Over the last 30 years, some of the most beloved movies and television shows have been carried by a talented cast of kids and teens. Many of them have grown to be A-list actors (Reese Witherspoon, Leonardo DiCaprio) and there’s no doubt that today’s up-and-coming kid actors are on the same path. With creative ensemble shows and movies on the rise, kids are being offered better parts than the "whiny 'tween" trope that was prevalent in the early 2000s.
Remember these fresh faces, because you’re going to be seeing a lot of them in the upcoming year.
Storm Reid
At just 14, Storm Reid is starring alongside Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, and Mindy Kaling in Disney’s adaptation of "A Wrinkle In Time," a role that she hopes will empower girls of color. In an interview with Teen Vogue she explained,
"If I was younger, if I saw Meg as myself, Meg would empower me and inspire me and make me feel like I could save the world. So to have those characters and to be able to be that for young African-American girls or just young people in general is really empowering."
Reid has several projects in the works and just wrapped up "Only You," with David Oyelowo which is expected to be released later this year.
Iain Armitage
You probably recognize 9-year-old Iain Armitage as the star of "Young Sheldon" or for his work as Ziggy in "Big Little Lies." But you might not know that he also has a YouTube channel called IainLovesTheatre where he reviews plays, musicals, and other shows.
Armitage’s love of theatre is no doubt influenced by his dad, actor Euan Morton, who began his run as King George in Broadway’s "Hamilton" last July. You will definitely be seeing a lot more of Armitage this year as HBO just confirmed that he will be reprising his role as Ziggy in the second season of "Big Little Lies."
Lonnie Chavis
Lonnie Chavis has been working consistently over the last year, but has stolen all of our hearts as 10-year-old Randall in "This Is Us." The young actor, who in 2016 narrowly escaped abduction while taking out the trash from his home, recently wrapped Disney film "Magic Camp" starring Adam Devine.
You can also catch Chavis alongside Jay Pharoah in the Showtime series "White Famous."
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