History HollywoodHypeMachine / TooEarlyToCall

* Creator/JakeGyllenhaal and Creator/MaggieGyllenhaal. Hollywood seems entranced by the both of them, despite their continued failure to gain traction with audiences. The action-adventure film led by Jake, ''Film/PrinceOfPersiaTheSandsOfTime'', performed under expectations, and even Maggie's presence in ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' hasn't been enough to bolster her career, with most of the praise she received only being in comparison to Creator/KatieHolmes, the woman she replaced. Her unconventional facial appearance (big jowls and looking much older than the current crop of young starlets) is part of it as well. But the suits seem undeterred, so who knows? Chances have luckily turned for the better in recent years, when Jake appeared as [[Characters/MCUMysterio Mysterio]] in the $1B-dollar grossing ''Film/SpiderManFarFromHome'' (which became his highest-grossing film). Maggie, meanwhile, made her directorial debut with ''Film/TheLostDaughter'', which premiered in Venice 2021 to widespread critical praise.

* Creator/AndrewGarfield had a string of indie successes (''Film/LionsForLambs'', ''Film/TheImaginariumOfDoctorParnassus'') before hitting it big with ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan''. Even critics who didn't care much for it praised him in the title role, favorably comparing him to Creator/TobeyMaguire (who also found the right balance between making big budget films and small dramatic films). While he departed the ''Amazing Spider-Man'' franchise over creative disputes with Sony, he became a critical darling with acclaimed roles in such fare as ''Film/TheSocialNetwork'' (which many felt he was overlooked for at the Oscars), ''Film/HacksawRidge'' (which did earn him his very first Oscar nomination for Best Actor), and ''Film/TickTickBoom'' (which netted him another Oscar nomination for Best Actor). His surprise appearance in ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'' received a lot of acclaim from critics and audiences, causing his performance in the TASM movies to be VindicatedByHistory, with a current social media campaign to make a third one. As such, it's looking hopeful he'll stay big for a while.

* Creator/JeremyRenner initially did well with this trope, helped by the fact that he is much older than most of the stars usually being hyped. While he'd been working pretty consistently since 1995 and got attention for his roles in ''Dahmer'' and ''Film/TheAssassinationOfJesseJamesByTheCowardRobertFord'', it was ''Film/TheHurtLocker'' in 2008 that brought him huge acclaim and an Oscar nomination. He's since followed it up with critical acclaim and another Oscar nomination for ''Film/TheTown'', a supporting role in ''Film/MissionImpossibleGhostProtocol'' and a central role in ''Film/TheAvengers2012'' as Hawkeye. While ''Film/HanselAndGretelWitchHunters'' and ''Film/TheBourneLegacy'' did well at the box-office but not so well with critics, the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse helped keep him working consistently. Unfortunately, in 2019 a snowballing series of embarrassments and worse seriously damaged his reputation: his musical side-career and a failed ''app'' became subjects of mockery[[note]] An entire podcast, "The Renner Files" dedicated to mocking the APP and Renner's douchbaggery was a hit in 2020. [[/note]], and his ex-wife accused him of DomesticAbuse. Combined with ongoing fandom snark about Hawkeye being the lamest hero in a series featuring numerous characters, and his future in the franchise uncertain with the aforementioned allegations (not to mention that the [[Series/{{Hawkeye2021}} Hawkeye solo project]] served not only to showcase Renner, but [[LegacyCharacter to introduce the second, female, Hawkeye]]), the end may or may not be in sight.

* BoyBand Music/OneDirection took America practically overnight. While they had a slower rise in Europe, they were relatively unheard of in the United States--and then they started appearing ''everywhere''. Although initially pegged as rivals to fellow rising boy band The Wanted, One Direction [[CurbStompBattle made short work of them]], and The Wanted's career fizzled after one big hit. Then, the band's eyes were set on Justin Bieber. One Direction shocked the world when they defeated Justin Bieber at the 2012 Video Music Awards, which was a sign that Bieber's reign atop the teen world was coming to an end. One Direction proved that the victory was no fluke by continuing to ''dwarf'' his accomplishments and sales. Not only were the Brits' popularity skyrocketing past the Canadian's and closing in on his peak, but it was also obvious that Bieber's popularity was starting to fall (his own behavior would hurt it even worse). It's quite clear that One Direction are the biggest teen phenomenon since Music/{{NSYNC}}. Though after the group broke up, the musicians are trying not to be like NSYNC in that only one member remained successful - and it might be the case with Harry Styles, who released two acclaimed albums and scored three top 10 hits on both sides of the Pond, and rose at the same time Zayn Malik began faultering in the charts, while Niall Horan has mostly retreated to his native Ireland, and the other two only charted well with their debut singles.

* Creator/OliviaWilde appeared in a number of supporting roles on film and TV before she was cast as Thirteen on ''Series/{{House}}''; that show's ratings success brought her onto the radar of a larger audience. She was given a big push afterwards via starring roles in such blockbuster films as ''Film/YearOne'', ''Film/TheNextThreeDays'', ''Film/TronLegacy'', ''Film/CowboysAndAliens'', and ''Film/TheIncredibleBurtWonderstone''; unfortunately, most of those films under-performed. However, in 2019 Wilde branched into directing; that proved to be a far more fruitful endeavor when her debut feature ''{{Film/Booksmart}}'' received widespread critical acclaim.

* Creator/AmandaSeyfried, after well-received early appearances in ''Series/VeronicaMars'' and ''Film/MeanGirls'', was seemingly on a streak of success after becoming a major box-office draw (with hits such as the aforementioned ''Mean Girls'' and ''Theatre/MammaMia''). But in an eleven-month period from 2011 to 2012, she had three major flops in a row – ''Film/RedRidingHood'', ''Film/InTime'', and ''Film/Gone2012'' – with some reviews for the third one questioning if she even had appeal or talent in the first place (though others reviewers contended she was better than the material). ''Film/LesMiserables2012'', in which she played Cosette, was successful critically and commercially, but most of the acclaim was directed at Creator/AnneHathaway and Creator/HughJackman. Her role as the title character in ''Film/{{Lovelace}}'' has gotten her a lot of praise, but the movie made only half a million at the box office. Hollywood has long-since given up on an A-List role for her, but she can probably maintain a solid career as long as she doesn't overreach. Her attempt at becoming part of a franchise to boost her success crashed and burned with the critical and commercial failure that was 2015's ''Film/{{Pan}}''. She reprised her role in ''Film/MammaMiaHereWeGoAgain'' in 2018, which was a moderate success. Then in 2020, she played Marion Davies in ''Film/{{Mank}}'', which received critical acclaim. Seyfried's performance in this film is deemed her finest yet, such so that she got an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She later played disgraced medical entrepreneur Elizabeth Holmes in the Creator/{{Hulu}} series ''Series/TheDropout'', based on the titular podcast). Her performance netted her rave reviews once again and an eventual Emmy nomination.

