Top 8 Actors To Watch Out For In 2015

by Helen Earnshaw | 26 March 2015

Every year there are a handful of actors that really do blast onto the big screen with major breakthrough roles that send their stars rocketing... it looks like 2015 is going to see that fine trend continue.

Lily James

Hollywood's established stars really had better watch out as there are some astonishingly talents actors on the rise and will be making a name for themselves over the next twelve months.

We take a look at some of the actors that we are super excited about and the role & movies that are going to make them household names.

- Lily James

Lily James is already a big small screen star here in the UK thanks to her role as Lady Rose in smash hit series Downton Abbey - but she is set to become a global star thanks to her new role in Cinderella.

James is set to take on the title role in the film, and while she is no stranger to the big screen, this is the biggest film of her career to date as she teams up with director Kenneth Branagh for the first time.

The movie has already topped the U.S. box office, won over critics, and has grossed over $256 million worldwide - and it is set to be a huge hit in the UK when it is released tomorrow.

Cinderella is set to be the film and role that sends James' star rocketing and make her one of the most in demand young actresses around... and we are going to be seeing plenty more of her this year.

James has already completed work on Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - a new take on the novel by Jane Austen - which will see her play Elizabeth Bennet as we have never seen her before. She has also finished work on Adam Jones, which is directed by John Wells and also stars Bradley Cooper, Uma Thurman, Emma Thompson, and Jamie Dornan.

However, James has not turned her back on the small screen, as she is currently filming a TV adaptation of War and Peace, which will see her take on the role of Natasha Rostova.

- Richard Madden

Richard Madden is another actor that is best known for his television exploits on show Game of Thrones - a show that has turned the British actor into a star. Since leaving Game of Thrones, we have seen him in TV mini-series Klondike and now he is focusing on some film projects.

Madden stars alongside James in Cinderella this week as he plays Prince Charming in the live action adaptation of the Disney classic. Like James, this is the biggest film of his career to date.

Cinderella is the first time that we have seen him on the big screen since A Promise, and there are exciting times ahead for the British actor. He will be back later this year with Bastille Day.

The movie marks the return of James Watkins back to the director's chair, while Idris Elba and Charlotte Le Bon will join Madden on the cast list.

But do not fear TV fans, he will be back on the small screen shortly as he is currently filming a new adaptation of Lady Chatterley's Lover. He is set to take on the role of Oliver Mellors alongside Holliday Grainger and James Norton.

- Cara Delevingne

Cara Delevingne is making the transition from model to actress and is set to return to the big screen this week with The Face of an Angel, which is only her second big screen role.

The movie sees Delevingne star alongside Kate Beckinsale and Daniel Bruhl in the latest drama from director Michael Winterbottom. The movie is based on the book by Barbie Latza Nadeau and is inspired by the real-life story of Amanda Knox, who was accused of the murder of Meredith Kercher in 2007.

She is set to take a leading role alongside Nat Wolff in Paper Towns, the second of John Green's novels to be adapted for the big screen. She has also finished work on Tulip Fever, London Fields, and Kids In Love. She is also going to make an appearance as a mermaid in Pan by Joe Wright.

However, her biggest movie is yet to come, as she is yet to start work on Suicide Squad - which is based on the DC Comics of the same name. Delevingne will take on the role of Enchantress in the film alongside Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jai Courtney, Joel Kinnaman, Jared Leto, and Viola Davis.

David Ayer is in the director's chair and it is already one of the most anticipated films of 2016. Delevingne acting star is well and truly on the rise and she has some interesting and diverse roles on the horizon over the next year.

- Adam Driver

Adam Driver is best known for his role as Adam Sackler in Girls but has been making major waves on the big screen with the likes of Track and What if in 2014.

2015 is set to be an even bigger year for him as he is one of the new faces on the cast list for Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens. This is the first Star Wars from director J.J. Abrams and it is set to be the biggest movie that Driver has been involved with.

It is also the first time that he has tackled a blockbuster role, and it is set to turn him into a global superstar. However, who he is going to play in the film has not yet been revealed. But we are going to have to wait until December before the film finally hits the big screen.

