Chris Hemsworth, Alison Lohman, And 65 Other Actors Who Were Once Named Hollywood's Next Big Star
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Hello, movie fans! Every year, the people who own movie theaters throw a big convention — formerly called ShoWest, now CinemaCon — where they give out a bunch of awards to filmmakers and movie stars.
One prize is the "Star of Tomorrow," which they've awarded since 1978. Below are all the winners — some of whom went on to become actual movie stars and others who'll make you go "Who?!"
Note: Some years they skipped the award, while others they only gave it to one person instead of a "male" and "female" star.
1978's Star of Tomorrow — Mark Hamill
Why he probably won it: He'd starred in a little film called Star Wars the year before, so he was on people's radars.
Did he become a big star?: He never became a big film star outside of the Star Wars universe, but hey — he was Luke Skywalker! Today, he's a pop culture icon and still working. His voice work as the Joker was especially notable.
1983's Female Star of Tomorrow — Shelley Long
Why she probably won it: It likely has less to do with Cheers (which was just one season in and scoring poor ratings), and more to do with her role in the hit Michael Keaton comedy Night Shift.
Did she become a big star?: Definitely in TV (on Cheers and later reoccurring on Modern Family), but less so in movies, although she did star in The Money Pit, Troop Beverly Hills, and The Brady Bunch Movie.
1983's Male Star of Tomorrow — David Keith
Why he probably won it: He'd just co-starred in the classic An Officer and a Gentleman.
Did he become a big star?: No. But he's been a working actor ever since on TV (Hawaii Five-0) and in movies (like Daredevil...and a lot of "B" movies).
1985's Female Star of Tomorrow — Kelly LeBrock
Why she probably won it: She was a model who'd just starred in The Woman in Red (as the lady in red), and was soon to appear in John Hughes's Weird Science.
Did she become a big star?: Nope. Not sure what went wrong — she only acted in a couple more major releases, including Hard to Kill starring her then-husband Steven Seagal (maybe being married to him was a full-time job).
1985's Male Star of Tomorrow — Eric Stoltz
Why he probably won it: It definitely wasn't because of that summer's Back to the Future (which had fired him as Marty McFly after weeks of filming). It was because of Mask co-starring Cher, which earned him a Golden Globe nomination as Best Supporting Actor.
Did he become a big star?: Um...Kind of? But more of an indie star in movies like Mr. Jealousy (and notably Pulp Fiction).
1989's Female Stars of Tomorrow — Carey Lowell & Talisa Soto
Why they probably won it: They were the Bond girls in the 1989 James Bond movie Licence to Kill.
Did they become big stars?: No, though Lowell had a good run on TV's Law & Order (and was Tom Hanks's wife who died in Sleepless in Seattle). Soto starred in a couple Mortal Kombat movies.
OK! All the photos from here on are from the actual ShoWest/CinemaCon award shows!
1990's Female Star of Tomorrow — Winona Ryder
Why she probably won it: Because of her role in Edward Scissorhands...but she was kind of already a star at this point thanks to Beetlejuice and Heathers.
Did she become a big star?: Of course! She's Winona freaking Ryder!
1990's Male Star of Tomorrow — Johnny Depp
Why he probably won it: Also because of Edward Scissorhands, which was his breakout movie role after TV fame with 21 Jump Street.
Did he become a big star?: Yup. Jack Sparrow. Ed Wood, etc.
Winona and Johnny were actually dating at the time (here's a color photo of them from the event since the photographer of the above two photos decided to shoot them in black and white like it was 1934, LOL).
1991's Female Star of Tomorrow Award — Robin Givens
Why she probably won it: After starring in TV's Head of the Class — and appearing in the tabloids thanks to her marriage to Mike Tyson — she was making her film debut in A Rage in Harlem with Danny Glover.
Did she become a big star?: She did not. Although she continued to act on TV throughout the years, appearing on Chuck and Riverdale.
1991's Star of Tomorrow — Richard Grieco
Why he probably won it: The 21 Jump Street/Booker star had just made his film debuts with If Looks Could Kill and Mobsters.
Did he become a big star?: Oh man, how can I put this nicely? I hear he paints now.