* Creator/AmandaSeyfried, after well-received early appearances in ''Series/VeronicaMars'' and ''Film/MeanGirls'', was seemingly on a streak of success after becoming a major box-office draw (with hits such as the aforementioned ''Mean Girls'' and ''Theatre/MammaMia''). But in an eleven-month period from 2011 to 2012, she had three major flops in a row – ''Film/RedRidingHood'', ''Film/InTime'', and ''Film/Gone2012'' – with some reviews for the third one questioning if she even had appeal or talent in the first place (though others reviewers contended she was better than the material). ''Film/LesMiserables2012'', in which she played Cosette, was successful critically and commercially, but most of the acclaim was directed at Creator/AnneHathaway and Creator/HughJackman. Her role as the title character in ''Film/{{Lovelace}}'' has gotten her a lot of praise, but the movie made only half a million at the box office. Hollywood has long-since given up on an A-List role for her, but she can probably maintain a solid career as long as she doesn't overreach. Her attempt at becoming part of a franchise to boost her success crashed and burned with the critical and commercial failure that was 2015's ''Film/{{Pan}}''. She reprised her role in ''Film/MammaMiaHereWeGoAgain'' in 2018, which was a moderate success. Then in 2020, she played Marion Davies in ''Film/{{Mank}}'', which received critical acclaim. Seyfried's performance in this film is deemed her finest yet, such so that she got an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She later played disgraced medical entrepreneur Elizabeth Holmes in the Creator/{{Hulu}} series ''Series/TheDropout'', based on the titular podcast). Her performance once again netted her rave reviews and an eventual Emmy nomination.

* Creator/SethRogen has been dancing around this trope for a while. He's been acting since the late nineties but he got his biggest push from ''Film/KnockedUp'' in 2007. Like Michael Cera, he was then on the receiving end of criticism for playing the same character (The vulgar but loveable slacker) too many times in films that weren't successful or were despite his presence. The biggest exception was ''Film/ObserveAndReport'', in which he [[PlayingAgainstType played against type]] as a delusional, sinister mall cop, but it received mixed reviews. Though he earned back quite a bit of cred with his surprising dramatic performance in ''Film/FiftyFifty2011'' which have made people view him in a better light, and ''Film/ThisIsTheEnd'', which he co-wrote and starred in, was a commercial and critical success, as was his follow-up ''Film/{{Neighbors|2014}}'' and his infamous North Korea comedy ''Film/TheInterview''. Some of his works after like Creator/DannyBoyle's ''Film/SteveJobs'' and ''Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising'' weren't as successful though he did have another hit with the rated R animated film ''WesternAnimation/SausageParty''.

* Creator/LilyJames has received a lot of good press, coming from ''Downton'' as well. She was at one point touted as "the next Keira Knightley" and was brought to national attention with her widely praised role as the title character in Disney's live-action remake of ''{{Film/Cinderella|2015}}''. Her first follow-up to that - ''Literature/PrideAndPrejudiceAndZombies'' - playing with her 'English Rose' typecasting, was a BoxOfficeBomb. But she already had ''Downton'' and another well-received role in the BBC adaptation of ''Literature/WarAndPeace'' to fall back on, so time will tell. Starring in Edgar Wright's hit ''Film/BabyDriver'' is certainly promising. She also had a prominent role in ''Film/MammaMiaHereWeGoAgain'', which was a commercial and critical hit. She later starred as Creator/PamelaAnderson in the Creator/{{Hulu}} miniseries ''Series/PamAndTommy''. Her [[PlayingAgainstType wildly against type performance]] is noted as a standout among the rest of the cast, with talks circulating about her potentially being nominated for an Emmy.

* Creator/AmandaSeyfried, after well-received early appearances in ''Series/VeronicaMars'' and ''Film/MeanGirls'', was seemingly on a streak of success after becoming a major box-office draw (with hits such as the aforementioned ''Mean Girls'' and ''Theatre/MammaMia''). But in an eleven-month period from 2011 to 2012, she had three major flops in a row – ''Film/RedRidingHood'', ''Film/InTime'', and ''Film/Gone2012'' – with some reviews for the third one questioning if she even had appeal or talent in the first place (though others reviewers contended she was better than the material). ''Film/LesMiserables2012'', in which she played Cosette, was successful critically and commercially, but most of the acclaim was directed at Creator/AnneHathaway and Creator/HughJackman. Her role as the title character in ''Film/{{Lovelace}}'' has gotten her a lot of praise, but the movie made only half a million at the box office. Hollywood has long-since given up on an A-List role for her, but she can probably maintain a solid career as long as she doesn't overreach. Her attempt at becoming part of a franchise to boost her success crashed and burned with the critical and commercial failure that was 2015's ''Film/{{Pan}}''. She reprised her role in ''Film/MammaMiaHereWeGoAgain'' in 2018, which was a moderate success. Then in 2020, she played Marion Davies in ''Film/{{Mank}}'', which received critical acclaim. Seyfried's performance in this film is deemed her finest yet, such so that she got an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She later played disgraced medical entrepreneur Elizabeth Holmes in the Creator/{{Hulu}} series ''Series/TheDropout'' (based on the titular podcast), which also netted her rave reviews for her performance.

* Creator/JenniferLawrence had a huge boom throughout the first half of the 2010s but failed to keep up that momentum through the rest of the decade, leaving her career in a bit of a flux. She first came to critical notice with ''Film/WintersBone'' which earned her an Oscar nomination and then won one for ''Film/SilverLiningsPlaybook'' at only 22. She then had huge financial success with ''Film/TheHungerGames'' from 2012-2015 and some of her earlier ''X-Men'' movies (including 2011's ''Film/XMenFirstClass'') but struggled to pick the right projects post-''Hunger Games'' which lead to commercial and critical troubles, especially being seen phoning it in the latter ''X-Men'' movies. Her first big budget outing after the former franchise ended, ''Film/Passengers2016'', was a critical and commercial flop. Her next two films: ''Film/Mother2017'' and ''Film/RedSparrow'', both were financial and critical misfires. Her performance in her last ''X-Men'' outing, 2019's ''Film/DarkPhoenix'', was lambasted and the film was poorly received and one of the costliest flops of all time. She then decided to take a break and figure out where to go next - she only returned late in 2021 with ''Film/DontLookUp''. She's still only 30 and a very talented actor in the right role so she shouldn't be counted out just yet.

* Creator/SethRogen has been dancing around this trope for a while. He's been acting since the late nineties but he got his biggest push from ''Film/KnockedUp'' in 2007. Like Michael Cera, he was then on the receiving end of criticism for playing the same character (The vulgar but loveable slacker) too many times in films that weren't successful or were despite his presence. The biggest exception was ''Film/ObserveAndReport'', in which he [[PlayingAgainstType played against type]] as a delusional, sinister mall cop, but it received mixed reviews. Though he earned back quite a bit of cred with his surprising dramatic performance in ''Film/FiftyFifty'' which have made people view him in a better light, and ''Film/ThisIsTheEnd'', which he co-wrote and starred in, was a commercial and critical success, as was his follow-up ''Film/{{Neighbors|2014}}'' and his infamous North Korea comedy ''Film/TheInterview''. Some of his works after like Creator/DannyBoyle's ''Film/SteveJobs'' and ''Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising'' weren't as successful though he did have another hit with the rated R animated film ''WesternAnimation/SausageParty''.

