Meet Teen Vogue's Young Hollywood Class of 2020
"This is for all of the women, women of color, and colorful people, whose stories, ideas, thoughts are not always considered worthy and valid and important,” Tracee Ellis Ross said in one swooping breath, standing onstage to accept her 2017 Golden Globe for best actress in a television series. “But I want you to know, I see you. We see you.”
That night, Tracee became the first black actress to win that award since Debbie Allen brought it home for Fame in 1982. To Tracee’s point, when people see themselves onscreen, it validates their existence. Visibility gives humanity and individuality to groups that would otherwise seem monolithic; television and film have the ability to breathe life into the ignored.
Beyond statistics and reports, diversity in entertainment is incredibly important. Often used as a buzzword or umbrella term to describe a bigger issue in Hollywood — with its history of exclusionary practices — diversity allows different voices to be heard.
In recent years there has been a push to address America's century of disenfranchisement and misrepresentation on and behind the screen. Thanks in part to diversity fellowships and inclusion riders, we are seeing more and more diverse stories being told — because it’s becoming the status quo. And it’s working. USC Annenberg's Inclusion Initiative report found more representation of women, people of color, and differently abled characters in popular films over the last decade. More and more shows feature leads of diverse heritage, gender identity, and religion.
It is an exciting time in film and television: new platforms, new stories, new opportunities to authentically give a glimpse into lives rarely shown. It is in this context that we are excited to share the Teen Vogue Young Hollywood class of 2020.
Teen Vogue’s Young Hollywood is our way of elevating the actors who are radically changing popular culture. These nine individuals are shape-shifters but also steadfast in representing disenfranchised communities.
Last year, Kelvin Harrison Jr. proved he was up to the task of presenting the complexity of black masculinity in Luce and Waves. He sat down with Tracee Ellis Ross to have an intimate discussion about the challenges of representing a much larger community.
A Quiet Place actress Millicent Simmonds is a stunning performer with an eye for detail and intensity that will always set her apart. Her Wonderstruck costar, Michelle Williams, delves into her journey as a deaf performer with so much to say.
Ncuti Gatwa is a dynamic comedic actor on Sex Education who also has an impressive thespian background. He gets cozy with costar Gillian Anderson to talk about his African upbringing and love of Shakespearean plays.
Kaitlyn Dever is intentionally choosing roles that explore trauma and sexuality, like Booksmart and Netflix’s Unbelievable. Her chat with actress and director Olivia Wilde explores casting, intentionality, and avoiding the manic pixie dream girl trope.
Dafne Keen plays strong, fearless characters who are not defined by their circumstances, like her character in His Dark Materials. Playwright and costar Lin-Manuel Miranda picks her brain about childhood memories and set life.
At first seen as a Youtube sensation, Liza Koshy is redefining what it means to be a performer and an activist. She and America Ferrera wax poetic about authenticity, her hit series Liza on Demand, and branching out into jobs behind the camera.
Descendants star Sofia Carson approaches acting and music with a humility and fervor characteristic of her generation. Her interview with Priyanka Chopra Jonas touches upon combining one’s passions into a fulfilling career.
Spider-Man: Homecoming talent Jacob Batalon brings a quiet confidence to his roles that have gained global recognition. Director Jon Watts, who cast him as Ned in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, casually talks about Asian representation (or lack thereof) and his skyrocket to fame.
And Theo Germaine is smart and calculated, bringing a fresh perspective to how gender is presented onscreen, particularly in Ryan Murphy's high school drama, The Politician. They have a candid discussion with author Janet Mock about typecasting, directing, and opening the door for others.
Each of these actors will have success in 2020 (and beyond) because of the roles they’ve played and the passion they have about authentic storytelling. They see the world like us: malleable for the better, beautifully complicated, and filled with narratives that need to be told.
And while there’s a long way to go before we’re fully recovered from America’s complicated past, it’s exciting to know that there are young actors willing to make our world better, one dynamic role at a time.
Click on the portraits below to read more about each performer.
Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue
