBruce predicts great things for this young woman, who was just 19 when her debut film Good One screened in the Director's Fortnight at Cannes 2024. Her star turn in the indie drama earned rave reviews, and she will next be seen in Roofman, the based-on-a-true-story about a burglar of McDonald's franchises and long-awaited return to the big screen (nine years, since The Light Between Oceans) for Blue Valentine and The Place Beyond The Pines director Derek Cianfrance. PW
CHARLI XCX
The pop powerhouse is set to conquer a new realm in 2025 with her move into acting. She will make her Hollywood debut in I Want Your Sex, from cult director Gregg Araki. Known for his bold, often provocative storytelling, Araki is the perfect fit for Charli’s boundary-pushing persona. She has also contributed to the soundtrack for David Lowery’s forthcoming Mother Mary, starring Anne Hathaway, Michaela Coel and Hunter Schafer. Roll out the green carpet. TM
DAVID JONSSON
Tell us about your 2025 projects.
I have two films coming out, one is an adaptation of a Stephen King novel called The Long Walk directed by Francis Laurence, starring myself and Cooper Hoffman. And another film, a prison thriller with my friend Tom Blyth called Wasteman. I’m really excited about both.
Which actor or filmmaker do you cite as your biggest influence?
Right now, probably Chadwick Boseman. What he did with the time he had is nothing short of inspirational.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received so far, and who from?
I had a meeting with Steven Spielberg. We sat in his office for like an hour and just talked. He said “take risks, the greats always do.”
What’s on your film career bucket list?
So much to be honest. If I had to say one right now, I’d love to work with Gaspar Noé. I love his work, always have. I don’t know if he’s seen mine and I don’t know what he’s working on next but I’d love to even have a coffee with the man. He’s just a legend.
A familiar face in the UK, having held people’s attention in Industry and Rye Lane. I think 2025 is going to be a big year for him globally off-the-back of Alien: Romulus. I’m looking forward to seeing him in Wasteman, and hoping there’s truth to the rumour he’s playing Sammy Davis Jr opposite Sydney Sweeney in Colman Domingo’s feature directorial debut, Scandalous. SM
David has been nominated for the EE Rising Star Award 2025 at the BAFTAs on February 16. Cast your vote here.
FIONN O’SHEA
I’m keen to see Fionn O’Shea’s star rise. An Irish export (and among Paul Mescal’s tight-knit circle of friends), he’s already won the fashion industry’s attention with Saint Laurent and Cartier clamouring to dress him. He’ll be starring in Netflix’s House of Guinness, about the beer family dynasty, and playing Philip Treacy in Isabella Blow biopic The Queen of Fashion. SM
FINN BENNETT
Tell us about your 2025 projects
Warfare, directed by Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland, is a film that recounts the experiences of a group of Navy SEALS in Ramadi, Iraq in 2006. It is tense, bold and honest. Nothing has been created for the purpose of drama and the film will diverge from others in the genre because of this. I play one of the SEALS. It was a huge challenge and just as much of an honour to film.
Which actor or filmmaker do you cite as your biggest influence?
The list is always changing. I’ll see a film tomorrow and it will have to be updated again. Currently, I have Gaby Hoffman because of how true everything feels when she’s on screen. I saw Heretic the other day and was reminded of how much I enjoy watching Hugh Grant be so energetic and charismatic. My dad took me to see Touch of Evil when I was young. To this day Orson Welles remains an all-time favourite actor, writer and filmmaker of mine. I look forward to showing Touch of Evil to my children one day.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received so far, and who from?
When I asked Jodie Foster how to prepare whilst we were filming True Detective: Night Country she told me to go dancing. I think she meant to take myself less seriously. The work is and will always be profound, you… less so.
What’s on your film career bucket list?
Western. Cowboy.
AMBIKA MOD
Tell us about your 2025 projects
I shot my first feature film, Sacrifice at the end of last year which is due for release in 2025. It was directed by Romain Gavras and he also co-wrote the script with Will Arbery. It takes place at a high-end, tone-deaf charity gala attended by the rich and famous that gets hijacked by a group of quasi-environmental extremists who kidnap three guests to sacrifice (title of the film) to a nearby volcano so it doesn’t explode and destroy the planet. My character Katie is kidnapped along with Chris Evans and Vincent Cassel. I think it’ll be a really good time.