It's not all about Star Wars for Driver in 2015, as he is set to return to the big screenat the beginning of April with While We're Young, which is the latest film from writer and director Noah Baumbach.

The comedy drama will see Driver part of a terrific cast as Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts, and Amanda Seyfried are also on board. He has also finished work on Midnight Special with Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, and Paul Sparks.

And Driver is keeping himself busy as he is now working with Martin Scorsese on his latest film Silence, which is an adaptation of the novel by Shûsaku Endô. Liam Neeson and Andrew Garfield make up an exciting cast list.

- Zoe Kravitz

Zoe Kravitz is currently enjoying box office success with Insurgent - where she reprises the role of Christina - as the movie has topped the U.S. box office this week.

Kravitz is known for her roles in the likes of X-Men: First Class and TV series Californication and 2015 is set to be another busy and varied year for the actress.

She tackles a smaller project with her next film Good Kill - due out April - as she teams up with Ethan Hawke, January Jones, and director Andrew Niccol.

Also written by Niccol, Good Kill follows a drone pilot as he beings to question the ethics of his job. Good Kill is one of a handful of films that will explore this subject this year.

We are also going to be seeing Kravtiz team up with Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, and Nicholas Hoult as Mad Max: Fury Road finally hits the big screen in May - it looks set to be a weird and action packed ride as George Miller is back in the director's chair.

Kravitz has also finished work on Viena and the Fantomes and Vincent-N-Roxxy, which her tackle the drama and the crime/thriller genres.

- Miles Teller

Whiplash is one of the best films to hit the big screen so far this year, and propelled Teller into the spotlight as a major acting talent to keep an eye on... and we are only going to be talking about him more by the time the year is up.

Like Kravtiz, he has returned to the role of Peter in Insurgent and is currently enjoying further box office success.

However, there is one movie that I am super excited to see Teller star in this year... of course, I am talking about Fantastic Four. Yes, the superhero team will be back on the big screen and Teller is set to take on the role of Reed Richards.

The franchise is being rebooted by director Josh Trank and will see Teller star alongside Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Bell, and Toby Kebbell - it really is promising to be the summer film that is not to be missed.

As if an indie hit and a sure-fire blockbuster smash are not enough, we are also going to be seeing Teller in Get A Job and Bleed for This. Get A Job will see the actor return to the comedy genre, while Bleed For This is a biopic about boxer Vinny Pazienza.

I am excited to see Teller take on the role of Pazienza in the film, alongside Katey Sagal, Aaron Eckhart, Ciaran Hinds, and Ted Levine. This could well be another movie that gains this young actor major critical acclaim.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Gugu Mbatha-Raw grabbed everyone's attention last summer when she led the cast in drama Belle, which explored the life of the little known Dido Elizabeth Belle.

She was nominated for an EE Rising Star Award at the Baftas earlier this year - losing out to Jack O'Connell - and that success looks set to continue into 2015.

We have already seen her in sci-fi epic Jupiter Ascending - her first major blockbuster film - and she is set to return with The Whole Truth, a drama that sees her star alongside Renee Zellweger and Keanu Reeves.

She has also completed work on Concussion, a sports drama that looks at American football players who suffer from major head traumas and the life-long problems they face.

Peter Landesman is back in the director's chair for the film, while Will Smith, Alec Baldwin, and Luke Wilson are also on board.

Mbatha-Raw is currently working with another great director in Gary Ross, as filming for The Free State of Jones is underway. The movie is set during the American Civil War and will see Matthew McConaughey and Keri Russell on the cast list.

- John Boyega

John Boyega has moved between TV and film roles in the early part of his career with the likes of Becoming Human and Attack the Block under his belt.

And while he may not be a household name just yet, but the time Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens hits the big screen in December he will be.

Boyega is another of the new faces that we are going to be seeing on the cast of The Force Awakens, as he takes on the role of Finn.

The Force Awakens is the first blockbuster role for the twenty three year old star and will see him star alongside Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, and Andy Serkis - franchise faves Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher are all also on board.

Boyega has slowly been making a name for himself since he made his TV debut in 2011 and 2015 really is going to be a very exciting year for the actor.