1992's Female Star of Tomorrow — Nicole Kidman
Why she probably won it: The historical epic Far and Away with then hubby Tom Cruise.
Did she become a big star?: Are you asking if Nicole Kidman became a big star? NICOLE KIDMAN?!
1992's Male Star of Tomorrow — Stephen Dorff
Why he probably won it: The South African-set boxing drama The Power of One that was supposed to be a big movie (but ended up bombing big time).
Did he become a big star?: A big star? No. But over the last 30 years, he's kept occasionally popping up with key roles in big movies (like Blade and World Trade Center), and recently starred in the prestige HBO drama series True Detective.
1993's Female Star of Tomorrow — Juliette Lewis
Why she probably won it: Her role in Kalifornia with Brad Pitt, although she was already a little too established for this award by 1993, having earned an Academy Award nomination for Cape Fear and starring in Husbands and Wives.
Did she become a big star?: It's hard to say "no" because she's Juliette Lewis, you know? While she never became an above-the-title star, she's consistently put in strong supporting performances in movies like Old School and August: Osage County (and now, she's in the hit TV show Yellowjackets).
1993's Male Star of Tomorrow — Brad Pitt
Why he probably won it: His role in Kalifornia — but his buzz fromThelma & Louise and A River Runs Through It likely helped.
Did she become a big star?: He did! You should google it!
Like Winona and Johnny a few years before, Juliette and Brad were a couple at the time (I think ShoWest liked giving this award to couples for whatever reason).
1994's Female Star of Tomorrow — Tia Carrere
Why she probably won it: She was riding high after starring in Wayne's World 1 & 2, Rising Sun, and True Lies.
Did she become a big star?: Unfortunately, 1994 was where her movie career reached its apex. After that, she did lots of direct-to-video movies and TV (she reoccured on Curb Your Enthusiasm). Oh, and she won two Grammys, so...music!
1994's Male Star of Tomorrow — Chris O'Donnell
Why he probably won it: He was red hot thanks to Scent of a Woman ("Hooah!") and The Three Musketeers.
Did he become a big star?: I wouldn't call him a big star, but a star — he played Robin in a couple '90s Batman films and top-lined hits like The Bachelor and Vertical Limit. Today, he's most known for TV's NCIS: Los Angeles.
1995's Female Star of Tomorrow — Julia Ormond
Why she probably won it: Her breakout role as the female lead in Legends of the Fall opposite Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins.
Did she become a big star?: She sure got a chance, starring in a number of high profile movies like the remake of Sabrina with Harrison Ford, but it wasn't to be. She's kept working, though, notably in Mad Men and Temple Grandin (for which she won an Emmy).
1995's Male Stars of Tomorrow — Martin Lawrence and Will Smith
Why they probably won it: Michael Bay's Bad Boys, which put both of them on the map as movie — and not just TV — stars.
Did they become big stars?: Yep...and in 2020, they did a third Bad Boys movie.
1996's Female Star of Tomorrow — Cameron Diaz
Why she probably won it: There was a lot of buzz around her thanks to 1994's hit comedy with Jim Carrey The Mask.
Did she become a big star?: Yes! And we wish she'd come back and make another movie!
1996's Male Star of Tomorrow — Greg Kinnear
Why he probably won it: The former talk show host had earned kudos for his on-screen charm in the box office disappointments Sabrina and Dear God.
Did he become a big star?: He became, like, a minor big star? Is that a thing? He earned an Academy Award nomination for As Good As It Gets and continued to earn starring roles for the next couple decades...notably in the indie sensation Little Miss Sunshine.
1997's Female Star of Tomorrow Award — Claire Danes
Why she probably won it: Her breakout film role opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in Romeo + Juliet.
Did she become a big star?: She did, but mostly for her award-winning TV work on Homeland and Temple Grandin.
Note: I couldn't find a photo of her at ShoWest, so the one above is from the 1997 Academy Awards.
1997's Male Star of Tomorrow — Howie Long
Why he probably won it: The former pro football star had made his film debut in John Woo's Broken Arrow.
Did he become a big star?: I mean...not in the movies! He only made a few more before focusing on broadcasting for the NFL.
1998's Female Star of Tomorrow — Minnie Driver
Why she probably won it: 1997 saw her star in Grosse Pointe Blank and the acclaimed Good Will Hunting opposite Matt Damon.
Did she become a big star?: Not really. She headlined a number of features after this, but none became big hits. She's grown into a steady supporting player in films, though, and earned an Emmy nomination for her impressive performance in The Riches.
1998's Male Star of Tomorrow — Matt Damon
Why he probably won it: It was definitely Good Will Hunting!
Did he become a big star?: He did!
1999's Female Star of Tomorrow — Heather Graham
Why she probably won it: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. But she'd already been acting for over a decade in notable movies like Drugstore Cowboy, Swingers, and Boogie Nights, so she was no rank newbie!
Did she become a big star?: She was...just about...for the next five years or so when she starred in hit movies like Bowfinger, From Hell, and Committed. Things petered off after that, although she still did a lot of TV and was great in the smash comedy hit The Hangover.
1999's Male Star of Tomorrow — Giovanni Ribisi
Why he probably won it: His role in Saving Private Ryan. And being Phoebe's brother didn't hurt either, LOL.
Did he become a big star?: A big star? No. But he's had a long career as an in-demand supporting actor in notable films like Avatar, Ted, and Selma.
2000's Female Star of Tomorrow — Hilary Swank
Why she probably won it: Her Academy Award-winning performance in Boys Don't Cry.
Did she become a big star?: For a time, yes. She won another Oscar for Million Dollar Baby and headlined the hit romantic drama P.S. I Love You.
2001's Male Star of Tomorrow — Heath Ledger
Why he probably won it: He was hot thanks to 10 Things I Hate About You and The Patriot.
Did he become a big star?: Yes, Brothers Grimm and the landmark Brokeback Mountain cemented his status as a big star in his lifetime. After his death, his Academy Award-winning performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight became his signature role.
2002's Female Star of Tomorrow — Naomi Watts
Why she probably won it: Her star turn in David Lynch's Mulholland Drive.
Did she become a big star?: I think you can say she did, yeah. She starred in hits — The Ring series, The Impossible, and King Kong — and earned an Academy Award nomination for 21 Grams.
2002's Male Star of Tomorrow — Josh Hartnett
Why he probably won it: People saw him as the next big thing after Michael Bay's Pearl Harbor.
Did he become a big star?: Oh boy, he did not, and it was a surprise based on the buzz around him. But a bunch of underperforming star roles will do that to you. He might make a comeback yet, though. He has a role in Christopher Nolan's highly anticipated Oppenheimer.
2003's Female Star of Tomorrow — Alison Lohman
Why she probably won it: Her 2003 roles in Matchstick Men and Tim Burton's Big Fish.
Did she become a big star?: Since you're probably saying, "Alison Who?" you already know the answer to this. Post 2003, Lohman starred in a number of underperforming films before retiring from movies in 2009. She went out on top, though — her last film, Sam Raimi's Drag Me to Hell, was an acclaimed hit.
2003's Male Star of Tomorrow — LL Cool J
Why he probably won it: The rap legend had been acting in movies for a decade at this point, so he was kind of a weird choice for this award. But he was coming off his biggest hit yet S.W.A.T.
Did he become a big star?: Not in the movies, but he's been starring on the long-running TV show NCIS: Los Angeles since 2009 (with 1994's Star of Tomorrow Chris O'Donnell).
2004's Female Star of Tomorrow — Jennifer Garner
Why she probably won it: The classic 13 Going on 30, which succeeded with her name solely over the title.
Did she become a big star?: She may not have become a capital "B" big star (her next two star vehicles, Elektra and Catch and Release, fizzled), but she's definitely had a nice career. She co-starred in acclaimed art house releases like Juno and Dallas Buyers Club, plus hit family films (Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day) and rom-coms (Ghosts of Girlfriends Past).
2004's Male Star of Tomorrow — Ryan Gosling
Why he probably won it: The Notebook had just come out.