* Creator/ColinFarrell, starting with ''Film/HartsWar'', had a big push in the early to mid-00's, starring in or having large supporting roles in blockbusters like ''Film/MinorityReport'', ''Film/{{Daredevil}}'', ''Film/{{SWAT}}'', ''Film/{{The New World|2005}}'' and most infamously, Creator/OliverStone's ''Film/{{Alexander}}'' and Creator/MichaelMann's ''Film/MiamiVice''. With the exception of ''Minority Report'', all of these films flopped or under-performed, and Colin went under the radar for a few years, starring in smaller budget/indie films. While he's had some small hits like ''Film/InBruges'' and ''Film/FrightNight2011'', he's still made flops like ''Film/TotalRecall2012'', and regardless his career is nowhere near the A-List status it once was. Then, he's one of the main cast in the second season of ''Series/TrueDetective'' as one of the main leads. He was praised for his performance on the show if it wasn't bogged by the convoluted plot, making the second season a ToughActToFollow. In the mid-2010's he appeared in the ''Film/HarryPotter'' spin-off ''Film/FantasticBeastsAndWhereToFindThem'', which did relatively well financially, and in two films by Creator/YorgosLanthimos, ''Film/TheLobster'' and ''Film/TheKillingOfASacredDeer'', which were critically hailed (with ''The Lobster'' even winning the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival). He's found more success in a supporting capacity nowadays, with as many highs (''Film/{{Widows}}'', ''Film/TheGentlemen'') as lows (''Film/{{Dumbo|2019}}'', ''Film/ArtemisFowl''). He was later cast as ComicBook/ThePenguin in ''Film/TheBatman2022''.

* Creator/JeremyRenner initially did well with this trope, helped by the fact that he is much older than most of the stars usually being hyped. While he'd been working pretty consistently since 1995 and got attention for his roles in ''Dahmer'' and ''Film/TheAssassinationOfJesseJamesByTheCowardRobertFord'', it was ''Film/TheHurtLocker'' in 2008 that brought him huge acclaim and an Oscar nomination. He's since followed it up with critical acclaim and another Oscar nomination for ''Film/TheTown'', a supporting role in ''Film/MissionImpossibleGhostProtocol'' and a central role in ''Film/TheAvengers2012'' as Hawkeye. While ''Film/HanselAndGretelWitchHunters'' and ''Film/TheBourneLegacy'' did well at the box-office but not so well with critics, the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse helped keep him working consistently. Unfortunately, in 2019 a snowballing series of embarrassments and worse seriously damaged his reputation: his musical side-career and a failed ''app'' became subjects of mockery[[note]] An entire podcast, "The Renner Files" dedicated to mocking the APP and Renner's douchbaggery was a hit in 2020. [[/note]], and his ex-wife accused him of DomesticAbuse. Combined with ongoing fandom snark about Hawkeye being the lamest hero in a series featuring LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters, and his future in the franchise uncertain with the aforementioned allegations (not to mention that the [[Series/{{Hawkeye2021}} Hawkeye solo project]] served not only to showcase Renner, but [[LegacyCharacter to introduce the second, female, Hawkeye]]), the end may or may not be in sight.

* Creator/AlexanderSkarsgard got a lot of attention for ''Series/TrueBlood'' and for dating former starlets, but what his current fans perceive as famewhoring and paparazzi baiting seems to be turning them off. He's on the fence until future efforts succeed in replenishing the ranks. Solid and HoYay-riffic work on ''Series/GenerationKill'' seems to be doing the trick. He also won lots of acclaim for his turn in ''Series/BigLittleLies''.

* Creator/PatrickDempsey had a serviceable but unremarkable film career for a while. Once ''Series/GreysAnatomy'' became big, Hollywood started trying to promote him as the next big thing. Of the leading-man roles he's had since then, only ''Film/{{Enchanted}}'' was really a critical and/or commercial success, and that one was arguably helped by having the Disney name behind it as well. His other roles haven't really set the world on fire, though he readily admits that his acting on ''Grey's'' mainly helps finance his auto racing career and he wouldn't mind pursuing motorsports full-time.

* Creator/OctaviaSpencer got major acclaim and won an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for her role in ''Film/TheHelp''. However, like her co-star Viola Davis, she hasn't done anything noteworthy since. This doesn't speak to lack of talent, but more about what kind of roles Hollywood offers black actresses. She got her own series, ''Red Band Society'', on Fox, and a major role as Johanna in the ''Literature/{{Divergent}}'' movies at least. Spencer has since returned to being a character actress, with two more Oscar nominations for ''Film/HiddenFigures'' and ''Film/TheShapeOfWater''. At most, she had a hit playing the title antagonist of ''Film/{{Ma}}'', as well as an UsefulNotes/EmmyAward-nominated performance as Madam C.J. Walker in the Creator/{{Netflix}} miniseries ''Self Made''.

* The entire cast of ''Film/StarTrek2009'' has gotten huge hype from their roles but arguably none more so than Creator/ChrisPine, playing the role of Captain Kirk. While he had some hits and critical acclaim before, it was his role in the 2009 reboot that put him firmly on the A-List. Since then, he's had some great success with roles in ''Film/{{Unstoppable}}'', ''Film/ThisMeansWar2012'' and ''WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheGuardians''. He was also cast as ''Literature/JackRyan'' in the film of the same name, taking over a role previously held by Creator/HarrisonFord, Creator/AlecBaldwin and Creator/BenAffleck. His latest major role as Steve Trevor in ''Film/{{Wonder Woman|2017}}'' has done much favors for him as the film was not only a critical and commercial hit, but many praised his performance and chemistry with lead Creator/GalGadot.

* Creator/OliviaWilde was featured in a slew of supporting roles on film and TV before being cast as Thirteen on ''Series/{{House}}''. The ratings success of that series brought her onto the radar of a larger audience. Afterwards, she was given a big push through starring roles in such blockbusters as ''Film/TronLegacy'', ''Film/CowboysAndAliens'', and ''Film/InTime'', only for most of these movies ending up under-performing. However, in 2019 she branched into directing, which proved much more fruitful when her debut feature ''{{Film/Booksmart}}'' received widespread critical acclaim.

* Creator/MichelleDockery came to national attention for her role as Lady Mary in the worldwide hit ''Series/DowntonAbbey'' and much was expected of her. She didn't do much work outside of ''Downton'' so it remains to be seen if she'll remain prominent now the show has ended. She was given her own TV series in America; ''Series/GoodBehavior'', in which she goes wildly against type to critical acclaim. This led to leading roles in more TV series, including ''Series/{{Godless}}'' and ''Series/DefendingJacob''.

* Her ''Cinderella'' co-star Creator/RichardMadden has received similar hype, he too coming from a hit television series (''Series/GameOfThrones''). He later got the lead role in BBC's ''[[Series/BodyguardUK2018 Bodyguard]]'', which earned him critical praise and a UsefulNotes/GoldenGlobe for Best Actor in a Drama Series. He then starred in Elton John's biopic, ''Film/{{Rocketman 2019}}'', as his music manager and portrayed Ikaris in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse film ''Film/{{Eternals}}''.