Which actor or filmmaker do you cite as your biggest influence?
It feels impossible to pick just one and my influences are always changing as I get older. At this stage of my life/career, I really look up to actor-producers like Riz Ahmed and Steven Yeun, whose work constantly defies and challenges what we’re used to seeing on screen.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received so far, and who from?
I don’t know who told me this or where I read it, but I love the phrase “try hard but don’t be a try hard.” I think it applies to most to things in life but certainly with regards to work, it’s helped this try hard out a lot.
What’s on your career bucket list?
This is really hard because my work has already been on Gogglebox (twice) but I’d have to say hosting SNL.
Ambika Mod is the real deal. Her with Romain Gavras (Athena) is a powerful combination. RIZ AHMED
DOMINIC SESSA
How do you follow a debut film in which you excelled alongside your two main co-stars, one of them (Paul Giammati) nommed for an Oscar and the other (Da'Vine Joy Randolph) winning one? If you're Dominic Sessa, leeser-sung hero of The Holdovers, you join the ensemble of magician romp Now You See Me 3, you star with Rose Byrne in the drama Tow and you get all festive in Oh. What. Fun alongside fellow Club Ciné 100 rising star Hannah Rose Liu. PW
EWAN MITCHELL
Tell us about your 2025 projects – what are you working on?
I wrapped on a second Fontaines DC music video earlier this month, directed by Luna Carmoon. I’m currently shooting a feature, but my casting is yet to be announced – so I can’t say. And then back riding the dragon in House of the Dragon, season three.
Which actor or filmmaker do you cite as your biggest influence?
I borrowed a DVD from a man in my karate class: Dead Man’s Shoes. It was a mind-altering experience, not because it wasn’t the light entertainment I was accustomed to, but rather because I recognised its world. The main character sounded like me. The social club in the film, the landscape, the people were all familiar. When I sat through the credits, I discovered it was filmed in Derbyshire [where Mitchell grew up]. It felt like Hollywood had been to my hometown. I’d never seen the world of film shine a spotlight on my world before and it felt that tiny bit bigger.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received so far, and who from?
I’ve always gravitated more to older folk. They’ve been there and done that. Why reinvent the wheel? My grandad once told me: “The cream always rises to the top”. He served with the paratroopers and the SAS during the 50s. He was a very quiet man, but within the little he told me of his years in service, I found it awe-inspiring how his fellow squaddies came from all walks of life, all shapes and sizes… It wasn’t about where you came from, it was about how deep you were willing to dig to make selection and make a difference. I think it’s similar with this industry.
What’s on your film career bucket list?
Any Stephen King adaptation. Jeff Nichols. Jodie Comer. Ti West. Jonah Hill. Steve McQueen. Hunter Schafer. Lynne Ramsay. Magnus von Horn. Robert Eggers.
AMIR EL-MASRY
Tell us about your 2025 projects
The first is the Prince Naseem Hamed and Brendan Ingle biopic, Giant, where I play one of my heroes growing up, Naseem Hamed, opposite the wonderful Pierce Brosnan as Ingle, directed by Rowan Athale. One of the most fulfilling and demanding roles I’ve played to date, but so honoured to fill those boots.
The second is 67th Summer, a French-Austrian-Egyptian co-production directed by Abu Bakr Shawky, whose debut film Yomeddine won the François Chalais Prize at Cannes. It’s based on the story of Shawky’s parents and how they met in the, set against the backdrop of the Six-Day War [in 1967]. It’s a beautiful love story.
Thirdly, 100 Nights of Hero - an American period fantasy film written and directed by Julia Jackman, adapted from Isabel Greenberg’s graphic novel of the same name. I play Jerome, a man who makes a wager with his friend Manfred: if Manfred can seduce Jerome’s wife, Cherry, within 100 nights, he can have Jerome’s castle—and Cherry.
Which actor or filmmaker do you cite as your biggest influence?
For sure, Omar Sharif. Meeting him by chance at a hotel in Deauville, France, when I was 17, was a pivotal moment that led to my first major film role and showed me that anything is possible. We sat together in the lobby for two hours, discussing art, film, our shared heritage, and the importance of luck – but more importantly, how in this industry, you make your own luck.
At the end of our conversation, he offered me his ticket to the Paris premiere of his film Hassan and Marcus, insisting I go in his place. I remember running awkwardly down the red carpet, with confused paparazzi expecting Omar Sharif to step out of the limousine instead of me. Inside, I found myself face-to-face with the film’s writer, Youssef Maaty. He told me that he was working on a new project, about an arrogant student whose privileged life is turned upside down by the arrival of a strict, no-nonsense teacher who challenges him to confront his entitlement and discover his true potential. I auditioned and got the role.
That film [Ramadan Mabrouk Abu El Alamein Hamouda] became one of the biggest box office hits in the Middle East and earned me the Best Young Actor award at the Egyptian Oscars.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received so far, and who from?
It came from Adam Meggido, one of my teachers at LAMDA. He told me, “Never lose your power, regardless of the room you’re in or the stage you’re at in life —whether it’s an audition, a rehearsal, or on set. We are all figuring this life out together. Be inquisitive, keep your chest wide open, wear your heart on your sleeve, and question things. That’s when real art happens.”
Another piece of advice that compliments this came from my father: “If you don’t ask, you don’t get.” It’s a simple but powerful reminder to always try, because we’ll never know what’s possible unless we do.
What’s on your film career bucket list?
Maybe it’s a boring answer, but I want to do it all. Projects that push me, scare me as an actor but allow me to be part of stories that connect with audiences on a deeper level.
Excited to see the awesome Amir El-Masry play my childhood hero the boxing legend Prince Naseem Hamid. RA
MONICA BARBARO
Monica Barbaro has been quietly building an impressive portfolio since 2013, with standout roles like Top Gun: Maverick, but it’s her show-stealing turn as Joan Baez in the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown that’s really turned heads. Playing opposite the magnetic Timothée Chalamet, Barbaro not only proves she’s a talented singer and musician, but also has the kind of screen presence that demands your attention. Her performance sticks with you long after the credits roll, and the industry’s definitely taking notice. She’s been nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the 97th Academy Awards on March 3. Right now, she’s busy filming the thriller Crime 101 alongside a star-studded cast, plus there’s another season of Fubar on Netflix coming soon. Honestly, we’d love to be a fly on the wall in her agent’s office, the scripts and offers piling up as the buzz around Barbaro keeps growing. Watch this space – Hollywood’s next leading lady is on the rise. TOM MACKLIN
COOPER HOFFMAN
The son of the late, legendary Philip Seymour Hoffman is quietly carving out his place in Hollywood. The boy has the father’s acting chops. After his impressive debut in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza, he’s got a packed 2025 slate, including Maude Apatow’s directorial debut Poetic Licence, Gregg Araki’s I Want Your Sex and an adaptation of Stephen King’s The Long Walk, alongside David Jonsson and directed by Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games). TM
KAIA GERBER
When models make the leap into acting, it doesn’t always go to plan, but Kaia Gerber is proving that she’s the exception to the rule:
She’s genuinely talented.
She has a sharp sense of humour and isn’t afraid to laugh at herself.
She’s making smart, bold choices, taking on smaller, thoughtful roles in films from talented directors, slowly building her craft and gearing up for those bigger roles we know are coming.
After her scene-stealing turn in the 2023 indie hit Bottoms and her appearance in Palm Royale on Apple TV, Kaia’s currently in Saturday Night, directed by Jason Reitman. Looking ahead, she’s got Max Minghella’s Shell, Outcome, directed and co-written by Jonah Hill, and the Amazon comedy series Overcompensating on the way. We’re excited to see where this journey takes her next. TM
NABHAAN RIZWAN
Tell us about your 2025 projects
A show called Dope Girls, directed by Shannon Murphy and Aimee Lou Wood’s new show, Film Club. There are a few other bits too – a film I’m super excited about which I can’t speak about yet…
Which actor or filmmaker do you cite as your biggest influence?
Anyone who evokes the imagination and walks their own way. Fellini and Gondry come to mind. On the acting side, it would be Tilda Swinton.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received so far, and who from?
Stop hanging around people who want to give you advice - Me.
What’s on your career bucket list?
Salvador Dalí biopic
Nabhaan has been nominated for the EE Rising Star Award 2025 at the BAFTAs on February 16. Cast your vote here.
THE COMEBACK
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS
Only the GOAT, coming out of retirement to star in his son Ronan’s debut feature, Anemone! Nepotism be damned. PW