Did he become a big star?: ✅
2005's Female Star of Tomorrow — Jessica Biel
Why she probably won it: Elizabethtown and Stealth came out that year...neither were hits...but before that, she was in the hit reboot of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Did she become a big star?: Not a big movie star — she never proved she could carry a film on her own — but she did appear in a lot of high-profile movies in a supporting capacity (Total Recall, The A-Team, The Illusionist), and she's been the lead on TV shows, too. So, she did alright for herself!
2005's Male Star of Tomorrow — Hayden Christensen
Why he probably won it: Why do you think, LOL? (It was Star Wars.)
Did he become a big star?: No. He did star in three modest hits (Awake, Jumper, Takers) in the immediate years after finishing the Star Wars trilogy, but they were poorly reviewed...and soon, he was lost in direct-to-video land. Things are looking up, though — he just starred in Disney+'s Obi-Wan Kenobi and will next appear in Ahsoka (both as Anakin Skywalker).
2006's Female Star of Tomorrow — Jennifer Hudson
Why she probably won it: Dreamgirls. Definitely, Dreamgirls.
Did she become a big star?: She's definitely a big star if you consider her whole career (I mean...she just completed the EGOT!), but less so in the context of movies alone. Still, Respect was quite the star turn.
2006's Male Star of Tomorrow — Brandon Routh
Why he probably won it: 100% Superman Returns.
Did he become a big star?: Nope. Movies weren't in the cards for Brandon, but he's done a lot of TV, especially on D.C. Comics' shows.
2007's Female Star of Tomorrow — Emma Roberts
Why she probably won it: She'd just headlined Nancy Drew.
Did she become a big star?: Can I say she's...getting there? Julia's niece has been most successful on TV with the American Horror Story franchise, but she's starred in some hit movies (Hotel for Dogs, We're the Millers, Scream 4), and was just cast in Marvel's upcoming Madame Web.
2007's Male Star of Tomorrow — Shia LaBeouf
Why he probably won it: Disturbia and Transformers.
Did he become a big star?: He did...for a period. Cripes, Spielberg cast him as Indiana Jones's son! Plus, he top-lined Eagle Eye, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, and two Transformers sequels, all hits. But his erratic behavior has really sapped his star power.
2008's Female Star of Tomorrow — Abigail Breslin
Why she probably won it: For Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, following her Academy Award-nominated performance in Little Miss Sunshine.
Did she become a big star?: Not yet, but she might get there. She's starred in the two hit Zombieland films, flexed her dramatic chops in Stillwater with Matt Damon, and has more projects lined up.
2008's Male Star of Tomorrow — Emile Hirsch
Why he probably won it: His award-winning performance in Into the Wild.
Did he become a big star?: No. Except for a role in the 2013 hit Lone Survivor, and a cameo in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, his career has been pretty quiet.
2009's Male Star of Tomorrow — Chris Pine
Why he probably won it: His first performance as Captain Kirk in Star Trek.
Did he become a big star?: He did. Star Trek, Wonder Woman, Jack Ryan...
2009's Female Stars of Tomorrow — Briana Evigan, Leah Pipes, Rumer Willis, Jamie Chung, Audrina Patridge, and Margo Harshman
Why they probably won it: Their film Sorority Row. Naming the whole cast "stars of tomorrow" is a bit of a stunt; not sure who thought this was a good idea, tbh!
Did they become big stars?: Not a one.
2010's Female Star of Tomorrow — Vanessa Anne Hudgens
Why she probably won it: The modern day re-telling of Beauty and the Beast entitled Beastly.
Did she become a big star?: Sort of? She's made three very popular Princess Switch movies on Netflix, and co-starred in the high-profile films Bad Boys for Life, Second Act, and Tick, Tick... Boom!
2010's Male Star of Tomorrow — Alex Pettyfer
Why he probably won it: In anticipation of Beastly. This is another one of those times ShoWest liked giving the award to actors in the same movie.
Did he become a big star?: No, and — despite early hits like I Am Number Four and Magic Mike — he's ended up mainly making low-budget and video on-demand films.
2011's Female Star of Tomorrow — Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
Why she probably won it: Her film debut Transformers: Dark of the Moon.
Did she become a big star?: Not in the movies, no. The Victoria's Secret model only appeared in one more film, 2015's Mad Max: Fury Road.