* Creator/FelicityJones had a slow climb to the top, starting out as a child actress in ''Literature/TheWorstWitch''. She had a series of respectable roles in well-received films, before netting a lot of acclaim for ''Like Crazy''. Her attempt at joining a franchise - namely as Felicia Hardy in ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan2'' - didn't go so well when Sony sold the ''Spider Man'' rights back to Marvel. But an Oscar nomination for ''Film/TheTheoryOfEverything'' gave her a real boost and she headlined three films in 2016 - ''Literature/{{Inferno|2013}}'', ''Film/AMonsterCalls'' and the Franchise/StarWars spin-off ''Film/RogueOne''. Time will tell if this translates into superstardom.
* Around TheNewTens, Hollywood was clearly looking to give Creator/LilyCollins a breakout role. As the daughter of famous musician Music/PhilCollins, she attracted a lot of attention from guest spots on the revival of ''Series/BeverlyHills90210'' and a supporting role in the Oscar-nominated ''Film/TheBlindSide''. However her first attempts at leading roles - as the love interest in the Creator/TaylorLautner vehicle ''Film/{{Abduction}}'' and Snow White in ''Film/MirrorMirror'' - were unsuccessful. The former was trashed by critics and was a BoxOfficeBomb, while the latter was overshadowed by the other Snow White film ''Film/SnowWhiteAndTheHuntsman''. The Hype Machine really got behind her with the announcement that she would play Clary Fray in the film version of the hit UrbanFantasy ''Literature/TheMortalInstruments''. The film ended up becoming a flop with audiences and critics, the sequel was cancelled and the franchise rebooted as the Netflix series ''{{Series/Shadowhunters}}'' with a new cast. Lily was however praised for her performances, some even comparing her to Creator/AudreyHepburn, and she did earn a Golden Globe nomination for 2016's ''Rules Don't Apply'', lots of acclaim for the Creator/{{Netflix}} film ''To The Bone'' and was chosen to co-lead the 2019 biopic ''Tolkien'', so time will tell. In October 2020, she played the titular role of ''Series/EmilyInParis''. Although the Creator/{{Netflix}} series received mixed reviews, Lily's performance got her nominated for a UsefulNotes/GoldenGlobe. A second season premiered in December 2021, and a month later it was renewed for two more seasons.
* Creator/EmiliaClarke is slowly rising on the top ever since she was cast as Daenerys Targaryen in ''Series/GameOfThrones'' which got her an Emmy nomination. By then, she landed a role as Sarah Connor in ''Film/TerminatorGenisys'' which received negative critical reviews and most of these reviews panned her performance. Although she quickly recovered with her starring role in ''Film/MeBeforeYou'', her film career was hampered by the commercial failure of the film ''Film/{{Solo}}''. With ''Game of Thrones'''s disastrously-received finale in 2019 -- which her character was at the center of -- only time will tell if she will stay on top or be remembered as a one-hit wonder. Since that debacle, she has moved from Westeros to [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse Marvel]], making her debut in the upcoming series ''Secret Invasion''.

* Creator/PedroPascal played a lot of minor and supporting TV roles in the past until he played the dashing Prince Oberyn Martell in ''Series/GameOfThrones'' which earned unanimous praise from critics and viewers. Later, he was given one of the lead roles in the Netflix series, ''Series/{{Narcos}}'' and was cast in ''Film/TheGreatWall'', ''Film/KingsmanTheGoldenCircle'' and ''Film/TheEqualizer2''. This boosted more on his star power which eventually led him to getting the role of Maxwell Lord in ''Film/WonderWoman1984'' and playing the titular character for Disney+'s ''Series/TheMandalorian''. ''The Mandalorian'' proved wildly successful during its first two seasons, resulting in him reprising the role in spin-offs. When ''[=WW84=]'' ended up premiering one week after the second season finale[[note]]and on the same day as two of Pascal's less-hyped projects that year, ''Film/WeCanBeHeroes2020'' and a documentary about ''The Mandalorian'' Season 2[[/note]], Pascal earned acclaim for proving he could deliver subdued and boisterous performances with equal pathos. After that, he nabbed the role of Joel Miller in the TV series adaptation of ''VideoGame/TheLastOfUs''.

* Creator/ViolaDavis has had a string of very well-received roles over the past few years starting with the acclaimed ''Doubt''. However, she hasn't done anything really big since then. This doesn't speak to lack of talent, but more about what kind of roles Hollywood offers black actresses. Davis' later films included small supporting parts in ''Film/EndersGame'', ''Film/BeautifulCreatures'', and ''Film/{{Prisoners}}''; something she's not very happy about, calling these roles "mammy-ish" and "down-trodden". For similar reasons, she also doesn't like ''Film/TheHelp'' all that much despite it being Academy Award-nominated, criticizing the fact that the black maids were essentially [[SupportingProtagonist Supporting Protagonists]] to the white characters (which already attracted criticisms of a "white savior" narrative) and subsequently didn't give the audience enough of an idea about how her character and the other maids dealt with racism in the Jim Crow South. But she landed her own series with ''Series/HowToGetAwayWithMurder'' on ABC which got renewed for a fourth season, and resulted in her winning an Emmy. She later won a well-deserved Oscar for her performance in the 2016 film adaptation of ''Theatre/{{Fences}}''[[note]]a role for which she had previously won a Tony in 2010[[/note]], which showed that her career is going steady for her. In addition to building critical respect with serious roles, she also branched out into franchise work when she joined the Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse as Amanda Waller. She portrayed Waller in ''Film/SuicideSquad2016'' (despite being negatively reviewed, her performance was unanimously deemed one of the film's best elements) and its sequel ''Film/TheSuicideSquad'' (which was an AcclaimedFlop due to its release amidst the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic, being widely considered an EvenBetterSequel despite making less money than the first).
* Creator/OctaviaSpencer got major acclaim and won an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for her role in ''Film/TheHelp''. However, like her co-star Viola Davis, she hasn't done anything noteworthy since. This doesn't speak to lack of talent, but more about what kind of roles Hollywood offers black actresses. She got her own series, ''Red Band Society'', on Fox, and a prominent role as Johanna in the ''Literature/{{Divergent}}'' movies at least. Spencer has since returned to being a character actress, with two more Oscar nominations for ''Film/HiddenFigures'' and ''Film/TheShapeOfWater''. At most, she had a hit playing the title antagonist of ''Film/{{Ma}}'', as well as an UsefulNotes/EmmyAward-nominated performance as Madam C.J. Walker in the Creator/{{Netflix}} miniseries ''Self Made''.

* Creator/TomHiddleston has been gradually climbing to the top ever since he first gained mainstream exposure as the villainous Loki in ''Film/{{Thor}}'' with subsequent reprisals as the villain in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse only adding to his stardom. In between starring as Loki, he has been finding consistent, critically-acclaimed work like ''Series/TheNightManager'', which netted him a Golden Globe award. His biggest hit that he headlined outside of the MCU was ''Film/KongSkullIsland'', which received good reviews and grossed over $550 million world wide though some felt that his otherwise solid performance was overshadowed by the AllStarCast. What helps Hiddleston stand out from the other MCU cast members is how he starred in smaller budget productions that garner much critical goodwill while avoiding high-profile flops. For the time being, Hiddleston seems to be doing well and may be on his way to securing A-list stardom if he can continue his consistent track record. His perseverance has paid off, since a ''Series/{{Loki|2021}}'' series was greenlit in 2019 and premiered on Disney+ in 2021 to rave reviews and peak streaming numbers.

* Creator/BarryKeoghan became a household name in his home country of Ireland with a starring role in ''Series/LoveHate''. He's been given the opportunity to star in high profile films such as ''{{Film/Dunkirk}}'', ''Film/TheKillingOfASacredDeer'' and ''Film/{{Eternals}}'' - though not as a lead yet. Time will tell if he can live up to the hype.

* Creator/TomHolland. Although he started out in the stage adaptation of ''Film/BillyElliot'' and ''Film/TheImpossible'', his mainstream break-out performance came when he played Spider-Man in the MCU starting with ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar''. Holland's performance was highly praised for balancing both the wisecracking action hero and nerdy everyman aspects of Spider-Man. Although his role was primarily comedic, many fans and critics noted how Holland was also surprisingly adept at dramatic performances with Holland improvising [[spoiler: the much lauded death of Peter Parker in ''Infinity War'']]. Even with his tendency to accidentally spoil movies and leak production secrets hasn't hurt his popularity since he goes out of his way to show utmost humility and avoid burning bridges. Even at his young age, he holds much clout in the film industry as Holland personally convinced Disney CEO Bob Iger and Sony Pictures Chairman Tom Rothman to form a new deal to keep Spider-Man in the MCU after negotiations initially broke down. Recently, he has voiced a desire to step away from the role of Spider-Man (and acting in general) to start a family. Sony and Disney, however, are both keen on Holland returning for a second MCU Spider-Man trilogy after ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'' grossed over $1 billion dollars in the box office. It became the first film since the beginning of the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic to do so, while also becoming the highest-grossing film of 2021. Outside of Spider-Man, Holland further proved he could draw in audiences with the video game adaptation ''Film/{{Uncharted}}''. While it got mixed reviews in contrast to his Spider-Man films, ''Uncharted'' did astoundingly well at the box office. The film made over $50 million in its opening weekend and later $150 million in two weeks, proving moviegoers would see Holland just for the sake of seeing Holland.

* Creator/TimotheeChalamet had his breakout role in 2017's ''Film/CallMeByYourName'', which netted him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, becoming one of the youngest actors to do so at only 23 years old. Since then, he's become one of Hollywood's hottest young stars, bolstered by well-received supporting roles in ''Film/LadyBird'' and ''Film/LittleWomen2019'', and is considered to be one of the finest actors of his generation. His three films in 2021 - a leading role in ''Film/Dune2021'', his first mainstream film role, and supporting roles in the large ensemble casts of ''Film/TheFrenchDispatch'' and ''Film/DontLookUp'' - boosted his profile even further. However, he's still young and has a long career ahead of him, so where his career will ultimately head is anyone's guess.

* Creator/AndrewGarfield had a string of indie successes (''Film/LionsForLambs'', ''Film/TheImaginariumOfDoctorParnassus'') before hitting it big with ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan''. Even critics who didn't care much for it praised him in the title role, favorably comparing him to Creator/TobeyMaguire (who also found the right balance between making big budget films and small dramatic films). While he departed the ''Amazing Spider-Man'' franchise over creative disputes with Sony, he became a critical darling with acclaimed roles in such fare as ''Film/TheSocialNetwork'' (which many felt he was overlooked for at the Oscars), ''Film/HacksawRidge'' (which did earn him his very first Oscar nomination for Best Actor), and ''Film/TickTickBoom'' (which netted him another Oscar nomination for Best Actor). As such, it's looking hopeful he'll stay big for a while.

* Cranston's costar from ''Series/BreakingBad'' Creator/AaronPaul is less lucky. He won three Emmy Awards for his role as Jesse Pinkman. However, the films he starred after his breakthrough, ''Film/NeedForSpeed'' and ''Film/ALongWayDown'', were critical flops. He has had some success with his involvement in ''WesternAnimation/BojackHorseman'', though and is cast for the third season of ''Series/{{Westworld}}''.

* Creator/AmandaSeyfried, after well-received early appearances in ''Series/VeronicaMars'' and ''Film/MeanGirls'', was seemingly on a streak of success after becoming a major box-office draw (with hits such as the aforementioned ''Mean Girls'' and ''Theatre/MammaMia''). But in an eleven-month period from 2011 to 2012, she had three major flops in a row – ''Film/RedRidingHood'', ''Film/InTime'', and ''Film/Gone2012'' – with some reviews for the third one questioning if she even had appeal or talent in the first place (though others reviewers contended she was better than the material). ''Film/LesMiserables2012'', in which she played Cosette, was successful critically and commercially, but most of the acclaim was directed at Creator/AnneHathaway and Creator/HughJackman. Her role as the title character in ''Film/{{Lovelace}}'' has gotten her a lot of praise, but the movie made only half a million at the box office. Hollywood has long-since given up on an A-List role for her, but she can probably maintain a solid career as long as she doesn't overreach. Her attempt at becoming part of a franchise to boost her success crashed and burned with the critical and commercial failure that was 2015's ''Film/{{Pan}}''. She reprised her role in ''Film/MammaMiaHereWeGoAgain'' in 2018, which was a moderate success. Then in 2020, she played Marion Davies in ''Film/{{Mank}}'', which received critical acclaim. Seyfried's performance in this film has been considered her finest yet, such so that she received an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She is set to play disgraced entrepreneur Elizabeth Holmes in the Creator/{{Hulu}} series ''The Dropout'', based on the podcast of the same name.

* Music/JustinTimberlake has been a very successful singer since his days in Music/{{NSYNC}}, but his movie career has had a lot of ups and downs. His entrance into Hollywood was rough: ''Film/AlphaDog'' had mixed reviews, but his performance was mostly praised. Then ''Film/SouthlandTales'', ''WesternAnimation/ShrekTheThird'', and ''Film/TheLoveGuru'' ruined the careers of everyone involved, including him. Nobody cared for ''The Open Road'', but then ''Film/TheSocialNetwork'' gave him a massive career boost. From then on it was bumpy again: voicing [[Film/YogiBear another CGI character]], picking [[Film/InTime the wrong sci-fi thriller]] to star in, and being [[Film/FriendsWithBenefits hit]] or [[Film/BadTeacher miss]] with the rom-com genre. A supporting role in ''Inside Llewyln Davis'' may keep him afloat acting-wise in the short term; to work with both Creator/DavidFincher and Creator/TheCoenBrothers illustrate that some big-name directors still have a lot of faith in him.

* Creator/TomHiddleston has been gradually climbing to the top ever since he first gained mainstream exposure as the villainous Loki in ''Film/{{Thor}}'' with subsequent reprisals as the villain in the ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'' only adding to his stardom. In between starring as Loki, he has been finding consistent, critically-acclaimed work like ''Series/TheNightManager'', which netted him a Golden Globe award. His biggest hit that he headlined outside of the MCU was ''Film/KongSkullIsland'', which received good reviews and grossed over $550 million world wide though some felt that his otherwise solid performance was overshadowed by the AllStarCast. What helps Hiddleston stand out from the other MCU cast members is how he starred in smaller budget productions that garner much critical goodwill while avoiding high-profile flops. For the time being, Hiddleston seems to be doing well and may be on his way to securing A-list stardom if he can continue his consistent track record. His perseverance has paid off, since a ''Series/{{Loki|2021}}'' series was greenlit in 2019 and premiered on Disney+ in 2021 to rave reviews and peak streaming numbers.

* Creator/JonHamm has had an odd relationship with this trope. After a few years of doing bit work and supporting roles, He burst onto the scene with ''Series/MadMen'' and won huge acclaim for his role and he has made a few forays into film such as ''Film/TheTown'' and ''Film/{{Bridesmaids}}'', the latter of which allowed him a chance to prove his comedy skills. But he hasn't fully made the leap to film success yet. This is partially due to his admitted aversion to franchises that require long contracts, ruling him out of superhero films even though many had been and still are pushing for him to play Franchise/{{Batman}} in the ''Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse'', something which Hamm has said he'd be up for if the script were good enough. Like some other actors on here, his older age gives him a degree of protection from being replaced and his acclaimed work on TV means he'll be around for a good while. He also had a huge hit with ''Film/BabyDriver'' so the possibility of him breaking out as a film star is definitely still there.

* Creator/TomHolland. Although he started out in the stage adaptation of ''Film/BillyElliot'' and ''Film/TheImpossible'', his mainstream break-out performance came when he played Spider-Man in the MCU starting with ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar''. Holland's performance was highly praised for balancing both the wisecracking action hero and nerdy everyman aspects of Spider-Man. Although his role was primarily comedic, many fans and critics noted how Holland was also surprisingly adept at dramatic performances with Holland improvising [[spoiler: the much lauded death of Peter Parker in ''Infinity War'']]. Even with his tendency to accidentally spoil movies and leak production secrets hasn't hurt his popularity since he goes out of his way to show utmost humility and avoid burning bridges. Even at his young age, he holds much clout in the film industry as Holland personally convinced Disney CEO Bob Iger and Sony Pictures Chairman Tom Rothman to form a new deal to keep Spider-Man in the MCU after negotiations initially broke down. Recently, he has voiced a desire to step away from the role of Spider-Man (and acting in general) to start a family. Sony and Disney, however, are both keen on Holland returning for a second MCU Spider-Man trilogy after ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'' grossed over $1 billion dollars in the box office. It became the first film since the beginning of the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic to do so, while becoming the highest-grossing film of 2021. If Holland also succeeds in the video game adaptation ''Film/{{Uncharted}}'', he could prove his worth.

* Creator/PedroPascal played a lot of minor and supporting TV roles in the past until he played the dashing Prince Oberyn Martell in ''Series/GameOfThrones'' which earned unanimous praise from critics and viewers. Later, he was given one of the lead roles in the Netflix series, ''Series/{{Narcos}}'' and was cast in ''Film/TheGreatWall'', ''Film/KingsmanTheGoldenCircle'' and ''Film/TheEqualizer2''. This boosted more on his star power which eventually led him to getting the role of Maxwell Lord in ''Film/WonderWoman1984'' and playing the titular character for Disney+'s ''Series/TheMandalorian''. ''The Mandalorian'' proved wildly successful during its first two seasons, resulting in him reprising the role in spin-offs. When ''[=WW84=]'' ended up premiering one week after the second season finale[[note]]and on the same day as two of Pascal's less-hyped projects that year, ''Film/WeCanBeHeroes2020'' and a documentary about ''The Mandalorian'' Season 2[[/note]], Pascal earned acclaim for proving he could deliver subdued and boisterous performances with equal pathos. After that, he eventually earns the role of Joel Miller for the TV series adaptation of ''VideoGame/TheLastOfUs''.

* Creator/JakeGyllenhaal and Creator/MaggieGyllenhaal. Hollywood seems entranced by the both of them, despite their continued failure to gain traction with audiences. The action-adventure film led by Jake, ''Film/PrinceOfPersiaTheSandsOfTime'', performed under expectations, and even Maggie's presence in ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' hasn't been enough to bolster her career, with most of the praise she received only being in comparison to Creator/KatieHolmes, the woman she replaced. Her unconventional facial appearance (big jowls and looking much older than the current crop of young starlets) is part of it as well. But the suits seem undeterred, so who knows? Chances have since luckily turned for the better in recent years, when Jake appeared as [[Characters/MCUMysterio Mysterio]] in the $1 billion-dollar grossing ''Film/SpiderManFarFromHome'' (which became his highest-grossing film). Maggie, meanwhile, made her directorial debut with ''Film/TheLostDaughter'', which premiered in Venice 2021 to widespread critical praise.

* Creator/AndrewGarfield had a string of indie successes (''Film/LionsForLambs'', ''Film/TheImaginariumOfDoctorParnassus'') before hitting it big with ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan''. Even critics who didn't care much for it praised him in the title role, favorably comparing him to Creator/TobeyMaguire (who also found the right balance between making big budget films and small dramatic films). While he departed the ''Amazing Spider-Man'' franchise over creative disputes with Sony, he became a critical darling with acclaimed roles in such fare as ''Film/TheSocialNetwork'' (which many felt he was overlooked for at the Oscars), ''Film/HacksawRidge'' (which did earn him his very first Oscar nomination for Best Actor), and ''Film/TickTickBoom'' (which netted him another Oscar nomination for Best Actor). As such, it's looking hopeful he'll stay big for a long while.

* Her ''Cinderella'' co-star Creator/RichardMadden has received similar hype, he too coming from a hit TV-show (''Series/GameOfThrones''). His first follow-up - the film ''Bastille Day'' didn't make much headway and got mixed reviews. Then, he got the lead role in BBC's ''[[Series/BodyguardUK2018 Bodyguard]]'' which earned him critical praise and a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama Series. He starred in Elton John's biopic, ''Film/{{Rocketman 2019}}'', as his music manager and portrayed Ikaris in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse film ''Film/{{Eternals}}''.

* Creator/TessaThompson suddenly started amassing praise with well-received roles in ''{{Film/Creed}}'' and ''Series/DearWhitePeople''. This led to her getting a prominent role in ''{{Series/Westworld}}'', and she was brought to international attention when cast as Valkyrie in ''Film/ThorRagnarok'' and ''Film/AvengersEndgame''. She was noted to be the standout of the cast, and her star power was enough to make her feel comfortable to propose an all-female team-up movie in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse. She also earned roles in ''Film/MenInBlackInternational'' and the live-action adaptation of ''WesternAnimation/LadyAndTheTramp''.

* Creator/LilyJames has received a lot of good press, coming from ''Downton'' as well. She was at one point touted as "the next Keira Knightley" and was brought to national attention with her widely praised role as the title character in Disney's live-action remake of ''{{Film/Cinderella|2015}}''. Her first follow-up to that - ''Literature/PrideAndPrejudiceAndZombies'' - playing with her 'English Rose' typecasting, was a BoxOfficeBomb. But she already had ''Downton'' and another well-received role in the BBC adaptation of ''Literature/WarAndPeace'' to fall back on, so time will tell. Starring in Edgar Wright's hit ''Film/BabyDriver'' is certainly promising. She also had a prominent role in ''Film/MammaMiaHereWeGoAgain'', which was a commercial and critical success.

* Creator/JakeGyllenhaal and Creator/MaggieGyllenhaal. Hollywood seems entranced by the both of them, despite their continued failure to gain traction with audiences. The action-adventure film led by Jake, ''Film/PrinceOfPersiaTheSandsOfTime'', performed under expectations, and even Maggie's presence in ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' hasn't been enough to bolster her career, with most of the praise she received only being in comparison to Creator/KatieHolmes, the woman she replaced. Her unconventional facial appearance (big jowls and looking much older than the current crop of young starlets) is part of it as well. But the suits seem undeterred, so who knows? Chances have luckily turned for the better in recent years, when Jake appeared as [[Characters/MCUMysterio Mysterio]] in the $1B-dollar grossing ''Film/SpiderManFarFromHome'' (which became his highest-grossing film). Maggie, meanwhile, made her directorial debut with ''Film/TheLostDaughter'', which premiered in Venice 2021 to widespread critical praise.

* Creator/ViolaDavis has had a string of very well-received roles over the past few years starting with the acclaimed ''Doubt''. However she hasn't done anything really big since then; this isn't due to lack of talent, but more of how what kind of roles Hollywood offers black actresses. Davis' later films included small supporting parts in ''Film/EndersGame'', ''Film/BeautifulCreatures'', and ''Film/{{Prisoners}}''; something she's not very happy about, calling these roles "mammy-ish" and "down-trodden". For similar reasons, she also doesn't like ''Film/TheHelp'' all that much despite it being Academy Award-nominated, criticizing the fact that the black maids were essentially [[SupportingProtagonist Supporting Protagonists]] to the white characters (which already attracted criticisms of a "white savior" narrative) and subsequently didn't give the audience enough of an idea about how her character and the other maids dealt with racism in the Jim Crow South. But she landed her own series with ''Series/HowToGetAwayWithMurder'' on ABC which got renewed for a fourth season, and resulted in her winning an Emmy. She later won a well-deserved Oscar for her performance in the 2016 film adaptation of ''Theatre/{{Fences}}''[[note]]a role for which she had previously won a Tony in 2010[[/note]], which showed that her career is going steady for her. In addition to building critical respect with serious roles, she also branched out into franchise work when she joined the Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse as Amanda Waller. She portrayed Waller in ''Film/SuicideSquad2016'' (despite being negatively reviewed, her performance was unanimously deemed one of the film's best elements) and its sequel ''Film/TheSuicideSquad'' (which was an AcclaimedFlop due to its release amidst the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic, being widely considered an EvenBetterSequel despite making less money than the first).

* Creator/AndrewGarfield had a string of indie successes (''Film/LionsForLambs'', ''Film/TheImaginariumOfDoctorParnassus'') before hitting it big with ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan''. Even critics who didn't care much for it praised him in the title role, favorably comparing him to Creator/TobeyMaguire (who also found the right balance between big budget films and small dramatic films). Although, he left the ''Amazing Spider-Man'' franchise over creative disputes with Sony, he became a critical darling with his acclaimed roles in fare such as ''Film/TheSocialNetwork'' (which many felt he was overlooked for at the Academy Awards, though he did get nominated for a few other major awards), ''Film/{{Silence}}'', ''Film/HacksawRidge'' (which did earn him his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor), and ''Film/TickTickBoom'' (which many critics predict will net him another Oscar nomination). As such, it's looking hopeful he'll stay big for a long while.

* Creator/TomHardy was once considered the next big star with a role in ''Film/StarTrekNemesis''. However the film flopped badly and nearly killed his career before it got started. This resulted in Hardy [[DrivenToSuicide falling into an addiction to alcohol and crack]] which he eventually overcame. His role in ''Film/{{Bronson}}'' helped revive his fortunes but it was his role in ''Film/{{Inception}}'' that [[CareerResurrection made him big again]]. He followed it up with ''Film/TinkerTailorSoldierSpy'', ''Film/{{Warrior}}'', ''Film/ThisMeansWar2012'', ''Film/{{Lawless}}'' and, most notably, his role as [[BigBad Bane]] in ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'' which was a colossal hit and earned him huge acclaim. 2015's ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'' opened to rave reviews, ending up being the most critically acclaimed film of the year, and ''Film/TheRevenant'' nabbed him an Oscar nomination, so don't expect Hardy to fade into obscurity anytime soon. Even the maligned ''Film/{{Venom|2018}}'' and its better-received sequel ''[[Film/VenomLetThereBeCarnage Let There Be Carnage]]'' made a lot of money. Critics and audiences alike conceded that no matter how good or bad the movies were, Hardy made them watchable at least.

* Creator/TessaThompson suddenly started attracting a lot of praise with well-received roles in ''{{Film/Creed}}'' and ''Series/DearWhitePeople''. This led to her getting a prominent role in ''{{Series/Westworld}}'', and she was brought to international attention when cast as Valkyrie in ''Film/ThorRagnarok'' and ''Film/AvengersEndgame''. She was noted to be the standout of the cast, and her star power was enough to make her feel comfortable to propose an all-female team-up movie in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse. She also earned roles in ''Film/MenInBlackInternational'' and the live-action adaptation of ''WesternAnimation/LadyAndTheTramp''.

* Creator/AmandaSeyfried, after well-received early appearances in ''Series/VeronicaMars'' and ''Film/MeanGirls'', was seemingly on a streak of success after becoming a major box-office draw (with hits such as the aforementioned ''Mean Girls'' and ''Theatre/MammaMia''). But in an eleven-month period from 2011 to 2012, she had three major flops in a row (''Film/RedRidingHood'', ''Film/InTime'', and ''Film/Gone2012'') with some reviews for the third one questioning if she even had appeal or talent in the first place (though others reviewers contended she was better than the material). ''Film/LesMiserables2012'', in which she played Cosette, was successful critically and commercially, but most of the acclaim was directed at Creator/AnneHathaway and Creator/HughJackman. Her role as the title character in ''Film/{{Lovelace}}'' has gotten her a lot of praise, but the movie made only half a million at the box office. Hollywood has long-since given up on an A-List role for her, but she can probably maintain a solid career as long as she doesn't overreach. Her attempt at becoming part of a franchise to boost her success crashed and burned with the critical and commercial failure that was 2015's ''Film/{{Pan}}''. She reprised her role in ''Film/MammaMiaHereWeGoAgain'' in 2018, which was a moderate success. Then in 2020, she played Marion Davies (see above) in ''Film/{{Mank}}'', which received critical acclaim. Seyfried's performance in this film is considered her finest yet, such so that she received an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She is set to play disgraced entrepreneur Elizabeth Holmes in the Creator/{{Hulu}} series ''The Dropout'', based on the podcast of the same name.

* Creator/PedroPascal played a lot of minor and supporting TV roles in the past until he played the dashing Prince Oberyn Martell in ''Series/GameOfThrones'' which earned unanimous praise from critics and viewers. Later, he was given one of the lead roles in the Netflix series, ''Series/{{Narcos}}'' and was cast in ''Film/TheGreatWall'', ''Film/KingsmanTheGoldenCircle'' and ''Film/TheEqualizer2''. This boosted more on his star power which eventually led him to getting the role of Maxwell Lord in ''Film/WonderWoman1984'' and playing the titular character for Disney+'s ''Series/TheMandalorian''. ''The Mandalorian'' proved wildly successful during its first two seasons, and when ''[=WW84=]'' ended up premiering one week after the second season finale[[note]]and on the same day as two of Pascal's less-hyped projects that year, ''Film/WeCanBeHeroes2020'' and a documentary about ''The Mandalorian'' Season 2[[/note]], Pascal earned acclaim for proving he could deliver subdued and boisterous performances with equal pathos. After that, he began playing Mando again in [[SpinOff spin-offs]], and eventually earns the role of Joel Miller for the TV series adaptation of ''VideoGame/TheLastOfUs''.