2011's Male Star of Tomorrow — Chris Hemsworth
Why he probably won it: Thor.
Did he become a big star?: Yeah, he's Thor.
2012's Female Star of Tomorrow — Chloë Grace Moretz
Why she probably won it: Dark Shadows (but she'd already put together an impressive movie résumé as a child actor by this point).
Did she become a big star?: I'd say the jury is still out. She's only 25 and still getting lead roles in movies and TV (notably The Peripheral series this year).
2012's Male Star of Tomorrow — Taylor Kitsch
Why he probably won it: John Carter and Battleship.
Did he become a big star?: Not in movies. Despite appearances in Lone Survivor and 21 Bridges, his feature résumé is a bit thin. He's done well in TV, though, starring in True Detective, Waco (as David Koresh), and now The Terminal List.
2013's Male Star of Tomorrow — Armie Hammer
Why he probably won it: His role in the big budget film The Lone Ranger.
Did he become a big star?: He did pretty much, yeah. But then, uh, things happened.
2013's Female Star of Tomorrow — Hailee Steinfeld
Why she probably won it: Her role in the big budget film Ender's Game.
Did she become a big star?: She's still only 25 and on the upswing, but you could say she's pretty much there, yeah. She's starred in the worldwide hit Bumblebee, joined the Pitch Perfect franchise, and headlined premium TV shows Dickinson and Marvel's Hawkeye.
2014's Male Star of Tomorrow — Chadwick Boseman
Why he probably won it: His role as Jackie Robinson in 42.
Did he become a big star?: Absolutely. He was iconic as T'Challa/Black Panther, earned an Oscar nomination for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, and was stellar in Get On Up, Marshall, and 21 Bridges.
2014's Female Star of Tomorrow — Shailene Woodley
Why she probably won it: The Fault in Our Stars and Divergent.
Did she become a big star?: Let me think...sort of, yeah. She starred in the Divergent trilogy and both seasons of HBO's acclaimed Big Little Lies with Meryl Streep and a bunch of other big stars. So...she's getting there.
2015's Star of Tomorrow — Britt Robertson
Why she probably won it: Disney's Tomorrowland with George Clooney.
Did she become a big star?: Not yet at least. She did star in the hits The Longest Ride and A Dog's Purpose, but film-wise, things have been pretty uneventful for her the last five years or so. She currently stars on TV's The Rookie: Feds.
2016's Male Star of Tomorrow — Stephen Amell
(He didn't attend the awards, so here's a shot of him from 2016.)
Why he probably won it: For Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (seriously).
Did he become a big star?: Not for movies. He did, however, star in DC Comics' Arrow on the CW for eight years, so he's got fans!
2016's Female Star of Tomorrow — Gina Rodriguez
Why she probably won it: Deepwater Horizon with Mark Wahlberg and Kurt Russell.
Did she become a big star?: Her movie career has been pretty quiet, TBH, but her six-year run as the star of TV's Jane the Virgin made her a star of the small screen.
2017's Made Star of Tomorrow — Ansel Elgort
Why he probably won it: Baby Driver.
Did he become a big star?: No. He did co-star in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story, but was cast before assault allegations were levied against him.
2017's Female Star of Tomorrow — Sofia Boutella
Why she probably won it: Atomic Blonde with Charlize Theron.
Did she become a big star?: Not yet, but she just finished filming the lead role in Zack Snyder's next epic film Rebel Moon, which the acclaimed director hopes to turn into a massive franchise.
2018's Star of Tomorrow — Tiffany Haddish
Why she probably won it: Night School with Kevin Hart (following the massive success of Girls Trip).
Did she become a big star?: She's definitely getting there! After focusing on her TV series The Last O.G., she filmed a role in the upcoming big-budget adaptation of the Disney ride Haunted Mansion.
2019's Female Stars of Tomorrow — Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein
Why they probably won it: Their film Booksmart.
Did they become big stars?: Only time will tell, but they're both off to good starts: Dever's co-starred with Julia Roberts and George Clooney in the hit Ticket to Paradise, and Feldstein was recently on Broadway in Funny Girl.
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