* Creator/EmmaStone also fits, with ''Spider-Man'' crowning a rise after a series of well-received movies (''Film/{{Zombieland}}'', ''Film/EasyA'', ''Film/TheHelp''). She later earned an Oscar nomination for ''Film/{{Birdman}}''. Then in 2016, she earned a lot of praise for her performance in the musical film, ''Film/LaLaLand'', for which she won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy/Musical and an Oscar for Best Actress. Later, she got nominated again at the 2019 Oscar in the supporting category for her role in ''Film/TheFavourite''.

* Creator/PedroPascal played a lot of minor and supporting TV roles in the past until he played the dashing Prince Oberyn Martell in ''Series/GameOfThrones'' which earned unanimous praise from critics and viewers. Later, he was given one of the lead roles in the Netflix series, ''Series/{{Narcos}}'' and was cast in ''Film/TheGreatWall'', ''Film/KingsmanTheGoldenCircle'' and ''Film/TheEqualizer2''. This boosted more on his star power which eventually led him to getting the role of Maxwell Lord in ''Film/WonderWoman1984'' and playing the titular character for Disney+'s ''Series/TheMandalorian''. ''The Mandalorian'' proved wildly successful during its first two seasons, and when ''[=WW84=]'' ended up premiering one week after the second season finale[[note]]and on the same day as two of Pascal's less-hyped projects that year, ''Film/WeCanBeHeroes2020'' and a documentary about ''The Mandalorian'' Season 2[[/note]], Pascal earned acclaim for proving he could deliver subdued and boisterous performances with equal pathos. After that, he eventually earns the role of Joel Miller for the TV series adaptation of ''VideoGame/TheLastOfUs''.

* Creator/TomHiddleston has been gradually climbing to the top ever since he first gained mainstream exposure as the villainous Loki in ''Film/{{Thor}}'' with subsequent reprisals as the villain in the ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'' only adding to his stardom. In between starring as Loki, he has been finding consistent, critically-acclaimed work like ''Series/TheNightManager'', which netted him a Golden Globe award. His biggest hit that he headlined outside of the MCU was ''Film/KongSkullIsland'', which received good reviews and grossed over $550 million world wide though some felt that his otherwise solid performance was overshadowed by the AllStarCast. What helps Hiddleston stand out from the other MCU cast members is how he starred in smaller budget productions that garner much critical goodwill while avoiding high-profile flops. For the time being, Hiddleston seems to be doing well and may be on his way to securing A-list stardom if he can continue his consistent track record. His perseverance has paid off, since a ''Series/{{Loki}}'' series was greenlit in 2019 and premiered on Disney+ in 2021 to rave reviews and peak streaming numbers.

* Creator/JakeGyllenhaal and Creator/MaggieGyllenhaal. Hollywood seems entranced by the both of them, despite their continued failure to gain traction with audiences. The action-adventure film led by Jake, ''Film/PrinceOfPersiaTheSandsOfTime'', performed under expectations, and even Maggie's presence in ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' hasn't been enough to bolster her career, with most of the praise she received only being in comparison to Creator/KatieHolmes, the woman she replaced. Her unconventional facial appearance (big jowls and looking much older than the current crop of young starlets) is part of it as well. But the suits seem undeterred, so who knows? Chances have luckily turned for the better in recent years, when Jake appeared as [[Characters/MCUMysterio Mysterio]] in the $1B-dollar grossing ''Film/SpiderManFarFromHome'' (which became his highest-grossing film). Maggie, meanwhile, made her directorial debut with ''The Lost Daughter'', which premiered in Venice 2021 to widespread critical acclaim.

* Since ''Film/{{Divergent}}'' is considered by several in terms of hype to be "The New ''[[Literature/TheHungerGames Hunger Games]]''," being a film adaptation of a popular Young Adult book series (and every new such franchise launched between the two has bombed), there are already some press that are hyping up ''Divergent'' star Creator/ShaileneWoodley as "The New Creator/JenniferLawrence." Adding to this comparison is the fact that both got their first break on low-budget cable series (''The Bill Engvall Show'' for Lawrence, ''Series/TheSecretLifeOfTheAmericanTeenager'' for Woodley.) The box office success of ''Film/TheFaultInOurStars'' is certainly a step in the right direction but after ''Allegiant'' bombed so badly, a conclusion for the series wound up cancelled (partly because Woodley refused to return if the studio repurposed it as a TV movie). Fortunately, her performance in ''{{Film/Snowden}}'' and ''Series/BigLittleLies'' was praised which means there's hope for her.

* Creator/PatrickDempsey had a serviceable but unremarkable film career for a while. Once ''Series/GreysAnatomy'' became successful, Hollywood started trying to promote him as the next big thing. Of the leading-man roles he's had since then, only ''Film/{{Enchanted}}'' was really a critical and/or commercial success, and that one was arguably helped by having the Disney name behind it as well. His other roles haven't really set the world on fire, though he readily admits that his acting on ''Grey's'' mainly helps finance his auto racing career and he wouldn't mind pursuing motorsports full-time.

* Creator/ViolaDavis has had a string of very well-received roles over the past few years starting with the acclaimed ''Doubt''. However she hasn't done anything really big since then; this isn't due to lack of talent, but more of how what kind of roles Hollywood offers black actresses. Davis' later films included small supporting parts in ''Film/EndersGame'', ''Film/BeautifulCreatures'', and ''Film/{{Prisoners}}''; something she's not very happy about, calling these roles "mammy-ish" and "down-trodden". For similar reasons, she also doesn't like ''Film/TheHelp'' all that much despite it being Academy Award-nominated, criticizing the fact that the black maids were essentially [[SupportingProtagonist Supporting Protagonists]] to the white characters (which already attracted criticisms of a "white savior" narrative) and subsequently didn't give the audience enough of an idea about how her character and the other maids dealt with racism in the Jim Crow South. But she landed her own series with ''Series/HowToGetAwayWithMurder'' on ABC which got renewed for a fourth season, and resulted in her winning an Emmy. She was also praised for her role as Amanda Waller in ''Film/SuicideSquad2016'' and won a well-deserved Oscar for her performance in ''Theatre/{{Fences}}'', which showed that her career is going steady for her.

* Creator/TomHiddleston has been gradually climbing to the top ever since he first gained mainstream exposure as the villainous Loki in ''Film/{{Thor}}'' with subsequent reprisals as the villain in the ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'' only adding to his stardom. In between starring as Loki, he has been finding consistent, critically-acclaimed work like ''Series/TheNightManager'', which netted him a Golden Globe award. His biggest hit that he headlined outside of the MCU was ''Film/KongSkullIsland'', which received good reviews and grossed over $550 million world wide though some felt that his otherwise solid performance was overshadowed by the AllStarCast. What helps Hiddleston stand out from the other MCU cast members is how he starred in smaller budget productions that garner much critical goodwill while avoiding high-profile flops. For the time being, Hiddleston seems to be doing well and may be on his way to securing A-list stardom if he can continue his consistent track record.

* Irish actor Jack Reynor was given a lot of hype thanks to his breakout role in ''Film/WhatRichardDid''. HypeBacklash set in pretty quickly, especially after his turn in ''Film/TransformersAgeOfExtinction'', which had some viewers questioning whether the former was just a fluke. He did earn critical acclaim for his parts in smaller films like ''Film/ARoyalNightOut'', ''Sing Street'' and the 2015 adaptation of ''{{Theatre/Macbeth}}'' so time will tell.